Cover Image: Wild Thing

Wild Thing

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Member Reviews

If you aren't an expert on Hendrix, this is a serviceable biography, but the ARC I read was full of typos and factual errors (Mike Nesmith is not dead!). I hope those will be corrected in the final edition.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

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The main source for the writer seems to be the doc Voodoo Child and his prose is extremely shoddy and verbose.

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My wife was able to receive this book from Netgalley for an honest review. Knowing that I am not only a huge rock and roll fan but that I have been listening to Hendrix since before we got together, and I still listen to him to this day. I grew up in a small desert town that had just one record store and back in the late 60’s early 70’s when my parents would go grocery shopping I was allowed to go next door to the music store, would not happen in this day and age. Playing on the turntable was a 45 of Hendrix doing the Star Spangled Banner from Woodstock, had my allowance bought that and Are you Experience, even though the album had me out a while when I bought it I was 11 and yes my father was upset but I had already opened it and that afternoon was listening to it still have it still listen to it. Worked at getting my children to see his brilliance, wife not so much.
Back to the book. An excellent story of his life from childhood and then into his time with the 101st until he was discharged. Then goes into his travels around to various small bands he played learning his craft. Playing then with the Isley Brothers band and then leaving them for Little Richard. He would also played with Curtis Knight, but in 66 he moved to England and Linda Keith who at the time helped him to be discovered, she was a model and was dating Keith Richards, but introduce Jimi to Chas Chandler who was with the Animals. After he heard him he knew he was onto someone different. Linda was also cousin to Free guitarist Paul Kossoff, so she knew as well. This leads you to when he is with different people making music and he turns up all the nobs to the highest which no one had done before and plays. Everyone their still to this day says it was magical and his music was born.
You have then whisked away through many women, different tours in Europe and the U.S. wanting to get his music out, one album was done wanting to do more. It felt like constant movement constant travel never being able to breathe then you add the drugs it was a never-ending cycle. You do get a look at different concerts but also at how many people were pulling at him, this would continue after his death as people would fight over his rights. Just the thing is sad. His music is and was great just everyone or the business was not. Overall a really good book and very much worth the read. Received this book from Netgalley.com Gave it 5 stars. Follow us at
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What a great reminder of the genius of Jimi Hendrix! This updated recount of Jimi Hendrix's 27 years is filled with new facts and and new faces. Leon Hendrix really fills in the early years of their lives together with their controlling dad, Al. Management worked JH to death. His constant touring, travel and tomcatting, wore him out! In some ways, this is a sad account of JH's ability to lead his own life. Still, his contribution to music is not overlooked. Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding prove their worth! With all the books written about Jimi Hendrix, this stands out as a reminder of how great he was and what a loss his early death was to the music of the 20th century. Thanks to Netgalley, Author, Philip Norman and W. W. Norton & Company for the arc of this fabulous and timely book!

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