Voodoo Child

[H2O Man]

I stand up next to a mountain
And I chop it down with the edge of my hand
Well, I stand up next to a mountain
I chop it down with the edge of my hand
Well, I pick up all the pieces and make an island
Might even raise a little sand
-- Jimi Hendrix; Voodoo Child

I read "Jimi Hendrix: Starting at Zero (His Own Story)" today. Although the book was published in 2013, it was in the "new books" section at the public library. The book is by Alan Douglass and Peter Neal; however, it consists primarily of Jimi's writings from journals, and answers to interviewers' questions.

There are a few good biographies of Hendrix, and his music holds up very strongly to this day. Still, I agree with my librarian friend who recommended this as a "must read" for those who enjoy Jimi's works.

Like many others of my generation, I have an enormous collection of music by Jimi. This includes what he released; some "live" releases that include Jimi, such as Woodstock; a handful of low-quality releases, where he played a tiny role as a backing player in a studio; three LPs that were released shortly after his death; and some very good CDs his family has released in recent years.

It seems clear that Hendrix was an extremely talented musician. Heck of a show-man, too. And he also was obviously a very sensitive soul, who suffered a good deal throughout his brief life. He had an other-worldliness to him, and a gentleness that allowed the music industry to exploit him.

In this book, Jimi tells about his childhood, his teen years, serving in the military, and being an artist living on the streets of American cities. He describes the years of investment needed to become an "overnight success." Then the joy of making it big, followed by the frustrations of having the media portray him as a "wild man," and a public demand for a burning guitar, rather than his music and message.

Towards the end, his writings document his becoming frazzled by the pace of touring, and the demands of the record company executives. He expresses a desire to move into new directions; a great deal of self-doubt about his talent; and a growing alienation from the culture that he had been part of. His thoughts center on death quite often.

It is an amazing and a tragic story, well worth reading. I'm curious if other DUers have had a chance to read it yet?

Thanks,
H2O Man

[johnp3907]

1. Haven't read it.

But I'm eager to now. Thanks.

[LittleBlue]

2. One of my favorite songs of all time. He was a true genius

Such a profound contribution to music. We owe him so much.

I'll look out for the book

[Skittles]

3. I remember reading a biography on Jimi a long time ago

I remember reading about how he was hassled in the military by soldiers who thought he was weird until a big Texas bubba who really liked Jimi's guitar playing started beating on anyone who picked on Jimi, and how astounded Jimi was when a gal friend (Devon?) took him to Harlem

[Ohio Joe]

4. The Jimi bio-pic is coming soon - All is By My Side

First Look At Andre Benjamin as Jimi Hendrix in 'All is By My Side'

It's being done by John Ridley which is cool but unfortunately, it does not have the blessing of the Hendrix estate and so cannot use the music... I'm not sure how that is going to work.

[FSogol]

8. A Hendrix movie without Hendrix music is a movie that should not be made.

Quite a shame, really.

[NaturalHigh]

5. Wow - never heard of this.

I didn't even know he was in the military.

[panader0]

6. The power of love versus the love of power....

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

7. Haven't read the book, but have a Little Richard LP with Jimi doing back-up..... nt

[Bonobo]

9. The night he was born, the moon turned a fiery red. nt

[Zorra]

10. Thanks for the heads up, I'll order it from the library after this post.

Jimi had a major influence on my conception of music and playing rock guitar, and my thinking as well. He was definitely unique.

"When the Power of Love Overcomes the Love of Power, The World Will Know Peace" ~ Jimi
---
"Cause I've got my own world to live through and uh, huh
And I ain't gonna copy you.

White collar conservative flashin' down the street
Pointin' their plastic finger at me, ha !
They're hopin' soon my kind will drop and die but uh
I'm gonna wave my freak flag high, high!
~ If 6 was 9

[H2O Man]

11. "If 6 was9" influenced

the way I decided one of the most important decisions of my life; every other major decision I've made was a result of that first one.

And I've always been glad that I made the choice that I did.

[VScott]

12. I was never a big Hendrix fan (and I'm a 60's/70's child)

And, I play guitar.
I admit that he was an amazing guitarist and performer (certainly in the top 10), but there's something about him (and his music), that lacks something that grabs my attention.

[NBachers]

13. Every day my life is changed, still, by Jimi

I wish the pressures of life would allow me more time for my relationship with him.

[dionysus]

14. nope, but i'm going to read it now, thanks!

[ReRe]

15. Thanks so much for the book review

I love biographies. Will try to pick it up soon.

[bearssoapbox]

16. Thanks for posting this.

It is now on my reading list.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

17. Well, I've seen the footage of him burning that guitar at Monterey and it is

an amazing thing to behold. And I usually cringe when people destroy musical instruments, but there was something downright beautiful about that display. I don't think he should have been surprised that people strongly identified that with him.

I'll have to read the book and see what he has to say about it.

I also don't usually care much for guitar pyrotechnics (I mean the ones that don't literally involve fire), but I sure do love his playing.

[DreamGypsy]

18. What is it with you Performers, who can perform for a thousand people...

...but can't be excited with one?

The marketing of human talent, of human loneliness, of human isolation.

Dannemann said that she prepared a meal for them at her apartment in the Samarkand Hotel, 22 Lansdowne Crescent, Notting Hill, sometime around 11 p.m., when they shared a bottle of wine.[246] She drove Hendrix to the residence of an acquaintance at approximately 1:45 a.m., where he remained for about an hour before she picked him up and drove them back to her flat at 3 a.m.[247] Dannemann said they talked until around 7 a.m., when they went to sleep. She awoke around 11 a.m., and found Hendrix breathing, but unconscious and unresponsive. She called for an ambulance at 11:18 a.m.; they arrived on the scene at 11:27 a.m.[248] Paramedics then transported Hendrix to St Mary Abbot's Hospital where Dr. John Bannister pronounced him dead at 12:45 p.m. on September 18, 1970.

[Scuba]

19. I wasn't aware of the book, but will head to the library later this morning!

[H2O Man]

20. Some of my favorites

from my Hendrix collection include: a boxed set of LPs recorded in Germany, in which Jimi plays Motown; some bootlegs of Jimi jamming in a NYC nightclub, where an extremely intoxicated Jim Morrison joins him until he passes out on stage; and a large number of live versions of "Voodoo Child."