Jimi Hendrix - Stepping Stone Mixes

AND... It's Back!


Much thanks to Prof. Stoned for allowing me to use his recording of the original single mix of Stepping Stone for this post, and much credit to him and Steve E. from the Steve Hoffman forums for their research on the various versions of this incredible song that are in existence.

Before Jimi's untimely death, he had prepared a single release for the song Stepping Stone with Izabella on the b-side. For reasons unclear, Jimi decided to have the single withdrawn. Stories have circulated that Jimi didn't like the mix, didn't like the percussion track, wanted to re-record the solos and other unverifiable goals. All of this, of course, is unverifiable because Jimi apparently didn't tell anyone specifically what his reasoning was, that or it's been lost to the annals of time. So, with Kramer, McDermott, Douglas and others trying to clean up his remaining recordings posthumously, there have been several mixes of Stepping Stone that have appeared on various compilations. Several claim to be the original single mix, but it appears that is inaccurate with that mix being left only to the actual single. There have also been bizarre, additional mixes issued throughout the years with alternate percussion and guitar tracks, all further adding to the mystery. I'm hoping to clear up some of that mystery here with a post of six different versions of Stepping Stone that should cover all bases. I'm not as detailed in my description of the differences as Steve of the Professor but I've given a quick breakdown as to what some of the more notable differences are. That said, you should definitely head over to Prof. Stoned's site and download the lossless rip of the original Stepping Stone single, both as a 16 Bit, 44.1 khz recording and a 24 Bit, 96 khz recording. It sounds frickin' incredible! Enjoy!


Jimi Hendrix - Stepping Stone Mixes

01 Original Single Mix
The certifiable article, with Buddy Miles on drums. This has never been reissued from it's original 7" vinyl pressing.

02 Looney Tunes/Merry Melodies Mix
This is taken from a Warner Bros. loss leader compilation and features a significantly different mix with extra phasing effects and percussion from Buddy Miles. The Rough Mix which appears at the end of this collection seems to reflect the percussion track featured here. This could be a rough mix, although I wish the extra percussion would have made it to the final version as it really adds to the performance. You can hear a small vocal ad-lib between the first and second verses, though it's not entirely clear what's being said, though you can hear it in the Rough Mix.

03 Kiss The Sky Mix
This is the version that appeared on the Kiss The Sky, Cornerstones and Voodoo Chile compilations, as well as the second volume of the singles box, always claiming to be the original single mix. It's VERY similar to the original single mix but is clearly not the same. Perhaps Jimi was disatisfied not with the performance but the mix used on the single, intending for this mix to be used instead of the one that was issued.

04 War Heroes Mix
This mix features a completely different percussion track performed by Mitch Mitchell as well as additional guitar parts. This mix later appeared on the First Rays compilation. I can't stand this version as it sounds messy and unfinished, but who knows where it was in development at the time of Jimi's death.

05 Voodoo Soup Mix
Blame Alan Douglas for this one, or praise him, your choice. This mix features a newly recorded percussion track from Bruce Gary of The Knack, someone with no association to Hendrix whatsoever. Still, while it's nowhere as good as the Miles percussion tracks, it's better than the Mitchell version. In the end though, probably best forgotten.

06 Rough Mix
Seems like a mix of the basic tracks without any guitar or vocal overdubs. Buddy Miles' percussion is intact and you get a really good idea of what the sessions must have sounded like. Hendrix must have liked it enough to have kept on going with the track as is.