Just watched the American Masters episode: "Hear My Train a Comin." A very cool little film about Jimi Hendrix. It has lots of interviews with folks with first-hand accounts of Jimi Hendrix. There are some great interviews with musicians - Paul McCartney, Chas Chandler, Stevie Winwood, Billy Cox, who knew him as a consummate, dedicated musician, and with women and family members who knew him as a shy, humble and charismatic presence.
I've read books about Hendrix, bought the records, seen some of the great footage of live performances, I own a DVD of his performance at Woodstock, and the real excitement and kick of this film is the new footage I've never seen before and really, to try to understand and to experience the "genius" of Hendrix you need to see him in live performance. Video is the next best thing.
I recently read Pete Townshend's autobiography and he writes about how seeing Hendrix for the first time in a small club in London was one of the greatest moments of his life. Pretty high praise, indeed. I own a white Stratocaster, it's my prize possession, and I probably own it because of Hendrix. I mean I don't think I thought of it consciously at the time, but somewhere in the back of my mind I have an indelible picture of Jimi Hendrix standing on stage, possessed by the music, white Stratocaster in hand conjuring magic. Really.
The one omission in the film? No mention of LSD. I mean "have you ever been experienced?" And what of "Purple Haze?" I guess the filmmakers wanted to emphasize the music, and not dwell on the drugs, but to talk about Hendrix and not mention LSD and it's influence on Jimi's head and ears (psychedelic!) seems to be a glaring omission. Still an eye-opening little film!