Mitch Mitchell R.I.P.

[Rocker949]

I just heard the news on a radio station that Mitch Mitchell was found dead in a Portland, Oregon hotel room.  It appears he died of natural causes.  I'm a big fan of rock trios and the Experience was one of the greatest ever, as the world well knows.  The world has lost a rock legend. 

[Dave W]

Very sad. I just saw the story here.

[Rhythm N. Bliss]

Devastating news. So sad to see him go. As stated in the article he was a MIGHTY fokking DRUMMER & was on top of his game just like Hendrix!!
Saw the Experience at Newport '69. I was 16.

We shared the same birthday--July 9th-- & drank to that a coupla times!! First time was in Santa Cruz when a mutual girlfriend got me in to his show at O.T. Price's on our birthday--July 9th!! This was in the 80s. He was playing with Randy Hansen doing all Hendrix stuff. Randy was pretty good, Mitch was AMAZING! Second time was at Bordner's in Hollywood in '91, where we hung out & talked for a long time while many other fans approached him & shook hands & got autographs & so on. I had just read his book Inside The Experience

http://www.amazon.com/Jimi-Hendrix-E.../dp/051757716X

So I had lots of good questions for him & knew a lot of the details of his life.
I would have loved to get the book signed, it was just a block away in the store I had my airbrush booth in but I didn't have a key. Alas

I remember he said very proudly that he was now working with Quincy Jones & I said "Yeah~ but who's the guitar player?" & he rolled his eyes & we had a good hearty laff. We had a few good hearty laffs & talked emotionally about missing Jimi real bad.

So cool that he went out doing the Experience Hendrix thing...JAMMIN' Hendrix tuneage with super guitarists like Kenny Wayne Shepherd.

Mitch was one of the first Double Bass Drummers!!
Think I'll give my Double Bass Drumkit a BASH tonight, playin' along with him & Noel & Jimi!!!!
Heaven's gonna be ROCKIN' with the 3 of 'em back together!!!

Soon after Hendrix checked out, Eddie Kramer was working on The Cry of Love album, which was the first posthumous Hendrix album. Mitch went in & laid down the FEROCIOUS drum track for the song Angel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLKfd...ext=1&index=85

...& everyone cheered!!!!!!!

[Rhythm N. Bliss]

Very sad. I just saw the story here.

Isn't it strange that a hotel employee found him dead at 3AM?
The doctor who did the autopsy wants to talk to his family before giving a full report?
Seems kinda fishy.

May be a case of blow & hookers like Entwistle.

[bobyoung]

Another one of the greats passes one.

[chromium]

Sad news   

[Dave W]

Isn't it strange that a hotel employee found him dead at 3AM?
The doctor who did the autopsy wants to talk to his family before giving a full report?
Seems kinda fishy.

May be a case of blow & hookers like Entwistle.

I don't know. I hope not. From the story, it looks he was in bad health at his last appearance, last Friday night.

[uwe]

Think of it that way: The original Jimi Hendrix Experience is now the first major rock act to celebrate a complete reunion in Heaven!

I always liked his jazzy, non-rock feel. I know that Miles and Cox as players could dance circles around these two Brits, but there was something charming about the first incarnation of the Experience.

[ilan]

So sad. He was a great drummer, a "busy" player without overplaying; always very musical. The Experience  wouldn't have sounded the way they did without Mitch. He left a mark in the world and will not be forgotten.

[rahock]

Very sad. A long time favorite of mine

Rick

[Rhythm N. Bliss]

Couldn't find any photos of Mitch online playin' Double Bass so just scanned this shot in:



Here's a cool shot of him with a leather top hat & coat:



Uwe~ You're certainly a great expert on basses & their individual characteristics, but I laff at some of your comments about my fav musicians. Buddy Miles is a powerful drummmer & Mitch called him "a cement mixer" or something, complimenting him....but Miles is sort of a One Trick Pony---King of the Fatback, whereas Mitch could ROCK & especially ROLL all over the place with lots of tricks up his sleeves. You got it backwards, mate~
Mitchell could drum circles around Miles!
Remember~ Mitch was not only in "the charming first incarnation of the Experience" he was also in the last incarnation with Cox replacing Redding & THAT was a HELLUVA Power Trio too!!!

[Rhythm N. Bliss]

So sad. He was a great drummer, a "busy" player without overplaying; always very musical. The Experience  wouldn't have sounded the way they did without Mitch. He left a mark in the world and will not be forgotten.

Yes! That sums up Mitch's style very nicely--BUSY without overplaying.

Well said, well said!!!!!

[rockinrayduke]

Mitch was a killer. Loved him. Rest in peace brother.

[uwe]

I preferred Mitchell to Miles too and he certainly was creative, but we all know that that type of drumming wouldn't stand a chance in any recording studio today, he would be ousted as overplaying after half an hour, don't kid yourself. Drumming - much like bass playing - has been dumbed down considerably since the seventies and our acquired hearing has fallen victim to it.  Which is regrettable as I like busy drummers and don't adhere to the John Bonham, Simon Kirke, Phil Rudd school at all.

Not sure whether Mitchell's timing was ever as metronomic as Miles' though, he sounded more like the drummer that speeds up and slows down with the music which has its own charm and can actually benefit the music sometimes. And - Mitch will forgive me up there - his initial drum break into All along the Watchtower is a plain time signature mistake due to a wrong cue in, rather than something clever, they just didn't have the time to fix it on the recording! Sounds charming nontheless.

To be honest, I don't know how his drumming developed post Experience, with the Experience he always reminded me a little of the Doors drummer (John Densmore?) in feel though the latter was sparser.

Uwe

[Rhythm N. Bliss]

Well you need to get The Cry of Love, Rainbow Bridge, War Heroes, Hendrix In The West, Loose Ends, & First Rays of the New Rising Sun. 

There are a few good bits by Miles on these but it is all mostly Mitchell.