Jimi Hendrix - Machine Gun (Berkeley Soundcheck)

[TobyBlueshine]

too bad Nixon had to have him killed and making it look like it was self inflicted. He didn't suffocate in his own vomid, but in clear red wine - thats what the doctors who cut him up, lather has atmitted. And that's only possible by force of other people!

[TobyBlueshine]

When I was 4 years old, my father put on the (original press) first side of Electric Ladyland. That's the first music I remember hering in my life. I've been amazed all my life! Nothing has ever hit my heart like Jimi still does. He's beyond all other musicians,. forever!!!

[anthropomorphicide]

Top three best versions of Machine Gun I've ever heard! Only Band of Gypsies v. and Isle of Wight are right there. I always regarded Hear My Train @ Berkley as the very best from this concert but this soundcheck of Machine Gun is just as fluid and aggressive.

All time Hendrix. thanx for posting.

the other lost video is Hear My Train from Woodstock.  Another Epic performance.

[waydeepinside]

@blackdaude57 ... this is most true to me also...amen

[blackdude57]

he was in a very good mood there the whole show was super even this soundcheck

[tedmich]

he had the Univibe going real well this night!

[talkinglens1]

Very intense, visceral and most of all meaningful!

[TheOresteia1992]

My goodness that is one EPIC intro... so slick and badass..!!!

[drumstillobe]

damn .... thank you for this gift of a post, goose pimple city..ahhhhhhhh

[RainyDaysMusic]

Amazing !!

[WindsOfChange13]

the worst part about this song.....it ended

[stratman7000]

i love sound check versions of songs... its like the music is more personal. the artist tends to be free"er to express their vision with no subconcious premonitions of judgement even from the crowd, or environment.

[fridwoow]

just loveee this version.. really like the sound he had at this concert,, and his voice is just so epic in this version,, cant get enough of it,, so much emotion

[anthropomorphicide]

never heard this before. unbelievable. thanx!!!!!!!!!

[SOB044]

Jimi we're not worthy to lick the dust from your amplifiers!

[romienomie]

Yall just all need to relax and listen to the master. He saw neither black nor white. He was a truce innovator and did as much to bring people together in his short span on this earth than any man of his time including MLK.

[drjimiboy69]

@romienomie He was a universalist and incorporated and internalized all sorts of cultural influences. That said, JMH was very much a black person with deep material, interpersonal, class, and cultural bonds to black people, from start to finish. He was also very much relevant to and a reflection of the black liberation struggle that was intensifying at that time, captured in his music. He was a universalist, rooted in blackness, which manifested via his individualism. Human first.

[awade1007]

@drjimiboy69 well said!

[blackdude57]

@drjimiboy69 Bullshit bulshitt bullshit Jimi was just a musician he never stopped playing since he started he was addicted tomplaying his guitar and thats what made him so good and he was a selfmade man he knew what he wanted and projected it all in 3 years thats all it was all a big show he had in his mind and he made it FOREVER AND EVER ........amen

[anthropomorphicide]

never heard this before and can't thank you enough. The Berkley concert had more distinctively AMERICAN political emotion in it than any his other live performances. This concert was a political comment on the insanity of Viet Nam, at a time when artists were being arrested for anything remotely critical of the war. And it's so upfront in all of Hendrix's emotionally charged improvisational attack, that IMHO, this concert stands alone in it's audacity and brilliance. So thank you!!

[mmm9mmm9]

O! O! Thank GOD for you people for putting up old vids of Jimmy!

[theastralworld]

ive never met a white or black person iv only met human beings with trillions of different colors and shades in each of their bodies ...and even more in their minds and dreams

[moopadoopolus]

@theastralworld Beautiful quote.

[highfiveforsuicide]

Nô bullshit, some Of The people threading here are assholes

[dreadway3]

It would appear I hit a VERY sensitive nerve here. Either that, or I pressed the "ON" button on a machine that never should have been built.

You but prove my point, sir. You are NOT an African American with class or integrity, which has nothing to do with wealth. Go get educated and get a life. That's your only hope. I wash my hands of you, sir. Rant on all you want.

[THENOTEWORKER]

I'll say it again, just like Keb mo, you white folks will clean his draws with your toungue's cause he's a stellar musician and you want to claim him from black folks because you read that more white folks like the blue and every other fucking lie white writers write for you. i'm from the south and my entire county even today love the fucking blues.But you hate niggers in the ghetto huh? Only niggers that are talent and rich pass your test as it's been for half a centure and then some. Eat a dk

[THENOTEWORKER]

I grew up playing Iron maiden, yngwie malmsteen, and everything under the fucking sun rock n roll, But i started playing the blues first just like Jimi, But i never sold out, and niether did Jimi. you white boys think you know hendrix so fucking well, but you can't even heard the amount of soul in even his greatest rock songs paying homage to his race the his fucking music, and unknown to white folks, they though he was a fucking fluke,a circus freak untill he shock the world and changed history

[THENOTEWORKER]

You mother fucker can lie in here all you want, but that don't fuck with the truth. Why the fuck do you think he completely changed his hair to a process wave and made FREDOME? That was a fucking crystal clear statement to your mama's and racist ass daddys that raised YOU! You can't pick and choose what black mother fucker you like FOOL! I refuse to let you white get away with that as long as i can type.I play the fuck out of some metal, but i would never sell out to you motherfuckers, nor would

[THENOTEWORKER]

Fuck all you mother fucking swinging on jimi's because you think you own like a fucking slave because you think he didn't like black folk,or because he had a bigger white audience, how fucking childishly stupid can a mother really get, i mean mother fuck!! Thats why 911 and shit happens to this country because you white folks are so fucking clueless untill after bodys start dropping.You people suffer from ENTITTLEMENT-complacency-Super­iority complexes and every got damn thing else racist! FUCK!!

[chill66blog]

@THENOTEWORKER you are dumb racist faggot aren't you? Do you think jimi would approve of your racist comments etc? He always said he didn't just wanna be another blues guitarist in the world... he actually was going to maybe do an album with Myles Davis(if you know who that is) you racist piece of trailer trash.

[THENOTEWORKER]

The blues was

[dreadway3]

Yeah, thenotworker, Jimi didn't invent the blues, but he took 'em in a cosmic direction for ALL of humanity, not just black folk. And when the Black Panthers tried to coopt him, he gave 'em the finger, basically. The guy had class and integrity.

And just for the record, my adopted daughter is Oriental, and I'd let her date a black kid if he was decent and had integrity.

[THENOTEWORKER]

@dreadway3 Your so fucking stupis you don't even know what the fuck your talking bitch! My dad was actually friends with buddy miles from the chittlin circuit you fucking hump!! i got my info straight from a guy that actually knew jimi Bitch, what the fuck do you know? He was to famous to supporting white folks DEATHS understandably, it had SHIT to do with him no supporting his people you fucking idiot. Thats why he form band of gypsys to reach out to his fucking people with an all black band!

[THENOTEWORKER]

@dreadway3 So because you would let your little bang a black dick i'm supposed to swing on your nuts bitch? FUCK YOU!! That just shows how fucking clueless you got damn white folks are on anything involving black issues SUCKA!! You need to shut the the fuck up about anything black bitch! I live in the most segregated state in America and white mother fuckers here are racist ass fucking hitler, they just do it by sneakyer means, Housing, jobs, contracting work etc BITCH!!

[THENOTEWORKER]

@dreadway3 If you could fucking read you see i said jimi always want to revert back to his roots in the blues and R&B which he ended up doing in the end dumb ass! Even you white motherfuckers could here FREDOM was all about us and of course he grew his afro back in the very year he died dumb fuck! You white dude s think cause he played rock that you automaticly know everything about him, or because he had a lot of white fucking VAMPIRES sucking very life from him to the very end Bitch!

[THENOTEWORKER]

@dreadway3 The blue was invented by black men to channel the feeling for RACISM before they even knew the fucking word DICK!! The boozing and bitches parts came way later when hey found they coukd make money doing it. Jimi was a blues man first and cut his teeth on the blues dub asses!! Even note heplayed was screaming the blues to a train ear, a black ear MOTHER FUCKER! You white mother fuckers think cause you read a fucking you everything about jimi and the blues, How fucking stupid is that?

[THENOTEWORKER]

@dreadway3 the blues was invented by black men and literaly stolen and essentially made a white thing for a long before we claimed our shit back and started complaining #1. You white motherfuckers think cause you read a book and stole some licks that you know everything about black people and the blues. FUCK YOU! My daddy was a real blues man and played with lightnen hopkins and all them dudes for years and i learned everything from him i know and you ain't said shit white boy!

[drjimiboy69]

@dreadway3 How did the Panthers try to coopt JMH? He respected where they were coming from. He was not down with ideology or formal structures of politics. He was an artist and the BPs respected his cultural power. He referenced them in intro to VC Slight Return on his Spring '70 tour. Why shouldn't they reach out to him, a working class brother with cultural power and creative genius who could influence millions of youth of all ethnic groups. Contact with the BPs was good for JMH.

[THENOTEWORKER]

I live in the most segragated state in America, Wisconsin and the place where where jimi got a lot of racist pressure back then with all your white women dick riding him because he could jam. See how easy it is to hypnotize these white girls and white folks, but don't dare be around at night though,right? You gotta understand one thing, my dad lived in racine wis just a few block from buddy Miles bar and he spoke to him all the time before his death, so i have a little insight on racisim an jimi

[THENOTEWORKER]

You white folks dick ride jimi to death, but would you let a black kid date your white blue eyed angel daughter? HELL NO!!! I love how you pick certain talented black folks to love, but hate them next door and call'em N!!GERs for looking at your white daughters and such. I just love that shit cause it's so white America it ain't even funny,and the shit and giggles part is that you refuse to admit what we have known for decades and that is right out in the open, you do it all time like normal.

[THENOTEWORKER]

My daddy played the same chittlin circuit jimi did from 55 to 62 and has mad stories about how white folks fucked over jimi from actual friends of jimi's from the chittlin circuit in the deep south and parts of the northwest.I am just glad jimi got what he would need to do this from his own people. Without the blues, there would no jimi, or rock as yall know it today. Feels good to know black folks created rock as we know it, and then our own shit to boot,R&B, how bout them watermellonsnchickin?

[nonidentity]

whats with his voice on this? never heard him so throaty before - sounds great - thanks for posting

[romienomie]

DAMN! Thought I had heard the best of Jimi. this soundcheck tells me that I haven't . No one may ever tough the way he play. NO ONE!

[68caddilac]

He was only about twenty thousand light years ahead of his time no one is ever gonna come close, but some one who came awful close on agood night was doctor darren 'ray' redden of the cereal killers a much despised and feared band of the late 80's,the band had a habit of urinating into the crowd and on some nights even shooting at them. ray was a virtuoso who could play up to six or seven guitars at a time, while shooting off a 357 magnum.[multitasking]. SELF RAISING FLOWERS

[TheGMMuk]

And this is only a sound-check? Heaven preserve us!

[EZIOTHEMASTER]

This version COOKS, even better than the two excellent versions played during the actual gigs of that day.

[petecockcroft]

Thanks for this.

A much more relaxed rendition I think.

I'm not being funny , but at 3.14 , it sounds like Jimi is back in the place he belonged. Basically with Mitch and Billy. Then he starts to cook.

Fantastic mate.

[kermicheo]

@petecockcroft relaxed? hardly. I thought this was some very intense shit.

[petecockcroft]

@kermiche. The Band of Gypsy's version has a very uptight Jimi - Buddy's intrusive vocals - a much more aggressive Hendrix , and frustrated too. After 3.14 this version cooks , just like I said, and Jimi is playing with the Univibe a bit - as you would in a soundcheck. Jimi obviously enjoys this line-up better than BOG. This is a proper band for the second time in his career, and the basis of his new-found relaxation.

He was on-form the whole day. "Pensive" is another word for this

[jumasultanedwards]

the truth about Buddy and jimi was that michael Jeffrey spiked jimi as MSG to break up the BOG. The BOG had outlived their usefulness to Michael after they delivered the album Jimi owed capitol and so Mike wanted the Experience to get back together. He flew mitch and noel to NYC and arranged a Rolling stone interview....Mitch and jimi didn't want Noel so Jimi persuaded Billy to re-join. Buddy went to Jimi's funeral so he still cared about Jimi

[drjimiboy69]

@jumasultanedwards You were a centering and stabilizing factor in JMH's creative and psychological development. When I listen to your work with him 69-70, it accentuates the polyrhythmic futuristic funk sound he was forging. Your involvement with the Izabella/Machine medley on the Cavett program really brought out another dimension in his music. Your serious approach and creative integrity helped him take his cultural productions to a higher level. Respect.

[thaiman1111]

i love it :)

thats all i can say about it cause im at a loss for words :)

[diamondbackseye]

This is quite amazing....I've been listening to Jimi since 1991 and this the first time I have ever heard this....I knew it existed, but now I have 3 great versions of Machine Gun to listen to from this date...right on Jimi, always and forever the best!

[butterp7]

@diamondbackseye Have you heard all 4 versions from the Fillmore?

[diamondbackseye]

@butterp7 Yes I have, the 2nd show 12/31/69 MG has a great groove through the middle... the part they play on the old Lifelines box set of it...Bleeding Heart from the first show that night is the best song not released commercially yet...

[butterp7]

@diamondbackseye Yeah I have that one as well!! I think I wore out the tape playing that version.

[kermicheo]

you can really feel the pain. just listen to that guitar man.......... so awesome

[ocarina2boy]

The Fillmore east January 1 1970 was his best version in my opinion. He had a nice tone that evening.

[TheGMMuk]

Even in a sound-check he's simply the greatest electric guitarist ever. There will never be another! Thanks Mike Jefferies - as well as stealing all his money, you killed one of the greatest ever musicians.

[cheappassion]

Thanks God. .

[j955]

@ NEO. From what I've heard, unbeknownst to him, Buddy got a hold to some bad stuff before the show. It messed Jimi up and he wasn't able to finish the gig. Buddy was held responsible, and he felt terrible about it.

[bobbyz23]

@j955 Correction it was Jimi who was slipped something by Mike Jeffrey watch the interview of Buddy Miles explaining it also you can read it all day long on the net.

[smartcorner]

A truely superb rendition of Machine gun.

Nevertheless it unfortunately seems to be an all time classic. People still are fighting at each other - look at Iraque, look at Lybia. Jimi knew a lot and his music and thoughts will be valid also in the next century.

[jonoroberts35]

Holy Shit - this really is the soundcheck. I thought I'd heard all the Berkeley material. Wow - so much feeling. Thanks brother!

[smartcorner]

Despite a not completely cured cold Jimi wanted to give his best at Berkeley-he knew it was to be recorded and filmed professionally. The struggle with the manager Mike Jefferies was not on the way and the "Cry of love" band had found together. Listen and enjoy Jimi at one of the peak moments of his musical life.

[fiftypl1]

Who are any of you to comment one way or the other? I've never herad of you. Most of you probably were'nt even born when these guys were performing. Shut up and listen, enjoy!

[VoodooKush]

Their are very few drummers who can say they played with one of the greatest and innovative guitarist ever, so they are both blessed in my eyes.

[romienomie]

Okay Buddy vs. Mitch. Mitch was better in some ways. Buddy was best for tight r and b sounding stuff. But IMO he (Hendrix) preferred to freestyle of Mitch. IMO.aND THIS WAS JUST THE SOUNDCHECK? DAMN!!!!!!!

[romienomie]

Okay Buddy vs. Mitch. Mitch was better in some ways. Buddy was best for tight r and b sounding stuff. But IMO he (Hendrix) preferred to freestyle of Mitch. IMO.

[drjimiboy69]

Glad this is only a "sound check." Machine Gun was always evolving, and it culminates in the final interpretations of 8/30/70, 8/31, 9/3, and 9/4. It does not extend beyond this. There is room for Mitch and Buddy. Both bring something different that JMH was looking for. Back away from the dichotomous thinking. Synthesize. This is human creativity at its peak. It's Coltrane with electricity. He was IT.

[g0ldbuG]

@drjimiboy69 man...the wailing screams he strangled outta that strat...dang

[brandonterzic]

@drjimiboy69 hey man...its funny I keep clicking through different clips and your name keeps popping up...

your comments come off with a lot of conviction....resonates with me... I recently became a good friend of a good friend of Jimi's...its like hanging with Saint paul...lol Been learning lots from this experience...

[THENOTEWORKER]

@drjimiboy69 But there was one think mitch, noel could never have that jimi wanted with band of gypsys, and that was "SOUL", something that i ain't seen not white dude with yet, not even stevie vaughn which everyone thinks has soul because he plays like a black man, i never got that as 20 plus as a guitar player. This is soul music you are listening to mixed with the blues bra. I love how you dudes try to own Jimi cause he played rock n roll, how shallow of you. yall got the answers huh?

[drjimiboy69]

@THENOTEWORKER You're not hearing me fellow. My whole point is that it's time to put JMH back in his cultural context. He drew upon all musical cultures and multiple influences, but the bedrock of his cultural productions was the music and material conditions of the black American working class. His music is steeped in polyrhythms, emotional intensity, improvisational genius, and call and response patterns: The defining features of black music in Africa and the New World.

[THENOTEWORKER]

@drjimiboy69

Not only that , band of gypsys is Jimi's best album, and probably the best live album ever made.I ain't gonna deep like you white folks, just the facts. SOUL is the magic word and if jimi didn't have it, band of gypsys and everything else Jimi invented would sound synthetic like all those white and british dudes that stole every lick they got from jimi other bad ass black blues men. It feels so good to know a black man is #1 over all white folks, I love it so much.

[drjimiboy69]

@THENOTEWORKER BOG is essential. Machine Gun is the end of history. The ultimate statement that speaks to black liberation, the struggle of all oppressed people for bread and dignity, the horrors of war inflicted by the ruling classes against the common people, and JMH's own individual struggles against the forces of exploitation. No one ever put more soul and humanity into their music than JMH, and it culminates in Machine Gun. Whatever enriches humanity enriches me.

[HolliValsMusic]

People chill! I'm glad Jimi played with both Mitch and Buddy, they were both fucking awesome.

[OfficialReKLisT]

@HolliValsMusic thank u!!!! why do people try to say whos better?!?!?! they are to different friccin drummers with 2 different styles

[smartcorner]

If someone ever wanted to know why J.M.Hendrix is "outtasight" you know it after hearing this .. "only" a soundcheck. But already played with so much heart & soul that you will understand why Jimi lost a teardrop while playing Machine Gun during one of the real Berkeley concerts in the evening. We can only imagine how far Jimi would have driven the dimensions of contemporary music if Jefferies had not killed him...

[jimistreets]

@smartcorner Oh geez....Enough with the "Jimi was murdered" crap, okay?!

[RastafariPoet]

Cry of Love tour.

[theevindave]

mitch mitchell plays drums like a wet rag, brings this whole track down

[non1mus]

@theevindave What drums? All I hear is Jimi : ). Seriously though, Buddy Miles does own Mitch on this song.

[cutis1000]

@non1mus Hell no, dude! Buddy does NOT own Mitch. You haven't listened to enough versions of MG with Mitch to make that assessment.

[GeneralEisenhower]

@cutis1000

i can only agree :)

[jimistreets]

@theevindave Mitch could play circles around Buddy Miles and everyone else back in the day. You do know Jimi fired Buddy Miles because he sucked, right? How you can say Mitch ruins this tune is beyond me. Mitch just put a different flavor on this tune. Buddy was solid, but had no imagination, no chops, and very undisciplined. One of the main reasons Jimi hated the Band of Gypsys album was Buddy's playing. He said as much...

[theevindave]

@jimistreets show me the proof of Jimi saying he hated the Gypsys album because of Buddy's drumming and I'll eat my strat!!

[hendrix7755]

@theevindave omg lol

[neo14085]

@jimistreets Madison square gig was when Hendrix wasn't up for playing, he played really badly and walked off stage, this made the band split up, Buddy didn't want to join hendrix again, Cox gave him one more chance and Hendrix got Mitch to join him... Wasn't a matter of hate anywhere, Hendrix and Buddy got on very well.

[jimistreets]

@neo14085 I used harsh words, but you're right. Jimi loved Buddy, just disliked his playing and incessant scatting on vocals. Jimi didn't have the heart to fire him, so he got Mike Jeffrey to do it, right after the show. Buddy was crushed, nearly came to tears one interview I saw when he talked about it.

[iamearthbornami]

love this and the whole concert~some of jimis very best

[musics7my7ole7lady]

awesome!!!

thanks !!

one of my favorite gigs of  his that ive heard.

never heard this sound check stuff before/

peace