Jimi Hendrix died almost 40 years ago — and yet today, he is more popular and relevant than ever.   Here is Jimi is on the cover of the April 2010 edition of Guitar World Magazine.


Jimi is also the cover boy for the current issue of Total Guitar Magazine in the UK:

Why do we have this Hendrix resurgence?

Why has Jimi retained his pulling power and popularity?  When Eric
Clapton first saw Jimi perform in the UK in 1966 — Cream was just
getting started — he pointed to graffiti on the wall that said,
“Clapton is God.”   

“If I’m God,” Clapton said, “What does that make Jimi Hendrix?”  One listening, and Clapton knew Hendrix was far better then he, and Clapton was man enough to confess that truth.

Tomorrow, we will have a “brand-new” album release from Jimi Hendrix called “Valleys of Neptune” — on both CD and 180g vinyl — and the tracks are spectacular and fresh, even though they were recorded 40 years ago.  “Red House” was never more stunning or better.  The power of Hendrix, it seems, is in the timelessness of his talent and in his incredible staying power over four decades.  Clapton was right then as he is now. 

The living tragedy left in the wake of Jimi’s untimely death is the sad state of his brother, Leon Hendrix. 

After fighting for control of his brother’s estate and losing, Leon has been wandering and wafting and looking for his place in the world. 

It is difficult to celebrate Jimi now while his brother suffers today — and the sad breaking apart of a family because of drugs and fame and fortune seeking is the real tragedy in the Hendrix legacy that cleaved Leon from his mark and gave Jimi the opportunity to mark the rest of us.

4 Comments

  1. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    Gordon Davidescu says:

    I got right on the new album — as well as the seven inch single that came from it. It’s sad to know that he has a suffering brother out there.

  2. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    Very cool, Gordon! I hope you enjoy the new album. Yes, it’s terrible Jimi Hendrix has a living, talented, brother that has been given up to the dung heap.

  3. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    Gordon Davidescu says:

    David,
    Are you familiar with the Letters of Note blog?
    They featured a Hendrix blog a few days ago.
    http://www.lettersofnote.com/2010/03/happiness-is-within-you.html

  4. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    That’s a fine blog, Gordon. Glad to read it. Love the Jimi note. Such great passion and compassion in the same instants.

Comments are closed.