Posted on 07/30/2005 9:37:15 AM PDT by Rodney King
Jimi Hendrix pretended to be gay so he would be discharged from the army, according to claims in a biography that has used his military medical records.
The rock legend said he left the 101st Airborne Division aged 19 in 1962 after being injured on a parachute jump.
But Room Full of Mirrors by Charles R Cross says army records show he was discharged for "homosexual tendencies".
Mr Cross says Hendrix had a legendary appetite for women - he even had an affair with actress Brigitte Bardot.
But he had told a base psychiatrist at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, he had fallen in love with a fellow soldier, the book claims.
Mr Cross says the star enlisted in the US army to avoid being sent to jail after being arrested in stolen cars in his home town of Seattle.
He did not leave because of objections to the US role in Vietnam, but simply because he wanted to play music, according to the biography.
Hendrix avoided being sent to Vietnam and concentrated on music, becoming one of rock's most revered guitarists.
He became a star in 1966 with psychedelic rock hits such as Hey Joe and Purple Haze, and a legendary live performance.
Room Full of Mirrors is being published to mark the 35th anniversary of his death from a sleeping pill overdose in London in 1970.
no, he was right the first time. that's leonard skynard the
ukrainian accordian player...
Hendrix was a musical genius who is still ahead of his time. He influenced most that have followed, yet no one sounds anything like him.
i'm envious since i only got to see him once...
He appeared numerous times in San Francisco. One of the reviewers was relentless in describing his difficult ascent to the stage, and in another concert, when he seemed to almost fall asleep when he should have been playing.
But then, I never really liked his music anyway.
Heh...I was wondering how long it was gonna take before someone posted that mondegreen... ;-)
I agree that some of those who want to play like their musical idols may engage in the same substance abuse, on the mistaken belief that "If you want to play like Bird, ya gotta shoot sh*t like Bird."
These wannabes mistakenly assume that the heroin is the impetus for the talent, which is obviously not true.
And then again, there are those groupies who just want to do everything their heroes do, in the vain hope that the glory will somehow rub off.
I knew lots of Hendrix fans in high school and college in the 60s. And although there was a lot of pot and LSD floating around at the time, I never once met anyone who was into heroin, which was not widely by the vast majority of his fans.
I daresay that most Hendrix fans never did heroin, although I have no doubt that most heroin addicts at the time were into Hendrix.
Honestly, I think Clapton blows. I never got it. He should picks some riff, and plays it all the way through the whole song. I never found anything he did unique or interesting, unlike say Jimmy Page.
His early work though also laid the groundwork for many others who followed him. I am referring to his days with John Mayal, and before that with the Yardbirds (pre Paige). You also cannot argue against the tremendous success of almost every group he was with:
Yardbirds
John Mayall
Blind Faith (IMHO, the best of the bunch)
Cream,
Derek and the Dominoes
Earl Scruggs could out play them all. And I'm talking the guitar, not the banjo.
These rock and roll punks couldn't even carry Scruggs banjo case.
Good call on:
Yardbirds
John Mayall
Blind Faith (IMHO, the best of the bunch)
Cream
Derek and the Dominoes
Hendrix' interpretation of the Star Spangled Banner at Woodstock was original and incredible.
Speaking of Woodstock performers, no one had Alvin Lee's hand speed imho.
Why would they want to?
Reminds me of a musicians joke: What is the least ask question among musicians?
Is that the banjo player's new Mercedes?
I still listen, occassionally, to TYA's "cricklewood green" album.
The lead singer for Lynard Skynard (sp) was a gun grabbing little puke.
How do you think Doc Watson rates next to Earl? I'm kinda of new to blue grass, so really don't have a firm opinion.
There was some mention of A Space in Time, and I'd Love to Change The World on this thread the other day:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1452646/posts?page=29#29
There is a place in Albany, near Berkeley on San Pablo Ave. called Ashkenaz (sp?). I am not sure what it is, some liberal coffee house/book store/spiritual center. They have that quote:
Tax the Rich, till there are not rich no more
Such an idealistic and bucolic phrase... until you engage critical thinking and realize how utterly stupid it really is.
Ever listen to Robin Trower?
Agreed. It was even stated on that thread that the lyrics were sarcastic/facetious.
Here's another good rock music thread from this week, for those who missed it.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1450937/posts?q=1&&page=1#1
I don't hate Skynyrd but I think I know the reason why he 'prefers' them to Hendrix.
How the hell can you say "all along the watchtower" and "Hey Joe" sound like a fat chick jumping on 10 cats?
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