JAN/FEB 2011 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM BEHIND THE CLASSICS WRITTEN BY: BOB DYLAN RECORDED AT: OLYMPIC STUDIOS, LONDON; RECORD PLANT STUDIOS, NEW YORK CITY PRODUCED BY: CHAS CHANDLER, JIMI HENDRIX VOCALS, ACOUSTIC AND ELECTRIC GUITARS, BASS: JIMI HENDRIX 12-STRING ACOUSTIC GUITAR: DAVE MASON DRUMS, PERCUSSION: MITCH MITCHELL TAMBOURINE: BRIAN JONES FROM THE ALBUM: ELECTRIC LADYLAND (1968)

“All Along the Watchtower” THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE

RARELY HAS THERE BEEN A MORE to fetch a Harmony 12-string owned by the Experience went into the Record Plant passionate Bob Dylan fan than Jimi Hendrix. his brother, producer Glyn Johns. “Mason Studios in New York City to lay down songs When the guitar giant heard “All Along the drove me out there in his Jaguar,” Johns for their next album, Electric Ladyland. As Watchtower,” from Dylan’s 1967 album said, “but since I was in the process of they recorded over the next couple of months, John Wesley Harding, he connected with being evicted I had to climb through the Hendrix continually fi ddled with “Watchtower.” it immediately. “I felt like ‘Watchtower’ was upstairs window to get the guitar.” Guitar Mason had laid down a bass part after something I had written but could never secured, work proceeded on the basic Redding’s abrupt departure, but Hendrix get together,” Hendrix said of the song, a track. Hendrix led the assemblage through elected to replace it with one of his own, surreal vision of apocalyptic dread rife with one run-through after another, getting playing a Fender Precision that the Stones’ references to the Bible. “I often feel like that irritated as Mason struggled with the chord Bill Wyman had given to Andy Johns. “Wiping about Dylan.” Still, at fi rst he was reluctant changes. Finally bass player Noel Redding track after track, and I don’t mean once or to record the song himself. “He was afraid had his fi ll of Hendrix’s perfectionism and twice, he would overdub the bass and guitar that Dylan would laugh at him and the critics left the studio. “We were having problems in parts all over until he was satisfi ed,” recalled would lay into him,” recalled girlfriend Kathy the band already,” Redding said, “and I said I engineer Tony Bongiovi. “He would say, ‘I Etchingham, who convinced Hendrix to at didn’t like the tune.” Rolling Stones guitarist think I hear it a bit differently.’” least give it a try. Brian Jones happened by the session and Finally Hendrix deemed “Watchtower” The guitarist entered London’s attempted to add a piano part—but this was satisfactory, and it was released as a single Olympic Studios to record the song in deemed a poor fi t, and Jones picked up on Sept. 21, 1968, reaching No. 20 on the early hours of Jan. 21, 1968, with his a tambourine instead. “Anyone who was Billboard’s pop chart—by far Hendrix’s backing band, the Experience, and Traffi c around, it was like, ‘Hit this, we’ll see how highest-charting single ever in the U.S. Dylan guitarist Dave Mason in tow. “Dave hung it works,’” remembered drummer Mitch himself adored the cover, and has said that out a lot with Jimi and was a regular in Mitchell. The group laid down 24 takes in when he performs it today he considers it the studio,” remembered engineer Eddie all before Hendrix overdubbed a series of a tribute to Hendrix. “It overwhelmed me, Kramer. “Jimi was aware of his ability four guitar solos, using a cigarette lighter really,” Dylan said. “He had such a talent, he and knew that he could cover the part as a slide for one. Producer Chas Chandler could fi nd things inside a song and vigorously adequately.” Hendrix wanted Mason to lay and Kramer mixed the song on Jan. 26 and develop them. He found things that other down an acoustic 12-string guitar part, considered the track completed. people wouldn’t think of fi nding in there.” so second engineer Andy Johns was sent Hendrix had other ideas. In April he and –Chris Neal

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