Buddy was the drummer... I think Billy was very good but it is perfectly possible that his bassplaying ''locked'' Jimi. However, the last year of live-recordings with Billy and Mitch are cool even if I personally think Jimi sounded best live in 68-69. However, there's some VERY good shows in the end (some dull ones too)...

EDIT:Buddy only played shows with Jimi on Ne4w Years eve 69/70 (=the band of gypsys albums) and a disastrous show after that where conspiracy theorists have implied that Jimi's manager gave him bad LSD so he would go back with the white guys after the show was a failure. Anyway, he kept Billy but got Mitch back...