Mitch Mitchell, 1947-2008
John “Mitch” Mitchell was an English drummer, best known for his work in The Jimi Hendrix Experience. After completing the Experience Hendrix tour in Portland with one-time bandmate Billy Cox and a multitude of noteworthy musicians (Buddy Guy, Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Eric Johnson, Cesar Rosas, David Hidalgo, Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford, Hubert Sumlin, Chris Layton as well as Eric Gales and Mato Nanji) on November 7, Mitchell was spending some down time in the city before returning to his native England. He likely died on the morning of November 12 in a Portland, Oregon hotel room of natural causes, according to the Multnomah County Medical Examiner’s office. His mother, his wife, a daughter, and two grandchildren survive him.
Before joining The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Mitchell gained experience touring and as a session musician and had starred in a children’s television program called “Jennings at School” when he was a teenager. Pre-Experience bands included Johnny Harris and the Shades, The Pretty Things, The Riot Squad, and Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames. He had also worked in Jim Marshall’s (creator of the Marshall amplifier) music shop in London.
Mitchell played in Hendrix’s Experience trio from October 1966 to mid-1969, his Woodstock band in August 1969, and 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 each other to exciting effect. Mitchell was praised for his work with The Hendrix Experience on songs such as “Manic Depression,” “Voodoo Child (Slight Return),” “Fire,” and “Third Stone from the Sun.” 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.
Mitchell also played in the band The Dirty Mac assembled for The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus in 1968. Other members included John Lennon as vocalist and rhythm guitarist “Winston Leg-Thigh;” Eric Clapton as guitarist, and Keith Richards as bassist. The group recorded a cover of “Yer Blues” as well as a jam called “Whole Lotta Yoko.”
After Hendrix’s death, Mitchell helped producer Eddie Kramer assemble the albums Cry of Love and Rainbow Bridge, featuring unfinished Hendrix material. He played occasional gigs with Terry Reid, Jeff Bruce, and Jeff Beck, but he rarely recorded as his career went on.
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 Back album) as well as participating in various Hendrix-related recordings, videos, and interviews. Most recently, he was part of the Gypsy Sun Experience, along with former Hendrix bassist Cox and guitarist Gary Serkin. He entered semi-retirement living in Europe before joining the four-week tour celebrating the music and legacy of Jimi Hendrix on the 2008 Experience Hendrix Tour.
Mitchell pioneered a style of drumming which would later become known as fusion. 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. Though a lead drum was not a new concept in the world of jazz, it was relatively unheard of in the rock genre at the time. Upon joining Hendrix in late 1966, it soon became evident to Mitchell that the trio format of the band was very similar to the recently formed Cream, and that it would allow him an opportunity to become freer with his playing. Alongside Hendrix’s revolutionary guitar work and songwriting, Mitchell’s playing helped redefine rock music drumming. You can hear him drumming on almost any Jimi Hendrix song played here on IHearDeadPeople.com!
Here is an example of a Mitchell drum solo while playing with The Jimi Hendrix Experience: