Voodoo Soup
Encyclopedia
Voodoo Soup is a posthumous album by Jimi Hendrix
. It was released on April 11, 1995 by MCA Records
and was compiled by Alan Douglas
, who was also responsible for the posthumous Hendrix releases Midnight Lightning
and Crash Landing in the 1970s. The album was made up of unfinished studio recordings which were intended to be released on Hendrix's newest studio album, which was never-to-be. Douglas is a controversial figure amongst Hendrix fans, as on his previous releases he had brought in musicians who had never worked with Hendrix to overdub damaged/badly recorded drum, bass and even guitar parts. For the production of this album, two tracks' drum parts were overdubbed by Bruce Gary
of The Knack
, "Room Full of Mirrors" and "Stepping Stone". Most of the tracks on this album were released - in one form or another - on either First Rays of the New Rising Sun
or South Saturn Delta
in later years, with the exception of the instrumentals "The New Rising Sun" and "Peace in Mississippi". A portion of the instrumental released on this album as "The New Rising Sun" can be heard in the song "Captain Coconut" on the Crash Landing album, originally released in 1975. The version of "Peace In Mississippi" included on Voodoo Soup is the genuine original version of the song, as recorded by Hendrix, drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding in 1968, and different from the version of "Peace In Mississippi" included on Crash Landing, in which Mitchell and Redding's contributions were supplanted by overdubbed drum and bass parts performed by other musicians in 1975; the version on Crash Landing also included overdubbed guitar and percussion parts performed in 1975. In addition, the version on Voodoo Soup is about a minute longer than the one on Crash Landing. Voodoo Soup is no longer available to purchase, as it was deleted when the Hendrix family gained control of his recordings, and has been replaced by First Rays of the New Rising Sun.
The album was badly received by some fans who objected to the overdubbing, and it also omits several notable songs, such as "Dolly Dagger
" and "Izabella". However, the album was praised by Charles Shaar Murray
, the author of the acclaimed book Crosstown Traffic: Jimi Hendrix and Post-War Pop, who claimed that it "more than earns its place in the pantheon of great Hendrix albums" and said that it "brought the Hendrix studio quartet -finally!- to a satisfactory conclusion."
The album cover artist is Moebius
.
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
. It was released on April 11, 1995 by MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
and was compiled by Alan Douglas
Alan Douglas (record producer)
Alan Douglas is an American record producer who has worked with Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, Lenny Bruce and the Last Poets. He runs his own record label, Douglas Records....
, who was also responsible for the posthumous Hendrix releases Midnight Lightning
Midnight Lightning
-Personnel:*Jimi Hendrix – guitars, vocals*Mitch Mitchell – drums on track 3Added in 1975:*Jeff Mironov – guitar on tracks 1, 2, 3, 5 and 8*Lance Quinn – guitar on tracks 2, 4, 6 and 7...
and Crash Landing in the 1970s. The album was made up of unfinished studio recordings which were intended to be released on Hendrix's newest studio album, which was never-to-be. Douglas is a controversial figure amongst Hendrix fans, as on his previous releases he had brought in musicians who had never worked with Hendrix to overdub damaged/badly recorded drum, bass and even guitar parts. For the production of this album, two tracks' drum parts were overdubbed by Bruce Gary
Bruce Gary
Bruce Gary was best known as the drummer for the music group The Knack. He was nominated for two Grammy Awards as a stage performer, producer, and recording artist....
of The Knack
The Knack
The Knack was an American New Wave rock quartet based in Los Angeles that rose to fame with their first single, "My Sharona", an international number one hit in 1979.-Founding :...
, "Room Full of Mirrors" and "Stepping Stone". Most of the tracks on this album were released - in one form or another - on either First Rays of the New Rising Sun
First Rays of the New Rising Sun
First Rays of the New Rising Sun is a "concept compilation" attempting to recreate the album Jimi Hendrix was working on at the time of his death in 1970, as closely as is feasible to how he would have wanted it...
or South Saturn Delta
South Saturn Delta
South Saturn Delta is a posthumous Jimi Hendrix album compiled by the Hendrix estate that consists of material such as demo tapes, unfinished takes and alternate mixes, previously released material, most of which Hendrix had been working on prior to his death in 1970.When the Hendrix family...
in later years, with the exception of the instrumentals "The New Rising Sun" and "Peace in Mississippi". A portion of the instrumental released on this album as "The New Rising Sun" can be heard in the song "Captain Coconut" on the Crash Landing album, originally released in 1975. The version of "Peace In Mississippi" included on Voodoo Soup is the genuine original version of the song, as recorded by Hendrix, drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding in 1968, and different from the version of "Peace In Mississippi" included on Crash Landing, in which Mitchell and Redding's contributions were supplanted by overdubbed drum and bass parts performed by other musicians in 1975; the version on Crash Landing also included overdubbed guitar and percussion parts performed in 1975. In addition, the version on Voodoo Soup is about a minute longer than the one on Crash Landing. Voodoo Soup is no longer available to purchase, as it was deleted when the Hendrix family gained control of his recordings, and has been replaced by First Rays of the New Rising Sun.
The album was badly received by some fans who objected to the overdubbing, and it also omits several notable songs, such as "Dolly Dagger
Dolly Dagger
"Dolly Dagger" is the name of a song written and recorded by Jimi Hendrix. It was first released on 9 October 1971 on the posthumous LP Rainbow Bridge, and on 23 October it was released on a single to promote the LP, backed with a solo rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. It peaked at no. 74 on...
" and "Izabella". However, the album was praised by Charles Shaar Murray
Charles Shaar Murray
Charles Shaar Murray is an English music journalist. His first experience in journalism came 1970 when he was asked to contribute to the satirical magazine Oz...
, the author of the acclaimed book Crosstown Traffic: Jimi Hendrix and Post-War Pop, who claimed that it "more than earns its place in the pantheon of great Hendrix albums" and said that it "brought the Hendrix studio quartet -finally!- to a satisfactory conclusion."
The album cover artist is Moebius
Jean Giraud
Jean Henri Gaston Giraud is a French comics artist. Giraud has earned worldwide fame, not only under his own name but also under the pseudonym Moebius, and to a lesser extent Gir, the latter appearing mostly in the form of a boxed signature at the bottom of the artist's paintings, for instance the...
.
Track listing
All songs written by Jimi Hendrix.- "The New Rising Sun" – 3:21 (previously unreleased)
- "Belly Button Window" – 3:34 (from (The Cry of LoveThe Cry of Love-Personnel:Band members*Jimi Hendrix – lead vocals, guitars, backing vocals on tracks 3 and 9, piano on track 1, production on all tracks except 5*Billy Cox – bass on all tracks except 5 and 10...
) - "Stepping StoneStepping Stone (song)"Stepping Stone" is a song by American psychedelic rock musician Jimi Hendrix, featured on his 1972 third posthumous studio album War Heroes. It was originally released as a single in the United States backed with "Izabella" on April 8, 1970 – the last single released by Hendrix before his...
" – 4:07 (from War HeroesWar Heroes-Personnel:*Jimi Hendrix – guitars, lead vocals, bass on track 1, backing vocals on "Izabella"*Mitch Mitchell – drums*Billy Cox – bass*Noel Redding – bass on "Highway Chile", "Tax Free" & "Midnight"-Recording details:...
) - "FreedomFreedom (Jimi Hendrix song)"Freedom" is a Jimi Hendrix song released in 1971 from the album The Cry of Love. The album was released posthumously in 1971 and became a major hit. This was the only single released from the album and was somewhat successful on the charts, reaching number 59 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart...
" – 3:25 (from The Cry of Love) - "AngelAngel (Jimi Hendrix song)"Angel" is the name of a song written and recorded by Jimi Hendrix, first released in February 1971 on the posthumous LP The Cry of Love. In April it was released as a single, which failed to chart...
" – 4:18 (from The Cry of Love) - "Room Full of Mirrors" – 3:09 (from Rainbow Bridge)
- "Midnight" – 6:01 (from War Heroes)
- "Night Bird Flying" – 3:46 (from The Cry of Love)
- "Drifting" – 3:52 (from The Cry of Love)
- "Ezy Ryder" – 4:08 (from The Cry of Love)
- "Pali Gap" – 4:42 (from Rainbow Bridge)
- "Message to Love" – 3:33 (from Crash Landing)
- "Peace in Mississippi" – 5:22 (from Crash Landing)
- "In From the Storm" – 3:39 (from The Cry of Love)
Personnel
- Jimi Hendrix – vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - Billy CoxBilly CoxWilliam "Billy" Cox is an American bassist, best known for performing with Jimi Hendrix.-Early years:Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, Cox was raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and attended Schenley High School. He first met Jimi Hendrix in the early 1960s, when they were both in the United States...
- bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Noel ReddingNoel ReddingNoel Redding was an English rock and roll guitarist best known as the bassist for The Jimi Hendrix Experience.-Biography:...
- bass on "Peace in Mississippi" - Mitch MitchellMitch MitchellJohn Ronald "Mitch" Mitchell was an English drummer, best known for his work in The Jimi Hendrix Experience.-Early life and the Jimi Hendrix Experience:...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Buddy MilesBuddy MilesGeorge Allen Miles, Jr. , known as Buddy Miles, was an American rock and funk drummer, most known as a founding member of The Electric Flag in 1967, then as a member of Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys from 1969 through to January 1970.-Early life:George Allen Miles was born in Omaha, Nebraska on...
- drums on "Room Full of Mirrors" and "Ezy Ryder" - Juma SultanJuma SultanJuma Sultan is an American percussionist best known for his brief stint playing with rock legend Jimi Hendrix....
- percussion