Jimi Hendrix is the #1 Rock and Roll Star of All Time

I've been in rock and roll all my life and I admit it's bitfaces as if to say, "I can't believe this guy! What
difficult to put Jimi Hendrix above Mick Jagger in termsgalaxy did he come from?"SONGWRITING
of brilliant rock and roll stardom, but after watchingTALENT"And the Wind Cried Mary". Oh, Jimi, how
several movies of both Jimi and Mick in concert, here'spoetic can you possibly be? So the galactic storm
why I would do it:screamed "Jimi", and what hetero man in his right mind
BEST MUSICIANJimi Hendrix was the only true geniusdoesn't want that "Foxy Lady"? I suppose that a man
in rock and roll. The word genius is highly overused andwho's in a "Purple Haze" might not be able to
it's often applied to people who are extremely talented.recognize one, and a man who's in a state of "Manic
I disagree with the dictionary when it equates geniusDepression" might not be able to get out of bed and
with "exceptional intelligence", and what I think the worddo anything about it, but every time Jimi launches into
genius is supposed to refer to is a person whoFoxy Lady with his famous dissonant E chord my libido
creates something that's new, and not only new, butstands up and salutes. And every time I hear that all
significantly new, important, and somewhat of atime classic feedback note in the middle of the song, it
milestone in human development. I call Albert Einsteinnever fails to send shivers up my spine. Comparisons
the premier genius of the human race because theto other songwriters are superfluous. Jimi quite
Theory of Relativity was a giant jump in theobviously wrote more than a few great rock and roll
understanding of the way our universe operates andsongs, he almost always had something important to
to this day, few people actually understand anythingsay, and he always said it in a poetic way.SINGING
other than the bomb part. Jimi Hendrix was the geniusTALENTAs a professional rock and roll singer, it's hats
of rock and roll because he was the only one whooff time to Mick. Oh, I'll get big arguments about that
invented something new. It's almost impossible to dobut people who would argue the point don't understand
anything that's really new in the field of music becauserock and roll singing. It's not about range, power, or
there are only eight notes in the Western scale so in atechnical perfection. It's all about emotion and style.
sense, all music is derivative. But Jimi invented guitarMick knows how to sing without necessarily using
feedback and nobody before Jimi even thought aboutwords. Like Robert Plant, he often uses sounds alone
it. And Jimi took his invention one step farther. Until Jimito express emotions. A case in point is "Going Home"
came along, all music since the time of Mozart andon the Aftermath album which consists of 11 minutes
Beethoven has been built on chord structure andof Mick having sex with a microphone. Jimi Hendrix
rock and roll music uses simple chord structure. Jimiwas actually embarrassed by his own singing because
actually used feedback alone to construct songas a great
structure in a few, but not all of his songs (i.e. Thirdmusician, he recognized and understood the great
Stone From the Sun). To this day, nobody has beensingers. In the recording studio, he was the master of
able to do what Jimi did. In fact, Jeff Beck bought Jimi'sguitar but he recorded his vocals over and over and
strat at an auction and even the super talented Jeffover again until he got something that he could just live
admitted that he can't get the same sounds out of thewith. But I put Jimi in the same class as Bob Marley
very same guitar as Jimi got. With all due respect toand Bob Dylan. These are great artists who were all
Mick, he's a brilliant singer and one of the all time greatperfectly capable of putting across their own unique
rock and roll songwriters, but he's not actually a brilliantsongs in a way that nobody else can. I'm not a fan of
musician because he only plays rhythm guitar. I believeDylan's voice and when The Byrds recorded Dylan
Mick would agree with me about Jimi being a geniussongs, they did a good job but they lack Dylan's
guitar player because Mick was one of the first onessarcasm and his almost bored feeling with his own
to discover Jimi whenpoetic brilliance. I'm a big fan of Bob Marley and I like his
The Experience made their debut in the clubs ofvoice, but I recognize that he's not a great singer. It just
London. Along with John Lennon, Mick spread theso happens that I love Jimi's voice.I hear Bob Dylan's
word to the other British musicians about the newinfluence and I know that Jimi was a fan of Bob's
nova in the rock and roll sky.BEST PERFORMERIt's avoice and of his lyrics. But Jimi did something very
tie between Jimi and Mick. Call it a dead heat with oneunusual vocally and in the theater, it's called an "aside".
survivor. If Elvis was still breathing he'd be breathingJimi had a wonderful habit of flipping off little spoken
down both of their necks and I probably will get flackphrases, very often interrupting himself while he was
from a whole lot of people for saying that, and evensinging and it came off as being totally COOL. When it
more flack from the know-nothing fans of Madonna,comes to singers, people either like them or they don't
Prince (whoever he is these days) and Michaeland all I can say is that as a professional singer, Jimi's
Jackson (not to mention Roberta FLACK). Certainlyvoice works for me big time.SEXUAL AURAEvery
Elvis came first and Elvis was The King, but Jimi androck star has it. Jimi had too much of it for one man.
Mick both had their own unique styles and neither oneI'm wildly hetero but I'm wowed by the sexual aura that
were heavily influenced by Elvis in terms of theirsurrounds Jimi on film. I was lucky enough to see him
performances. Mick was influenced by James Brown'sone time in person and I can testify that he was as
dancing and only God knows who influenced Jimi'sHOT as it's possible for a human being to be in the
performance style because he was truly an original.flesh. There are an uncountable number of women
Besides, Elvis moved on to acting and he starred inwho would be quite willing to testify about Jimi's abilities
tons of below average movies - and now I'll really getin the bedroom.So in conclusion, it's not necessary to
flack! Unfortunately I won't get Roberta. But seriously,be a great musician to be a rock star, just like it's not
Mick deserves an award for putting on a great shownecessary to be a great actor to be a movie star.
every single time he appears, he did that right from hisThis should be self evident and there are way too
debut as a young man, and he's continued to do thatmany examples in both fields to start listing them. But
as an old man. Jimi died as a young man. Both of themJimi was a genius guitar player, a unique and atomicly
were sex stars on stage as well as off stage butpowerful performer, a great songwriter, a very good
watching Jimi on stage is nothing short of breathtaking.singer, a super nova sex star, and a world class
He had all the moves, he had the body of a blackpersonality on top of everything else. That's why I call
Adonis, he played his guitar with his teeth, behind hisJimi Hendrix the Number One Rock Star of All
back, under his leg, and when he set fire to it at theTime.Peter Cross is a former professional drummer
end of his shows, he got down on his knees andand a singer/songwriter/producer/Web Master who
prayed to the Guitar God who obviously listened towas among the first to put music on the Internet in a
him. He wasn't adownloadable format in 1996. His web site is very
dancer like Mick, he was a mover and a shaker ofentertaining and at 206 pages, it may be the largest
women's "G" spots. People standing in front of hismusic artist web site on the Internet.
stage all had the same astounded expression on their