The debate surrounding the AI-assisted final Beatles song earlier this year captivated the music industry, but the renowned producer Eddie Kramer is open to using a similar approach with Jimi Hendrix tapes.
Speaking on The Vinyl Guide podcast, Kramer expressed enthusiasm for the advancements in new technologies, particularly those recently utilized by the living Beatles. This breakthrough has paved the way for potential projects involving both studio and live Hendrix recordings.
“If we found another tape where Jimi’s voice is buried, I know I could use something similar,” he said (as reported by MusicRadar). “I have used [the technology] before, but now it’s going to be on a much higher level.”
Pressed about the possibility of a new release, Kramer cautiously responded: “I would hesitate to use ‘around the corner’ because that corner could be quite lengthy, [but] hopefully, yes.”
The groundbreaking final Beatles song, titled Now and Then, released in November, showcased the potential of new technologies to precisely isolate instruments and vocals, enabling the completion of a previously unreleased Fab Four track.
The technology enabled Paul McCartney and Ringo Star to isolate the vocals and instrumentation from a John Lennon demo from the ’70s, and pair it with guitar parts recorded by George Harrison in 1995. However, Kramer is hesitant to label this process as ‘AI’.
He explained: “When one uses the phrase ‘AI,’ it is really advanced digital manipulation, and now the technology has become so evolved that here is a cassette tape of John [Lennon] playing piano, and now they are able to isolate the voice.”
Furthermore, Kramer and his co-producer Chas Chandler revisited unfinished studio recordings captured around 1969 at Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland Studios in Greenwich Village, New York for the latest Hendrix project. The album, 2018’s Valleys of Neptune, features 12 previously unreleased tracks, inspiring the duo to further explore the Hendrix archive.
Kramer’s latest endeavor includes tidying up a previously unheard recording of Hendrix performing at the Hollywood Bowl in August ’67.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
“We have always had something similar, but now as the technology has expanded [that] we are able to become quite clever about the quality that remains thereafter. If it requires some kind of AI manipulation, okay, that’s fine.”
Find out more about Hendrix and technological innovation in music
