I was already listening to "The Wind Cries Mary." I didn't know it was the 40th anniversary of Jimi's death, though.
Coool!
I had just finished the 10th grade when I saw Jimi at Devonshire Downs in Northridge on Friday, June 20th, 1969 --kicking off a Summer of TRIPPING & I had just started my senior year after dropping acid once a week all Summer long in 1970-I even took acid my first day back to school Ha Ha & ran out of school to listen to him & get stoned when I was told on Sept. 18th, 1970 that Jimi had died.
Electric Ladyland hit Number One in America altho it's a Double Album!!
What a FANTASTIC album it was & still is!
He would have released another masterpiece Double Album for Christmas in '70 but instead it took a year for a single album to be released--Cry of Love.
The songs on that album were so DEEEEEP & full of LIFE it was AMAZING to us back then.
Study these songs & you'll see where he was heading....
Ezy Ryder:
Ironically "DYING to be loved" & "trying to find his HEAVEN above"
FREEDOM:
This concert was filmed at the Isle of Wight just before Jimi died in London.
"FREEDOM---So I can LIVE
FREEDOM--So I can give"
I often wonder how many hundreds or even thousands of recordings Jimi would have been involved in if he was still with us.
He LOVED to play! He LOVEd to JAM!
Many of his friends & associates said that the best music they ever heard was performed on small stages & at parties when Jimi was JAMMIN'!
AMAZING how more recordings & info & pics keep surfacing....
Like this Muddy Waters cover from '64:
ROCK ON with HENDRIX!!!!
When Jimi died we knew that the 60s were over.
So was the whole Psychedelic Era that he was the KING of.
...but I kept dropping acid weekly for another year or 3. ha haaa haaaaa
I had a beautiful dream a few years ago.
I was walking down the street & Jimi pulled up in a white limo, dressed in white & with a white double bass drumkit set up in the back.
He & the car & the drums were all glowing like it was a spiritual vision.
He said "Come on! We've gotta get to the gig!"
My birthday is the same as Mitch Mitchell's--July 9th.
Saw him perform once with a Hendrix Tribute band on our birthday in the mid-80s.
Met him too!
Met him again in Hollywood in the early 90s at a bar & talked a long time.
I'd just read his biography Inside The Experience & knew what questions to ask.
Sad that Mitch is gone now too
I never got to meet Jimi. Alas
Still consider him a dear friend tho.
I wrote this song a year ago but still haven't recorded it:
Blues for Jimi
Well I will always remember
that sad day in September
I said I will always remember
that sad, sad day in September
When they told us.....
Jimi Hendrix is dead.
I ran out of school, got in my car & drove
Blastin' Jimi's great songs & music real LOUD!
I just RAN outa school, got in my car & drove
Blastin' Jimi's great songs & music on my 8 track stereo
Not knowing where to go
Not caring where I went.
Went to my connection, told him I needed something for my head.
I told him....with tears rollin' down my face.....
Jimi Hendrix is dead!
He put on Electric Ladyland & broke out his very best stash
We sat at his table rollin' spliff after spliff
While his Foxey Lady brought us drinks.
We got tore up & then we got tore down
We just couldn't believe....our good friend was no longer around
We smoked some Acapulco Gold & some Panama Red
We sat there fryin' & cryin'....
Jimi Hendrix is dead!
Decades later...the tears are still rollin' down
Playin' the Blues for our dear ol' friend Jimi
In a way he's still around. Yeah~ He's still around!
He's been with me more than most of my friends have over the years
Celebratin' when I'm up---& soothin' me with the Blues when I'm down
Waaaay ahead of his time....& yet the time was so right
Experimentation was in the air.....we all grew long hair
Pot an' LSD made music sound so gooood
We'd get together with our friends 'most every night
If that was wrong...we really didn't care
We'd blast Jimi's songs & music so LOUD & feel so FREE!
We thought that's how it would always be
Couldn't believe it when he stood onstage before us
Blowin' in the Wind.....Blowin' our minds!!!!
With a red bandana on his head
But before we even became adults....
Jimi Hendrix was dead.
Noel & Buddy are gone now tooo
No, no no.....He ain't really gone
In his songs & music he will live on....
He's been with me more than most of my friends have over the years
Excuse me...while I kiss the sky & wipe away my tears
I feel so weary when I feel my age...I'm driven to my bed
I hate to think....
Jimi Hendrix is dead. ....or is he?
Wish he could still be here.
Ah~ he can be. Just put on his great music
...& let it fill your ears.
Let it fill your heart.
Jimi LIVES!
Still REIGNIN', Still Dreamin'
Gotta add to the song that Mitch is gone now too
Still LOVE those fuggers!! They REVOLUTIONIZED ROCK!!
__________________