For instance, to me that clip of Spanish Castle Magic just comes off as a note for note copy technically and stylistically, with a bad vocalist accompanying him to boot. I am not terribly impressed. Let me put it this way: I am not doubting that Johnson can play guitar or even that he plays it well...There isn't anything in that clip that blows me away, and to be frank the bad vocals really detract from the guitar playing.
What??? Bad vocals? I don't have a damn clue what you're talking about. You may prefer to hear Hendrix sing the song, but to call Milligan's vocals "bad", is a poor judgment call. I'm absolutely befuddled by that comment. You apparently do not have an ear for music, and especially for singing.
To call Johnson's rendition a "note for note copy technically and stylistically" is to display gross ignorance of both Johnson and Hendrix. For one, Johnson wrote that version himself. And it's twice as long as Hendrix's recording. So how can it be a "copy" of Hendrix? I've heard live recordings of Hendrix playing SCM, and they are boring. Most 2nd or 3rd year guitar students could play that solo crap he shits out.
Johnson's rendition is a huge improvement over Hendrix's boring rendition. On a technical level, with respect to that song, Hendrix can't touch Johnson. EJ's super fast and clean scales, and arpeggios, blow Hendrix away. Period.
As for whether or not Jimi could perform Johnson's music, any speculation is not only moot but odious since Jimi has been dead almost 40 years. Since you went down that road however I'll respectfully disagree.
So not only did Dylan say "that song is his" but has even gone so far as to cover Jimi's version. If that isn't a testament to the power of Hendrix I don't know what is. There's a reason why Jimi will be remembered long after the Johnson's and Maumstein's of the world are dead and long forgotten.
Wrong! This only demonstrates your ignorance of the guitar, guitar musicians, who they admire, and why. Hendrix had nowhere NEAR the technical skill that Johnson does. On his best day he couldn't play most of what Johnson does. You really need to listen to more of Johnson. But, then again, if that rendition of SCM didn't give you an idea, then you're hopeless. As far as Dylan's comment, I don't giva a damn what that idiot said.
Guys like Eric Johnson and Malmsteen will last just as long, if not longer, than Hendrix; who may have played better--and certainly lived longer--if he would have gotten off those damn psychedelic drugs. Fuck Hendrix and the sixties!
BTW Jim, I wasn't joking when I said I named my son after Eric Johnson. So don't bother banning me. By the time you read this I will have already deleted my account. As Gene Wilder said in Willy Wonka: "Good day sir"!
