Like so many of his contemporaries, the whirlwind vagaries of fame and fortune got the better of Hendrix. He attacked his instrument with a violent vigour, generating all manner of noises at, especially live, cacophonous volume. Before this awkward young American kid came on the scene in the mid 60s, guitar playing was becoming slowly more dexterous, creative and occasionally crunchy and distorted through the rock ‘n’ roll era. Though I have my own preferences and Progressive leanings, and there are many different ways to skin a cat, there is no doubting that Hendrix was both a virtuoso of absurd proportions and, perhaps more uniquely and importantly, changed the landscape of guitar playing forever. Moon, Turn The Tides…gently gently awayĪmong all the legends, and many more underappreciated musical talents, who perished at the mythologised cursed age of 27, Jimi Hendrix is perhaps the most revered and seminal in western culture. Have You Ever Been To (Electric Ladyland)ġ2.
