Customer Reviews

Loose Ends

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This was the final album compiled under the first posthumous Hendrix compiling regime(Mike Jeffrey/Eddie Kramer).As we now know,there was much stronger material available in the vaults,so why this stuff? The compilation's comparative musical weakness caused Reprise Records to decline to release it in the U.S.A.(Polydor put it out in Germany,Japan & England).With the exception of The Hendrix/Cox/Miles jam on "Blue Suede Shoes",all this material has been reissued by the current Hendrix reissue regime("Experience Hendrix"),and the later reissues of these takes have superior mixes,mastering,or longer unedited presentation.A Longer mix of "Come Down Hard on Me" is on the "Jimi Hendrix Experience" 4-CD box,which also includes the brief solo instrumental version of "Electric Ladyland"."The Stars That Play With Laughig Sam's Dice" is presently available on "South Saturn Delta"."Jam 292" is now available in a longer unedited remix on the mail-order CD "Hear My Music" from "Experience Hendrix",the official Hendrix family company.A superior mix,closer to completion(with additional guitar parts from Hendrix) of "The Drifter's Escape" is included in "South Saturn Delta".All of the other "Side Two" material from "Loose Ends" has been reissued on the mail-order CD "The Baggy's Rehearsal Sessions",available from Experience Hendrix's catalogue.Compare the newer remixes and masterings of the material versus the early 1970's efforts on "Loose Ends",and you will come to the inescapable conclusion that the folks at Experience Hendrix are doing a vastly better job handling the Hendrix archives than Mike Jeffrey or Alan Douglas did.For the reasons that I've noted,you don't need to seek out "Loose Ends",unless you are an absolute completist who wants to replace your original vinyl.And I should note that the mastering of the "Loose Ends" CD is far from the original masters,and not particuarly great.The edition that I have is German Polydor 837 574-2.

I love Loose Ends. Love is a strong word, but it's true. Back when this record came out it was the only source, as far as I knew, for these songs. And great songs they are. I personally like the beginning of "Hootchie Kootchie Man" where you get to hear Jimi trying to find enhancement materials in the studio. Rock'n'Roll!!! I know you can get these songs spread out across numerous releases these days but I like them here under the title Loose Ends. The album starts off strong with "Come Down Hard on Me Baby" and doesn't let up until the last song, a very cool version of "Electric Lady Land". As a side note, I've seen three versions of the album art. The one that I had back in the day had an illustration of a stone hand with index finger extended and firing as if it were a gun. To tie in this firing hand concept to Mr. Hendrix the artist thoughtfully placed Jimi's head on top of the stone hand! One of the goofiest album covers I've ever seen. I mean it's so bad that it's good. Obviously Jimi would have never let art like that grace one of his record covers. The inside of the record had a great picture of Hendrix playing a Flying Vee (possibly at the Isle of White concert). The album opened up like a double album so the picture was huge. The other two cover designs I've seen are an illustration of Jimi surrounded by flowers and, the best one IMO, a plain brown cover with a few time lapsed b&w photos of Jimi in a studio. For a big-fat 14 year old Hendrix fan in 1974, this album kicked my (...) and still does. Now excuse me, I must be on my way...

Every now and then the music business abides by the truth-in-advertising laws and 1973's "Loose Ends ..." stands as a perfect example. Compiled by former Hendrix manager Michael Jeffery, musically these eight tracks were a true hodgepodge of studio odds and ends with the oldest stretching back to July 1967 ('The Stars That Play With Laughing Sam's Dice'), the most recent effort being the leadoff track 'Coming Down Hard on Me Baby' which had been recorded in July 1970. Whereas up to this point Reprise Records management had shown no concern with the Jeffrey's four earlier posthumous Hendrix releases, citing concern for the poor quality of the material, this time around they refused to release the album in the States or Canada, though that didn't stop Polydor Records from acquiring rights and releasing it throughout the rest of the world. Having heard those earlier releases, I can tell you this one really wasn't that much worse. In fact, by my count four of the eight tracks were worth spinning more than once, That's a pretty high winning ratio even for a studio set !

- Due in large measure to the fact it was one of the more complete and finished performances, 'Coming Down Hard on Me Baby' was one of the standout performances. That wasn't to say it was anywhere near a classic Hendrix performance. Falling somewhere between studio jam and standard blues-rocker, on one of his studio albums it wouldn't made much of an impression, but surrounded by the rest of these outtakes and castoffs, it was okay. rating: *** stars
- While it was billed as a cover of 'Blue Suede Shoes', the fact of the matter is this one was nothing but stoned in-studio gibberish with Hendrix going on and on trying to get Buddy Miles to come up with the backbeat pattern he had in his mind. The first half of the track was a total waste of time unless you really felt the need to hear a stoned Hendrix mumbling on and on. When he actually started jamming the results were at least worth a spin. rating: ** stars
- 'Jam 292' was a faceless, bluesy instrumental jam. Even with the Hendrix solo, you've heard far better at your local redneck bar. rating: ** stars
- The earliest performance on the album (1967), 'The Stars That Play With Laughing Sam's Dice' was the most psychedelic and enjoyable song on the set. This one would have slotted nicely on one of the first three studio albums. In fact my only complaint about this one had to do with the voices that popped up on the backing tracks - they simply served to distract from the rest of the song. rating: **** stars
- I'm not sure why, but like The Byrds, Hendrix seemed to have an affinity for Bob Dylan covers and while 'The Drifter's Escape' may not have been as impressive as 'All Along the Watchtower' it came pretty darn close. Another album highlight. Only complaint here was the abrupt fade out. rating: **** stars
- Even though it initially recalled 'Dolly Dagger', I'll admit to liking the first part of the slinky rocker 'Burning Desire'. The song also featured a standout Hendrix solo, My big problem with this one was it degenerated into a formless bluesy jam that seemed to go on forever, before returning to the main melody at the end, and the sound quality was abysmal. The song sounded like it had been recorded over a long distance phone line. Shame. rating: *** stars
- Sounding like a throwaway studio jam, 'I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man' was at least fun to hear. Keeping it fairly simple and straightforward, Hendrix and company sounded like they were simply having a good time on this one. rating: *** stars
- Just Hendrix and his guitar, the brief instrumental 'Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)' served as another album highlight. To my ears this song fragment was all the more enjoyable and powerful for its pure simplicity. rating: **** stars

Sad to say, but even Hendrix looked tired (or thoroughly stoned) on this one ... check out the back cover photo of the guitarist. A couple of others folks have already said it - unless you're a Hendrix fanatic you don't need this one.

"Loose Ends ..." track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Coming Down Hard on Me Baby (Jimi Hendrix) -
2.) Blue Suede Shoes (Carl Perkins) - 3.) Jam 292 (instrumental) (Jimi Hendrix) - 4.) The Stars That Play With Laughing Sam's Dice (Jimi Hendrix) - 5.) The Drifter's Escape (Bob Dylan) -
(side 2)
1.) Burning Desire (Jimi Hendrix) -
2.) I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man (Willie Dixon) - 3.) Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland) (Jimi Hendrix) -
Barclay catalog 80 491 UK pressing Contour catalog CN 2067

The album was released with a bunch of different covers, including the wild French and original UK versions seen above. The material has also been repackaged a couple of times, including a 1983 UK package on the Contour label with the clever title "The Jimi Hendrix Album".

This collection of "Loose Ends" is what Jimi Hendrix was really like. I saw him in Chicago in 1970 and "experienced" the man live, baby! This album has studio out takes that sums up the way the man enjoyed his music and his friends. A little known fact: the Stars That Play with Laughing Sam's Dice, (read the capital letters to see how Jimi loved to play with our minds.)In the day artists could not mention drugs in songs, so Jimi layed it between the lines.