WILD THING

Sub-titled 'The Short, Spellbinding Life of Jimi Hendrix', this first-rate analysis is an engaging memorial to a rock revolutionary. 'Arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music' says Jimi Hendrix's citation in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. James Marshall Hendrix remains unique as an African American who broke out of the traditional 'Black' genres of blues, R&B and soul to play hard rock to an overwhelmingly white audience, almost single left-handedly creating what became known as heavy rock. With unprecedented access to Jimi's younger brother Leon, the two most important women in his life, and numerous previously untapped sources, bestselling music biographer Philip Norman resurrects the real Jimi. His death in 1970 aged only 27 when his fame was at its height has long been rock music's greatest unsolved mystery, but finally we learn where the responsibility lay for his lonely, squalid end. Here he is pictured with The Who, record producer Chas Chandler, with the Jimi Hendrix Experience bass player Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell in matching afros and the fashion model girlfriend of Keith Richards, Linda Keith who discovered Jimi in New York. Fabulously detailed about his generosity, threads, contacts, musicians, antics and anecdotes of this Voodoo Chile. A thrilling and star spangled read, 392pp in paperback. Colour and b/w photos.