Is Jimi Hendrix overrated? Should we not listen to what he had to say, because he used alot of drugs? Was he insane? Let's see what some music
experts think about this.
Quoted from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame:
www.rockhall.com...
"Jimi Hendrix expanded the range and vocabulary of the electric guitar into areas no musician had ever ventured before. Many would claim him to be
the greatest guitarist ever to pick up the instrument. At the very least his creative drive, technical ability and painterly application of such
effects as wah-wah and distortion forever transformed the sound of rock and roll."
"Many musical currents came together in his playing. Free jazz, Delta blues, acid rock, hardcore funk,"
"the songs and sounds generated by Hendrix were original, otherworldly and virtually indescribable. In essence, Hendrix channeled the music of the
cosmos, anchoring it to the earthy beat of rock and roll."
Jimi Hendrix was discovered in September of 1966
His last performance was in Septemebr of 1970
So his career lasted all of 4 years.
From Forbes.com:
www.forbes.com...
Forbes Richest Deceased Celebrities
Rank Name Earnings ($mil)
1 Elvis Presley $37
2 Charles Schulz 28
3 John Lennon 20
4 Dale Earnhardt 20
5 Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel 19
6 George Harrison 17
7 J.R.R. Tolkien 12
8 Bob Marley 10
9 Jimi Hendrix 8
10 Tupac Shakur 7
11 Marilyn Monroe 7
12 Jerry Garcia 5
13 Robert Ludlum 5
In total Hendrix sold more than 700,000 albums in 2001
From Celebrity wonder.com:
"Hendrix was named Greatest Guitarist Of All Time in the new issue of Rolling Stone magazine, which comes out on Friday (August 29). (August 28,
2003)"
Jimi Hendrix is overrated- effectively debunked
How about the drug issue. Should we not listen to Jimi, because he used too many drugs? Was he insane from all of his drug use? Was what he was saying
just mindless dribble, caused from a drug induced stuper?
When it came to guitar, Jimi played it like no other person before him. Here are some little known facts about Jimi, that should open some eyes. Jimi
Hendrix taught himself how to play the guitar. Not only that, but he played the guitar VERY unconventionally. How so? Well for starters he was left
handed (hint hint). He also played the guitar backwards, i.e. with the neck facing the opposite dirrection of typical guitarists. On top of that he
played his guitar strung upside down. I.E. his guitar strings were strung in reverse order then "normal" guitarists. Then to top that off, he was
able to play the guitar behind his head and back.
I don't know about you all, but anyone who can play the guitar in that fashion is remarkable. How did he learn to play the way he did, with no one to
teach him? And how is it possible for someone who played the guitar backwards, and strung upside down. To become recognized by his peers as one of the
(if not the best) guitar player ever? He didn't even play it close to "correctly"! Yet he is easily recognized (by most people) as one of the best
ever? How could anyone, even come up with the idea of playing the guitar the way he did? Could it be..........drugs?
For someone that was walking around in a constant drug induced stupper. (as some people would like to portray his life) It seems to me, he did pretty
good for himself. Talk about beating the odds! He should have been on the street homeless, with all of the drugs he was doing right?! There is a very
fine line between insanity and genious. I've given you some of the facts here. So you decide for yourselves. Was he insane, or a genious? If you
choose genious. Then maybe, just maybe we should consider what he had to say with an open mind? At the very least, he obviously knew things, and
understood things that most people never even considered before him. He was a revolutionary, and a one of a kind. Even the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
describes his music as "otherworldly", and that he "channeled the music of the cosmos".
Lastly, were Jimi's lyrics symbolic or literal? Well let's see. "I stand up next to a mountain, and chop it down with the edge of my hand." This
shold be any easy one. So I won't waiste any more of anyones time here. DEBUNKED
Tom Sawyer
DISCLAIMER- I do not totally agree (yet) with Michael Fairchild about his conclusions on Jimi. I was simply answering the question posed in this
thread. That yes there is prophecy in music. I myself happen to think that Steve Vai is the best guitarist ever. But that doesn't mean that I don't
recognize Jimi, was definately one of the best ever, and one of a kind. Deny Ignorance