Metronome Magazine, May 2005
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THIS WAS AN ARTICLE WE GRACIOUSLY ALLOWED METRONOME TO PRINT.
INSIDE THE LEGACY OF JIMI HENDRIX
By Joe Viglione
Imagine sometime in the future when the music ofJimi Hendrix will be public domain (as the works ofEdgar Allan Poe are now) - when people will be free totake his amazing intuition, inspiration and feelingsdown different avenues with whatever new technology isavailable. Exploring the life and music of JimiHendrix as it currently stands in 2005 is a full timejob. Whether you are listening to the beautifulinstrumental, "The New Rising Sun", from the 1995"Voodoo Soup" album put together by producer AlanDouglas or "Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)" that appears onthe 1997 release "First Rays Of The New Rising Sun"produced by Eddie Kramer, Jimi Hendrix, Mitch Mitchelland John Jansen, or comparing those two discs to the1971 release "The Cry Of Love" - all three versionsof Jimi's "final album" having many of the sametracks, those performances going through new mixeswith new technology, and sometimes, different sets ofears. While listening to all the musical informationthese various producers have made available it is hardto retain each nuance of the guitarist's magic - there is just so much remixed material to absorb, study andconsider. And if you think cataloguing the music ofHendrix available to fans is a daunting task, whatabout the volume of text material being issued thatdiscusses his short life? The Jimi Hendrix fan base is strong --- and rabid!Thus the release of the book "Jimi Hendrix: The Man,The Magic, The Truth", by former UPI reporter andHendrix friend Sharon Lawrence, has caused the usualstirs in that world.
Described as "the definitive"account of Jimi Hendrix by publisher Harper/Collins, readers should be advised that, although authorLawrence was clearly a close confidante of Jimi's -the 352 pages may include important information, butcan hardly be considered the "definitive" account. There is some insight regarding the persona of EdChalpin, the man who has perpetually licensed the PPXtapes and who signed Jimi to a recording contract inthe 1960s. Lawrence speaks with him on the phone andquotes Chalpin as saying "They've killed him" inregards to the passing of Jimi on September 18, 1970.The author also notes that she received a call fromMonika Dannemann in 1991 - who Lawrence describes as"the woman who let Jimi die." Since Jimi's death hasbecome as much of a discussion as his music - thatevent unfortunately walking hand-in-hand with the art- this article explores information previouslyunavailable about that tragic incident - and how ithas all impacted what the artist was expressing.
While "The Last 24 Hours Of Jimi Hendrix" DVD saysthat the U.S. Government had interest in killing JimiHendrix - making it clear that from that product'spoint of view - that his death was a murder, Lawrencesays with great emphasis that she believes his deathwas a suicide. Metronome Magazine, in an exclusiveinterview with Jimi's friend, Buzzy Linhart, hasinformation that the late Monika Dannemann killed Jimiat the request of the late Michael Jeffrey, formermanager of Hendrix, The Animals, Genya Ravan and othergroups. In order to get to the truth the devotee - thetrue Jimi enthusiast - needs to explore as many of thebooks and DVDs as humanly possible. Jas Obrecht andAl Hendrix's "My Son Jimi", Steven Roby's tremendous"Black Gold: The Lost Archives Of Jimi Hendrix" andEddie Kramer and John McDermott's equally excellent"Hendrix: Setting The Record Straight" are a goodstart, though none of them answer all the questions ina satisfactory manner. Lawrence's book is certainly compelling enough,but when she discusses the Toronto trial she limitsher own testimony at that major event in Jimi's lifeto one paragraph. It leaves the reader wondering andwanting more. While Steven Roby includes testimonyfrom both Hendrix and Lawrence in his book, anexhaustive and essential work, and though his book -like McDermott's, is a fun investigation andexploration of the music, it still has flaws. Lawrence glosses over "Jimmy James & The BlueFlames", a pivotal bridge from Jimi's work as aback-up musician to the formation of The Jimi HendrixExperience. The material on "Jimmy James & The BlueFlames" - a vital part of Jimi's career which featuredfuture "Spirit" co-founder Randy California and futureUtopia co-founder Moogy Klingman - is remarkably thin. At least a chapter or two on that phase of his lifeis essential to any biography. The author loves Jimi, and that comes throughloud and clear, but her bias against Al Hendrix, JanieHendrix, Leon Hendrix, John McDermott (a major forcein Experience Hendrix who gets dismissed with a meremention), Ed Chalpin, Michael Jeffrey, MonikaDannemann, Devon "Dolly Dagger" Wilson, pretty muchmost of the people in Jimi's life save a few, is a redflag. She lumps some of the heroes in with thevillains. There's no doubt that Jeffrey, Dannemannand Chalpin had a negative effect on the artist, butthen there's the catch 22 - the question which mostfeel is blasphemous: would Jimi Hendrix have emergedas the giant he is without the efforts of Ed Chalpin and/or Michael Jeffrey? Would he have gotten frompoint A to point B without those two? One would liketo think that pure talent wins out, but we are talking about the music industry, a business which discardstalent like yesterday's newspaper. Just look at howthe tapes of Jimi Hendrix were treated prior toExperience Hendrix giving those masters and mixes therespect, in regards to properly cataloguing andstoring them, that genius deserves.
Lawrence is lethal when it comes to Al Hendrix,Jimi's dad, and maybe - if she's to get the benefit ofthe doubt -her insight there is not off base, butthere is a glaring lack of objectivity in the book,and that is what weakens her story and makes usquestion her motives in regard to Al Hendrix. Roby,as well as McDermott and Kramer, give more meat intheir writings- though all these books can't resistoffering and mixing opinion with fact. At least Steven Roby makes the effort to give aBibliography in Black Gold, and a book that reviewsthe books is what is really needed here. It is goingto take a highly objective journalist to sift throughthe voluminous work that makes up the Hendrix audioand video catalogs as well as the variety of sourcesthat give so many perspectives. Eric Burdon's 2001biography, "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood", speakskindly of Al Hendrix, and asks the pertinent question:Did Monika "dose" Jimi with wine and sleeping pills? Proving my point - an overabundance of informationwith no clear line that provides something conclusive. Perhaps the most outrageous aspect of "JimiHendrix: The Man, The Magic, The Truth" is SharonLawrence totally dismissing John McDermott (and StevenRoby) but quoting a whacko obsessive fan from the aHendrix Yahoo fan group. For a credible journalist toindulge the lunatic fringe, well, the transcripts ofthe Toronto trial would be a bit more informative thanone of the nuisance fans who live vicariously throughJimi's music. It is devastating to Lawrence'scredibility - she savages the memory of the late AlHendrix and backs up her position with quotes from anutcase. Jimi Hendrix: The Man, The Magic, The Truthneeded a little bit more emphasis on the performancesand the recordings and less animosity. While the bookhas a wealth of positive material, the animosity doesas much disrespect to Jimi's memory as those who hurthim while he was alive. A loving tribute to Jimi,Janis, Brian Epstein, Brian Jones and others is in therare and succinct "No ONe Waved Good-Bye" edited byRobert Somma for Bostonian Barry Glovsky's FusionBooks.Al Aronowitz, Lillian Roxon and Lou Reed - threetremenous essayists, are far more sensitive in those121 pages. Which brings us to the DVDs, and there are lots ofthem: Eagle Vision's "Electric Ladyland" identifies thesolution to the dilemma discussed in this article. TheDVD is part of their "Classic Albums" series and givesone a renewed appreciation of the third album from TheJimi Hendrix Experience. Engineer Eddie Kramer takesus through the music and the DVD makes you want to putthe album on again. For those who truly want toremember Jimi Hendrix respectfully and stand in awe ofhis talent, something that creates new desire to hearthe recordings again can only get a thumbs up. "Electric Ladyland" the DVD has me playing the albumagain, and is a DVD that will get repeated spins inthis writer's house. Chrome Dreams "Jimi Hendrix: By Those Who Knew HimBest" and MVD's The Last 24 Hours of Jimi Hendrix aretwo interview discs. Steven Roby appears on "The Last24 Hours" while Jimi's brother Leon Hendrix, respectedjournalist Al Aronowitz, Vince Martell of The VanillaFudge and others talk about Hendrix on "Those Who KnewHim Best." Between all the items mentioned is such a wealth ofinformation that we won't have time to give you thetranscript of Harvey Wharfield's WZLX interview withbassist Noel Redding, or the lecture Visual Radiotaped by Wild Blue Angel director Murray Lerner. Butthis article will give you something very special - anexclusive interview - a conversation with BuzzyLinhart conducted on March 30, 2005.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Having collected Jimi Hendrix music ever since"Purple Haze" burst on my radio - for the better partof thirty eight years, it never ceases to amaze whenthe guitarmaster's music perpetually sells on eBay -sometimes at ridiculous prices. There are 6,209 itemsmentioning Jimi's name on eBay as I write this, 1:36AM on March 31, 2005. That's a stunning amount ofmusic. But there's lots more that you won't ever findon eBay. When taping Little Walter for this writer'sTV program,Visual Radio, the famous disc jockey toldthis journalist that he recorded many Little Richardconcerts, including one with Jimi Hendrix on RevereBeach! Little Richard performed on a bill with Don &Dewey and Maxine Browne. Jimi Hendrix played guitarand Little Walter recorded the event. Not only that-he broadcast it on MIT's WTBS (now WMBR). The onlyknown tape of Little Richard with Jimi was actuallybroadcast on college radio in the 1960s! As I had interviewed John McDermott of the JimiHendrix Estate for an article on the packaging of theHendrix 4 CD Boxed Set, I phoned up Mr. McDermott andinvited him to hear the rare recording at LittleWalter's studio. The three of us listened to theplayback from the radio broadcast tape, the dub, andwe actually got to touch the original masterreel-to-reel tape! It's amazing, opening with TheBeatles' "I Saw Her Standing There", "Lucille", "SendMe Some Lovin'", and five other tunes - Little Richardwith the unmistakable sound of Jimi Hendrix on guitar. Hopefully Little Richard will authorize its release. Akarma Records, a division of the Italian CometRecords label, re-released the interesting LittleRichard album "Friends From The Beginning" whichclaims to have Jimi and Richard together. It's a goodLittle Richard lp, but others dispute any input fromHendrix - Steven Roby stating that Jimi appears onlyon the single "I Don't Know What You've Got" b/w"Dancin' All Around The World", John McDermott's"Setting The Record Straight" citing the onlyappearance being on the 45 "I Don't Know What You'veGot But It's Got Me" Parts 1 & 2 - the A side thatRoby mentions. It's a dilemma, sifting through the fact and thefiction - and while not judging Sharon Lawrence, atrue fan will find more info in "Setting The RecordStraight" and "Black Gold: The Lost Archives Of JimiHendrix", so they are a good place to start. The definitive book has yet to be written - butthanks to the internet, eBay, and the lasting power ofJimi's music, more will be written, studied andexplored. One idea is for a journalist and fan totake a look at what is currently on the table - aswe're doing here - and merging those reflections withinformation from someone who was there back in theday- someone who knew and who jammed with JimiHendrix. The tentative title of that work - a study ofthe recordings and insight from one of Jimi's peersis: "Third Stone From The Seventh Suns"Metronome readers have - with the above informationand that which follows, a taste of the proposed bookwhich is (C)2005 Joe Viglione & Buzzy Linhart - as isthis article. Buzzy Linhart played with Al Kooper and JimiHendrix at Steve Paul's THE SCENE, a recording of themperforming Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone" is on a wellknown and very expensive double lp Hendrix bootleg,"Hoochie Koochie Man". Buzzy also worked with EddieKramer and Mitch Mitchell putting vibraphone on thesong "Drifting" which appears on all three variationsof the "Cry Of Love" sessions. Buzzy:"I first met Jimi at the Cafe Au Go Go at themiddle of a rehearsal with Hendrix and John HammondJr. We were just stopping by to pick up a couple ofdrums or something. This was a pivotal evening for mebecause as I approached the Cafe Au Go Go, the famousdrummer Muruga (of Weather Report fame)was exiting theclub - Muruga told me to get inside and hear thegreatest guitarist in the world. I went down thedimly lit stairs into the showroom of the Cafe Au GoGo and turned the corner into the big room and sawJimmy James & The Blue Flames and John Hammond Jr.rehearsing for an up and coming show. It was a triowith the addition of John Hammond Jr. fronting thegroup, creating a quartet (this was before Buzzy'spartner, Moogy Klingman, and Spirit's Randy Californiawould join The Blue Flames).The Steven Roby book Black Gold says on page 50 - that"Jimi found a loft on Hudson street with roommatesBuzzy Linhart, Roger McGuinn and David Crosby..." Buzzy clarified Mr. Roby's information:"(It was on)Greenwich and Reade St. above the UnitedEgg Company - we were on the third floor - The SeventhSons had a rehearsal loft - Jimi came to it manytimes, David Crosby came many times, Roger McGuinncame many times, but they weren't roommates. It wasthe Seventh Sons' rehearsal loft and party place." From 1966 to 1968 Buzzy Linhart was in the band TheSeventh Sons - featuring Buzzy on vocals, guitar andvibes, drummer Serge Katzen and bassist James Rock.Flute player Frank Eventoff made the Seventh Sons aquartet. They produced an album but only limitedmaterial found release on the legendary ESP label.
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Buzzy: "I was playing Cafe Au Go Go after The SeventhSons fell apart and left me with just an acousticguitar... and I had an offer to open for whoever theacts were at Cafe Au Go Go - opening for acts likeBlood, Sweat & Tears." Steve Paul saw Linhartperforming at Cafe Au Go Go and brought Buzzy to hisclub, The Scene, to open for acts like B.B. King, TheMcCoys with Rick Derringer, and other acts from theday. Buzzy remembers Jimi at The Scene: "...most nights, about showtime, if he wasn'trecording, Jimi would be sitting at one of the bestseats in the house - and many of those evenings weoften ended up in jam sessions.One night I was sitting by the side of the stagewatching whomever and someone came over and said"Buzzy, Jimi's going to play, will you play drums?",and I said Yes. I believe that was the same nightthat Noel Redding announced he was leaving theExperience. He was very sad and got very drunk andkind of messed up the bass parts - which is one of thereasons that recording has not been used more often." It has found release on the Jimi Hendrix double discbootleg "Hoochie Koochie Man" which sells for about ahundred dollars on eBay IF you can find a copy.Sharon Lawrence claims Jimi committed suicide, TheLast 24 Hours Of Jimi Hendrix claims it was apolitical assassination because of the Black Panthermovement, etc. "That could have been a red herringput out there by Michael Jeffrey" Buzzy surmises, asDevon Wilson a.k.a. Dolly Dagger, told Buzzy "Please -you must tell everybody that Jimi was murdered. Hehad been drug free for months." Supposedly she wasdrug free as well as Hendrix and Wilson reportedlyentered and left treatment together. Says Buzzy, "I'll personally never forget Jimi lookingat me from the antique barber's chair in theElectric Lady lobby - spinning around - slowing downexactly on the third spin, holding up a Marlborosaying "Now if I could just quit this I'll havebeat everything." It was really cool - it happenedthat way - I believed him when he told me that, and tohear just a day and a half later people claiming that"once a junkie always a junkie" etc. really rankledme. This was the evening of the day he went back toEngland for the last time. (It took about six hoursto get to London from New York, so night turned intoday with the time change.)Thoughts from Buzzy when Jimi passed away on September18, 1970 "I was sitting in my living room with John Hammond Jr.- we had just jammed on a couple of songs - harp andguitar - when we flipped on the radio. It happened tobe on the news and the international news report cameon saying "the greatest guitarist in the world hasdied in London." I turned to John Hammond and said"that's got to be Hendrix." And the next part of thereport confirmed it. We didn't know what to say, butbeing just 20 blocks or so from Electric Lady we justprobably jumped a cab down to the studio. At ElectricLady somebody said there was a phone call for me. Ipicked up the telephone on the receptionist's desk andit was Dolly Dagger (Devon Wilson) telling me I had tobelieve her. What she told me was that Jimi hadcalled her the day or so before and told her that hehad been up for days. He had talked to his doctor inNew York City and the doctor said "You've got to getsome sleep" - the doctor said "Do you want me to callin some sleeping pills for you to a doctor I know inLondon?" Jimi said"No, that's OK, there's Tuinols in the medicinecabinet in the bathroom here." They agreed that Jimi- having a great tolerance to this type of drug -would need to take 3 capsules. But this turned out tobe the German Tuinols which were the EQUIVALENT ofthree apiece, so they turned out to have the potencyof 9 capsules." (It's been reported by Sharon Lawrencethat Jimi took 9 capsules, but what he took was theGerman equivalent of nine capsules - and Monika musthave known this. If she wasn't sure she should havesaid something.) It overdosed him into sleep lying on his back and hechoked on food, he asphyxiated."Remember", Buzzy made clear, "this is what Devon toldme." Weeks or months earlier - not the night before -but it clicked with the someone in the know afterSeptember 18, 1970, a band member or crew member madea bad mistake when he decided to take a nap on a largecouch in Michael Jeffrey's opulent office - thirdfloor of Electric Lady studios, New York City. It'sthe kind of a sofa where when it is facing this largefireplace - the giant back of the sofa - you can besleeping there and if someone didn't think to lookthey wouldn't even know you were in the room. Thisparticular crew member claims to have overheard adiscussion between Monika and Michael Jeffrey duringwhich he told her that it was only a matter of timetill he - Michael -assured her that he would be taking back the businessfrom Jimi and would she help by poisoning him.
To Be Continued.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE HIGH TO STAY AWAKE TOO LONG(and You Don't Have To Take Drugs To Be Paranoid)
By Buzzy Linhart as told to Joe Viglione
One of the basic things we have to complete to even begin step one, we must once and for all establish the coroners cause of death. There are at least three different versions in three different books regarding this. It's hard to keep a clean laboratory when you're not starting out with the purest necessary elements.
a)if he died of drowning in wine, as one source (between the books, internet and DVDs) suggests, then why is that not mentioned in the coroners report in one of the other well known sources on the subject?
b)what Dolly Dagger (Devon Wilson) was upset about was the suggestions that Hendrix would kill himself.
c)if as Dolly said - this was a proud moment for him -(being drug free) - why would he go backwards? He had already bragged to me about it.
All I can personally say as I sift through these files of immense proportion regarding Hendrix's death -and boasting a long list of authors - is that everything I see and read seems to contradict everything else. All I know is that the phone rang at Electric Lady studios and it was D.D. (Dolly Dagger) for me, she said, "Jimi had been awake for days but totally straight, but too excited". She said she was upset because the press was reporting "heroin overdose", she swore he was "7 months clean", something she and he had accomplished together, his plan to prove that he could play clean. His earliest memories of practicing and learning how to copy other people's licks were confused with a combination of alcohol, marijuana and most anything for awhile there. But if he were to prove that he was the king of the psychedelic gypsies, he'd have to do it not only better than anybody else, but completely clean.
First he was my hero, then I was "dating" one of his girlfriends, and then he was gone. "Don't believe them" she sobbed "He played clean."
BUZZY ON DOLLY DAGGER:
Just a few months later (after Jimi's passing), Dolly & I went to see Taj Mahal at the Fillmore East, Taj solo on dobro accompanied by three tuba players. A hell of a show. I couldn't help but notice that she was looking tired and strained and looked sad even when she smiled. Everybody knew how bad she seemed to miss Jimi. And then just a couple of weeks after that she died mysteriously, under mysterious circumstances at the Chelsea Hotel, Manhattan, New York. She did tell me she didn't know if she could go on without him. I wonder whatever happened to her baby. She showed me a picture of a baby with lips like Mick Jagger - she claimed that it was Mick Jagger's baby, and you'd think so by seeing his face."
In Sharon Lawrence's book, JIMI HENDRIX: THE MAN, THE MAGIC, THE TRUTH, page 160, she claims Devon Wilson threw a party "both to celebrate Jimi's birthday and further her own desire to start an affair with Mick Jagger."
Buzzy's recollections are startling - especially when one looks at the timeline. According to an article in VOODOO CHILE by Carmen Geddes: "Devon Wilson had fallen (or been pushed) from a window at New York’s Chelsea Hotel (in February of 1971), and in March 1973, Mike Jeffrey was killed in a plane crash on his way to find out who would be inheriting Jimi Hendrix’s British musical royalties."
If Jimi Hendrix was murdered, which is the conclusion found in "Rethinking John Lennon’s Assassination - The FBI’s War on Rock Stars By Salvador Astucia, Part V, Chapter 12: Jimi Hendrix", it fits in with what our unnamed Hendrix associate told us - that he heard Michael Jeffrey ask Monika to kill Jimi. But Jeffrey (the manager of Hendrix) only went so far in discussing it during that overheard conversation revealed in the May 2005 issue of Metronome.
Astucia goes back to the late Tony Brown's book: "Brown insinuates that Dannemann murdered Hendrix because she was jealous of his other girlfriends. Having stated that, Brown makes a compelling argument that Dannemann was, at a minimum, deeply involved in Hendrix’s death in some manner. She may have killed him personally, as Brown suggests, but I seriously doubt that she acted alone regardless of her role in the crime." Which gives more credibility to Devon Wilson's claims and the information from the person who was on the couch in Mike Jeffrey's office. Also keep in mind that Tony Brown was corresponding with Dannemann frequently until her death, April 5, 1996, while Tony Brown was working on HENDRIX: THE FINAL DAYS - that author having more access to Dannemann's ramblings over a longer period of time than perhaps anyone. Astucia notes that the suicide was "Two days after the court found her ‘in contempt’, Monika was found dead in her Mercedes car, asphyxiated by carbon monoxide." Tony Brown himself died on March 9, 2001. Which means the casualty list has grown quite long - Hendrix, Devon Wilson, Mike Jeffrey, Monika Dannemann, Tony Brown, Noel Redding, Chas Chandler and Al Hendrix.
Astucia goes into great detail on "the real cause of Hendrix’s death" saying " Twenty-three years later, information emerged which strongly suggests Hendrix was murdered. In 1993 it was disclosed that Hendrix had not strangled on his vomit, but "drowned in red wine."
Caesar Glebbeek co-authored "Electric Gypsy", and interviewed Buzzy Linhart, though Buzzy is not referenced in the book. On page 477 of that 1991 St. Martin's Press book the authors seem to draw a conclusion that it was an accidental overdose - but again - they quote Monika Dannemann on page 476 saying "there were other tablets in the cupboard which he could have taken if he wanted to do the job properly."They also consider the CIA, FBI, Black Panthers and manager Mike Jeffrey - which they dismiss.
Classicbands.com notes that "In 1993, the investigation into Hendrix's death was reopened by Scotland Yard, but when no new evidence was unearthed, the matter was dropped." http://www.classicrockpage.com/ goes into even more detail saying "...a leading forensic scientist said at the time that the dose of sleeping pills was too low to be fatal in itself. The official cause of death rendered was "inhalation of vomit due to barbiturate intoxication". The site notes that "Both Noel Redding and Monika Dannemann believe in the "slight possibility" that Hendrix was murdered..." - which is interesting since Dannemann is believed to be the murderess.
The site also claims something interesting: "Jimi did have access to over 40 sleeping tablets at the flat, so if he wanted to commit suicide . . .)" Sharon Lawrence's book says that Monika Dannemann told her she had four packets of 10 pills and that one was opened with only 1 pill left. So Sharon Lawrence, Jimi's "dear friend" who slashes at Al Hendrix in the book,makes the ludicrous claim that Jimi made a "conscious decision" to take 9 tablets. Which means that Lawrence buys into one of Dannemann's many stories - the one Sharon Lawrence finds most convenient. As an outsider, one has to shake their head: this is Jimi's friend?? - believing one of Dannemann's stories - stories from a woman who killed herself two days after losing a libel trial regarding her information (or misinformation) about Jimi Hendrix? The only thing missing from Sharon Lawrence's book is the notion that maybe Jimi Hendrix took 9 pills while listening to The Beatle's "Revolution #9" while the voice says "#9, #9, #9".
Absurd.
The Classicrockpage.com has more interesting bits: "As Redding says in his book, "Jimi died from choking on his vomit and that in itself should have been a preventable cause of death". Interestingly enough, in 1991 both Eric Burdon (who Dannemann called before calling the ambulance the morning of September 18, 1970), and Mitch Mitchell called on Scotland Yard to reopen the investigation into Jimi's death. In 1993, England's Attorney-General agreed and investigated before announcing that it "found no evidence to pursue the case further".-------------------------------------------------------Buzzy on Monika Danneman
The rumor is that Monika called a local celebrity's roadie and he warned her that she had to make sure her flat was completely clean of any drug residue or paraphernalia or they'd all be indicted for drug possession. They started talking about it, it got out of hand, and she was afraid to call or something.That was NOT from Dolly Dagger, that was New York City scuttlebutt.
Jimi Hendrix's Music in The Afterlife
http://www.artquest.org.uk/ is a British website which features the Artlaw Archive - a program for visual arts and craftspeople. There they have a fascinating page called "Art After Death" by Henry Lydiate
Lydiate discusses famous legal battles, the (Andy)Warhol Foundation (1994), the Dali Estate (2001), Bacon's legacy (2002) and others. The site states:
"Consistent themes/issues emerge for artists who care what will happen to their works after death. For example, making a will and taking independent expert advice before doing so; choosing executors - especially ones who have nothing to gain from the Estate; ensuring that unsold works and personal archive material are carefully catalogued well before death; and taking particular care to decide on the possible merchandising of their images during the 70 years of their copyright remaining after their death."
This, of course, was a major problem with the legacy of Jimi Hendrix, which makes his cause of death as essential as the fact that he had no written will.Keep in mind, in this 35th year after his passing, thousands of pages have been written in books and on the internet, with little new information. For the first time in those 35 years, Metronome Magazine is presenting new - never before published - information regarding one of the greatest tragedies in the history of rock music.
Scotland Yard should reopen the investigation.
Joe Viglione
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Correspondent, The Medford TranscriptAlex Radio Show
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Jimi Hendrix Reviews
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THIS WAS AN ARTICLE WE GRACIOUSLY ALLOWED METRONOME TO PRINT.
INSIDE THE LEGACY OF JIMI HENDRIX
By Joe Viglione
Imagine sometime in the future when the music ofJimi Hendrix will be public domain (as the works ofEdgar Allan Poe are now) - when people will be free totake his amazing intuition, inspiration and feelingsdown different avenues with whatever new technology isavailable. Exploring the life and music of JimiHendrix as it currently stands in 2005 is a full timejob. Whether you are listening to the beautifulinstrumental, "The New Rising Sun", from the 1995"Voodoo Soup" album put together by producer AlanDouglas or "Hey Baby (New Rising Sun)" that appears onthe 1997 release "First Rays Of The New Rising Sun"produced by Eddie Kramer, Jimi Hendrix, Mitch Mitchelland John Jansen, or comparing those two discs to the1971 release "The Cry Of Love" - all three versionsof Jimi's "final album" having many of the sametracks, those performances going through new mixeswith new technology, and sometimes, different sets ofears. While listening to all the musical informationthese various producers have made available it is hardto retain each nuance of the guitarist's magic - there is just so much remixed material to absorb, study andconsider. And if you think cataloguing the music ofHendrix available to fans is a daunting task, whatabout the volume of text material being issued thatdiscusses his short life? The Jimi Hendrix fan base is strong --- and rabid!Thus the release of the book "Jimi Hendrix: The Man,The Magic, The Truth", by former UPI reporter andHendrix friend Sharon Lawrence, has caused the usualstirs in that world.
Described as "the definitive"account of Jimi Hendrix by publisher Harper/Collins, readers should be advised that, although authorLawrence was clearly a close confidante of Jimi's -the 352 pages may include important information, butcan hardly be considered the "definitive" account. There is some insight regarding the persona of EdChalpin, the man who has perpetually licensed the PPXtapes and who signed Jimi to a recording contract inthe 1960s. Lawrence speaks with him on the phone andquotes Chalpin as saying "They've killed him" inregards to the passing of Jimi on September 18, 1970.The author also notes that she received a call fromMonika Dannemann in 1991 - who Lawrence describes as"the woman who let Jimi die." Since Jimi's death hasbecome as much of a discussion as his music - thatevent unfortunately walking hand-in-hand with the art- this article explores information previouslyunavailable about that tragic incident - and how ithas all impacted what the artist was expressing.
While "The Last 24 Hours Of Jimi Hendrix" DVD saysthat the U.S. Government had interest in killing JimiHendrix - making it clear that from that product'spoint of view - that his death was a murder, Lawrencesays with great emphasis that she believes his deathwas a suicide. Metronome Magazine, in an exclusiveinterview with Jimi's friend, Buzzy Linhart, hasinformation that the late Monika Dannemann killed Jimiat the request of the late Michael Jeffrey, formermanager of Hendrix, The Animals, Genya Ravan and othergroups. In order to get to the truth the devotee - thetrue Jimi enthusiast - needs to explore as many of thebooks and DVDs as humanly possible. Jas Obrecht andAl Hendrix's "My Son Jimi", Steven Roby's tremendous"Black Gold: The Lost Archives Of Jimi Hendrix" andEddie Kramer and John McDermott's equally excellent"Hendrix: Setting The Record Straight" are a goodstart, though none of them answer all the questions ina satisfactory manner. Lawrence's book is certainly compelling enough,but when she discusses the Toronto trial she limitsher own testimony at that major event in Jimi's lifeto one paragraph. It leaves the reader wondering andwanting more. While Steven Roby includes testimonyfrom both Hendrix and Lawrence in his book, anexhaustive and essential work, and though his book -like McDermott's, is a fun investigation andexploration of the music, it still has flaws. Lawrence glosses over "Jimmy James & The BlueFlames", a pivotal bridge from Jimi's work as aback-up musician to the formation of The Jimi HendrixExperience. The material on "Jimmy James & The BlueFlames" - a vital part of Jimi's career which featuredfuture "Spirit" co-founder Randy California and futureUtopia co-founder Moogy Klingman - is remarkably thin. At least a chapter or two on that phase of his lifeis essential to any biography. The author loves Jimi, and that comes throughloud and clear, but her bias against Al Hendrix, JanieHendrix, Leon Hendrix, John McDermott (a major forcein Experience Hendrix who gets dismissed with a meremention), Ed Chalpin, Michael Jeffrey, MonikaDannemann, Devon "Dolly Dagger" Wilson, pretty muchmost of the people in Jimi's life save a few, is a redflag. She lumps some of the heroes in with thevillains. There's no doubt that Jeffrey, Dannemannand Chalpin had a negative effect on the artist, butthen there's the catch 22 - the question which mostfeel is blasphemous: would Jimi Hendrix have emergedas the giant he is without the efforts of Ed Chalpin and/or Michael Jeffrey? Would he have gotten frompoint A to point B without those two? One would liketo think that pure talent wins out, but we are talking about the music industry, a business which discardstalent like yesterday's newspaper. Just look at howthe tapes of Jimi Hendrix were treated prior toExperience Hendrix giving those masters and mixes therespect, in regards to properly cataloguing andstoring them, that genius deserves.
Lawrence is lethal when it comes to Al Hendrix,Jimi's dad, and maybe - if she's to get the benefit ofthe doubt -her insight there is not off base, butthere is a glaring lack of objectivity in the book,and that is what weakens her story and makes usquestion her motives in regard to Al Hendrix. Roby,as well as McDermott and Kramer, give more meat intheir writings- though all these books can't resistoffering and mixing opinion with fact. At least Steven Roby makes the effort to give aBibliography in Black Gold, and a book that reviewsthe books is what is really needed here. It is goingto take a highly objective journalist to sift throughthe voluminous work that makes up the Hendrix audioand video catalogs as well as the variety of sourcesthat give so many perspectives. Eric Burdon's 2001biography, "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood", speakskindly of Al Hendrix, and asks the pertinent question:Did Monika "dose" Jimi with wine and sleeping pills? Proving my point - an overabundance of informationwith no clear line that provides something conclusive. Perhaps the most outrageous aspect of "JimiHendrix: The Man, The Magic, The Truth" is SharonLawrence totally dismissing John McDermott (and StevenRoby) but quoting a whacko obsessive fan from the aHendrix Yahoo fan group. For a credible journalist toindulge the lunatic fringe, well, the transcripts ofthe Toronto trial would be a bit more informative thanone of the nuisance fans who live vicariously throughJimi's music. It is devastating to Lawrence'scredibility - she savages the memory of the late AlHendrix and backs up her position with quotes from anutcase. Jimi Hendrix: The Man, The Magic, The Truthneeded a little bit more emphasis on the performancesand the recordings and less animosity. While the bookhas a wealth of positive material, the animosity doesas much disrespect to Jimi's memory as those who hurthim while he was alive. A loving tribute to Jimi,Janis, Brian Epstein, Brian Jones and others is in therare and succinct "No ONe Waved Good-Bye" edited byRobert Somma for Bostonian Barry Glovsky's FusionBooks.Al Aronowitz, Lillian Roxon and Lou Reed - threetremenous essayists, are far more sensitive in those121 pages. Which brings us to the DVDs, and there are lots ofthem: Eagle Vision's "Electric Ladyland" identifies thesolution to the dilemma discussed in this article. TheDVD is part of their "Classic Albums" series and givesone a renewed appreciation of the third album from TheJimi Hendrix Experience. Engineer Eddie Kramer takesus through the music and the DVD makes you want to putthe album on again. For those who truly want toremember Jimi Hendrix respectfully and stand in awe ofhis talent, something that creates new desire to hearthe recordings again can only get a thumbs up. "Electric Ladyland" the DVD has me playing the albumagain, and is a DVD that will get repeated spins inthis writer's house. Chrome Dreams "Jimi Hendrix: By Those Who Knew HimBest" and MVD's The Last 24 Hours of Jimi Hendrix aretwo interview discs. Steven Roby appears on "The Last24 Hours" while Jimi's brother Leon Hendrix, respectedjournalist Al Aronowitz, Vince Martell of The VanillaFudge and others talk about Hendrix on "Those Who KnewHim Best." Between all the items mentioned is such a wealth ofinformation that we won't have time to give you thetranscript of Harvey Wharfield's WZLX interview withbassist Noel Redding, or the lecture Visual Radiotaped by Wild Blue Angel director Murray Lerner. Butthis article will give you something very special - anexclusive interview - a conversation with BuzzyLinhart conducted on March 30, 2005.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Having collected Jimi Hendrix music ever since"Purple Haze" burst on my radio - for the better partof thirty eight years, it never ceases to amaze whenthe guitarmaster's music perpetually sells on eBay -sometimes at ridiculous prices. There are 6,209 itemsmentioning Jimi's name on eBay as I write this, 1:36AM on March 31, 2005. That's a stunning amount ofmusic. But there's lots more that you won't ever findon eBay. When taping Little Walter for this writer'sTV program,Visual Radio, the famous disc jockey toldthis journalist that he recorded many Little Richardconcerts, including one with Jimi Hendrix on RevereBeach! Little Richard performed on a bill with Don &Dewey and Maxine Browne. Jimi Hendrix played guitarand Little Walter recorded the event. Not only that-he broadcast it on MIT's WTBS (now WMBR). The onlyknown tape of Little Richard with Jimi was actuallybroadcast on college radio in the 1960s! As I had interviewed John McDermott of the JimiHendrix Estate for an article on the packaging of theHendrix 4 CD Boxed Set, I phoned up Mr. McDermott andinvited him to hear the rare recording at LittleWalter's studio. The three of us listened to theplayback from the radio broadcast tape, the dub, andwe actually got to touch the original masterreel-to-reel tape! It's amazing, opening with TheBeatles' "I Saw Her Standing There", "Lucille", "SendMe Some Lovin'", and five other tunes - Little Richardwith the unmistakable sound of Jimi Hendrix on guitar. Hopefully Little Richard will authorize its release. Akarma Records, a division of the Italian CometRecords label, re-released the interesting LittleRichard album "Friends From The Beginning" whichclaims to have Jimi and Richard together. It's a goodLittle Richard lp, but others dispute any input fromHendrix - Steven Roby stating that Jimi appears onlyon the single "I Don't Know What You've Got" b/w"Dancin' All Around The World", John McDermott's"Setting The Record Straight" citing the onlyappearance being on the 45 "I Don't Know What You'veGot But It's Got Me" Parts 1 & 2 - the A side thatRoby mentions. It's a dilemma, sifting through the fact and thefiction - and while not judging Sharon Lawrence, atrue fan will find more info in "Setting The RecordStraight" and "Black Gold: The Lost Archives Of JimiHendrix", so they are a good place to start. The definitive book has yet to be written - butthanks to the internet, eBay, and the lasting power ofJimi's music, more will be written, studied andexplored. One idea is for a journalist and fan totake a look at what is currently on the table - aswe're doing here - and merging those reflections withinformation from someone who was there back in theday- someone who knew and who jammed with JimiHendrix. The tentative title of that work - a study ofthe recordings and insight from one of Jimi's peersis: "Third Stone From The Seventh Suns"Metronome readers have - with the above informationand that which follows, a taste of the proposed bookwhich is (C)2005 Joe Viglione & Buzzy Linhart - as isthis article. Buzzy Linhart played with Al Kooper and JimiHendrix at Steve Paul's THE SCENE, a recording of themperforming Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone" is on a wellknown and very expensive double lp Hendrix bootleg,"Hoochie Koochie Man". Buzzy also worked with EddieKramer and Mitch Mitchell putting vibraphone on thesong "Drifting" which appears on all three variationsof the "Cry Of Love" sessions. Buzzy:"I first met Jimi at the Cafe Au Go Go at themiddle of a rehearsal with Hendrix and John HammondJr. We were just stopping by to pick up a couple ofdrums or something. This was a pivotal evening for mebecause as I approached the Cafe Au Go Go, the famousdrummer Muruga (of Weather Report fame)was exiting theclub - Muruga told me to get inside and hear thegreatest guitarist in the world. I went down thedimly lit stairs into the showroom of the Cafe Au GoGo and turned the corner into the big room and sawJimmy James & The Blue Flames and John Hammond Jr.rehearsing for an up and coming show. It was a triowith the addition of John Hammond Jr. fronting thegroup, creating a quartet (this was before Buzzy'spartner, Moogy Klingman, and Spirit's Randy Californiawould join The Blue Flames).The Steven Roby book Black Gold says on page 50 - that"Jimi found a loft on Hudson street with roommatesBuzzy Linhart, Roger McGuinn and David Crosby..." Buzzy clarified Mr. Roby's information:"(It was on)Greenwich and Reade St. above the UnitedEgg Company - we were on the third floor - The SeventhSons had a rehearsal loft - Jimi came to it manytimes, David Crosby came many times, Roger McGuinncame many times, but they weren't roommates. It wasthe Seventh Sons' rehearsal loft and party place." From 1966 to 1968 Buzzy Linhart was in the band TheSeventh Sons - featuring Buzzy on vocals, guitar andvibes, drummer Serge Katzen and bassist James Rock.Flute player Frank Eventoff made the Seventh Sons aquartet. They produced an album but only limitedmaterial found release on the legendary ESP label.
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Buzzy: "I was playing Cafe Au Go Go after The SeventhSons fell apart and left me with just an acousticguitar... and I had an offer to open for whoever theacts were at Cafe Au Go Go - opening for acts likeBlood, Sweat & Tears." Steve Paul saw Linhartperforming at Cafe Au Go Go and brought Buzzy to hisclub, The Scene, to open for acts like B.B. King, TheMcCoys with Rick Derringer, and other acts from theday. Buzzy remembers Jimi at The Scene: "...most nights, about showtime, if he wasn'trecording, Jimi would be sitting at one of the bestseats in the house - and many of those evenings weoften ended up in jam sessions.One night I was sitting by the side of the stagewatching whomever and someone came over and said"Buzzy, Jimi's going to play, will you play drums?",and I said Yes. I believe that was the same nightthat Noel Redding announced he was leaving theExperience. He was very sad and got very drunk andkind of messed up the bass parts - which is one of thereasons that recording has not been used more often." It has found release on the Jimi Hendrix double discbootleg "Hoochie Koochie Man" which sells for about ahundred dollars on eBay IF you can find a copy.Sharon Lawrence claims Jimi committed suicide, TheLast 24 Hours Of Jimi Hendrix claims it was apolitical assassination because of the Black Panthermovement, etc. "That could have been a red herringput out there by Michael Jeffrey" Buzzy surmises, asDevon Wilson a.k.a. Dolly Dagger, told Buzzy "Please -you must tell everybody that Jimi was murdered. Hehad been drug free for months." Supposedly she wasdrug free as well as Hendrix and Wilson reportedlyentered and left treatment together. Says Buzzy, "I'll personally never forget Jimi lookingat me from the antique barber's chair in theElectric Lady lobby - spinning around - slowing downexactly on the third spin, holding up a Marlborosaying "Now if I could just quit this I'll havebeat everything." It was really cool - it happenedthat way - I believed him when he told me that, and tohear just a day and a half later people claiming that"once a junkie always a junkie" etc. really rankledme. This was the evening of the day he went back toEngland for the last time. (It took about six hoursto get to London from New York, so night turned intoday with the time change.)Thoughts from Buzzy when Jimi passed away on September18, 1970 "I was sitting in my living room with John Hammond Jr.- we had just jammed on a couple of songs - harp andguitar - when we flipped on the radio. It happened tobe on the news and the international news report cameon saying "the greatest guitarist in the world hasdied in London." I turned to John Hammond and said"that's got to be Hendrix." And the next part of thereport confirmed it. We didn't know what to say, butbeing just 20 blocks or so from Electric Lady we justprobably jumped a cab down to the studio. At ElectricLady somebody said there was a phone call for me. Ipicked up the telephone on the receptionist's desk andit was Dolly Dagger (Devon Wilson) telling me I had tobelieve her. What she told me was that Jimi hadcalled her the day or so before and told her that hehad been up for days. He had talked to his doctor inNew York City and the doctor said "You've got to getsome sleep" - the doctor said "Do you want me to callin some sleeping pills for you to a doctor I know inLondon?" Jimi said"No, that's OK, there's Tuinols in the medicinecabinet in the bathroom here." They agreed that Jimi- having a great tolerance to this type of drug -would need to take 3 capsules. But this turned out tobe the German Tuinols which were the EQUIVALENT ofthree apiece, so they turned out to have the potencyof 9 capsules." (It's been reported by Sharon Lawrencethat Jimi took 9 capsules, but what he took was theGerman equivalent of nine capsules - and Monika musthave known this. If she wasn't sure she should havesaid something.) It overdosed him into sleep lying on his back and hechoked on food, he asphyxiated."Remember", Buzzy made clear, "this is what Devon toldme." Weeks or months earlier - not the night before -but it clicked with the someone in the know afterSeptember 18, 1970, a band member or crew member madea bad mistake when he decided to take a nap on a largecouch in Michael Jeffrey's opulent office - thirdfloor of Electric Lady studios, New York City. It'sthe kind of a sofa where when it is facing this largefireplace - the giant back of the sofa - you can besleeping there and if someone didn't think to lookthey wouldn't even know you were in the room. Thisparticular crew member claims to have overheard adiscussion between Monika and Michael Jeffrey duringwhich he told her that it was only a matter of timetill he - Michael -assured her that he would be taking back the businessfrom Jimi and would she help by poisoning him.
To Be Continued.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE HIGH TO STAY AWAKE TOO LONG(and You Don't Have To Take Drugs To Be Paranoid)
By Buzzy Linhart as told to Joe Viglione
One of the basic things we have to complete to even begin step one, we must once and for all establish the coroners cause of death. There are at least three different versions in three different books regarding this. It's hard to keep a clean laboratory when you're not starting out with the purest necessary elements.
a)if he died of drowning in wine, as one source (between the books, internet and DVDs) suggests, then why is that not mentioned in the coroners report in one of the other well known sources on the subject?
b)what Dolly Dagger (Devon Wilson) was upset about was the suggestions that Hendrix would kill himself.
c)if as Dolly said - this was a proud moment for him -(being drug free) - why would he go backwards? He had already bragged to me about it.
All I can personally say as I sift through these files of immense proportion regarding Hendrix's death -and boasting a long list of authors - is that everything I see and read seems to contradict everything else. All I know is that the phone rang at Electric Lady studios and it was D.D. (Dolly Dagger) for me, she said, "Jimi had been awake for days but totally straight, but too excited". She said she was upset because the press was reporting "heroin overdose", she swore he was "7 months clean", something she and he had accomplished together, his plan to prove that he could play clean. His earliest memories of practicing and learning how to copy other people's licks were confused with a combination of alcohol, marijuana and most anything for awhile there. But if he were to prove that he was the king of the psychedelic gypsies, he'd have to do it not only better than anybody else, but completely clean.
First he was my hero, then I was "dating" one of his girlfriends, and then he was gone. "Don't believe them" she sobbed "He played clean."
BUZZY ON DOLLY DAGGER:
Just a few months later (after Jimi's passing), Dolly & I went to see Taj Mahal at the Fillmore East, Taj solo on dobro accompanied by three tuba players. A hell of a show. I couldn't help but notice that she was looking tired and strained and looked sad even when she smiled. Everybody knew how bad she seemed to miss Jimi. And then just a couple of weeks after that she died mysteriously, under mysterious circumstances at the Chelsea Hotel, Manhattan, New York. She did tell me she didn't know if she could go on without him. I wonder whatever happened to her baby. She showed me a picture of a baby with lips like Mick Jagger - she claimed that it was Mick Jagger's baby, and you'd think so by seeing his face."
In Sharon Lawrence's book, JIMI HENDRIX: THE MAN, THE MAGIC, THE TRUTH, page 160, she claims Devon Wilson threw a party "both to celebrate Jimi's birthday and further her own desire to start an affair with Mick Jagger."
Buzzy's recollections are startling - especially when one looks at the timeline. According to an article in VOODOO CHILE by Carmen Geddes: "Devon Wilson had fallen (or been pushed) from a window at New York’s Chelsea Hotel (in February of 1971), and in March 1973, Mike Jeffrey was killed in a plane crash on his way to find out who would be inheriting Jimi Hendrix’s British musical royalties."
If Jimi Hendrix was murdered, which is the conclusion found in "Rethinking John Lennon’s Assassination - The FBI’s War on Rock Stars By Salvador Astucia, Part V, Chapter 12: Jimi Hendrix", it fits in with what our unnamed Hendrix associate told us - that he heard Michael Jeffrey ask Monika to kill Jimi. But Jeffrey (the manager of Hendrix) only went so far in discussing it during that overheard conversation revealed in the May 2005 issue of Metronome.
Astucia goes back to the late Tony Brown's book: "Brown insinuates that Dannemann murdered Hendrix because she was jealous of his other girlfriends. Having stated that, Brown makes a compelling argument that Dannemann was, at a minimum, deeply involved in Hendrix’s death in some manner. She may have killed him personally, as Brown suggests, but I seriously doubt that she acted alone regardless of her role in the crime." Which gives more credibility to Devon Wilson's claims and the information from the person who was on the couch in Mike Jeffrey's office. Also keep in mind that Tony Brown was corresponding with Dannemann frequently until her death, April 5, 1996, while Tony Brown was working on HENDRIX: THE FINAL DAYS - that author having more access to Dannemann's ramblings over a longer period of time than perhaps anyone. Astucia notes that the suicide was "Two days after the court found her ‘in contempt’, Monika was found dead in her Mercedes car, asphyxiated by carbon monoxide." Tony Brown himself died on March 9, 2001. Which means the casualty list has grown quite long - Hendrix, Devon Wilson, Mike Jeffrey, Monika Dannemann, Tony Brown, Noel Redding, Chas Chandler and Al Hendrix.
Astucia goes into great detail on "the real cause of Hendrix’s death" saying " Twenty-three years later, information emerged which strongly suggests Hendrix was murdered. In 1993 it was disclosed that Hendrix had not strangled on his vomit, but "drowned in red wine."
Caesar Glebbeek co-authored "Electric Gypsy", and interviewed Buzzy Linhart, though Buzzy is not referenced in the book. On page 477 of that 1991 St. Martin's Press book the authors seem to draw a conclusion that it was an accidental overdose - but again - they quote Monika Dannemann on page 476 saying "there were other tablets in the cupboard which he could have taken if he wanted to do the job properly."They also consider the CIA, FBI, Black Panthers and manager Mike Jeffrey - which they dismiss.
Classicbands.com notes that "In 1993, the investigation into Hendrix's death was reopened by Scotland Yard, but when no new evidence was unearthed, the matter was dropped." http://www.classicrockpage.com/ goes into even more detail saying "...a leading forensic scientist said at the time that the dose of sleeping pills was too low to be fatal in itself. The official cause of death rendered was "inhalation of vomit due to barbiturate intoxication". The site notes that "Both Noel Redding and Monika Dannemann believe in the "slight possibility" that Hendrix was murdered..." - which is interesting since Dannemann is believed to be the murderess.
The site also claims something interesting: "Jimi did have access to over 40 sleeping tablets at the flat, so if he wanted to commit suicide . . .)" Sharon Lawrence's book says that Monika Dannemann told her she had four packets of 10 pills and that one was opened with only 1 pill left. So Sharon Lawrence, Jimi's "dear friend" who slashes at Al Hendrix in the book,makes the ludicrous claim that Jimi made a "conscious decision" to take 9 tablets. Which means that Lawrence buys into one of Dannemann's many stories - the one Sharon Lawrence finds most convenient. As an outsider, one has to shake their head: this is Jimi's friend?? - believing one of Dannemann's stories - stories from a woman who killed herself two days after losing a libel trial regarding her information (or misinformation) about Jimi Hendrix? The only thing missing from Sharon Lawrence's book is the notion that maybe Jimi Hendrix took 9 pills while listening to The Beatle's "Revolution #9" while the voice says "#9, #9, #9".
Absurd.
The Classicrockpage.com has more interesting bits: "As Redding says in his book, "Jimi died from choking on his vomit and that in itself should have been a preventable cause of death". Interestingly enough, in 1991 both Eric Burdon (who Dannemann called before calling the ambulance the morning of September 18, 1970), and Mitch Mitchell called on Scotland Yard to reopen the investigation into Jimi's death. In 1993, England's Attorney-General agreed and investigated before announcing that it "found no evidence to pursue the case further".-------------------------------------------------------Buzzy on Monika Danneman
The rumor is that Monika called a local celebrity's roadie and he warned her that she had to make sure her flat was completely clean of any drug residue or paraphernalia or they'd all be indicted for drug possession. They started talking about it, it got out of hand, and she was afraid to call or something.That was NOT from Dolly Dagger, that was New York City scuttlebutt.
Jimi Hendrix's Music in The Afterlife
http://www.artquest.org.uk/ is a British website which features the Artlaw Archive - a program for visual arts and craftspeople. There they have a fascinating page called "Art After Death" by Henry Lydiate
Lydiate discusses famous legal battles, the (Andy)Warhol Foundation (1994), the Dali Estate (2001), Bacon's legacy (2002) and others. The site states:
"Consistent themes/issues emerge for artists who care what will happen to their works after death. For example, making a will and taking independent expert advice before doing so; choosing executors - especially ones who have nothing to gain from the Estate; ensuring that unsold works and personal archive material are carefully catalogued well before death; and taking particular care to decide on the possible merchandising of their images during the 70 years of their copyright remaining after their death."
This, of course, was a major problem with the legacy of Jimi Hendrix, which makes his cause of death as essential as the fact that he had no written will.Keep in mind, in this 35th year after his passing, thousands of pages have been written in books and on the internet, with little new information. For the first time in those 35 years, Metronome Magazine is presenting new - never before published - information regarding one of the greatest tragedies in the history of rock music.
Scotland Yard should reopen the investigation.
Joe Viglione
Producer/Host
http://www.visual-radio.net/
Correspondent, The Medford TranscriptAlex Radio Show
http://www2.townonline.com/medford/artsLifestyle/view.bg?articleid=204224
PJ Shapiro
http://www2.townonline.com/medford/artsLifestyle/view.bg?articleid=185860
Jimi Hendrix Reviews
http://www.hendrixreviews.blogspot.com/
Correspondent - Metronome Magazine
http://metronomemagazine.blogspot.com/
Journalist, AllMusic.Com
http://community.webtv.net/TheMadFaxer/rockjournalistjoe
Film Reviews on the Blacklisted Journal
http://www.bigmagic.com/pages/blackj/column92l.html
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