Mitch Mitchell, last surviving member of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, RIP

[NoSleep]

The drummer of the first band that really decided me to make music a big part of my life.

Much more than a rocker, Mitch brought a jazzy, loose feel to the sound of Jimi Hendrix that no other group (other than Kaptain Kopter & The Twirlybirds, as a tribute - love Randy California too) ever emulated.

There's got to be a Hendrix night on CaB radio soon (I just did a very short tribute after Louis' cast, for now).

[alan nagsworth]

This is terrible news, I'm deeply saddened to hear it. Mitchell was an incredible drummer, and now the Experience writes its final page in the history books and becomes the stuff of legend. Rest in peace.

[trotsky assortment]

That is indeed very sad news.  One of the greats.

[jaydee81]

Ohmygod I didn't know Noel Redding died five years ago

[trotsky assortment]

Has it really been five years since Noel Redding died?

I just saw the post about this in the General Discussion 'Drop Dead' thread and I must say, 61 is no age to die of natural causes, is it?  Mitch should have had a few more years in him yet.  So sad.

[buttgammon]

RIP. He was a key part of Jimi's sound and a bloody brilliant drummer.

[confettiinmyhair]

Redding and Mitchell were such a tight rhythm section, they complimented Hendrix so well. Officially JHE are the greatest band in heaven, if heaven exists....

[Blimpkin]

Ah Man, he was as the kids say; a 'Hench' drummer.  Always loved his sound, it was as though he was battling against Hendrix's guitar for supremacy in the mix.

Plus he had a great white man afro.

Off to the big band in the sky.  RIP Mitch.

[thugler]

Sad news, the best drummer hendrix played with, and one of the best drummers in that style ever. Redding was never a great bass player, but Mitch and Jimi were true virtuosos. Billy Cox was my favourite Hendrix bassist, and I believe he's still ticking along. Some of the live recordings with Mitchell and Cox are amongst my favourite hendrix recordings.

[Gradual Decline]

Indeed, was very sad to hear this news. RIP MM.

[Huzzie]

I just found out about this. He's one of my favourite drummers and is responsible for some of the best music this planet has ever produced. He is also surely the most under rated drummer ever.

I should need say no more than Manic Depression.

[Huzzie]

Redding and Mitchell were such a tight rhythm section, they complimented Hendrix so well. Officially JHE are the greatest band in heaven, if heaven exists....

Possibly the only Rock rhythm section who could have played with Jimi.
I cannot think of anyone else who would be able to follow him so closely down all the tangents, whilst also playing brilliantly themselves without impeding on the Jimi's work.

That looseness someone mentions above, comes directly from his and arguably to a lesser extent Redding's genius. That can only come from a natural talent and from really feeling the music and the rhythm in your soul.

[Huzzie]

Ah Man, he was as the kids say; a 'Hench' drummer.  Always loved his sound, it was as though he was battling against Hendrix's guitar for supremacy in the mix.

Plus he had a great white man afro.

Off to the big band in the sky.  RIP Mitch.

I really like what you posted but if I can only say that I think part of Mitch's brillians was that he never battled for supremecy with Hendrix, he knew who the star was, why people were there and he knew he was strictly part of a rhythm section. The way he played though, like Paul Scholes or Zidane, he didn't need to battle to be recognised and have the music take to completely higher levels.

I'm bumbling. I hope you know what I mean.

[Blimpkin]

I really like what you posted but if I can only say that I think part of Mitch's brillians was that he never battled for supremecy with Hendrix, he knew who the star was, why people were there and he knew he was strictly part of a rhythm section. The way he played though, like Paul Scholes or Zidane, he didn't need to battle to be recognised and have the music take to completely higher levels.

I'm bumbling. I hope you know what I mean.

I see it like this.

Mitch saw what a great muscian Jimi was and it just made him play even harder, like he was trying to compete, trying to say, 'shit your fucking good and your sound is insane, but look here's mine'.  Hence the battle.

I could never see Mitch as the 'Paul Scholes of Drumming' for me he was more of a virtuoso in his own right, more like the 'Matt Le Tissier of drumming'.  An absoloute legend.

[Glebe]

That's the Experience gone....RIP.

[thugler]

Possibly the only Rock rhythm section who could have played with Jimi.
I cannot think of anyone else who would be able to follow him so closely down all the tangents, whilst also playing brilliantly themselves without impeding on the Jimi's work.

That looseness someone mentions above, comes directly from his and arguably to a lesser extent Redding's genius. That can only come from a natural talent and from really feeling the music and the rhythm in your soul.

To me Redding was nothing more than an average guitarist playing bass, and his heart never seemed in it, especially since by the third hendrix record he only played about half the basslines on the album, and pushed hendrix into letting him put in one of his dire pop tracks. Billy Cox was a vastly superior player, just listen to the basslines on 'first rays of the new rising sun'.

To me the thing that made Mitch a great drummer in the context of the experience was how his virtuoso drumming pushed hendrix to come up with even more wacky and experimental guitar playing, their competition was an important part of their live feel. I heard Hendrix even used to hit his cymbals when he thought he was pushing it and wanted him to tone down his playing a bit. Redding might as well have been a session player, but Mitchell was at the forefront of the band, though he knew his job as part of the rhythm section, he was a lot more than that at times.

[trotsky assortment]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiMu_ZSbKn4