What could be more Christmassy than a record company squeezing the fans ’til the pips squeak? Jimi Hendrix in a Santa suit, that’s what! Welcome to Merry Christmas And Happy New Year.
Jimi in his Christmas gear (photographed in ’67 to promote Axis: Bold As Love) was the reason I forked out for this RSD 2019 picture disc. I knew deep down that musically this record would never change my life*, but hey, Hendrix-Santa suit-limited edition-picture disc!
The medley of ‘Little Drummer Boy / Silent Night / Auld Lang Syne’ by Band Of Gypsies, presented in both normal and extended formats is … actually pretty darned good. To a minimal drummer-boy style drumming, Hendrix just paints the melodies with feedback and overdrive as only he could, to rather superb, if quite sombre, affect, really gunning it on ‘Auld Lang Syne’, while the band add a vocal harmony or two, mixed deep down.
The gloriously throwaway ‘Three Little Bears’ with its’ odd shuffling, almost calypso beat is one I’ve liked since I discovered it as a teenager on the War Babies compilation my dad owned. It is the Jimi Hendrix Experience having some joyous stoned fun and all the better for it. They sound so incredibly tight on this cut too, that guitarist chap just spins gold in the air above us.
Scrap everything I said, Hendrix in sodding around mode is a darned worthwhile listen. Especially in a Santa suit and unconvincing beard.
The back cover pic by Miles Davis associate Mati Klarwein is a goodie too, for when you’ve had too much Jimi as Santa fun for the day.
1045 Down (the chimney).
*which naively is still what I’m looking for every time I buy anything.