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Good Morning
Jun. 28th, 2021 08:57 am
Jun. 28th, 2021
Steven Roby & Brad Schreiber "Becoming Jimi Hendrix: From Southern Crossroads to Psychedelic London" (Da Capo Press)
The authors put a lot of work into this book and produced a worthwhile read. Actually, it looks like Roby did the research and interviews, as his acknowledgments make it pretty clear that Schreiber's role was to make the result readable. The result is readable, though often unfocused; the biography's organization is not quite relentlessly chronological, with occasional unexpected excursions which are harmless but disorienting.
Becoming Jimi Hendrix mostly explores Jimi's life as a professional sideman, from his 1962 Army stint until his move to London and great fame in late 1966. An introduction covers his life to that point, and an epilogue touches on his career as a bandleader. There are approximately three recurring themes in the book's main section: Jimi's poverty, his contacts with some of the 1960s best popular musicians, and his women. While poverty's mentioned constantly, the authors don't make it particularly real. In contrast, his musical odyssey is covered very well, with both his experiences as a professional sideman and his (relatively) casual contacts with famous musicians are recorded with some excellence. And there are constant mentions of frequent sexual encounters--though the book also offers fine and sympathetic portraits of the half-dozen or so women with whom he had relatively stable relationships.
Hendrix comes across here as naive, engaging, stubborn, and remarkably intelligent. That nuanced portrait fully justifies the book.
On the other hand, the book is afflicted with unnecessary foreshadowing, occasional catty remarks about the blindness of other musicians to Hendrix's talent, and some unfocused speculation about his death.
One of the book's themes--the unrelenting poverty of the sideman musician--would itself have made a worthwhile book. There are lots of hooks in this text that another author might have built into something differently valuable. I realize this subject was outside the authors' main interest, but it's fascinating enough even in their sketchy presentation. For many fine musicians, that was and is their life's prospect.
A good and interesting book, if slightly unfocused by the writers.
The authors put a lot of work into this book and produced a worthwhile read. Actually, it looks like Roby did the research and interviews, as his acknowledgments make it pretty clear that Schreiber's role was to make the result readable. The result is readable, though often unfocused; the biography's organization is not quite relentlessly chronological, with occasional unexpected excursions which are harmless but disorienting.
Becoming Jimi Hendrix mostly explores Jimi's life as a professional sideman, from his 1962 Army stint until his move to London and great fame in late 1966. An introduction covers his life to that point, and an epilogue touches on his career as a bandleader. There are approximately three recurring themes in the book's main section: Jimi's poverty, his contacts with some of the 1960s best popular musicians, and his women. While poverty's mentioned constantly, the authors don't make it particularly real. In contrast, his musical odyssey is covered very well, with both his experiences as a professional sideman and his (relatively) casual contacts with famous musicians are recorded with some excellence. And there are constant mentions of frequent sexual encounters--though the book also offers fine and sympathetic portraits of the half-dozen or so women with whom he had relatively stable relationships.
Hendrix comes across here as naive, engaging, stubborn, and remarkably intelligent. That nuanced portrait fully justifies the book.
On the other hand, the book is afflicted with unnecessary foreshadowing, occasional catty remarks about the blindness of other musicians to Hendrix's talent, and some unfocused speculation about his death.
One of the book's themes--the unrelenting poverty of the sideman musician--would itself have made a worthwhile book. There are lots of hooks in this text that another author might have built into something differently valuable. I realize this subject was outside the authors' main interest, but it's fascinating enough even in their sketchy presentation. For many fine musicians, that was and is their life's prospect.
A good and interesting book, if slightly unfocused by the writers.
Steven Roby & Brad Schreiber "Becoming Jimi Hendrix: From Southern Crossroads to Psychedelic London" (Da Capo Press)
The authors put a lot of work into this book and produced a worthwhile read. Actually, it looks like Roby did the research and interviews, as his acknowledgments make it pretty clear that Schreiber's role was to make the result readable. The result is readable, though often unfocused; the biography's organization is not quite relentlessly chronological, with occasional unexpected excursions which are harmless but disorienting.
Becoming Jimi Hendrix mostly explores Jimi's life as a professional sideman, from his 1962 Army stint until his move to London and great fame in late 1966. An introduction covers his life to that point, and an epilogue touches on his career as a bandleader. There are approximately three recurring themes in the book's main section: Jimi's poverty, his contacts with some of the 1960s best popular musicians, and his women. While poverty's mentioned constantly, the authors don't make it particularly real. In contrast, his musical odyssey is covered very well, with both his experiences as a professional sideman and his (relatively) casual contacts with famous musicians are recorded with some excellence. And there are constant mentions of frequent sexual encounters--though the book also offers fine and sympathetic portraits of the half-dozen or so women with whom he had relatively stable relationships.
Hendrix comes across here as naive, engaging, stubborn, and remarkably intelligent. That nuanced portrait fully justifies the book.
On the other hand, the book is afflicted with unnecessary foreshadowing, occasional catty remarks about the blindness of other musicians to Hendrix's talent, and some unfocused speculation about his death.
One of the book's themes--the unrelenting poverty of the sideman musician--would itself have made a worthwhile book. There are lots of hooks in this text that another author might have built into something differently valuable. I realize this subject was outside the authors' main interest, but it's fascinating enough even in their sketchy presentation. For many fine musicians, that was and is their life's prospect.
A good and interesting book, if slightly unfocused by the writers.
The authors put a lot of work into this book and produced a worthwhile read. Actually, it looks like Roby did the research and interviews, as his acknowledgments make it pretty clear that Schreiber's role was to make the result readable. The result is readable, though often unfocused; the biography's organization is not quite relentlessly chronological, with occasional unexpected excursions which are harmless but disorienting.
Becoming Jimi Hendrix mostly explores Jimi's life as a professional sideman, from his 1962 Army stint until his move to London and great fame in late 1966. An introduction covers his life to that point, and an epilogue touches on his career as a bandleader. There are approximately three recurring themes in the book's main section: Jimi's poverty, his contacts with some of the 1960s best popular musicians, and his women. While poverty's mentioned constantly, the authors don't make it particularly real. In contrast, his musical odyssey is covered very well, with both his experiences as a professional sideman and his (relatively) casual contacts with famous musicians are recorded with some excellence. And there are constant mentions of frequent sexual encounters--though the book also offers fine and sympathetic portraits of the half-dozen or so women with whom he had relatively stable relationships.
Hendrix comes across here as naive, engaging, stubborn, and remarkably intelligent. That nuanced portrait fully justifies the book.
On the other hand, the book is afflicted with unnecessary foreshadowing, occasional catty remarks about the blindness of other musicians to Hendrix's talent, and some unfocused speculation about his death.
One of the book's themes--the unrelenting poverty of the sideman musician--would itself have made a worthwhile book. There are lots of hooks in this text that another author might have built into something differently valuable. I realize this subject was outside the authors' main interest, but it's fascinating enough even in their sketchy presentation. For many fine musicians, that was and is their life's prospect.
A good and interesting book, if slightly unfocused by the writers.
Monday Musings
Jun. 28th, 2021 01:49 pmAnother dull overcast day but feeling very muggy despite not rising above 20C today. Alas, it looks like those sunny days have gone for a while. I did pop into town this morning and I did feel some rain on my face on my journey back. Luckily, it was just spotted rain - a fine must of it.
So, Hancock resigned - about time I say. As the health minister, he was doing what the Tories always do - one rule for them and other strict rules for us in this pandemic. Boris should have sacked him but this feeble leader does nor =t seem to like sacking staff at all. They are a shambolic mess of a government and I think it is slowly dawning on people that they are wanting. It is also just another reason a Liberal took over a safe Tory seat in a recent by-election.
Keir Starmer is not much of an opposition leader either. He is too right-wing for a party that is a working-class organization. The establishment manoeuvred Corbyn out simply because they feared him and the truth. The whole anti-Semitic thing was a whitewash. Anyway, so the sooner this lot is out of office the better.
Matt Hancock resignation: Questions remain for P
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57631547
Matt Hancock's relationship with Gina Coladangelo is described as "serious"
Days of Tory sleaze again huh?
So, Hancock resigned - about time I say. As the health minister, he was doing what the Tories always do - one rule for them and other strict rules for us in this pandemic. Boris should have sacked him but this feeble leader does nor =t seem to like sacking staff at all. They are a shambolic mess of a government and I think it is slowly dawning on people that they are wanting. It is also just another reason a Liberal took over a safe Tory seat in a recent by-election.
Keir Starmer is not much of an opposition leader either. He is too right-wing for a party that is a working-class organization. The establishment manoeuvred Corbyn out simply because they feared him and the truth. The whole anti-Semitic thing was a whitewash. Anyway, so the sooner this lot is out of office the better.
Matt Hancock resignation: Questions remain for P
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57631547
Matt Hancock's relationship with Gina Coladangelo is described as "serious"
Days of Tory sleaze again huh?
The tie. Love them or hate them. They were once a status symbol and a kind of pecking order in business. But I feel that the tie has had its day, or am I in the minority here?
It's a paradoxical item of clothing: On the one hand, it expresses a desire to fit in and conform - to belong - yet it also says something about our need to demonstrate our individuality. Historically, wearing a tie has meant many different things: from being seen as being anti-Islamic in the wake of the Iranian Revolution in 1979, to representing subversion and being a symbol of sub-cultural cool, like wearing a thin tie in the late fifties and early sixties that meant you were a hip guy into the cool bop of jazz.
But do we need the tie to mean anything, or is it still a floating signifier that gets remodeled every decade. Personally, I have not worn a tie for years and I doubt I will ever wear one again unless the formal dress is demanded.
Anyway, this was a passing thought I had, whilst listening to some sixties Miles Davis, and I looked at the CD to see how sharp they dressed then. Suits and ties were a statement in jazz.
What are your thoughts?
It's a paradoxical item of clothing: On the one hand, it expresses a desire to fit in and conform - to belong - yet it also says something about our need to demonstrate our individuality. Historically, wearing a tie has meant many different things: from being seen as being anti-Islamic in the wake of the Iranian Revolution in 1979, to representing subversion and being a symbol of sub-cultural cool, like wearing a thin tie in the late fifties and early sixties that meant you were a hip guy into the cool bop of jazz.
But do we need the tie to mean anything, or is it still a floating signifier that gets remodeled every decade. Personally, I have not worn a tie for years and I doubt I will ever wear one again unless the formal dress is demanded.
Anyway, this was a passing thought I had, whilst listening to some sixties Miles Davis, and I looked at the CD to see how sharp they dressed then. Suits and ties were a statement in jazz.
What are your thoughts?
The Monday Mix Up
Jun. 28th, 2021 09:39 pmJazzy is in a groove today -
Hot Chip - Boy from School
Röyksopp - Remind Me
LCD Soundsystem - Oh Baby
Actress - Blue Window
ENJOY
these banging tunes!
Hot Chip - Boy from School
Röyksopp - Remind Me
LCD Soundsystem - Oh Baby
Actress - Blue Window
ENJOY
these banging tunes!
Monday At The Movies
Jun. 28th, 2021 10:59 pmOkay, back to those tunes and scores that make the movies - today we celebrate Stanley Kubrick.
Dmitri Shostakovich - Second Waltz
Wendy Carlos & Rachel Elkind - Main Title (The Shining)
György Ligeti - Adventures
György Ligeti - Lux Aeterna
It was this film that turned me onto the avant-garde side of classical music back in the 70s. I now have two box sets of Ligeti's music plus six other discs by the composer.
ENJOY
Dmitri Shostakovich - Second Waltz
Wendy Carlos & Rachel Elkind - Main Title (The Shining)
György Ligeti - Adventures
György Ligeti - Lux Aeterna
It was this film that turned me onto the avant-garde side of classical music back in the 70s. I now have two box sets of Ligeti's music plus six other discs by the composer.
ENJOY
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