Jimi Hendrix – The Guitar Hero + Legends
Of The Canyon: The Music & Magic Of 1960s Laurel Canyon
(2010/Classic Artists/Image DVDs)
Picture: C+
Sound: C+ Extras: B- Documentaries: B/B-
The Classic Artists label always issues interesting music
product on DVD and two new releases continue their solid track record. First comes Jimi Hendrix – The Guitar Hero (2010) narrated by the great
guitarist Slash, is one of the most interesting releases on the legendary
guitar innovator who died long before he should have. Unlike most presentations which are either
impersonal, shallow or just show the great vintage footage of Hendrix playing
and let it speak for itself, this is one of the most informative and rich pieces
on the genius to date.
Told chronologically, nothing is held back on his personal
life, opinions, the racism he encountered and how his talent sent ripples
through the Rock community on both sides of the Atlantic, even if he had to go
to England
to finally be discovered. Slash is also
among the interviewees as is legendary photographer Henry Diltz, who made so
much of this possible. I really liked
this and it was done so well that it stands out from so much good work we have
seen lately in the Rock Documentary cycle.
Dave Mason, Eric Clapton, Mick Clapton, Eric Burdon, Paul Rodgers,
Ginger Baker, Steven Stills, Micky Dolenz and Bev Bevan are among those
interviewed.
Legends Of The
Canyon is almost
as good thanks to the participation of Stills, Joni Mitchell, Graham Nash, Van
Dyke Parks, Gerry Beckley, David Crosby and Michelle Phillips. At first, I thought it might be a companion
to an excellent book on the subject called Laurel
Canyon – The Inside Story by Michael Walker, which I recommend and you can
read more about at this link:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/3906/Laurel+Canyon+%E2%80%93+The+In
Though there is some crossover between the book and the
documentary, the DVD offers so many things the book simply could not that they
should frankly be experienced as a set. It
is one of the greatest stories ever about American Music and too bad it is
often just written off as mere counterculture nostalgia. It is so much more and this program is impressive. I just wish it was longer.
The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image on both likely originates
in 1080i HD tapings, but both have good color and look good, including vintage
stills, analog video footage and especially film footage that are all welcome
additions in explaining the stories here.
The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo in both cases include well-recorded
interviews, classic music in stereo and even mono (a good number of licensed
songs exist in both) and some older audio is absolutely monophonic, but both
are well edited audiowise too.
Extras include extended interviews with the principals
interviewed in both cases and Henry Diltz’s 8mm film footage of many
celebrities on both sets, with Hendrix
featuring The Monkees 1967 Tour (Hendrix almost joined (!), but was an opening
act later) while Canyon adds Crosby,
Stills & Nash & Joni Mitchell at Big Bear, Stills in England in another
clip & silent footage of the original Woodstock and 20-page booklets with
essays, illustrations, stills and text inside their respective cases. Hendrix
adds a stills section of photographs & memorabilia and a full-length
performance of Hendrix & The Experience playing Hey Joe at the Marquee in London.
- Nicholas Sheffo
