Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix is the man as far as I'm concerned. I love just about all his music. He drew from so many musical styles that he portrays a sound all his own. But how I stumbled across him was listening to his blues. "Blues is my backbone," he once said. And to listen to tracks such as "Red House" and "Hear My Train Comin" you know it's true.

Jimi loved to use colors to convey what he was talking about. I found this picture (on the right) a while ago and if I found out who made it I would give credit. But it is such a good example

of what Jimi was trying to do. He used his guitar to "paint" certain emotions and feelings with the sweet tone of his guitar. It is especially poignant in "Axis: Bold As Love" where the first couple lines read - "Anger, he smiles towering in shiny metallic purple armor, Queen Jealousy, envy waits behind him, her fiery green gown sneers at the grassy ground, Blue are the life giving waters take them for granted, they quietly understand, Once happy turqoise armies lay opposite ready, But wonder why the fight is on."

This is also one of my favorite pictures. The interesting part about this photo is that it is Hendrix's image overlaid onto some of his lyrics. That might not seem so interesting but pay close attention the title: "Purple Haze, Jesus Saves." Being a Christian, I wonder about what was going through Jimi's head when he wrote these lyrics. If anyone has any info on what it means, please, email me. But for now, just look and wonder...

The picture on the left is from the moment he burst onto the USA scene with his wild performance at the Monterey Pop Festival. He lit his guitar on fire and proceeded to coax flames from the burning instrument.

The picture below is the last picture ever taken of Jimi Hendrix. It was taken on the eve of his death at age 27.