Buddy Miles
Encyclopedia
George Allen Miles, Jr. (September 5, 1947 – February 26, 2008), known as Buddy Miles, was an American
rock
and funk drummer
, most known as a founding member of The Electric Flag in 1967, then as a member of Jimi Hendrix
's Band of Gypsys
from 1969 through to January 1970.
on September 5, 1947. He was known as a child prodigy, originally playing drums in his father, George Miles, Sr.'s, jazz band, The Bebops, beginning at age 12. Miles Sr. had played upright bass with Duke Ellington
, Count Basie
, Charlie Parker
and Dexter Gordon
.
In his teens Miles Jr. was often seen hanging out as well as recording at the Universal Promotions Corporation (U.P.C.) recording studios, which later became Rainbow Recording Studios
Miles was given the nickname
"Buddy" by his aunt after the drummer Buddy Rich
.
and soul
acts as a teenager, including Ruby & the Romantics
, the Ink Spots, the Delfonics and Wilson Pickett
. By 1967 he moved to Chicago
where he formed the Electric Flag
with guitarist Mike Bloomfield
. Nick Gravenitis was the vocalist on this (and also some other Bloomfield LP's). The blues
-soul
-rock
band made their live debut at the Monterey Pop Festival
in mid 1967 and released their debut Columbia album, A Long Time Comin'
, early the next year (1968). Miles sometimes sang lead vocals for the group in addition to playing drums. The group broke up after their second album An American Music Band (late 1968) and Miles formed The Buddy Miles Express, with Jim McCarty, later the guitarist for Cactus. A Greatest Hits album by The Electric Flag
was issued in 1971 by Columbia. In 1974 The Electric Flag
reformed briefly and released the Atlantic album The Band Kept Playing.
, and bassist Billy Cox that produced the Band of Gypsys Lp. Miles had met Jimi Hendrix in an earlier time, when Miles was only sixteen and both were acting as sidemen for other artists in the early '60s. The meeting had occurred in Canada
in 1964, at a show both were participating in.
Miles said of his first meeting with Hendrix: "He was playing in the Isley Brothers band and I was in Ruby and the Romantics ... [Jimi] had his hair in a pony-tail with long sideburns. Even though he was shy I could tell this guy was different. He looked rather strange, because everyone else was wearing uniforms and he was eating his guitar, doing flip-flops and wearing chains." Although all photographs, (and there are several of him with the Isley Bros), of Hendrix paying in bands prior to his move into Greenwich Village, in late 1966, as 'The Blue Flame' show him wearing band uniform, with no sideburns to speak of and only fashionable, moderately longish processed hair, certainly nothing you could tie in a pony tail.
This prefaced a later friendship that would result in several jams and the occasional unreleased recording with Hendrix. In 1967, Hendrix and Miles jammed at the Malibu home of Stephen Stills
, and went on to play together again at various times, in both Los Angeles
and New York
in 1968. Hendrix occasionally joined Electric Flag
on stage. On the recordings for Electric Ladyland
Hendrix used some guest artists, one of them being Buddy Miles who played on the songs "Rainy Day, Dream Away" and "Still Raining, Still Dreaming", which are actually the same long jammed song cut in half with 1983 a Merman I Should Turn To Be edited in between.
In 1969 Hendrix found time to write a short poem as a liner note to Expressway To Your Skull and to later produce four of the tracks on its follow up Electric Church, the two studio Lp's released by Buddy Miles Express. The title of the latter Lp being taken from Hendrix's poem on the first. There was also obvious public curiosity as to whether the name of the band "Buddy Miles Express" was influenced by Hendrix's act, "Jimi Hendrix Experience".
After the Jimi Hendrix Experience split, Hendrix formed Gypsy Sun and Rainbows, which featured Mitch Mitchell back on drums again, and Billy Cox on bass, amongst others. Then this group was dibanded in late September 1969 with nothing that was deemed releasable from their sessions. They had though recorded complete versions of Message To Love and Machine Gun, songs which would feature on the Band of Gypsys LP, the two songs that would comprise the Band of Gypsys single: Stepping Stone and Izabella and another song the Band of Gypsys worked on too, but didn't finish: Burning Desire.
Between late September and mid October 1969, according to Buddy Miles: "Jimi was not happy. He felt powerless. He couldn't do what he wanted to do.".
Hendrix's solution to the problem, in mid October 1969, was to found a short-lived band called Band of Gypsys
and Miles was brought in to join him. Alan Douglas and Stephan Bright were initially brought in to "produce" their recording sessions, but Cox immediately clashed with the pair deeming them unworthy. He eventually stormed out of the sessions after a furious row with Bright and went home to Nashville for two weeks, before being coaxed back. And at the end of Douglas and Bright's one and a half months they had only produced one usable backing track: Room Full of Mirrors. Douglas (and therefore Bright, his employee) resigned stating business pressure, pressure from Hendrix' manager Michael Jeffery, and Hendrix' own "lack of interest". The same day as Douglas resigned Hendrix signed the contract with Bill Graham for the two dates. Hendrix had been talking about a "Band of Gypsys" "jam" Lp since late 1968, after the settlement with Chalpin. He also introduced the band known as 'Gypsy Sun and Rainbows' who he introduced by that name, but also almost in the same breath as 'Band of Gypsys' during their 'Woodstock' concert - only credited as 'Jimi Hendrix' on the two Woodstock Lp's. One of the notable features for his audience at the time was the fact that all of the players were black. This was a first for Hendrix as an international recording star – although he had, of course, played with the Isley Brothers and Little Richard, amongst several other r&b bands in his early days – and this choice has been seen by some as a move toward reconnecting with his soul roots. It has also been seen as having had the effect of re-associating rock with its African American roots. Originally it was a single LP , but additional cuts from the concerts have been released on a double CD Live at the Fillmore East. During the two and a half months run up to the two night's recordings for the Lp, the band rehearsed and recorded in New York City where Hendrix had his apartement, where his management was, where he was building his Electric Lady
studio, and where he had lived and recorded since moving there from Nashville in 1964 - apart from his sixteen months "exile" in London, a later two month sojourn there in 1969, and his West Coast tours when he would base himself in L.A. Hendrix had become entangled in legal litigation concerning the contract with Ed Chalpin's PPX he had signed to prior to his agreement with Jeffery & Chandler and becoming internationally recognized. He was required to give his next Lp to Ed Chalpin to be released by the Capitol Records
label as part of the agreement in court. This fact led to Buddy Miles and Billy being hired as full time employees (with benefits) for the duration of this three month collaboration called the 'Band of Gypsys' that produced that Lp for Chalpin and Capitol and a single for Reprise.
Hendrix during a, one off, charity event a month later (for the Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam
committee), had a minor, possibly drug-related (opinions differ) meltdown on stage which has also been speculated to have been an act of sabotage on the part of a very frustrated manager Michael Jeffery, who was not a fan of the Band of Gypsys, and has been claimed as fact by Miles. Miles had this to say about the incident years later:
"Jeffery slipped [Jimi] two half-tabs of acid on stage as he went on ... [Jimi] just freaked out. I told Jeffery he was an out-and-out complete idiot and a fucking asshole to boot. One of the biggest reasons why Jimi is dead is because of that guy."
Miles and Jeffery already had a strained relationship, as Jeffery was always uncomfortable with Hendrix and Miles' close friendship. After this, one off, charity event at Madison Square Garden in January 1970, Jeffery told Buddy Miles he was fired and the Band of Gypsys was no more. Although Cox, and presumably Miles as well, had already been paid off as full-time salaried employees, with a $1,000 bonus "for their services" the week before.
Besides recording the live Lp, studio recordings were made during the rehearsals leading up to the two concert dates and continued sporadically over a further three weeks. Cox and Miles' recording for the single's A side was completed on the 7th, and the only other completed backing track was Power of Soul on the 21st. At this point most of Hendrix' and Eddie Kramer
's time was taken up with (Hendrix only) overdubs and mixing of the studio tracks. As well as the beginning of the very long mixing and editing for the finished Lp. Some of these songs were marked down by Hendrix as contenders for his next Lp. The songs are: "Room Full of Mirrors", "Ezy Ryder", "Power of Soul" and the Band of Gypsys single "Stepping Stone" b/w "Izabella", released a week after the LP, but back on Reprise records. This original version of "Stepping Stone" was later given new guitar overdubs, Miles' drums were replaced by Mitchell and it was re-mixed by Hendrix, towards releasing it on his next Lp. These songs have been released in several posthumous Hendrix albums. The album Band of Gypsys — released in March 1970 (US) June (UK)— made the Top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic, and stayed in the US charts for over a year. Hendrix' final extensive tour (he had only played five major concerts (one morning and two nights) in the previous nine months since the original 'Experience' broke up - not counting his last a very disappointing two song show at Madison Square Gardens and these were all in New York City apart 'Woodstock' in New York state) and his tragic early death on the back off it on September 18, 1970, causing the album to sell more and for a longer period. There are now videos of Buddy and Randy Hansen covering several of Jimi's songs on a major website.
, "Them Changes" was again recorded by Miles with his own band on a release soon after Hendrix's passing on Mercury Records
. Miles' former Band Of Gypsys sideman, Billy Cox, performed bass guitar on this track. The Buddy Miles Express had split prior to the Band of Gypsys being formed and Buddy Miles just used his own name now. That band included bassist David Hull (who would go on to work with Joe Perry
of Aerosmith
) and guitarist Charlie Karp. The same band would release a live album entitled Live which again included his by now signature song, "Them Changes". In late 1968, they appeared in the Monkees television special 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee which aired in April 1969.
In 1970, while recording the album We Got To Live Together Buddy Miles learned of the death of Hendrix, which he mentions on the inner cover of the album. Released in 1971, We Got To Live Together is produced by Buddy Miles and Robin McBride. It comprises 5 songs including the instrumental "Easy Greasy". High energy drumming with funky overtones and big horns make this album quintessential Buddy. The other cuts on the album are: "Runaway Child (Little Miss Nothin)", "Walking Down the Highway", "We Got To Live Together", "Take It Off Him and Put It On Me". All the songs were written by Buddy Miles with C.Karp except for "Take it Off...".
Buddy also contributed to a number of Cheech and Chong
songs. One was "Lost Due To Incompetence (Theme For A Big Green Van) 1978" from the film Up In Smoke
. Buddy did an album with Adrian Gurvitz
(from The Gun
) in 1973 called Chapter VII (this album has photos of Buddy and his family along with some shots of Carlos Santana, Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone). Buddy had major success with Them Changes, a soul and pop hit in 70-71.
Miles would see the song released yet a fourth time on a collaborative live record he made with Carlos Santana
. This particular version was particularly notable for its intense energy, horn lines and blazing guitar work supplied by a very young and energetic Santana. Miles would then go on to be signed by the '70s-'80s era record label, Casablanca Records, best known for their rock act KISS
. Miles' work for the label included the excellent album released under his own name, Bicentennial Gathering Of The Tribes. It would include on its liner notes a quote from President John F Kennedy concerning the American Indians. That quote would include the line "When we neglect the heroic past of the American Indian, we thereby weaken our own heritage." This was interesting in relationship to his former friendship and collaborations with Jimi Hendrix who, in fact, had much American Indian blood in his family line. From 1994 - 1999 Buddy Miles formulated an excellent group in the N.Y.C./area featuring Charlie Torres on Bass Guitar and Vocals . Rod Kohn on Guitar and vocals . Kenn Moutenot on drums / vocals /management . Mark " Muggy Doo " Leach on Hammond B3 and Keyboards. They toured non stop in the United States and overseas with almost one thousand concerts and festivals to their credit. Buddy also composed and recorded many songs with this new version of " The Buddy Miles Express " that is yet to be released.It was Buddy's most enduring live band throughout his illustrious career. This popular touring line up lasted for six fruitful years together with the same members.
Part of Miles' appeal as a rock musician was his physical appearance. He drew many stares and smiles as he held court from the drumset in the Electric Flag days, with his American flag or sequined shirts, his high-brushed Afro
, and his massive frame and smile. Buddy was an eyeful for the hippies and concertgoers of the day. Once guitarist for the band SNAIL (Cream Records), JOHN ROCKER was guitarist for THE BUDDY MILES EXPRESS too for about 5 – 6 years as well touring throughout North America...
, Miles commuted almost every single day to Marin County to collaborate with a handful of musicians and songwriters at the Ice House Studios in San Rafael
. The list of collaborators included David Jenkins (Pablo Cruise
), Pat Craig and Dave Carlson (Tazmanian Devils), Robbie Long, Bill Craig, Tony Marty, and Tony Saunders. First recorded as a demo, the result was an album's worth of material. The project was soon moved to the Record Plant in Sausalito, where Jim Gaines of Huey Lewis & The News
fame came in to take over production chores. The group produced over 15 songs ranging from funky soulful grooves to r&b ballads, and featuring some of the best singing work that Miles ever did. One cut, "When The Train Leaves the Station," featured solos by both Carlos Santana
and Neal Schon
from Journey
. The title song of the proposed album, "Anna", helped Miles land his next recording job with the California Raisins. However, during the album's production, the Record Plant was seized by the United States Government when its owner was indicted on drug trafficking charges. The musicians and employees working there began calling the studio "Club Fed" (hence the name "The Club Fed Sessions"). Unfortunately, the album was never released, and the masters remain in the can in the hands of Miles' former manager. Years later, Pat Craig digitized some of the mixes and has been known to offer the album from time to time on eBay
as a collector's item under the title "Buddy and Me.". The songs included on the tracklist were "Anna," "Forever in a Moment," "Tonight", "Next to You," and "This Could Be An Everlasting Love".
" and was also lead vocals on two California Raisins albums featuring 1960s R&B covers. In 1986 and 1987, he also rejoined Carlos Santana
as a vocalist on Santana's album Freedom.
In 1996, he sat in with rock band Phish
at Madison Square Garden
.
also in 1996 Miles did several dates with the NJ based blues band Rock'n Daddy, that also included former TV Toy guitarist Bob "BIG BUD" Solberg, drummer Paul "fergy" Ferguson, and bassist Phil "catfish" Endean,
Through the late 1990s, Miles' charitable side was seen in his band's playing pro bono at several annual tribute concerts for local friend and fan Linda Gillespie, who had been killed in a car accident in the Spring of 1994 in Winthrop Harbor, IL. While residing in Chicago in 1990, Miles formed MST with guitarist Kevon Smith and Joe Thomas. They recorded Hell and Back in 1994. They toured the US and Europe until 1997 and can be seen in the Tribute to Jimi Hendrix - CAS (1997) DVD directed by Patrick Savey featuring Buddy Miles, Kevon Smith
and Joe Thomas.
Buddy Miles was seen in the Hendrix-family-owned, official video release The Making of Electric Ladyland on Rhino Records. That video featured interviews with the majority of players who were involved in recording the legendary Hendrix album. Miles even went as far as to be video recorded playing his same drum tracks yet again in the studio to the original multi-track recordings of Hendrix. In 1999 Miles appeared on the late Bruce Cameron
's album, Midnight Daydream
that included other Hendrix alumni Billy Cox and Mitch Mitchell
along with Jack Bruce
and others.
In 2004 Miles reunited yet again with Billy Cox of the Band of Gypsys to re-record songs from the original live album of 1970 with guitarists Eric Gales
, Kenny Olsen, Sheldon Reynolds
, Andy Aledort, and Gary Serkin. The album, titled The Band Of Gypsys Return, was released in 2006. Until his death, Buddy Miles continued to be active musically and performed many shows with proceeds going to help support victims of natural disasters and other noble causes.
Buddy Miles is credited on sessions with George Clinton
/Parliament/Funkadelic.
In 2005 Buddy Miles began collaborating with Florida based Guitar Virtuoso Tony Smotherman in which the two toured the Southeast with a Blues-Rock Band performing various pieces from Miles' Collaborations with Jimi Hendrix. Miles and Smotherman last performed at the Austin Convention Center at the 2007 Summer NAMM Show with Vernon Reid of Living Colour
.
Buddy Miles played his last live dates in 2007, on the West Coast
of the United States
with special assistance from Mark Donovan, former drummer of the Malford Milligan Band based out of Austin, TX. Also in Texas with Lance Lopez & Collin Keeton. He was forced to cancel the remaining dates because of heart
problems.
There was a history of congestive heart failure in his family. His sister and mother both died of the same illness.
It is known that his heart had certainly been struggling, working at only 15%, and his health had been consistently deteriorating over the past few months. According to friends, "he had turned off his defibrillator and was ready for heaven." There was no funeral; Miles was cremated.
The day before Buddy died, he heard Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton playing
'Them Changes' at Madison Square Garden through his cell phone. 'Them Changes' is now part of Clapton's set on tour as a tribute to Buddy. The UK-based newspaper The Independent ran an almost full-page obituary for Buddy Miles in its Friday February 29, 2008 edition. The title for the piece was "Buddy Miles: Flamboyant Hendrix drummer", and can be found on page 47.
Asked how he would like to be remembered by the American music magazine Seconds in 1995, Miles simply said: "The baddest of the bad. People say I'm the baddest drummer. If that's true, thank you world." A memorial concert took place on March 30, 2008 at Threadgill’s
on Riverside Drive, South Austin.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
and funk drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
, most known as a founding member of The Electric Flag in 1967, then as a member of Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
's Band of Gypsys
Band of Gypsys
Band of Gypsys was a blues rock band led by Jimi Hendrix and backed by Billy Cox and Buddy Miles. Hendrix formed the band after the dissolution of The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Band of Gypsys is also the band's eponymous live album recorded on two separate nights, 31 December 1969 and 1 January...
from 1969 through to January 1970.
Early life
George Allen Miles was born in Omaha, NebraskaOmaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
on September 5, 1947. He was known as a child prodigy, originally playing drums in his father, George Miles, Sr.'s, jazz band, The Bebops, beginning at age 12. Miles Sr. had played upright bass with Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
, Count Basie
Count Basie
William "Count" Basie was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. Basie led his jazz orchestra almost continuously for nearly 50 years...
, Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker
Charles Parker, Jr. , famously called Bird or Yardbird, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer....
and Dexter Gordon
Dexter Gordon
Dexter Gordon was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and an Academy Award-nominated actor . He is regarded as one of the first and most important musicians to adapt the bebop musical language of people like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Bud Powell to the tenor saxophone...
.
In his teens Miles Jr. was often seen hanging out as well as recording at the Universal Promotions Corporation (U.P.C.) recording studios, which later became Rainbow Recording Studios
Miles was given the nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
"Buddy" by his aunt after the drummer Buddy Rich
Buddy Rich
Bernard "Buddy" Rich was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Rich was billed as "the world's greatest drummer" and was known for his virtuosic technique, power, groove, and speed.-Early life:...
.
Early career
Miles played in a variety of rhythm and bluesRhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
and soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
acts as a teenager, including Ruby & the Romantics
Ruby & the Romantics
Ruby & the Romantics was an American R&B group in the 1960s. They had several pop and R&B hit records, but are sometimes considered as a one-hit wonder for topping the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1963 with their first recording, "Our Day Will Come", written by Mort Garson and Bob Hilliard...
, the Ink Spots, the Delfonics and Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett was an American R&B/Soul singer and songwriter.A major figure in the development of American soul music, Pickett recorded over 50 songs which made the US R&B charts, and frequently crossed over to the US Billboard Hot 100...
. By 1967 he moved to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
where he formed the Electric Flag
Electric Flag
The Electric Flag was a blues rock soul group, led by guitarist Mike Bloomfield, keyboardist Barry Goldberg and drummer Buddy Miles, and featuring other well-known musicians such as vocalist Nick Gravenites and bassist Harvey Brooks. Bloomfield formed the Electric Flag in 1967, following his stint...
with guitarist Mike Bloomfield
Mike Bloomfield
Michael Bernard "Mike" Bloomfield was an American musician, guitarist, and composer, born in Chicago, Illinois, who became one of the first popular music superstars of the 1960s to earn his reputation almost entirely on his instrumental prowess, since he rarely sang before 1969–70...
. Nick Gravenitis was the vocalist on this (and also some other Bloomfield LP's). The blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
-soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
-rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band made their live debut at the Monterey Pop Festival
Monterey Pop Festival
The Monterey International Pop Music Festival was a three-day concert event held June 16 to June 18, 1967 at the Monterey County Fairgrounds in Monterey, California...
in mid 1967 and released their debut Columbia album, A Long Time Comin'
A Long Time Comin'
A Long Time Comin' is the first album by American rock band The Electric Flag, released in 1968. The meat of the album is Soul along with Blues and Rock with a horn section...
, early the next year (1968). Miles sometimes sang lead vocals for the group in addition to playing drums. The group broke up after their second album An American Music Band (late 1968) and Miles formed The Buddy Miles Express, with Jim McCarty, later the guitarist for Cactus. A Greatest Hits album by The Electric Flag
Electric Flag
The Electric Flag was a blues rock soul group, led by guitarist Mike Bloomfield, keyboardist Barry Goldberg and drummer Buddy Miles, and featuring other well-known musicians such as vocalist Nick Gravenites and bassist Harvey Brooks. Bloomfield formed the Electric Flag in 1967, following his stint...
was issued in 1971 by Columbia. In 1974 The Electric Flag
Electric Flag
The Electric Flag was a blues rock soul group, led by guitarist Mike Bloomfield, keyboardist Barry Goldberg and drummer Buddy Miles, and featuring other well-known musicians such as vocalist Nick Gravenites and bassist Harvey Brooks. Bloomfield formed the Electric Flag in 1967, following his stint...
reformed briefly and released the Atlantic album The Band Kept Playing.
Jimi Hendrix
After Electric Flag Miles began a closer musical relationship with Hendrix and after Buddy Miles Express split up, Miles would begin the collaboration with the rock legend Jimi HendrixJimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, and bassist Billy Cox that produced the Band of Gypsys Lp. Miles had met Jimi Hendrix in an earlier time, when Miles was only sixteen and both were acting as sidemen for other artists in the early '60s. The meeting had occurred in Canada
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in 1964, at a show both were participating in.
Miles said of his first meeting with Hendrix: "He was playing in the Isley Brothers band and I was in Ruby and the Romantics ... [Jimi] had his hair in a pony-tail with long sideburns. Even though he was shy I could tell this guy was different. He looked rather strange, because everyone else was wearing uniforms and he was eating his guitar, doing flip-flops and wearing chains." Although all photographs, (and there are several of him with the Isley Bros), of Hendrix paying in bands prior to his move into Greenwich Village, in late 1966, as 'The Blue Flame' show him wearing band uniform, with no sideburns to speak of and only fashionable, moderately longish processed hair, certainly nothing you could tie in a pony tail.
This prefaced a later friendship that would result in several jams and the occasional unreleased recording with Hendrix. In 1967, Hendrix and Miles jammed at the Malibu home of Stephen Stills
Stephen Stills
Stephen Arthur Stills is an American guitarist and singer/songwriter best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills & Nash . He has performed on a professional level in several other bands as well as maintaining a solo career at the same time...
, and went on to play together again at various times, in both Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1968. Hendrix occasionally joined Electric Flag
Electric Flag
The Electric Flag was a blues rock soul group, led by guitarist Mike Bloomfield, keyboardist Barry Goldberg and drummer Buddy Miles, and featuring other well-known musicians such as vocalist Nick Gravenites and bassist Harvey Brooks. Bloomfield formed the Electric Flag in 1967, following his stint...
on stage. On the recordings for Electric Ladyland
Electric Ladyland
Electric Ladyland is the third and final album of new material by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, released in October 1968 on Reprise Records, catalogue 2RS 6307. It is the only Hendrix studio album professionally produced under his supervision. It topped the Billboard 200 album chart for two weeks in...
Hendrix used some guest artists, one of them being Buddy Miles who played on the songs "Rainy Day, Dream Away" and "Still Raining, Still Dreaming", which are actually the same long jammed song cut in half with 1983 a Merman I Should Turn To Be edited in between.
In 1969 Hendrix found time to write a short poem as a liner note to Expressway To Your Skull and to later produce four of the tracks on its follow up Electric Church, the two studio Lp's released by Buddy Miles Express. The title of the latter Lp being taken from Hendrix's poem on the first. There was also obvious public curiosity as to whether the name of the band "Buddy Miles Express" was influenced by Hendrix's act, "Jimi Hendrix Experience".
After the Jimi Hendrix Experience split, Hendrix formed Gypsy Sun and Rainbows, which featured Mitch Mitchell back on drums again, and Billy Cox on bass, amongst others. Then this group was dibanded in late September 1969 with nothing that was deemed releasable from their sessions. They had though recorded complete versions of Message To Love and Machine Gun, songs which would feature on the Band of Gypsys LP, the two songs that would comprise the Band of Gypsys single: Stepping Stone and Izabella and another song the Band of Gypsys worked on too, but didn't finish: Burning Desire.
Between late September and mid October 1969, according to Buddy Miles: "Jimi was not happy. He felt powerless. He couldn't do what he wanted to do.".
Hendrix's solution to the problem, in mid October 1969, was to found a short-lived band called Band of Gypsys
Band of Gypsys
Band of Gypsys was a blues rock band led by Jimi Hendrix and backed by Billy Cox and Buddy Miles. Hendrix formed the band after the dissolution of The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Band of Gypsys is also the band's eponymous live album recorded on two separate nights, 31 December 1969 and 1 January...
and Miles was brought in to join him. Alan Douglas and Stephan Bright were initially brought in to "produce" their recording sessions, but Cox immediately clashed with the pair deeming them unworthy. He eventually stormed out of the sessions after a furious row with Bright and went home to Nashville for two weeks, before being coaxed back. And at the end of Douglas and Bright's one and a half months they had only produced one usable backing track: Room Full of Mirrors. Douglas (and therefore Bright, his employee) resigned stating business pressure, pressure from Hendrix' manager Michael Jeffery, and Hendrix' own "lack of interest". The same day as Douglas resigned Hendrix signed the contract with Bill Graham for the two dates. Hendrix had been talking about a "Band of Gypsys" "jam" Lp since late 1968, after the settlement with Chalpin. He also introduced the band known as 'Gypsy Sun and Rainbows' who he introduced by that name, but also almost in the same breath as 'Band of Gypsys' during their 'Woodstock' concert - only credited as 'Jimi Hendrix' on the two Woodstock Lp's. One of the notable features for his audience at the time was the fact that all of the players were black. This was a first for Hendrix as an international recording star – although he had, of course, played with the Isley Brothers and Little Richard, amongst several other r&b bands in his early days – and this choice has been seen by some as a move toward reconnecting with his soul roots. It has also been seen as having had the effect of re-associating rock with its African American roots. Originally it was a single LP , but additional cuts from the concerts have been released on a double CD Live at the Fillmore East. During the two and a half months run up to the two night's recordings for the Lp, the band rehearsed and recorded in New York City where Hendrix had his apartement, where his management was, where he was building his Electric Lady
Electric Lady
Electric Lady is an album by Elkie Brooks.Recorded between 2004 and 2005 at Slave to the Rhythm Studios, it was released on CD in 2005 by Swing Cafe...
studio, and where he had lived and recorded since moving there from Nashville in 1964 - apart from his sixteen months "exile" in London, a later two month sojourn there in 1969, and his West Coast tours when he would base himself in L.A. Hendrix had become entangled in legal litigation concerning the contract with Ed Chalpin's PPX he had signed to prior to his agreement with Jeffery & Chandler and becoming internationally recognized. He was required to give his next Lp to Ed Chalpin to be released by the Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
label as part of the agreement in court. This fact led to Buddy Miles and Billy being hired as full time employees (with benefits) for the duration of this three month collaboration called the 'Band of Gypsys' that produced that Lp for Chalpin and Capitol and a single for Reprise.
Hendrix during a, one off, charity event a month later (for the Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam
Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam
The Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam was a large demonstration against the United States involvement in the Vietnam War that took place across the United States on October 15, 1969. The Moratorium developed from Jerome Grossman's April 20, 1969, call for a general strike if the war had not...
committee), had a minor, possibly drug-related (opinions differ) meltdown on stage which has also been speculated to have been an act of sabotage on the part of a very frustrated manager Michael Jeffery, who was not a fan of the Band of Gypsys, and has been claimed as fact by Miles. Miles had this to say about the incident years later:
"Jeffery slipped [Jimi] two half-tabs of acid on stage as he went on ... [Jimi] just freaked out. I told Jeffery he was an out-and-out complete idiot and a fucking asshole to boot. One of the biggest reasons why Jimi is dead is because of that guy."
Miles and Jeffery already had a strained relationship, as Jeffery was always uncomfortable with Hendrix and Miles' close friendship. After this, one off, charity event at Madison Square Garden in January 1970, Jeffery told Buddy Miles he was fired and the Band of Gypsys was no more. Although Cox, and presumably Miles as well, had already been paid off as full-time salaried employees, with a $1,000 bonus "for their services" the week before.
Besides recording the live Lp, studio recordings were made during the rehearsals leading up to the two concert dates and continued sporadically over a further three weeks. Cox and Miles' recording for the single's A side was completed on the 7th, and the only other completed backing track was Power of Soul on the 21st. At this point most of Hendrix' and Eddie Kramer
Eddie Kramer
Edwin H. Kramer is an audio engineer and producer who has worked with, among others, Led Zeppelin, Triumph, Kiss , Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Spooky Tooth, Peter Frampton, Curtis Mayfield, Santana, Anthrax, Carly Simon, Loudness, and Robin Trower.-1960s:Eddie...
's time was taken up with (Hendrix only) overdubs and mixing of the studio tracks. As well as the beginning of the very long mixing and editing for the finished Lp. Some of these songs were marked down by Hendrix as contenders for his next Lp. The songs are: "Room Full of Mirrors", "Ezy Ryder", "Power of Soul" and the Band of Gypsys single "Stepping Stone" b/w "Izabella", released a week after the LP, but back on Reprise records. This original version of "Stepping Stone" was later given new guitar overdubs, Miles' drums were replaced by Mitchell and it was re-mixed by Hendrix, towards releasing it on his next Lp. These songs have been released in several posthumous Hendrix albums. The album Band of Gypsys — released in March 1970 (US) June (UK)— made the Top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic, and stayed in the US charts for over a year. Hendrix' final extensive tour (he had only played five major concerts (one morning and two nights) in the previous nine months since the original 'Experience' broke up - not counting his last a very disappointing two song show at Madison Square Gardens and these were all in New York City apart 'Woodstock' in New York state) and his tragic early death on the back off it on September 18, 1970, causing the album to sell more and for a longer period. There are now videos of Buddy and Randy Hansen covering several of Jimi's songs on a major website.
Post-Hendrix
Buddy Miles went on to produce other records under his own name. A song he had written and recorded with the Band of GypsysBand of Gypsys
Band of Gypsys was a blues rock band led by Jimi Hendrix and backed by Billy Cox and Buddy Miles. Hendrix formed the band after the dissolution of The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Band of Gypsys is also the band's eponymous live album recorded on two separate nights, 31 December 1969 and 1 January...
, "Them Changes" was again recorded by Miles with his own band on a release soon after Hendrix's passing on Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
. Miles' former Band Of Gypsys sideman, Billy Cox, performed bass guitar on this track. The Buddy Miles Express had split prior to the Band of Gypsys being formed and Buddy Miles just used his own name now. That band included bassist David Hull (who would go on to work with Joe Perry
Joe Perry (musician)
Anthony Joseph "Joe" Perry is the lead guitarist, backing and occasional lead vocalist, and contributing songwriter for the rock band Aerosmith. He is influenced by many rock artists especially The Rolling Stones and The Beatles...
of Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
) and guitarist Charlie Karp. The same band would release a live album entitled Live which again included his by now signature song, "Them Changes". In late 1968, they appeared in the Monkees television special 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee which aired in April 1969.
In 1970, while recording the album We Got To Live Together Buddy Miles learned of the death of Hendrix, which he mentions on the inner cover of the album. Released in 1971, We Got To Live Together is produced by Buddy Miles and Robin McBride. It comprises 5 songs including the instrumental "Easy Greasy". High energy drumming with funky overtones and big horns make this album quintessential Buddy. The other cuts on the album are: "Runaway Child (Little Miss Nothin)", "Walking Down the Highway", "We Got To Live Together", "Take It Off Him and Put It On Me". All the songs were written by Buddy Miles with C.Karp except for "Take it Off...".
Buddy also contributed to a number of Cheech and Chong
Cheech and Chong
Cheech & Chong are a comedy duo consisting of Richard "Cheech" Marin and Tommy Chong, who found a wide audience in the 1970s and 1980s for their films and stand-up routines, which were based on the hippie and free love era, and especially drug culture movements, most notably their love for...
songs. One was "Lost Due To Incompetence (Theme For A Big Green Van) 1978" from the film Up In Smoke
Up in Smoke
Up in Smoke, directed by Lou Adler, is Cheech and Chong's first feature-length film, released in 1978 by Paramount Pictures. It stars Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong, Edie Adams, Strother Martin, and Stacy Keach....
. Buddy did an album with Adrian Gurvitz
Adrian Gurvitz
Adrian Gurvitz is an English singer, musician and songwriter.-Career:...
(from The Gun
The Gun (band)
The Gun was a late 1960s British rock guitar trio who had a single British Top Ten hit, "Race With The Devil" and recorded two albums before disbanding...
) in 1973 called Chapter VII (this album has photos of Buddy and his family along with some shots of Carlos Santana, Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone). Buddy had major success with Them Changes, a soul and pop hit in 70-71.
Miles would see the song released yet a fourth time on a collaborative live record he made with Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana
Carlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
. This particular version was particularly notable for its intense energy, horn lines and blazing guitar work supplied by a very young and energetic Santana. Miles would then go on to be signed by the '70s-'80s era record label, Casablanca Records, best known for their rock act KISS
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
. Miles' work for the label included the excellent album released under his own name, Bicentennial Gathering Of The Tribes. It would include on its liner notes a quote from President John F Kennedy concerning the American Indians. That quote would include the line "When we neglect the heroic past of the American Indian, we thereby weaken our own heritage." This was interesting in relationship to his former friendship and collaborations with Jimi Hendrix who, in fact, had much American Indian blood in his family line. From 1994 - 1999 Buddy Miles formulated an excellent group in the N.Y.C./area featuring Charlie Torres on Bass Guitar and Vocals . Rod Kohn on Guitar and vocals . Kenn Moutenot on drums / vocals /management . Mark " Muggy Doo " Leach on Hammond B3 and Keyboards. They toured non stop in the United States and overseas with almost one thousand concerts and festivals to their credit. Buddy also composed and recorded many songs with this new version of " The Buddy Miles Express " that is yet to be released.It was Buddy's most enduring live band throughout his illustrious career. This popular touring line up lasted for six fruitful years together with the same members.
Part of Miles' appeal as a rock musician was his physical appearance. He drew many stares and smiles as he held court from the drumset in the Electric Flag days, with his American flag or sequined shirts, his high-brushed Afro
Afro
Afro, sometimes shortened to fro and also known as a "natural", is a hairstyle worn naturally by people with lengthy kinky hair texture or specifically styled in such a fashion by individuals with naturally curly or straight hair...
, and his massive frame and smile. Buddy was an eyeful for the hippies and concertgoers of the day. Once guitarist for the band SNAIL (Cream Records), JOHN ROCKER was guitarist for THE BUDDY MILES EXPRESS too for about 5 – 6 years as well touring throughout North America...
The Club Fed Sessions
In late 1984-early 1985 while living in a halfway house in Oakland, CaliforniaOakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, Miles commuted almost every single day to Marin County to collaborate with a handful of musicians and songwriters at the Ice House Studios in San Rafael
San Rafael
San Rafael is a common place-name in areas where that tongue is or was spoken:-Towns, cities, municipalities, etc.:*Argentina**San Rafael, Mendoza**San Rafael Department*Bolivia...
. The list of collaborators included David Jenkins (Pablo Cruise
Pablo Cruise
Pablo Cruise is a pop/rock band currently composed of David Jenkins , Cory Lerios , Steve Price and Larry Antonino . Formed in 1973, the band released eight studio albums over the next decade, during which time four singles reached the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart...
), Pat Craig and Dave Carlson (Tazmanian Devils), Robbie Long, Bill Craig, Tony Marty, and Tony Saunders. First recorded as a demo, the result was an album's worth of material. The project was soon moved to the Record Plant in Sausalito, where Jim Gaines of Huey Lewis & The News
Huey Lewis & the News
Huey Lewis and the News is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California. They had a run of hit singles during the 1980s and early 1990s, eventually scoring a total of 19 top-ten singles across the Billboard Hot 100, Adult Contemporary and Mainstream Rock charts...
fame came in to take over production chores. The group produced over 15 songs ranging from funky soulful grooves to r&b ballads, and featuring some of the best singing work that Miles ever did. One cut, "When The Train Leaves the Station," featured solos by both Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana
Carlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
and Neal Schon
Neal Schon
Neal George Joseph Schon is an American rock guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist best known for his work with the band Journey. He is the only member to have recorded on all of Journey's albums...
from Journey
Journey (band)
Journey is an American rock band formed in 1973 in San Francisco by former members of Santana. The band has gone through several phases; its strongest commercial success occurred between the 1978 and 1987, after which it temporarily disbanded...
. The title song of the proposed album, "Anna", helped Miles land his next recording job with the California Raisins. However, during the album's production, the Record Plant was seized by the United States Government when its owner was indicted on drug trafficking charges. The musicians and employees working there began calling the studio "Club Fed" (hence the name "The Club Fed Sessions"). Unfortunately, the album was never released, and the masters remain in the can in the hands of Miles' former manager. Years later, Pat Craig digitized some of the mixes and has been known to offer the album from time to time on eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
as a collector's item under the title "Buddy and Me.". The songs included on the tracklist were "Anna," "Forever in a Moment," "Tonight", "Next to You," and "This Could Be An Everlasting Love".
1980s-2000s
In 1986 Miles performed vocals for the California Raisins claymation ad campaign, most notably singing "I Heard It Through the GrapevineI Heard It through the Grapevine
"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is a landmark song in the history of Motown. Written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong in 1966, the single was first recorded by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles...
" and was also lead vocals on two California Raisins albums featuring 1960s R&B covers. In 1986 and 1987, he also rejoined Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana
Carlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
as a vocalist on Santana's album Freedom.
In 1996, he sat in with rock band Phish
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
.
also in 1996 Miles did several dates with the NJ based blues band Rock'n Daddy, that also included former TV Toy guitarist Bob "BIG BUD" Solberg, drummer Paul "fergy" Ferguson, and bassist Phil "catfish" Endean,
Through the late 1990s, Miles' charitable side was seen in his band's playing pro bono at several annual tribute concerts for local friend and fan Linda Gillespie, who had been killed in a car accident in the Spring of 1994 in Winthrop Harbor, IL. While residing in Chicago in 1990, Miles formed MST with guitarist Kevon Smith and Joe Thomas. They recorded Hell and Back in 1994. They toured the US and Europe until 1997 and can be seen in the Tribute to Jimi Hendrix - CAS (1997) DVD directed by Patrick Savey featuring Buddy Miles, Kevon Smith
Kevon Smith
Kevon Smith , is an American musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. Mostly known as lead guitarist and front man with Buddy Miles from 1990 through 1997, in 1991 Kevon and Buddy started touring the US and Europe under the name Buddy Miles Express, and also as MST and as Buddy Mile's...
and Joe Thomas.
Buddy Miles was seen in the Hendrix-family-owned, official video release The Making of Electric Ladyland on Rhino Records. That video featured interviews with the majority of players who were involved in recording the legendary Hendrix album. Miles even went as far as to be video recorded playing his same drum tracks yet again in the studio to the original multi-track recordings of Hendrix. In 1999 Miles appeared on the late Bruce Cameron
Bruce Cameron (guitarist)
Bruce Cameron was a guitarist who managed to attract a number of famous rock-and-roll musicians to record his 1999 debut and only album, Midnight Daydream, released by Brain Cell Records...
's album, Midnight Daydream
Midnight Daydream
Midnight Daydream is an album by Bruce Cameron, released in 1999.-Track listing:#"Midnight Daydream" – 6:42#"Doctor Please" – 4:52#"Mind Gardens" – 5:24#"Miles Away" – 3:29#"Born to Lose" – 5:32#"I Want to Be Late" – 4:19...
that included other Hendrix alumni Billy Cox and Mitch Mitchell
Mitch Mitchell
John Ronald "Mitch" Mitchell was an English drummer, best known for his work in The Jimi Hendrix Experience.-Early life and the Jimi Hendrix Experience:...
along with Jack Bruce
Jack Bruce
John Symon Asher "Jack" Bruce is a Scottish musician and songwriter, respected as a founding member of the British psychedelic rock power trio, Cream, for a solo career that spans several decades, and for his participation in several well-known musical ensembles...
and others.
In 2004 Miles reunited yet again with Billy Cox of the Band of Gypsys to re-record songs from the original live album of 1970 with guitarists Eric Gales
Eric Gales
Eric Gales is an American blues-rock guitarist, originally hailed as a child prodigy. Gales has recorded ten albums on major record labels, and has done session and tribute work...
, Kenny Olsen, Sheldon Reynolds
Sheldon Reynolds (guitarist)
Sheldon Reynolds is a guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter.-Biography:At the age of 8, Reynolds picked up the guitar. In 1977, Sheldon graduated from Mount Healthy High School where he was active in the music program...
, Andy Aledort, and Gary Serkin. The album, titled The Band Of Gypsys Return, was released in 2006. Until his death, Buddy Miles continued to be active musically and performed many shows with proceeds going to help support victims of natural disasters and other noble causes.
Buddy Miles is credited on sessions with George Clinton
George Clinton (funk musician)
George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
/Parliament/Funkadelic.
In 2005 Buddy Miles began collaborating with Florida based Guitar Virtuoso Tony Smotherman in which the two toured the Southeast with a Blues-Rock Band performing various pieces from Miles' Collaborations with Jimi Hendrix. Miles and Smotherman last performed at the Austin Convention Center at the 2007 Summer NAMM Show with Vernon Reid of Living Colour
Living Colour
Living Colour is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1984. Stylistically, the band's music is a creative fusion influenced by free jazz, funk, neo-psychedelia, hard rock, and heavy metal...
.
Buddy Miles played his last live dates in 2007, on the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with special assistance from Mark Donovan, former drummer of the Malford Milligan Band based out of Austin, TX. Also in Texas with Lance Lopez & Collin Keeton. He was forced to cancel the remaining dates because of heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
problems.
Death
Buddy Miles died on February 26, 2008, at his home in Austin, Texas at the age of 60. His family was by his side. According to his website he died of congestive heart disease.There was a history of congestive heart failure in his family. His sister and mother both died of the same illness.
It is known that his heart had certainly been struggling, working at only 15%, and his health had been consistently deteriorating over the past few months. According to friends, "he had turned off his defibrillator and was ready for heaven." There was no funeral; Miles was cremated.
The day before Buddy died, he heard Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton playing
Live from Madison Square Garden (Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood album)
Live from Madison Square Garden is a 2 CD/2 DVD live album by Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood which was released on May 19, 2009 by Reprise Records...
'Them Changes' at Madison Square Garden through his cell phone. 'Them Changes' is now part of Clapton's set on tour as a tribute to Buddy. The UK-based newspaper The Independent ran an almost full-page obituary for Buddy Miles in its Friday February 29, 2008 edition. The title for the piece was "Buddy Miles: Flamboyant Hendrix drummer", and can be found on page 47.
Asked how he would like to be remembered by the American music magazine Seconds in 1995, Miles simply said: "The baddest of the bad. People say I'm the baddest drummer. If that's true, thank you world." A memorial concert took place on March 30, 2008 at Threadgill’s
Reneé O'Connor
Renée O'Connor is an American actress, producer and director best known for playing the role of Gabrielle on the TV series Xena: Warrior Princess from 1995 to 2001.-Early career:...
on Riverside Drive, South Austin.
Solo
- Expressway to Your Skull - Mercury (1968)
- Electric Church - Mercury (1969)
- Them Changes - Mercury (1970)
- We Got to Live Together - Mercury (1970)
- A Message to the People - Mercury (1971)
- Buddy Miles Live - Mercury (1971)
- Booger Bear - Columbia (1973)
- Chapter VII - Columbia (1973)
- All the Faces of Buddy Miles - Epic (1974)
- More Miles Per Gallon - Casablanca (1975)
- Bicentennial Gathering of the Tribes - Casablanca (1976)
- Sneak AttackSneak Attack (album)Sneak Attack is the name of an album released by the Buddy Miles Regiment in 1981. This band was headed by American rock guitarist and drummer, Buddy Miles...
- Atlantic (1981) - Hell and Back - United For Opportunity / Douglas Records (1994)
- Tribute to Jimi Hendrix - CAS (1997)
- Miles Away from Home - Hip-O (1997)
- Blues Berries - Ruf (2002)
- Changes - SPV (2005)
Collaborative
- Jimi HendrixJimi HendrixJames Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
- Band of GypsysBand of GypsysBand of Gypsys was a blues rock band led by Jimi Hendrix and backed by Billy Cox and Buddy Miles. Hendrix formed the band after the dissolution of The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Band of Gypsys is also the band's eponymous live album recorded on two separate nights, 31 December 1969 and 1 January...
- Capitol (1970) - Carlos Santana & Buddy Miles! Live!Carlos Santana & Buddy Miles! Live!Carlos Santana & Buddy Miles! Live! is a live album by Carlos Santana and Buddy Miles.-Track listing:#"Marbles" – 4:18#"Lava" – 2:10#"Evil Ways" – 6:36#"Faith Interlude" – 2:13...
- Columbia (1972) - HardwareHardware (band)Hardware were a funk supergroup consisting of Buddy Miles, Bootsy Collins and Stevie Salas.It featured Mudbone Cooper, Bernard Fowler and George Clinton on backing vocals, and was produced by Bill Laswell. The group was originally called The Third Eye, but changed their name due to conflicts with...
- Third Eye Open (1994)
External links
- Official website
- Michael Bloomfield Chronology (with information on Buddy Miles' time with the Electric Flag)