Post by robspace on Jan 11, 2013 17:03:28 GMT 9.5
Well, I am.
I just watched a documentary about the last 24 hours of Jimi Hendrix's life, and all the people that came out of the woodwork to claim his money, at his death. It was a mess, just like anyone else with money that dies with no will.
But, Jimi was only 27, and didn't count on dying that young, who does. He took too many sleeping pills in London, with some girl next to him in bed. He had been drinking and the two don't mix. It was an accidental overdose. And so, that year, 1971, we lost one of the best rock musicians that ever lived. I know there is alot of hype about rock musicians when they die, but this guy really was as great as they say he was. I know, I saw him live twice.
The first time was in San Francisco, in 67' just a few days after he played the Monterey Pop Festival, where he burned his guitar on stage. He played at Winterland, and we had barely heard of him. He was new, and his album was just out. But, when he came on, he was lightning. This man, who had just left the Army as a paratrooper, was doing things with that guitar that I had never heard and still havent. He had no fancy boxes on stage for special effects like all the players do today. He had a wah wah pedal, and that's it.
He was simply amazing to watch play, and he could actually sing while playing lead and rythem guitar at once. This was a three piece band that made that auditorium sound like a 12 piece was up there. He started it all.
The next time I saw him was the last time he played a concert before he died. It was at the Isle Of Wight concert in England in 1970. He was good, but not as good as he was 3 years before. The bad weather and playing outdoors hurt the show for everyone. Even the Who struggled through their set. The Moody Blues and Jethro Tull were great.
Jimi was a good guy. He was not a ego maniac rock God, like so many of these musicians today. He was never comfortable being treated like royalty or something special. He was a very humble man, and just loved to play. When he played he was always smiling and really having fun. This got the audience rockin when the guy was up there just ripping it up and smiling from ear to ear.
Today, too many of these players take themselves way too serious, and it just feels phony. Hendrix was real. He played great and even today, I miss watching him. Growing up in San Francisco in the 60s, I saw just about every major group in the world play. It was cheap to go to the concerts then. And there was always concerts going on. Jimi was the very best, bar none. Today there may be faster players, like Satriani, or Steve Vai, but none has the soulful sound of Jimi. And he did it all without any gadgets like the players use today.
Right now, Jimi in buried about 100 miles from me, near Seattle, in Renton Washington. I think it's time I made my way up there, and paid my repects, by just saying, "thanks for the music!"
I just watched a documentary about the last 24 hours of Jimi Hendrix's life, and all the people that came out of the woodwork to claim his money, at his death. It was a mess, just like anyone else with money that dies with no will.
But, Jimi was only 27, and didn't count on dying that young, who does. He took too many sleeping pills in London, with some girl next to him in bed. He had been drinking and the two don't mix. It was an accidental overdose. And so, that year, 1971, we lost one of the best rock musicians that ever lived. I know there is alot of hype about rock musicians when they die, but this guy really was as great as they say he was. I know, I saw him live twice.
The first time was in San Francisco, in 67' just a few days after he played the Monterey Pop Festival, where he burned his guitar on stage. He played at Winterland, and we had barely heard of him. He was new, and his album was just out. But, when he came on, he was lightning. This man, who had just left the Army as a paratrooper, was doing things with that guitar that I had never heard and still havent. He had no fancy boxes on stage for special effects like all the players do today. He had a wah wah pedal, and that's it.
He was simply amazing to watch play, and he could actually sing while playing lead and rythem guitar at once. This was a three piece band that made that auditorium sound like a 12 piece was up there. He started it all.
The next time I saw him was the last time he played a concert before he died. It was at the Isle Of Wight concert in England in 1970. He was good, but not as good as he was 3 years before. The bad weather and playing outdoors hurt the show for everyone. Even the Who struggled through their set. The Moody Blues and Jethro Tull were great.
Jimi was a good guy. He was not a ego maniac rock God, like so many of these musicians today. He was never comfortable being treated like royalty or something special. He was a very humble man, and just loved to play. When he played he was always smiling and really having fun. This got the audience rockin when the guy was up there just ripping it up and smiling from ear to ear.
Today, too many of these players take themselves way too serious, and it just feels phony. Hendrix was real. He played great and even today, I miss watching him. Growing up in San Francisco in the 60s, I saw just about every major group in the world play. It was cheap to go to the concerts then. And there was always concerts going on. Jimi was the very best, bar none. Today there may be faster players, like Satriani, or Steve Vai, but none has the soulful sound of Jimi. And he did it all without any gadgets like the players use today.
Right now, Jimi in buried about 100 miles from me, near Seattle, in Renton Washington. I think it's time I made my way up there, and paid my repects, by just saying, "thanks for the music!"