The Hendrix Songbook

by Joe Viglione Along with it being a ridiculous concept to begin with, the other tragedy of this tribute album to Jimi Hendrix created by producer Michael Lloyd (and probably record exec Mike Curb, as a Curb/Fitzpatrick team is listed as "production" ) is that none of the vaunted musicians are listed here. Imagine the fun if someone of substance had actually put his/her name to this? The Rubber Band previously released The Cream Songbook, a tribute to the Eric Clapton/Ginger Baker/Jack Bruce ensemble, and maybe there was a market back in the day for knock-offs of six Hendrix tunes, including "Purple Haze," "Foxy Lady," "Manic Depression," "The Wind Cries Mary," and "Fire," all from the Are You Experienced? album, as well as "Little Miss Lover" from Axis: Bold As Love; a wedding band cover of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower"; and a Michael Lloyd original, "Rubber Jam." How "Rubber Jam" pertains to Hendrix's genius is the mystery as there is nothing vaguely resembling Robin Trower or April Lawton, let alone Hendrix, on this particular track. It's clear from the Joe X. Price liner notes that concern for the music is not the primary focus on The Hendrix Songbook. With 24 minutes of mostly instrumental music, the one "vocal" on "Foxy Lady," they were clearly out for the quick buck -- but decades later it survives as a bizarre collectors item. Imagine the group on the fake Little Richard/Jimi Hendrix release Friends From the Beginning performing one-take Experience covers with electric organ, violins, cellos, viola, oboes, and horns. Price claims that they are "blending Mike Lloyd's arranging talents with the creative genius that is Hendrix." Well, with a production resumé that includes Debby Boone, Pat Boone, the Mike Curb Congregation, and Shaun Cassidy, one wonders if this is the Bellamy Brothers performing Hendrix's works, and that Lloyd got the idea when the Experience opened for the Monkees. Not as galling as Pat Boone performing "The Wind Cries Mary" on his 1997 release In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy, of course, by Michael Lloyd. Too bad he just didn't have Pat Boone sing on these old tracks....