The place for music makers
Or how to sound like Hendrix, by a top impersonator
Michael Leonard, Sat 18 Oct 2008, 12:12 pm UTC
Do you have a favourite Jimi song: if so, why?
"Bold As Love. A lot of songs mean a lot of things to people, but out of all of Hendrix's songs, this one gets me."
Where do you get the 'Jimi' clothes?
"I design most of my clothes and I get them made up by a seamstress - my mother!
"I used to trawl around looking for '60s clothes but all I could ever find was Afghan coats reeking of patchouli and crocheted waistcoats."
How many guitars have you burned? Isn't it rather expensive?
"Really and truly, I've lost count of how many guitars I've burned. But it's a lot. I try to recreate some of the excitement of what it must have been like at a Hendrix show, and burning the guitar - however many times I do it - always goes down a storm with the audience.
"It can be a bit dangerous and I've burned myself a few times. But hey, no pain no gain."
What do you think of Electric Ladyland next to the other two JHE studio albums and the numerous live and bootleg albums?
"Electric Ladyland is well documented as being the type of record JimiHendrix wanted to produce, free from the restrictive three-minute song format he had been forced to adhere to by Chas Chandler. To me, it's a timeless classic.
"Electric Ladyland was really diverse - soul, funk, blues, rock, ballads, psychedelic landscapes. It has it all."
"Are You Experienced?, the first album, has some great songs. As does Axis (Bold As Love). But Electric Ladyland was really diverse in musical direction: soul, funk, blues, rock, ballads, psychedelic landscapes, plus a really cool album sleeve. It has it all.
"I think it's unfair to compare a studio album to the raw live recordings. Hendrix, with the aid of Eddie Kramer in the studio, defied limitations and made the sounds inside his head real. I think it must have been very frustrating to try and produce the same things live in a three-piece format.
"I think most Hendrix fans would agree that his best live performances were based on stunning guitar playing, showmanship and sheer volume.
"His studio albums after Are You Experienced? were carefully crafted, multi-layered and painstakingly arranged and produced.
"I just think it's scary to imagine what may have been next had he not died so tragically…"
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