I’ve already said that The Doors is one of my favourite bands and today I’ll share with you another of my musical preferences. Do you know who that might be? I’ll give you a clue…
Imagine you’re forming a 1960s dream rock band in the USA. You’ll take the most iconic frontman, Jim Morrison obviously, but you’ll also need a guitar virtuoso. Now, who’s the greatest guitarist of the 20th century? If you answered Jimi Hendrix, you got it right. And it’s not just my opinion. It’s one of those things experts and musicians agree upon.
Though I have a friend who could argue 24/7 that Steve Vai is a better guitarist than Jimi and there are some others who’d list a dozen of jaw-dropping guitar players from contemporary technical death metal bands, Jimi is in a league of his own. It’s not that he was bluesier than Eric Clapton or faster than Eddie Van Halen but he paved the way for many to follow and redefined the role of the guitar player.
Even if you’re not into psychedelic rock, you’ve probably heard one or two of Jimi Hendix’s huge hits, such as “Little Wing”, “Purple Haze”, “Foxy lady”, “Voodoo Child” and “Hey Joe”. A remarkable performer, the master of the whammy bar and the wah pedal made a show out of every concert. In my mind’s eye he’s kneeling by his 1965 Fender Stratocaster, summoning the spirit of the guitar he has set on fire. He first pulled that stunt in Europe but the act of alighting his guitar is documented in a video from the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.
When smashing guitars was a novelty, a revolutionary act that made a statement and not the everyday, desperate cry for attention it became in the 1990s, Jimi was one step ahead. Allegedly, he wanted to smash his guitar at a concert but saw Pete Townshend of The Who do it (Townshend was famous for his guitar-smashing) and wanted to outdo him. Lighter fluid, a matchbox and the rest is history.
Anyway, the Jim-Jimi connection is relevant not only because I’m a fan of both musicians. There are quite a few similarities between the two. Check this out. Jimi was born in 1942, Jim – in 1943. Jimi died in 1970, Jim – in 1971. Both died aged 27. Jimi died in London, Jim – in Paris, though both were born in the USA.
Some people believe that these two, together with Janis Joplin (1943-1970), are the first of what would become known as Club 27. Almost 25 years later, after the death of Kurt Cobain, a conspiracy theory was born that there were many popular musicians dying at the age of 27.
Whether the 27 Club is a myth or a reality, Jim and Jimi were both true legends not only because of their musical talent but because they were all-around entertainers and were not afraid to shock people. Another feature that Hendrix and Morrison had in common was their use of recreational drugs and the influence of said drugs on their music, career, and, ultimately, their life.