Gracelander Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 PORTLAND, Ore. – Mitch Mitchell, drummer for the legendary Jimi Hendrix Experience of the 1960s and the group's last surviving member, was found dead in his hotel room early Wednesday. He was 61. Mitchell was a powerful force on "Are You Experienced?" the 1967 debut album of the Hendrix band. He had an explosive drumming style that can be heard in hard-charging songs such as "Fire" and "Manic Depression." The Englishman had been drumming for the Experience Hendrix Tour, which performed Friday in Portland. It was the last stop on the West Coast part of the tour. Hendrix died in 1970. Noel Redding, bass player for the trio, died in 2003. An employee at Portland's Benson Hotel called police after discovering Mitchell's body. Erin Patrick, a deputy medical examiner, said Mitchell apparently died of natural causes. An autopsy was planned. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081112/ap_en_ot/obit_mitch_mitchell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickalino Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Damn. An awesome drummer. He was only 61. Cause ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baculus Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Great drummer - RIP, Mitch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeknows Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 sad really sad..... he was one of the guys that i modeled my playing style after... for a bit..... sad news indeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCranon21 Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 RIP Mr. Mitchell. This was my dad's favorite group during his time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoony Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 RIP Mitchell. You were great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaceman Spiff Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 RIP, indeed. Sad that all 3 members of the Experience are gone. I think in high school, I listened to Jimi Hendrix every day. He's still my all time favorite...and Redding and Mitchell were both excellent. Very sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcnativenerd Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 What a shame....they're all gone now. Rest in peace. You were a great drummer, Mitch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
China Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d0ublestr0ker0ll Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Mitch had a great jazz style for rock 'n roll. He had the best single stroke rolls in 60's popular rock 'n roll, IMO. Guy could flutter all over the kit. His feel rivaled that of John Bonham's, and his freestyle approach complimented Jimi Hendrix incredibly well. Even popular tracks like Voodoo Chile' and Purple Haze have Mitch's signature all over them. Keith Moon and Bonzo got most of the hype from that era, but Mitch got the short end of the stick. He was just as talented as Moon, if not more, and John Bonham used to say he was inspired by him. Rest in peace to a legend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMike619 Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 RIP man. I hope you are all reunited up in Heaven and giving The Lord a real show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d0ublestr0ker0ll Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Mitch Mitchell on drums, with John Lennon, Eric Clapton, and Keith Richards. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxEX__YXmDs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big#44 Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 sad day in the drumming world indeed. Rest in Peace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hokie4redskins Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 It's amazing what his style did for Hendrix. Can you imagine the drummer from 311 (or other militant-type drummers) percussing for Hendrix? It would've completely changed everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#98QBKiller Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 RIP Mitch....The Jimi Hendrix Experience is one of my top 5 all-time favorite acts. But the band is back together today. Make some music up there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweet Sassy Molassy Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 RIP Mitch. What a great group of musicians they were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midnight Judges Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 That guy was a huge influence on me. When thinking about his style manic depression was the first song to come to mind. Freakin awesome performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeanCollins Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 RIP, sad day indeed. Electric lady land is easily one of my top 5 lp's. Just don't get tired of listening to it and hear something new every time. I feel the same way about Axis bold as love. Rock-n-roll is a hazardous occupation. Lives are significantly shortened and often end abruptly. Most of the best have already past, and we are very short on replacements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonJeremy Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 We lost another legend. What a great drummer...and he stuck with Jimi through everything. Manic Depression: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRXAYap1cyg&feature=related Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Also Richard Wright (Pink Floyd) died just recently. It amazes me that 2 of the most talented musicians ever from 2 of the most influential bands ever both die & yet I haven't heard a word mentioned about it on the main stream media. I guess they are too busy following around talented people like Britney Spears & Paris Hilton. It makes me sick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighOnHendrix Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Also Richard Wright (Pink Floyd) died just recently. It amazes me that 2 of the most talented musicians ever from 2 of the most influential bands ever both die & yet I haven't heard a word mentioned about it on the main stream media. I guess they are too busy following around talented people like Britney Spears & Paris Hilton. It makes me sick. Wow, you are right, and that's such a sad thing. I only know because I read it here! Crazy. Mitch was definitely a key to the Experience's sound; listen to the Band of Gypsys album and compare MM's style to that of Buddy Miles. Both are ridiculously talented, but the stylistic differences are significant. MM was rooted in jazz techniques, setting him apart from nearly every other drummer in his era of rock. Mitch was the guy who was always there with Jimi. Even when Hendrix did his little thing with Miles on drums and Billy Cox on bass, this was with the understanding that he would bring Mitch back right after that; and he did, even though he kept Cox on bass instead of Redding. Because Mitch was the bedrock of the band. I hope he's in a better place now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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