Who has read what books on Jimi? and what do you recommend? At some point I put an unfinished copy of Room Full of Mirrors in our bookcase cause I was tired of reading about his childhood and figured I'd come back to it at some point. Turned out that point is this evening. So, your - heh heh - Hendrix book experiences?
'Scuse Me While I Kiss the Sky by David Henderson is the only one I've read. I quite liked it; Henderson had some hip insights....
Hell, they ain't even old-timey ! - Homer Stokes
I beg to differ. I think its awful. Henderson very often veers into speculation as to claiming what Hendrix is thinking and feeling in certain situations. It's like watching a dramatized version of something instead of staying with what can be accounted for. And regarding Hendrixs death it goes into full overdrive with conspiracy theories. Not hallmarks of a good biography.Originally Posted by mogrooves
And in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make.
Yeah, this is weak...
Hell, they ain't even old-timey ! - Homer Stokes
Crosstown Traffic by Charles Shaar Murray is as good a book on any musician, let alone Hendrix, that I've read. Over 20 years old now and while I am not in general a fan of CSM (who seems to spend much of his time trying to prove how smart he is), this book gives both his personal view as well as placing Hendrix in a cultural and historical context. Definitely worth reading if you're interested in Hendrix.
I was reading that years ago when I stopped cause I found it depressing/difficult to stay with. of course, I was depressed back then, so I could give that another shot.
Mitch's book is pretty good although not too much in-depth. Still a view from the inside is hard to come by and he comments on many performances, most of which he didn't care for. He's much pickier than I am.
Anybody seen this film? http://www.importcds.com/movies/145238/jimi
The musical career of Jimi Hendrix is well documented here in three films: JIMI PLAYS BERKELEY, LIVE IN MONTEREY, and LIVE AT THE ISLE OF WIGHT. Exploring his musical genius, these films are a comprehensive guide to Jimi's life.
Those are three separate concert films and, while great, certainly no comprehensive guide to Jimi's life. IS that all three concerts for $9.99? Seems highly suspect, IMO.
Well, most of his life was pretty hard. It got good when he was creating a big buzz playing regularly at Cafe Wha? in NYC; it got great when Chas Chandler took him to London and he became a star practically overnight. Then there was his triumphant "coming out" in the US at The Montery festival (after the dismal failure of touring as the opener for The Monkees)... and it wasn't long before it got real complicated and stressful; pending court cases, crowds wanting him to burn or smash his guitar at every show and keep playing the same old hits, hanger oners, woman problems, etc. It got to where he enjoyed sitting in with other bands much more than playing his own shows and he was only happy doing his own music in the recording studio. So it's hard to make an uplifting book about a life that was often depressing.
I read "Room Full of Mirrors" a couple of years ago and thought it was good. I read another bio on him quite a while ago, but I can't remember which one; I think it was "Scuse Me While I Kiss the Sky." They say the first two things to go are the memory and... I can't remember what the second thing was.
Actually, he joined the Monkees tour after Monterey.
Really?! I guess I got my timeframes mixed up. But man, how could his management screw things up that badly?! Jimi was wise to pull out after a few gigs of that tour.
One thing the Henderson book covers well, as I recall, was the absolute venality of Hendrix' management--specifically Mike Jeffrey, a thug--working Jimi like a slave, keeping him in debt, and otherwise screwing him to the wall.
Jimi was unhappy on that Monkees tour, but Chandler did a pretty slick job of turning a potential disaster into a PR bonanza.
And, yes, it was after Monterey; I caught him for the first time just weeks after he
left that tour.....
Hell, they ain't even old-timey ! - Homer Stokes
A long time ago I started reading Crosstown Traffic and stopped cause it was too gloomy/depressing - interesting but dark; not unlike reading about Jim Morrison. Also started a book on Janis Joplin (Buried Alive I"m pretty sure) and stopped for the same reason. I'm much healthier now and can handle this kind of stuff. I'm not really looking for 'uplifting', just informative and as accurate as possible [spkg of JM, a lot of stuff in the NOHGOA bio is exaggerated and/or completely fictional, which I hate).
Yep, that tour started in July. Monterey was mid-June.
John McDermott (with Eddie Kramer): hendrix - Setting the records straight is quite good. Not too many loose rumours & speculations. Chas Chandler's comment on the cover says it was the best biography of Jimi Hendrix ever written
That's the only one I read (while still in the 80's) and it's about all I ever needed... but his end-of-story is a bit speculative
Yeah, I read a typical "Classy Crock" mag article, where they claim dozens of stupid things about Jimi's end... At least the idiots waited 40 years before doing the "Jim Morrison is not dead" thing
my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.
Agreed, I've got that one as well.
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