When I first heard Trout Mask Replica, I about puked. What is this shit, I thought. People I met talked about it in glowing terms — not just anybody, mind you, but people I genuinely respected when it came to their musical tastes. Well, I figured, everybody has their own little whatchimacallits.

And then came Lick My Decals Off, Baby. Its reputation preceded it, and a prevue of its music at a concert, I was told, would make it all clear.

And you know what? It did.

You know, those guys actually stood up there and played that music. And when it was over, I couldn't wait for the album.

As it turned out, the album was even better. Approachable, easy — enjoyable, even — to listen to. The first thing that grabbed me was the instrumentals. "One Red Rose That I Mean" is a lute song for 20th century instruments. From a formal standpoint, musically and rhythmically it is all wrong, but once you've heard it, you cannot deny its logic. Then, there are the songs. "I Love You, You Big Dummy" really rocks out, but not overtly. Play it for a bunch of young kids, and you'll see that they pick up on it immediately. It's like a blues, except that it leaves its formal structure behind before it even starts.

I had the rare good fortune to talk to the Captain recently about his music, and noted that I hadn't really understood Trout Mask. "That's OK," he said, "just put it on and then go back to doing whatever it was you were doing, and it'll come to you." Well, what I was doing was sweeping the floor, so I had my doubts, but I did it anyhow.

Damned if it didn't push the broom.

You ought to get Lick My Decals Off, Baby and see what it can do for you!

“All Along the Watchtower”

Jimi Hendrix got hold of Bob Dylan's early John Wesley Harding tapes and in late 1967 recorded a version of "All Along the Watchtower" with the Experience in London. Dissatisfied with that first development, Hendrix brought those tapes with him to New York in early 1968 when he began work on Electric Ladyland. Eddie Kramer, Hendrix's engineer at the time, told Rolling Stone that Hendrix "was still looked upon by his basically white audience as the mammoth black guitar hero. There was a constant fight within him to expand himself." Hendrix's successful take on Dylan's work has long been recognized by the songwriter. "I liked Jimi Hendrix's record of this and ever since he died I've been doing it that way," Dylan wrote in the liner notes to his Biograph box set. "Strange how when I sing it, I always feel it's a tribute to him in some kind of way."