Wednesday, November 12, 2008

In pace requiescat Mitch Mitchell (and my Rebel XT)


In sad news, the rock world lost another great today. Drummer Mitch Mitchell died Wednesday of natural causes. The name ID might not come to you immediately, but he was part of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, a short-lived yet immemorable glimpse into how music can reach beyond its limits.

Mozart. Salvador Dalì. Bob Dylan. Pablo Picasso. I'm convinced that these people were actually sent from another planet; aliens brought in to say, via their art, "This is what's possible when you use your whole brain!" It was more than easy genius. They transcended mortality.

Jimi Hendrix could only attract the most talented drummer and bassist to match him. They became this jazz-rock fusion power trio, decades ahead of their time. While imi fueled a musical hurricane like no other, Mitch drummed out complex explosions of rhythm, like they fed off each other's jams. Bassist Noel Redding was the eye of the storm—deceptively simple bass lines to balance the havoc around him.

The Experience lasted only three years, 1966-69. Sometimes you think whatcouldahappened... How Jimi's trio would have changed music if they had played on through the 70s... Could they have prevented disco? Through the 80s... Easy Listening? Hendrix + Guitar Hero. It would have been amazing.
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I'm finally upgrading my camera body. Amazon be sending me Canon's 50D. I'm excited. I'm also upgrading my computer. It's time to get an iMac. I'm waiting for Macworld Expo in January because Apple's probably going to upgrade the iMac memory and whatnot. Who knows, they might go touch-screen on that thing. Amazing times...
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It's been more than a week since Election Day and a few elections haven't been decided yet. A month ago I predicted how each state would go, red or blue. Turns out I was two states off. Like many people across the country, I underestimated the Obama ground game. Obama took Indiana and North Carolina? Seriously? That's a powerful message.

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