WEST COAST SEATTLE BOY – JIMI HENDRIX: VOODOO CHILD

DVD

This comprehensive study of Hendrix’s “journey from sideman to star” starts with a chat show host referring to him as one of the best guitarists in the world. Hendrix shyly squirms in his seat, and when the host jokes “Well maybe one of the best in this studio”, Hendrix himself self deprecatingly mutters, “How about one of the best in this chair…?”

This says much about the man – unequivocally heralded and lauded by one and all as a genius who revolutionised not only his instrument, but also the delivery of guitar rock music, he remained throughout his entire life very critical of both his singing voice and his influence on the guitar.

This DVD features the legendary funky bass maniac Bootsy Collins (who played with James Brown and Parliament/Funkadelic to name but two) supplying the voice to Jimi’s words, assembled here from letters and interviews spanning his entire career.

It’s a novel approach, and for the most part it works, helped in no small part by the large variety of stock and rare photos and video which accompany the exemplary soundtrack and Bootsy’s gentle whispering of Hendrix’s (assembled) words.

The words, many a surprise to this long time fan, provide much insight into Jimi’s headset at the various stages of his career, and of course there’s more than one poignant and heartbreaking moment where he predicts his early demise – though not even he could have predicted how early he – more than once likened to a “black Elvis” - would have left the building.

In his own words at 90 minutes into the show, he (through Bootsy) talks of having a jam session when he dies with some of the greats. “When I die,” he states, “just keep on playing the records…”

In that Jimi, there is no doubt.

Shane Pinnegar