“Are You Experienced” marked the groundbreaking first studio record by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, arriving in May 1967. The album instantly captured both critical praise and commercial triumph, and it remains celebrated as one of the most influential albums ever created. It showcased Hendrix’s radical methods in both guitar technique and songwriting, pushing psychedelic and rock music into bold new territory.
Before his rise to fame, Hendrix had struggled financially while playing guitar behind various R&B acts. In 1966, his fortunes changed when Chas Chandler, formerly the bassist for The Animals, along with Michael Jeffery, the band’s former manager, signed him to a production and management deal.
Chandler brought Hendrix to London, where he assembled the Jimi Hendrix Experience specifically to highlight Hendrix’s extraordinary skills. After an initial rejection by Decca Records, the band secured a contract in late October with Track Records, a fledgling label started by Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp, who also managed The Who. Recording for the album and its early singles stretched from October 1966 to April 1967, taking place across sixteen sessions held at De Lane Lea Studios, CBS Studios, and Olympic Studios in London.
The UK release date was May 12, 1967. The album held a spot on the British charts for 33 weeks, reaching as high as number two. In the United States, it debuted on August 23 under Reprise Records, climbing to number five on the Billboard Top LPs chart and staying there for an impressive 106 weeks, including 76 weeks in the Top 40. On the US Billboard Hot R&B LPs chart, it lasted 70 weeks and peaked at number ten.
The American release included some of Hendrix’s signature tracks—his first three singles: “Purple Haze,” “Hey Joe,” and “The Wind Cries Mary.” These songs, though left off the UK edition, were major hits in Britain. Dissatisfied with the original UK cover art, Hendrix commissioned photographer Karl Ferris to design a more vividly psychedelic sleeve for the US version.
Over the decades, “Are You Experienced” has retained its iconic status. It ranked 63rd in Colin Larkin’s All Time Top 1000 Albums in 2000, and Rolling Stone placed it 30th in its 2020 update of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” Four tracks from the US version landed spots in Rolling Stone’s 2010 list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”: “Purple Haze” (17), “Foxy Lady” (153), “Hey Joe” (201), and “The Wind Cries Mary” (379). In 2005, the Library of Congress selected the record for the National Recording Registry, recognizing its “cultural, historical, or aesthetic” importance. Reuben Jackson of the Smithsonian Institution described the album as a milestone, comparing its revolutionary impact on rock, R&B, and blues to what Ulysses did for literature: reshaping the very language of its art form.
Guitar technique
Jimi Hendrix’s guitar technique combined advanced blues phrasing with groundbreaking use of amplification and effects. Technically, he often tuned his guitar down a half-step (to Eb standard), which made string bending and vibrato smoother and gave his tone a heavier, warmer character. He was a master of double-stops, combining intervals like thirds and sixths with slides and bends to create expressive riffs and fills.
Hendrix made extensive use of controlled feedback and natural amplifier overdrive, manipulating his Fender Stratocaster’s volume and tone knobs mid-performance for dynamic tonal shifts. He frequently used the wah-wah pedal to emphasize vocal-like phrasing, and the Uni-Vibe for swirling, phaser-like textures.
His right-hand technique included aggressive pick attack combined with thumb-over-the-neck fretting with his left hand, allowing him to play bass notes and melodic lines simultaneously. He often used the whammy bar (vibrato arm) for dramatic dive bombs and microtonal pitch modulation. Techniques like raking muted strings, harmonics, and creative use of open strings added to his fluid, unpredictable sound.
Live, Hendrix expanded his technique with showmanship: playing behind his back or with his teeth was more than a stunt — it demonstrated his complete control of the instrument even in unconventional positions. Overall, Hendrix’s style fused technical precision with raw sonic experimentation, reshaping the electric guitar’s expressive range.
Here are some excellent YouTube concert clips show casing Hendrix’s legendary performances
Why these are must-watch:
- Los Angeles Forum ’69 highlights Hendrix’s tight, electrifying stage presence and iconic “Purple Haze” soloing youtube.com
- Pitchfork review: pitchfork.com.
- Fort Worth ’68 presents a full, energized set where Hendrix’s improvisational skills and tone-shaping are on full display youtube.com.
- Live 1967 version captures the raw power of Hendrix early in his career, with a vivid rendition of “Purple Haze” youtube.com.
Here’s what some other rock legends have said about Jimi Hendrix:
🎸 Eric Clapton
“The first time I heard him play, I thought, ‘He must be from the future.’ He played guitar the way I always wished I could play — with complete freedom.”
Clapton famously said he was both amazed and intimidated when he first saw Hendrix perform in London.
🎸 Pete Townshend (The Who)
“He changed the way we all thought about guitar. He turned the guitar into an orchestra — it became an instrument that could do anything.”
🎸 Keith Richards (The Rolling Stones)
“Jimi didn’t just play guitar — he became it. He played behind his back, with his teeth — it didn’t matter, the sound that came out was pure magic.”
🎸 Paul McCartney (The Beatles)
“We were blown away. He was a complete one-off — no one came close. He played ‘Sgt. Pepper’s’ live just days after we released it. That’s how fearless and brilliant he was.”
(McCartney saw Hendrix open a London show with a cover of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in June 1967, just three days after its release — the Beatles were in the audience!)
🎸 Jeff Beck
“Hendrix pushed the limits of the electric guitar further than anyone had dared. He used noise, feedback, and distortion as if they were musical notes.”
🎸 Bob Dylan
“It’s strange how when I sing ‘All Along the Watchtower,’ I feel like it’s a tribute to him now. He did it so brilliantly, he made it his own.”
(Hendrix’s version of All Along the Watchtower is widely considered the definitive one — even Dylan said he now sings it more like Hendrix did.)
🎧 Streaming & Listening
- YouTube (official album audio) – Watch and listen:
- Spotify – Stream the 17-track original album: Available globally on Spotify: Spotify
- Apple Music – Access the deluxe version (18 tracks, ~1h17) on Apple Music or iTunes: Apple Music – Web Player.
💿 Purchase & Physical Editions
- Amazon Music / MP3 – Digital album download available on Amazon for approx. $9.99: Amazon.
- Amazon Vinyl & CD – US Sleeve vinyl (import, 180‑gram) and CD editions available:
- Vinyl ~ $33.99
- CD ~ $10.99 (used copies from ~$6): Amazon
- eBay – Vintage or rare pressings (e.g. first‑edition Reprise LP), often between $60–$90 The Official Jimi Hendrix Site.
✅ Quick Summary Table
| Platform | Format | Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube | Streaming | Free |
| Spotify | Streaming | Subscription |
| Apple Music | Streaming/Download | Subscription |
| Amazon (digital) | MP3 Download | ~$9.99 |
| Amazon (physical) | Vinyl or CD | Vinyl ~$34, CD ~$11 |
| eBay | Collectible Vinyl | $60‑$90+ |