General Music Chat

It's a matter of degrees I suppose Joeph, where we find disagreement.

But we "do" disagree. I just feel that Hendrix, the whole package, the persona, the singing and songwriting, and most of all, the guitar playing... is one of those, once in a lifetime individuals, who were so unique, and so original, they became icons, and will likely NEVER be forgotten. People like Elvis, or more recently, Michael Jackson. We agree that some people became more mythical because they died young, and maybe were held to a higher level than they ordinarily might have been, but... in this case, I just don't believe that applies.

And I don't think there is much of ANYTHING that he could have done to destroy that view of him. Look at Jackson, with accusations of pedophilia even, and yet most people reverted back to praise of him as an artist, once he had died. Think of Elvis, who got old and fat, and yet performed on TV by Satellite that was broadcast through the world, and was the largest single viewed TV program in history at that time! Muhammad Ali as well... Many felt he betrayed his country when he joined the Nation of Islam, and refused to be drafted. Did that change is icon status? It didn't.

I think the same would have been true of Hendrix.

You can compare him to blues "legends" but unless you are talking about maybe Robert Johnson, then I think it is inaccurate. Hendrix was an icon, even in his own lifetime. Like Marylin Monroe, Elvis, etc... Icons while alive.

There are stars, there are legends, and then there are those who are larger than life... ICONS... an inseparable part of the culture and history of the times, that almost STAND for the times they emerged in. Their image is spread like Che Guevara's and it becomes symbolic, larger than life... ICONIC. Yes, most people like that, died while young, but not all. Elvis was in his 40's, and Jackson in his 50's. Not old, but certainly not 20-somethings, like Robert Johnson, or Jim Morrison. And there are those like John Wayne, who lived a full lifetime, and were still icons.

I don't know what else to say.

Hendrix was such an original, and so groundbreaking... that old age, even if he accomplished little, into that old age, could not have robbed him, of who he was, the path he blazed, or the regard his fans, and music historians hold for him.

How about some of the other dead folk?

Harry Chapin - he'd prolly be touring the folk festivals & doing big charity events.

Jim Morrison - he'd prolly be selling used car parts in a junk yard.

Mama Cass - she'd be the voice of Jenny Craig, about every 3-4 years.

Nat King Cole - he'd be dead again.

I'm sure some of the are grateful to be dead.

Too many great artists have died too early, from Mozart (39) and Mendelssohn (thirty-eight) to Hendrix (27) and Cobain (27). Guessing what they would have done if they had lived longer is a fun but futile exercise. But I'll bite.

Jimi Hendrix is without a doubt the most influential electric guitarist of all time. He profoundly changed the way the instrument is played and how people expect the guitar to sound. But like all artists his music and the times that he created it are inseperable. By 1970 the hippie era was over, and Jimi was ready to leave those times behind. He was tired of playing "Foxey Lady" and "Hey Joe" and wanted to go into a more progressive, fusion type sound. I have no doubt that had he lived Hendrix would have done albums with people like Santana and John McLaughlin, as well as explored the blues further. He would have been 67 this year and still actively playing.

I'll bet he would even write a theme song for Jim's Junk yard commercials...

I'm thinking we would have seen a Jeff Beck-Jimi Hendrix tour. They would have done an encore together..."Going Down" and an extended "Voodoo Chile" with Jimi and Jeff trading licks...