Quotation Blog Oct. 2nd
New book started: Jimi Hendrix - The Room Full Of Mirrors By Charles R. Cross. Pages read since finishing Clapton book last week: 0-96
So far in this book, I have learned about the early life of Hendrix leading up to his first days of playing the guitar. Jimi was born in Seattle, Washington. His mother birthed Jimi at the age of 17 and unfortunately had many relationship issues with Hendrix's father, Al. He soon gained two more siblings, Leon and Joseph before his mother left the family. Jimi's mother left the family when he turned 6. He only saw his mother sporadically before she died a few years later. Growing up, Jimi appeared to have a strong interest in the blues music. Jimi listened to artists like Albert King, Robert Johnson and BB King. He also took interest in artists like Miles Davis. It was not until he was sixteen years old that his father encouraged him to learn how to play the guitar. Jimi was gifted a right handed Supra Ozark guitar and began to play. However, due to Jimi being left handed, he turned the guitar upside down and learnt the guitar upside down. He soon joined a band called the rocking kings and dropped out of high school.
This is where Jimi stands different from most people in the early to mid fifties. Most kids of Jimi's age were not picking up the guitar, joining bands, and dropping out of school. Jimi saw himself as somewhat of an outcast due to racism and his interests versus those he saw around him. He also faced the burden of his mother leaving him with his father, something similar to how Eric Clapton felt when he had found out that he was left with his grandparents at a young age. This is where I found the quotation featured below. The differentiation between Jimi's life and those around him was being explained. He saw himself as somewhat of an outcast. When looking at what I know of Jimi's career, this quotation still holds true. When talking about famous guitarists, Jimi is always brought up as one of the most evolutionary guitarists that ever lived. He was the first to break his equipment and burn his gear on stage. He was also the first to use heavy distortion and strange effects as one of his center pieces to his music.
"Every city in the world always has a gang, a street gang, or the so called outcasts. (Cross 53)
In my life, I see "outcasts" all the time. When comparing the youth of today to the youth of 50 years ago, society has come a long way. Everywhere I look I see someone doing something out of the ordinary! It is a really cool thing to see. I have friends that sing, paint, play jazz and blue grass, scuba dive... you name it. There is endless possibilities today with the things that one can do with their lives. I am not sure if the word outcasts is the right word to use for these people, I think the word unique is a better word for these kinds of people. But looking back at Jimi and his plans and ambitions with the guitar, playing the "white" associated genre of rock and roll, I am amazed as he was absolutely unique. Because of it, people still talk about him today as one of the best guitarists who ever lived.
Here is a video and a photo of Jimi burning and destroying his equipment on stage.
So far in this book, I have learned about the early life of Hendrix leading up to his first days of playing the guitar. Jimi was born in Seattle, Washington. His mother birthed Jimi at the age of 17 and unfortunately had many relationship issues with Hendrix's father, Al. He soon gained two more siblings, Leon and Joseph before his mother left the family. Jimi's mother left the family when he turned 6. He only saw his mother sporadically before she died a few years later. Growing up, Jimi appeared to have a strong interest in the blues music. Jimi listened to artists like Albert King, Robert Johnson and BB King. He also took interest in artists like Miles Davis. It was not until he was sixteen years old that his father encouraged him to learn how to play the guitar. Jimi was gifted a right handed Supra Ozark guitar and began to play. However, due to Jimi being left handed, he turned the guitar upside down and learnt the guitar upside down. He soon joined a band called the rocking kings and dropped out of high school.
This is where Jimi stands different from most people in the early to mid fifties. Most kids of Jimi's age were not picking up the guitar, joining bands, and dropping out of school. Jimi saw himself as somewhat of an outcast due to racism and his interests versus those he saw around him. He also faced the burden of his mother leaving him with his father, something similar to how Eric Clapton felt when he had found out that he was left with his grandparents at a young age. This is where I found the quotation featured below. The differentiation between Jimi's life and those around him was being explained. He saw himself as somewhat of an outcast. When looking at what I know of Jimi's career, this quotation still holds true. When talking about famous guitarists, Jimi is always brought up as one of the most evolutionary guitarists that ever lived. He was the first to break his equipment and burn his gear on stage. He was also the first to use heavy distortion and strange effects as one of his center pieces to his music.
"Every city in the world always has a gang, a street gang, or the so called outcasts. (Cross 53)
In my life, I see "outcasts" all the time. When comparing the youth of today to the youth of 50 years ago, society has come a long way. Everywhere I look I see someone doing something out of the ordinary! It is a really cool thing to see. I have friends that sing, paint, play jazz and blue grass, scuba dive... you name it. There is endless possibilities today with the things that one can do with their lives. I am not sure if the word outcasts is the right word to use for these people, I think the word unique is a better word for these kinds of people. But looking back at Jimi and his plans and ambitions with the guitar, playing the "white" associated genre of rock and roll, I am amazed as he was absolutely unique. Because of it, people still talk about him today as one of the best guitarists who ever lived.
I don't think that people are considered "outcasts" these days based on the activities that they do, necessarily. It seems more of the way that they interact socially at school or maybe even if the clothes they wear or their personalities draw a ton of attention. But doing different, unique hobbies seems to be "cool," even.
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