Jimmy Hendrix Covers The Arctic Monkeys!

Paul Griffiths on a dubious discovery

On a recording by the New Flames a distorted version of 'Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau' creeps through the speakers. The recording was found by Dave Chapman in 2004.

Chapman, a record producer from Essex, obtained an old chest and found some eight track analogue tapes dating from the 1960s and 70s. He spent several years of his life violating his ear drums listening to randoms create noise through these rustic recordings. Nearing the end of the punishment, in May 2004 Chapman found a scribbled recording of a band called New Flames. At the end of the recording, a ghost of Jimi Hendix spoke to Chapman through his studio. Memories of Hendrix ripping the Star Spangled Banner, in a pursuit of political anarchy echoed through a guitar version of the Welsh national anthem. Did Hendrix compose this arrangement?

At the Woodstock music festival on August 18, 1969 Jimi Hendrix delivered an historic performance of 'The Star Spangled Banner'. The controversial nature of Hendrix’s version cuts away from the natural and morphs into a darker unpredictable chaotic sound accompanied by simulated sounds of war improvised through Jimi’s guitar.

Chapman’s finding doesn’t have natural passion, beauty or spontaneity of 'The Star Spangled Banner'. Its recording seems flat and poorly delivered through Kid Carpet’s

The 1970s brought a new era in music and culture through Wales. The hippies were delivering their thoughts to the nation whilst their kids grew in anarchy, awaiting their punk calling. In 1970 an independent socialist, Stephen Owen Davies won a seat in Merthyr Tydfil. Davies had been a Labor MP since 1934 but had been rejected by Labor for being too old. Was Jimi reflecting the defiance of Stephen Owen Davies in the Welsh national anthem?

A recruitment crisis in the Welsh constabulary appeared in 1970.
Experienced officers with between five and ten years service were resigning. A reduction of the working hours imposed on the April 1st, 1970 forced individuals to seek better paid employment. Anarchy set in, hippies and youth experimented on greater levels. Societies restrictions on drug use become irrelevant with an under policed force. Was Jimi exploring the freedom of Wales during this period by producing a hallucinogenic Welsh National Anthem?

In the early morning hours of September 18th, 1970 , Jimi Hendrix was found dead in the basement flat of the Samarkand Hotel at 22 Lansdowne Crescent in London. This fact may shock several readers. Only recently I led a friend to believe I had tickets for a Jimi Hendrix gig in the CIA. A 70s guitar fanatic, Mark was over the moon and spread the word around Maesteg that he’s about to see a legend in the flesh (remember Mark: I’ve got tickets for Jim Morrison!).

Jimi’s grown into one of the biggest recording acts of the 90s and 00s. No American corporation has shaken the hands of popular music without stamping a cheque “Experience Hendrix”. Known today, loved yesterday Hendrix has left a stamp on our society that brands him next door to McDonalds. Fisherprice whammy peddle. Perhaps Jimi was using a metaphor for a Welsh political statement.

To hear the song :-

http://www.thereddragonhood.com/pages/jimi.html

By Paul Griffiths

© Miwsig