Excellent new book about Buster

[Larry F]

Just finished a new book, Room Full of Mirrors, by Charles Cross. It is a bio of Jimi Hendrix, unlike any other that I have read. One theme that emerges is Hendrix's inability to control his destiny. In his family, where he is known as Buster, his father Al called the shots. This was true even when Jimi was famous and returned to Seattle for concerts. There was a scene were Al stood on the porch with his belt off, vowing to give Buster and his brother Leon a whupping when they got home after a night of post-concert partying in 1969 or so. More troubling was that Jimi didn't read his contracts and agreed to play any concerts and record at any time. He was incredibly overworked, which certainly played a role in the lack of sleep that led to his overdose of sleeping pills.

It is very enlightening to read about how he learned to play guitar. He played constantly and peppered other guitarists with analytical questions. BB King gave him some pointers and Steve Cropper took him to dinner and gave him advice. He tried to "cut" other players in jam sessions but very often was humiliated in some fashion, often as being criticized as being a BB King wannabe.

As I've read many times before, he took a lot of drugs. Alcohol triggered some violent episodes. He lived a very sad life, all in all. The struggle to get to where he wanted to be was very painful, where he had very little money, respect, love, and often was without an instrument. Once he had fame, he had no time. Poor guy. I don't think he enjoyed life at all. As I watch his videos on youtube, I don't see much happiness. A little, especially at first. But from 1968 on, he looks very angry.

Anyway, I just thought I would alert anyone who is interested in Jimi about this great new book. It shows more about what might have been going on inside him than anything I have read before.

[woodman]

my impression is that he never felt really alive except when he was playing. i can relate to that to a great extent.

[Mark Davis]

You could tell Hendrix was one of those people who changed when they got on stage.

Jimi needed a money manager he was just like a little kid when he got famous and got some $$ in late 67 he got a brand new 67 Vette and crashed it 2 days later and just bought another one.

Jimi was one of those people who show up make a big splash and go away way too quickly.

I'll never forget the 1st time I heard Hendrix in 67 we were crusing around the local drive in just like in the movies and someone had an 8 track tape of Are You Experienced in their car and was blasting it. I said who its THAT? The guy said well thats Little Jimi Hendrix. Still dont knoiw why he said little but I can still hear those words echo in my brain.

Next day I got the album and have been a huge Hendrix fan ever since.

I even remember telling people this is so good people will still be listening to this in the year 2000 all my friends gave me a crazy look cause in 67 the year 2000 seemed light years away. But as we all know I was right and even in 2008 Jimi is just as popular as ever.

[rhh7]

Just listened to Jimi playing "Red House" on YouTube. Now I am listening to Gary Moore do it with his red strat...actually like his tone on the strat.

[woodman]

Originally Posted by Mark Davis

in 67 the year 2000 seemed light years away.

yep, the years and miles don't age a man nearly as bad as the light years!

[Big John]

Originally Posted by Mark Davis

...........cause in 67 the year 2000 seemed light years away.

Thats a great point Mark, when we talk about Hendrix sometimes it's hard to remember what he did in context and thats the only way to view it.
When Hendrix burst onto the scene there was absolutely nothing like him, in 2008 where sometimes it's hard to find anything truly original it's easy to forget how groundbreaking he was, the way he played his guitar, sang, his clothes and his band were just so new i just can't think what could compare with that today.
Sure the Beatles were doing their thing, the Stones were working up a head of steam and in the UK the whole Blues/Rock thing was set to explode but the arrival of Hendrix was truly something else.
I always thought it was somehow wonderfully ironic that it was Chas Chandler who brought him over here to get him started when no-one in the States wanted to know, i think it's fair that the UK has a big claim on Hendrix.
Thanks for the heads up on the book Larry F, i hope it's not just more plundering of the legacy, it sounds like it isn't.

[Mark Davis]

Good post Big John I agree 100%.

The Beatles and The Stones sounded like they were playing guitars Jimi sounded like he was hooked directly to the power plant for electricity.

I was 17 in 67 and it is hard to describe to people who werent around back then how much of an impact Jimi made. He was like Chuck Berry on LSD! LOL.

All the sounds Jimi made sound completly normal now cause so many people can play like that and have alot of effects. But 41 years ago it was like Jimi was from another planet it was unreal to see him play wish I could have seen him play in those early days in England!

[Larry F]

Originally Posted by Big John

Thanks for the heads up on the book Larry F, i hope it's not just more plundering of the legacy, it sounds like it isn't.

Not at all. The book is very respectful. The author conducted 325 interviews over the course of 4 years and came up with a lot of new info, including the wonderful, nevertold before story about the time Hendrix and Noel Redding went into a bar next to a theatre during a break. The bartender said, "Get out. I don't serve your kind." They were insulted. "Didn't you see the sign? Now get out."

Hendrix and Redding went through all kinds of thoughts about why they weren't being served in this bar in Liverpool in 1967. Anyone know why?

[Big John]

Originally Posted by Mark Davis

....... it was like Jimi was from another planet it was unreal to see him play wish I could have seen him play in those early days in England!

You and me too Mark, i was too young but i know he played tiny halls and clubs in some really 'out of the way' provincial places to start with and to walk into some of those places in the 60's would have been like stepping back 100 years so when they first saw Hendrix it must have been like the end of the world.
First time i saw him was on the 'Lulu' TV show and i had started to learn guitar and i remember feeling like i had been slapped in the face.
When he progressed to some of the 'package' tours he just blew every other act from the stage, that just doesn't happen today.

The future seemed so far away to me but i do remember being promised that by the year 2000 we would all have our personal jet packs !

[Big John]

Originally Posted by Larry F

........Hendrix and Redding went through all kinds of thoughts about why they weren't being served in this bar in Liverpool in 1967. Anyone know why?

Sorry Larry, looks like our posts crossed !!
Intolerance would have been bad enough in London where boarding houses still had signs in the window saying "No blacks, No Irish" but outside of London England was still a pretty medieval place, maybe it was Buster and their ilk that helped change that.

[Larry F]

Originally Posted by Big John

Sorry Larry, looks like our posts crossed !!
Intolerance would have been bad enough in London where boarding houses still had signs in the window saying "No blacks, No Irish" but outside of London England was still a pretty medieval place, maybe it was Buster and their ilk that helped change that.

Nah, it was because there was a circus going through town. The bartender had a sign saying he wouldn't serve clowns, because there would be so many of them. He thought Noel and Jimi in their psychedelic clothes were clowns with the circus.

[Big John]

Aaaaaaaaaaaarghhhhh !!!!!!! 'pgj-sghp87927_(*^%&%


Thats the sound of me spitting cocoa down the front of my open pyjamas !

[JimiBryant]

many artistic folks view themselves as outsiders from society: allowed to
observe from a distance but completely unable to participate for themselves.

Jimi Hendrix was unlike anything else before him - keep in mind that the
guitar effects market basically & seriously began in an attempt to capture
a hunk of Jimi's "sound" for the masses..

Hendrix was total back-to-the-future in real life!

people will still be listening to his music for as long as people listen to music.