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Okay, great docu on BBC4 last saturday. Never a fan, always felt Jimi was right place/right time/right image etc
I tell you what, I was more than impressed..............not a one-trick pony either, although setting guitar on fire was a bit mundane. A VERY dodgy manager in Chas Chandler couldn't have helped.
His songs have been covered to death, but I can say it has changed my opinion somewhat.
I've seen other guitarists blow Jimi away, although as Jimi was the first, you have to give him that at least.

Overall, a 8/10 from me.

Was this the Seven Ages Of Rock programme, Ace? I saw that, and it was wonderful. Focused on Hendrix, but also drew upon the other artists around at the time.

The Beeb has been doing its bit for popular music history in the last year or two, basically pushing the theory that "rock and roll" was just the sanitised, okay for white folks, version of rhythm and blues. Keith Richards doing a blues version of Satisfaction showed just how deep those roots lie, and something like Wish You Were Here also pays homage to the delta blues that gave birth to rock.

No, The Seven Ages of Rock, (that looks excellent so far) was on BBC2. The docu I saw followed on on BBC4, some very rare footage as well.
I honestly believe that his early death contributed to his iconic status, as I stressed, plenty more that followed Jimi were far better players.

I was a great fan of Hendrix and nearly cried when he died.

To me he wasn't JUST a guitarist, it was the whole thing.

He wrote great songs, had a great image, AND played great guitar.

The first 2 single albums and the third double album are classics.

Side 3 of Electric Ladyland (a merman I should turn to be etc ) proves he was more than just a guitarist. It is like a recorded LSD trip. Amazing stuff,

His version of "All along the Watchtower" is one of THE great songs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_Ladyland

I have to say I never liked the setting fire to the guitar, or playing it with his teeth, but hey, that's show business.

Not sure if they covered it, but I remember when he appeared on the Cilla Black show which was going out live one Saturday night.

He was due to be last act before Cilla did her closing number.

He started to play "Hey Joe" (his first single) but I am not sure he ever liked the song.

After about a minute in he said something like "were not going to play any more of this crap" and they broke into "Sunshine of your love" as a tribute to Cream.

This sent the studio into panic, and when he finished they returned to Cilla who did not have time to sing her closing song.

Whoops, forgot to make it a hyperlink



I have to say that Electric Ladyland is Hendrix "Sgt Pepper" in terms of studio production etc.

Your on the right track Guilbert, but it was The Lulu Show, and not Cilla.
My good mate who is a Hendrix fanatic says Hendrix's crew nearly came to blows with the Lulu techicians when he launched into Sunshine of your Love as they tried to cut it off as the show was shown live back then.

As a result of Hendrix winning that fight, the BBC News was delayed---unheard of at the time.

Half of the problem with Hendrix was it just looked too bloody easy. If he'd survived into the 1970s, I think his influence would have grown. Instead, he's considered a genius but mostly known for drowning on his own puke.

Ten years after "Cool Britannia," we're still producing guitar bands whose influences can be found in the 1960s----Beatles, Stones, Who, Kinks etc. The last artist to evoke the spirit of Hendrix was probably Lenny Kravitz, and he deserves more disciples than that.

In spite of all I've said, I was never a huge fan of Jimi.

It depends how you qualify 'better guitarists'. Technically better, more intuitive ? I would venture that a good guitarist has a feeling for what's right for the song. Someone like John Lennon is never going to feature in a list of virtuoso guitarists if that's your measure, but I think he had a feel for what was right for a song.
There is a different guitar hero for each age group - Peter Green, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page .. Robert Fripp,Mick Jones, Johnny Marr .. and if you ask younger people they might say John Frusciante or Matt Bellamy. impossible to determine better and best but Hendrix certainly scores for technical ability and feeling.

A good and honest assessment there.
Guitar Heroes are 10-a-penny these days, which is why Jimi was revered as the first........or one of the first at least.
Jimi's riffs and licks are quite easy, but nearly 40 years ago, they were fuckin' amazing.
I think only Eddie Van Halen has brought something new to the table for guiatrists, and that was 30 years ago.