Mitch Mitchell
Background information
Born	July 9, 1947 (1947-07-09) (age 60) Ealing, Middlesex, England
Genre(s)	Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Hard Rock, Jazz
Instrument(s)	Drums
Years active	1966-present
Associated acts	The Coronets Johnny Harris and the Shades The Pretty Things Georgie Fame The Riot Squad The Jimi Hendrix Experience Gypsy Sun and Rainbows Gypsy Sun Experience The Dirty Mac Ramatam

John "Mitch" Mitchell (born 9 July 1947 in Ealing, Middlesex) is a British drummer, most famous for his involvement with The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Events 455 - Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Ealing is a Town in the London Borough of Ealing. It is a Suburban development situated 7 Middlesex is one of the 39 historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. Psychedelic rock is a style of Rock music that attempts to replicate the mind-altering experiences of hallucinogenic drugs. Hard rock (also referred to as heavy rock) is a variation of Rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage and Psychedelic rock Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. A drum kit (also drum set or trap set) is a collection of Drums Cymbals and sometimes other Percussion instruments such as cowbells Johnny Harris is a Scottish born Composer, producer, Arranger, conductor and Musical director. The Pretty Things are a Rock and roll band from London. They pioneered a raw approach to Rhythm and blues that influenced a number of key Georgie Fame (born Clive Powell 26 June 1943, Leigh) is a British Rhythm and blues and Jazz Singer and The Riot Squad were a pop group from London initially managed and produced by Larry Page and later for their reunion by Joe Meek. "The Experience" redirects here For other uses of this term see Experience (disambiguation. James Marshall Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix) (November 27 1942 – September 18 1970 was an American Guitarist, Singer and Songwriter "The Experience" redirects here For other uses of this term see Experience (disambiguation. The Dirty Mac were an English supergroup consisting of John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Mitch Mitchell that Ramatam was a 1970s Rock band featuring Mike Pinera on guitar and vocals Mitch Mitchell on drums and April Lawton on lead guitar Events 455 - Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Ealing is a Town in the London Borough of Ealing. It is a Suburban development situated 7 Middlesex is one of the 39 historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A drum kit (also drum set or trap set) is a collection of Drums Cymbals and sometimes other Percussion instruments such as cowbells "The Experience" redirects here For other uses of this term see Experience (disambiguation.

Mitchell was considered one of the greatest rock drummers of the late 1960s and early 1970s^[1]. Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. In the few years before joining The Experience, aged twenty, he has gained considerable experience touring and as a session musician^[2] and had hosted a children's program on TV. Pre-Experience bands included Johnny Harris and the Shades, The Pretty Things, The Riot Squad and Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames. Johnny Harris is a Scottish born Composer, producer, Arranger, conductor and Musical director. The Pretty Things are a Rock and roll band from London. They pioneered a raw approach to Rhythm and blues that influenced a number of key The Riot Squad were a pop group from London initially managed and produced by Larry Page and later for their reunion by Joe Meek. Georgie Fame (born Clive Powell 26 June 1943, Leigh) is a British Rhythm and blues and Jazz Singer and

Mitchell is noted for his work with The Jimi Hendrix Experience on such songs as "Manic Depression", "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)", "Fire" and "Third Stone from the Sun". "The Experience" redirects here For other uses of this term see Experience (disambiguation. Manic Depression is a song written and recorded by Jimi Hendrix and first released in 1967 on the Are You Experienced? album " Voodoo Child (Slight Return " is the last track on the third and final album by The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Electric Ladyland. Fire is the heat and light energy released during a Chemical reaction, in particular a combustion reaction. Third Stone From the Sun is a song written and originally recorded by Jimi Hendrix and released as "3rd Stone From The Sun" on the 1967 Are You Experienced Mitchell came from a jazz background and like many of his drummer contemporaries was strongly influenced by the work of Elvin Jones, Max Roach, and Joe Morello. Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States Elvin Ray Jones ( 9 September 1927 &ndash 18 May 2004) was one of the most influential jazz drummers of the Post-bop era Maxwell Lemuel Roach ( January 10, 1924 &ndash August 16, 2007) was an American Jazz Percussionist, Drummer Joe Morello (born July 17, 1928 in Springfield Massachusetts) is a Jazz Drummer perhaps best known for his twelve and a half-year ^[3]

Mitchell pioneered a style of drumming, which would later become known as fusion. Fusion or more specifically jazz fusion or jazz rock, is a Musical genre that merges Jazz with elements of other styles of music particularly This is a "lead" style of playing distinguished by interplay with lead instruments such as guitar or keyboards, and the melding of jazz and rock drumming styles. Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. Alongside Hendrix's revolutionary guitar work and songwriting, Mitchell's playing helped redefine rock music drumming. ^[4] He did this, incidentally, using 'traditional grip'. Traditional grip (also known as Orthodox grip) is a technique used to hold Drum sticks while playing Percussion instruments Unlike Matched grip

Mitchell was Hendrix's most important musical collaborator,^[1][5]playing in Hendrix's Experience trio from October 1966 to mid-1969, his Woodstock band in August 1969, and also with the later incarnation of the "Jimi Hendrix Experience" in 1970, with Billy Cox on bass, known as the "Cry of Love" band. Hendrix would often record tracks in the studio with only Mitchell, and in concert the two fed off of each other to exciting effect. Buddy Miles only replaced Mitchell for the three months it took to rehearse, record, produce and deliver the finished Band of Gypsys LP to Ed Chalpin

Mitchell played in the band The Dirty Mac which was assembled for The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus in 1968. The Dirty Mac were an English supergroup consisting of John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and Mitch Mitchell that The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus is a film released in 1996 of a December 11, 1968 event put together by The Rolling Stones. The band contained John Lennon as "Winston Leg-Thigh" as vocalist and rhythm guitarist, Eric Clapton as guitarist, Keith Richards as bassist, and Mitch Mitchell as drummer. John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (born John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (born Rhythm guitar is the use of a Guitar to provide Rhythmic chordal Accompaniment for a singer or other instruments in a Musical ensemble Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE (born 30 March 1945 is an English Blues-rock Guitarist, singer Songwriter and Composer A guitarist is a Musician who plays the Guitar. Guitarists may perform solo pieces or play with ensembles and bands of a wide variety of genres Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943 is an English Guitarist, Songwriter, Singer, producer and a founding member of The Rolling A bass player (bassist is a Musician who plays a Double bass, Bass guitar, keyboard bass or wind A drummer is a Musician who plays a Drum or drums particularly a Drum kit ("drum set" or "trap set" Marching percussion They recorded a rendition of the song Yer Blues, as well as a jam called Whole Lotta Yoko. " Yer Blues " is a song by The Beatles, the second song on the second disc of the White Album.

After Hendrix's death, Mitchell (along with engineer Eddie Kramer) finished production work on multiple incomplete Hendrix recordings, resulting in posthumous releases such as "Cry of Love" and "Rainbow Bridge". Eddie Kramer (born 1941 in Cape Town, South Africa) is an Audio engineer and producer who has worked with Led Zeppelin, Triumph In 1972, he teamed up with guitarists April Lawton and Mike Pinera (who would later go on to join Iron Butterfly) to form the quite innovative act Ramatam. April Lawton was a guitarist singer and composer who rose to some prominence in the early to mid 1970s as a member of the band Ramatam, which also included former Iron Mike Pinera (born September 29, 1948) is an American guitarist who started professionally in the late 1960s with the group the Blues Image, which had a #4 hit Iron Butterfly is an American Psychedelic rock and early Heavy metal band well known for their 1968 hit " In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida Ramatam was a 1970s Rock band featuring Mike Pinera on guitar and vocals Mitch Mitchell on drums and April Lawton on lead guitar They recorded one album and were Emerson, Lake & Palmer's opening act at a number of concerts. Emerson Lake & Palmer ( ELP) were an English Progressive rock supergroup. Interestingly, Mitchell had been offered the drum spot in ELP during 1970, but turned it down in favour of playing with Hendrix. Emerson Lake & Palmer ( ELP) were an English Progressive rock supergroup. Ramatam never achieved commercial success and Mitchell left the act before their second LP release. Mitchell also did some gigs with Terry Reid, Jack Bruce, and Jeff Beck (subbing for drummer Cozy Powell, then sick). Terry Reid (born 13 November 1949, Huntingdon, England) is a rock Singer and Guitarist. John Symon Asher "Jack" Bruce (born 14 May 1943 is a Scottish -born musician composer and Singer. Geoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck (born June 24, 1944 to Arnold and Ethel Beck in Wallington, England) is an English Colin Flooks ( December 29, 1947 - April 5, 1998) better known as Cozy Powell, was an English rock drummer

According to Eddie Kramer's book Hendrix: Setting the Record Straight, Michael Jeffery, Hendrix's manager, an innovator in getting Hendrix promoted and established, relegated both Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding to the status of mere paid employees without an ownership share in future revenues. Michael Jeffery (died 5 March 1973) was a music business manager of the 1960s who is best known for his management of British band The Animals and This limited their earnings to a very low rate and led to Mitchell and Redding being largely excluded from sharing in future revenues generated from their work with The Jimi Hendrix Experience. This arrangement pressured Mitchell in the mid-1970s to sell a prized Hendrix guitar. In addition, he sold his small legal claim to future Hendrix record sales for a sum reported to be in the range of $200,000. In 1974, he auditioned for Paul McCartney's band Wings, but was turned down in favour of drummer and martial arts expert Geoff Britton. Geoff Britton (born Geoffrey Britton 1 August 1943, in Lewisham, South East London) is a rock drummer perhaps best known as a member

For the rest of the '70s through to the '90s, Mitchell continued to perform and occasionally record although essentially doing so under the radar of most of his previous fans. He kept reasonably busy doing occasional session work (such as Junior Brown's "Long Walk Home" album) as well as participating in various Hendrix-related recordings, videos, and interviews. Jamieson "Junior" Brown (b June 12 1952, Kirksville Indiana) is an American country Guitarist and singer from In the song EXP he plays the radio announcer.

In 1999, Mitchell appeared on the late Bruce Cameron's album, "Midnight Daydream" that included other Hendrix alumni Billy Cox and Buddy Miles along with Jack Bruce, with whom Mitchell had worked after Hendrix's passing. Bruce Cameron (1955-1999 was a mysterious guitarist who managed to attract an illustrious cast of legendary rock 'n' roll legends to record his 1999 debut and final album Billy Cox is a Bass guitarist best known for playing with Guitarist Jimi Hendrix. George Allen Miles Jr ( September 5, 1947 &ndash February 26, 2008) known as Buddy Miles, was an American rock John Symon Asher "Jack" Bruce (born 14 May 1943 is a Scottish -born musician composer and Singer. Mitchell, seemingly in an attempt to satisfy the most enthusiastic fans of his drum work with Hendrix, even played a series of live shows with the very accurate Hendrix emulator Randy Hansen. Randy Hansen (born December 8, 1954 in Seattle, Washington) is a U Most recently, he was part of the "Gypsy Sun Experience" band, along with former Hendrix bassist Billy Cox and guitarist Gary Serkin. "The Experience" redirects here For other uses of this term see Experience (disambiguation. Billy Cox is a Bass guitarist best known for playing with Guitarist Jimi Hendrix. He is now in semi-retirement and lives in Europe.

Equipment

Mitchell's equipment circa 1967:

Drums:

Premier 20" x 14" Bass Drum, 2000 Metal Snare, 14" x 8" tom (nicknamed the "The Tuna Can" because of its shape), 14" x 14" Floor Tom, 16" x 16" Floor Tom

Ludwig Silver Sparkle(in classic jazz setup) 22" x 14" bass 13 x 9" tom 14 x 14" & 16 x 16" Floor Toms Ludwig Supra-phonic snare

Ludwig double bass kit(1969) 24" bass drums 12 x 8" Tom 13 x 9" Tom 16 x 16" & 18 x 16" Floor Toms Ludwig Supra-phonic snare (He also used this same setup on Gretsch)

Cymbals:

Zildjian 14" Hi-hats, 16" Crash, 18" Crash Ride, 20" Riveted Ride

External links

• Mitch Mitchell/John Mitchell at the Internet Movie Database