Jimi Hendrix's Personal Record Collection

[JasO]

Jimi Hendrix never took formal lessons, learned to read music, or cracked open guitar instruction book. Like most players who learn by ear, he was influenced by recordings of other musicians. Based on the recollections of his dad and his girlfriend in London, Kathy Etchingham, I've just posted an article tracing the evolution of the music that influenced Jimi during his boyhood in Seattle and the album collection he amassed after moving to London.

One of the best journalistic assignments of my life was co-authoring the book "My Son Jimi" with his dad, Al Hendrix. Al recalled that Jimi's love of music first kicked in during junior high, when he was sharing a room with his cousin Bobby. “They had a record player,” Al explained, “and Bobby remembers that that’s when Jimi became really interested in music. Jimi liked to listen to a 45 of Elvis Presley’s ‘Hound Dog,’ and he liked Little Richards’ 45s. When he was around 14, Jimi went to an Elvis concert to see what it was all about. Jimi liked Elvis, and he sketched a picture of him." That sketch, which Al showed me, included many song titles from the rockabilly era, which gives us good insight into the first songs that thrilled young Hendrix. Al goes on to describe how and why Jimi began playing guitar and the songs he covered in his first band. Finally, he talks about acquiring their first stereo while Jimi was in high school, and how Jimi would watch TV and then jam along to blues records during the commercials. Interesting stuff from someone who was actually there!

The second half is devoted to the albums Jimi purchased after he moved to London in 1966 and began making money. Kathy named the stores he shopped at, their home stereo system -- Bang & Olufsen turntable run through a Leak-70 amp and a pair of Lowther 30-watt speakers -- and best of all, Jimi's very wide-ranging purchases of albums. I’ve also included information from when the London collection was sold to the Experience Music Project during the 1990s. If you want check all this out, and see a very detailed listing of the albums Jimi actually owned, it’s all posted here: http://jasobrecht.com/jimi-hendrixs-per ... ollection/

[Xplorer]

thanks a lot for sharing ! very cool !

about his amps and effects, did you have any chance to see some that he owned ? do you have any pictures about it ?
thanks !

[Tone Slinger]

VERY COOL JasO !

[garbeaj]

Fantastic Jas! Reminds me of the fairly recent PBS/BBC documentary John Lennon's Jukebox where Lennon's personal portable 45rpm player was found. It was amazing to see what Lennon loved to listen personally and very cool to see what Hendrix was listening to at the time. I knew of the Lenny Bruce, Dylan and Muddy Waters from some photos, but nice to see this!

[Tone Slinger]

It makes sense that HENDRIX was into the ELVIS/rockabilly type side of Rock n Roll early on, as opposed to the Chuck Berry/Little Richard side. There was just more 'drive' and a faster tempo to it. This, to me, is more evident of 'Hard Rock' than the more R&B type 'rock and roll' of the 50's.

Hendrix was HEAVY. He 'felt' what Elvis, that drummer (?) bassist (?) and Scotty Moore were playing ('Hound Dog', 'Jail House Rock', etc) !

It is that 'AGGRESSIVE' 'WHITE BOY' thing that is what Hendrix had, though he still had the R&B/blues thing as well.

[fillmore nyc]

VERY COOL JasO !

+100,000