"The first time I saw Eric (Clapton) I thought, 'Wow there is a master guitar player.' But Eric was a guitar player, Jimi was some sort of force of nature..." -Jack Bruce
It's fascinating to watch musicians age. On the one hand you have the Rolling Stones who are trying their darndest to give fans the same experience of 30 years ago. Nothing quite like watching a 60 year old man on stage in leather pants. On the other hand you have Clapton, who, when I saw him in concert a few years ago, opened the show by pulling a single chair on stage, grabbing his acoustic guitar and jamming away without any accompaniment. I loved it, but just a little different from his Cream days, pinning over George Harrison's wife and strung out on heroine. He changed, and naturally his music changed.
Nothing in the world of music would have been more fascinating than watching Jimi Hendrix age. Unprecedented talented colliding with pure musical obsession. I can't see him going Rolling Stones on us and I can't see the back end of his career being defined by an acoustic guitar like Clapton.
So dear readers, let's play the "What would you change if you could go back in modern music history?" game. Of course, I'm sneaking into that London flat and stealing the sleeping pills. Of course I'm bringing 60 year old Clapton with me to convince Jimi to go to rehab. And, from there I hop back in my time machine and learn that the following has transpired: Jimi goes under ground for a couple years and gets clean of his drug and sex addictions. He resurfaces with Eric as his Narcotics Anonymous sponsor and steps back onto stage for the mother of all reunion concerts in Monterrey, California where it all began in the U.S. for Jimi. A media feeding frenzy ensues like Jordan returning to the Bulls after baseball. As soon as Jimi steps off the stage, Clapton is waiting for him. "Jimi, how do you feel?" "Ah, Easy (I think Jimi would call him Easy, I don't have a good reason for this) I feel groovy man, just groovy, the people man, ahh, I love these people...groovy man." "But do you feel like acting out? You just stepped into your old world, do you want to get high?" "Nah I feel good, Easy. I'm high on Love brother." They then decide that Jimi will check in with Easy after every show. No exceptions, this is the safe guard. He gives Clapton permission to ask his managers and handlers how he is doing. He knows EC loves him and wants to live a transparent, sober life. He makes his millions over the next couple years, cuts 3 amazing albums giving the fans exactly what they've been missing.
Then Jimi gets bored. He decides he's not being challenged as a musician. He dives into Jazz and Blues but naturally loses many of his main stream fans. He doesn't care though, he's had a spiritual awakening; the cries of the people mean nothing to him. He cuts a couple of Jazz and Blues albums with BB King and Miles Davis but the albums barely break the Billboard 100. Hard core musicians know they are transcendent but they aren't selling. These Jazz/Blues albums create a whole new group of "Jimi Snob" fans who look down their nose every time someone starts humming, "The Wind Cries Mary." You don't know the real "Jimi" they snicker. But know no one knows the real Jimi because he's off the grid, no one's heard from him ever since he skipped out on Jimmy Kimmel Live a few months ago. wheresjimi.com gets off the ground but only Clapton knows where he i,s and he ain't talking. A year passes and Jimi is found in Mumbai dressed in a kurta learning to play the sitar from a Hindu monk named Punjab whom he dubs his new "Spiritual Advisor/musical soul mate." Clapton is secure in himself and doesn't feel threatened by Punjab and welcomes him into Jimi's inner circle. Jimi thanks the media for their interest but he's happy in India, and he's not coming home yet. Jimi then uses his millions to make a kick-ass Indian recording studio to cut his own sitar album because no major record label is touching a sitar album called "The Smooth Grooves of Punjabi-land." Jimi doesn't care. EC does a guest solo on one of the songs but declines to wear the kurta. Les Paul offers to make Jimi an electric sitar with distortion and even a wah wah pedal, but Jimi's had an awakening and he isn't about to commercialize this.
Eventually Jimi is playing the sitar behind his back, with his teeth, and in every way surpasses his mentor Punjab who is more than happy for his protege. Jimi heads back to the US but doesn't have a desire for a traditional tour. Jimi invents a new form of touring called, "Bonzai!" He shows up at random public places and spontaneously starts whaling away. The concerts are free and you never know if he's going to have his stratocastor or sitar. Sometimes he's got both at the same time, one in each hand, coming at you like two machine guns, Scarface style. Sometimes EC will make an appearance. Some nights Punjab is in town you just never know on the "Bonzai." Naturally there are several "Bonzai Websites" that pop up, trying to predict where he will show up next, and announcing to the world whenever a show has started. Jimi goes to NA meetings in every city Bonzai takes him, encouraging local groups and continuing his process through the 12 steps. He's had an awakening and after 50 years of music you still don't know what's coming next.
Nothing would have been more fascinating than watching Jimi Hendrix age as a musician. This story would not have been outside the realm of possibility. I'm no different than any other music fan reading about Jimi. Ultimately I have nothing but a cliche to offer; "What a waste." Jimi dying of a sleeping pill overdose, on some random chicks couch, after a drug induced stupor is like pouring a $500 bottle of wine down the bathtub drain. Almost impossible to know his story and feel anything different.
However, let me leave you with a couple of my favorite Hendrix songs outside his super mainstream hits like "All Along the Watchtower", "The Wind Cries Mary", "Fire", etc. Before you listen though, do me a favor. Put your headphones on. Don't listen to these songs through your crappy computer (or phone) speakers. Put your headphones on, close your eyes, turn up the volume just a little louder then you normally do and remember that perhaps the greatest guitarist ever poured himself out over this recording. If other guitarists of his day spent 1 hour on a song in the recording studio, Jimi spent 15-20. He once spent a week trying to get one 10 second guitar solo to match the sound that he "heard in a dream." Come on! Just put the headphones on and press them to your ears a little.
Savor this.
All true beauty is His beauty and all amazing guitarists were gifted by Him who loves music more than we do.
Thanks for making it this far.
Enjoy.
Little Wing
Bold as Love
Can't resist this one even though it's more mainstream: You will never listen to Like a Rolling Stone the same again.
