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Starting at Zero
It took just four years in the spotlight for Jimi Hendrix to become an international cultural icon. The sheer impact and originality of his music and his unique mastery of the guitar placed him forever amongst musical giants. But what of the man behind the public image? Modest and intensely private by nature, Jimi was shrouded in intrigue from the moment he first came into the public eye, and the mystery has only grown with time.
Much has been written about him by experts, fans, and critics, some of it true and some of it not. He did, however, leave his own account of himself, locked away like a Chinese puzzle in his many interviews, lyrics, writings, poems, diaries, and even stage raps. Starting at Zero brings all these elements together in narrative form. The result is an intimate, funny, and poetic memoir—one that tells, for the first time, Jimi's own story as only he could tell it.
Much has been written about him by experts, fans, and critics, some of it true and some of it not. He did, however, leave his own account of himself, locked away like a Chinese puzzle in his many interviews, lyrics, writings, poems, diaries, and even stage raps. Starting at Zero brings all these elements together in narrative form. The result is an intimate, funny, and poetic memoir—one that tells, for the first time, Jimi's own story as only he could tell it.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
74 people are currently reading
879 people want to read
About the author
Jimi Hendrix
187Ìýbooks233ÌýfollowersJimi Hendrix was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Hendrix is considered one of the greatest and most influential guitarists in rock music history. After initial success in Europe, he achieved fame in the USA following his 1967 performance at the Monterey Pop Festival. Later, Hendrix headlined the iconic 1969 Woodstock Festival.
Hendrix helped develop the technique of guitar feedback with overdriven amplifiers. He was influenced by blues artists such as B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Albert King, and Elmore James, rhythm and blues and soul guitarists Curtis Mayfield, Steve Cropper, as well as by some modern jazz.
Carlos Santana has suggested that Hendrix's music may have been influenced by his Native American heritage. As a record producer, Hendrix also broke new ground in using the recording studio as an extension of his musical ideas; he was one of the first to experiment with stereophonic and phasing effects during recording.
Hendrix won many of the most prestigious rock music awards in his lifetime and has been posthumously awarded many more, including being inducted into the USA's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. An English Heritage "Blue plaque" was erected in his name on his former residence at Brook Street, London in September 1997 and his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (at 6627 Hollywood Blvd.) was dedicated in 1994. In 2006, his debut USA album, Are You Experienced, was inducted into the United States National Recording Registry and Rolling Stone named Hendrix number 1 on their list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time in 2003.
Hendrix helped develop the technique of guitar feedback with overdriven amplifiers. He was influenced by blues artists such as B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Albert King, and Elmore James, rhythm and blues and soul guitarists Curtis Mayfield, Steve Cropper, as well as by some modern jazz.
Carlos Santana has suggested that Hendrix's music may have been influenced by his Native American heritage. As a record producer, Hendrix also broke new ground in using the recording studio as an extension of his musical ideas; he was one of the first to experiment with stereophonic and phasing effects during recording.
Hendrix won many of the most prestigious rock music awards in his lifetime and has been posthumously awarded many more, including being inducted into the USA's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. An English Heritage "Blue plaque" was erected in his name on his former residence at Brook Street, London in September 1997 and his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (at 6627 Hollywood Blvd.) was dedicated in 1994. In 2006, his debut USA album, Are You Experienced, was inducted into the United States National Recording Registry and Rolling Stone named Hendrix number 1 on their list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time in 2003.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
January 27, 2014
Jimi just broke my heart, in passages like this:
"I think I'm a better guitarist than I ever was, but I have never been really good. Every year, like my writing, it slips further and further away. The music I might hear I can't get on the guitar."
On the other hand, I'm glad for him:
"I see miracles every day now...spirituality and things in the head, they're always there. I mean, it gets better and better all the time. I'm always having visions...It's out of what's directing me. What I was here in the first place to do."
And:
"Craziness is like heaven. Once you reach that point where you don't give a damn what everybody else is saying, you're going towards heaven."
I'm really glad I read Starting at Zero; I really knew so much less than I thought I did about Hendrix, his music (I really wasn't familiar with much other than the songs that got airplay, astonishing as they are), his life, and the circumstances of his passing. The book is comprised of nothing but his own words, with a few editorial notes tossed in here and there for context, so the reader is left on her own to draw conclusions about who Hendrix was and what happened to him.
My own conclusion is that he was a gentle, modest, brilliant man who gave the world his immeasurable gift and went on. And that he wasn't "crazy" in the least, unless you use his own definition of the word.
But the music industry must be one hell of a vicious machine.
"I think I'm a better guitarist than I ever was, but I have never been really good. Every year, like my writing, it slips further and further away. The music I might hear I can't get on the guitar."
On the other hand, I'm glad for him:
"I see miracles every day now...spirituality and things in the head, they're always there. I mean, it gets better and better all the time. I'm always having visions...It's out of what's directing me. What I was here in the first place to do."
And:
"Craziness is like heaven. Once you reach that point where you don't give a damn what everybody else is saying, you're going towards heaven."
I'm really glad I read Starting at Zero; I really knew so much less than I thought I did about Hendrix, his music (I really wasn't familiar with much other than the songs that got airplay, astonishing as they are), his life, and the circumstances of his passing. The book is comprised of nothing but his own words, with a few editorial notes tossed in here and there for context, so the reader is left on her own to draw conclusions about who Hendrix was and what happened to him.
My own conclusion is that he was a gentle, modest, brilliant man who gave the world his immeasurable gift and went on. And that he wasn't "crazy" in the least, unless you use his own definition of the word.
But the music industry must be one hell of a vicious machine.
Want to read
September 25, 2019Jimi Hendrix is one of my favorite musicians of all time, how could I not read this?!? :D
July 29, 2014
This book arranges interviews, letters (presumably full text) to family and fans, a letter to an album cover designer, and an attorney's letter to him into a chronology for Hendrix's life. The editors have short intros to each piece citing what was happening in Hendrix's life at the time.
There are a few photos. A layout has changing text sizes and shades of purple. The wonderful line drawings have a signature that does not match any attribution (probably a copyright holder and not the artist). Were the book to have a larger format, it would be considered a coffee table book.
In the narratives you see Jimi's concern for his father, his daring in leaving steady (for this industry) gigs to work on his own art, his positive attitude, his openness to all music and his overwhelming exhaustion. He speaks and writes a lot about music giving the reader a glimmer of what he might have produced had he lived.
If you didn't know how the story ended, you would not know from the text. There is very little about drugs. His writing is so tame that you are surprised when he wrecks a car in Honolulu.
Fans, hungry for anything Hendrix will most likely want to read this.
The authors claim the narratives are based on Hendrix's letters and words, but the lack of family sanction casts doubts on the authenticity. I was glad to read this; glad it exists, but wish for a better book.
There are a few photos. A layout has changing text sizes and shades of purple. The wonderful line drawings have a signature that does not match any attribution (probably a copyright holder and not the artist). Were the book to have a larger format, it would be considered a coffee table book.
In the narratives you see Jimi's concern for his father, his daring in leaving steady (for this industry) gigs to work on his own art, his positive attitude, his openness to all music and his overwhelming exhaustion. He speaks and writes a lot about music giving the reader a glimmer of what he might have produced had he lived.
If you didn't know how the story ended, you would not know from the text. There is very little about drugs. His writing is so tame that you are surprised when he wrecks a car in Honolulu.
Fans, hungry for anything Hendrix will most likely want to read this.
The authors claim the narratives are based on Hendrix's letters and words, but the lack of family sanction casts doubts on the authenticity. I was glad to read this; glad it exists, but wish for a better book.
March 27, 2016
Jimi Hendrix is one of my top five favorite guitar players of all time! If it weren't for him... who knows if the awesome distorted sounds of the electric guitar would exist today!
This book is a really great collection of interviews, diary entries, poems, lyrics, musings and other miscellaneous things written by Hendrix himself.
It also offers a glimpse into his mind and expands upon the origins of some of his most popular songs. Apparently, he wrote the lyrics for Purple Haze after reading a short science fiction story about a giant ray gun that had the power to mess with people's minds and cause them to slip into a confused state of mind.
He was also....
Complete review at madmanbookreviews.wordpress.com
This book is a really great collection of interviews, diary entries, poems, lyrics, musings and other miscellaneous things written by Hendrix himself.
It also offers a glimpse into his mind and expands upon the origins of some of his most popular songs. Apparently, he wrote the lyrics for Purple Haze after reading a short science fiction story about a giant ray gun that had the power to mess with people's minds and cause them to slip into a confused state of mind.
He was also....
Complete review at madmanbookreviews.wordpress.com
January 14, 2019
He conocido al gran Hendrix. Reencontré su música. Me apasioné con su vida aunque necesité un poco más. Conocà su mentalidad, y fue esto, cerca del final de su vida, con sus intereses cambios pero fuertes convicciones, lo que me hizo darle una estrella menos; la espiritualidad sigue sin arraigarse en mÃ. No comprenderla genera esto, despreciarla un poco, fastidiarme más, una estrella menos.
April 15, 2023
Belki on yıl önce hatta daha da önce okusam etkileyici olabilirdi. Ama şu an için fazla bir şey vermedi. Sanıyorum artık “hızlı yaşa genç ol� hallerinden çok uzaklarda devam ediyoruz hayatımıza. Gerçi Jimi de bir kaç konuşmasında hayallerini daha sade özetlemiş ama demek yaptığı ile dediği pek tutmuyordu.
April 2, 2023
___________________________________
FROM BOOK: Jimi Hendrix (Matteo Guarnaccia)
FROM BOOK: Jimi Hendrix (Matteo Guarnaccia)
April 25, 2016
O astfel de carte te face să te (re)îndrăgostești de personaje, te face să îi retrăiești cariera și să te apuci de ascultat temeinic adevărata muzică.
Jimi Hendrix a ars temeinic timp de aprox. 4 ani, în care s-a făcut cunoscut în întreaga lume, a murit apoi la doar 27 de ani, după o supradoză de medicamente.
De altfel, în cartea aceasta, compilată din interviuri, jurnal sau scrisori, se vede cum personajul devine din ce în ce mai puternic, pentru a decădea dintr-o dată, iar cuvintele devin o înșiruire de filosofie, drog, psihedelic și probleme psihice. La final, ne dăm seama că Jimi, care se crede un fel de Dumnezeu, nu a avut decât un scop: transmiterea iubirii față de muzică, față de chitara sa.
Jimi Hendrix a ars temeinic timp de aprox. 4 ani, în care s-a făcut cunoscut în întreaga lume, a murit apoi la doar 27 de ani, după o supradoză de medicamente.
De altfel, în cartea aceasta, compilată din interviuri, jurnal sau scrisori, se vede cum personajul devine din ce în ce mai puternic, pentru a decădea dintr-o dată, iar cuvintele devin o înșiruire de filosofie, drog, psihedelic și probleme psihice. La final, ne dăm seama că Jimi, care se crede un fel de Dumnezeu, nu a avut decât un scop: transmiterea iubirii față de muzică, față de chitara sa.
February 26, 2014
Great book here on a great man, better, because the only person talking (besides a number of anonymous interviewers) is the man himself. I always enjoy hearing artists themselves describe their lives, it's so much better than hearing it from those who either love or hate them, with comparable agendas. And since his life was indeed cut short far too soon, the document itself reads pretty close to as good as an autobiography anyone can get from it. Good gift for anyone who loves Hendrix for all that he was. And I would highly recommend his studio version of "The Star Spangled Banner" if you would like to hear a great example of Handel's influence on Jimi.
March 30, 2015
Jimi Hendrix'in yazdığı notlardan ve verdiği röportajlardan bir araya getirilmiş bir metin Sıfırdan Başlamak. Baskı kalitesi muhteşem. İçinde harika çizimler var. İçerik, öte yandan, beklentilerimi karşılamadı. Belki de "hey moruk.. dostum.." tarzı yazımındandır. Fazla beklentiyle okumamak lazım.
June 8, 2018
This one is cobbled together from a mix of letters home, diary entries, interviews and song lyrics so it is not an autobiography in the true sense of the word. Still, what could have been a disjointed mess actually flows along quite nicely and by the end of it you really do get an idea of the man and his music. Admittedly I am too old and cynical to buy into a lot of the spiritual mumbo jumbo but it certainly would have hit home in the summer of love. This book would probably work well alongside a decent biography that tells the story from start to end but overall it is a nice experience.
December 8, 2021
O carte foarte foarte bună, merita citită
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2022
It was truly devastating reading the last few chapters, this weird sense of dread. It came over me. But it was beautiful to see Jimi in this way and even at the end without him knowing seemed so hopeful and wise. Made me cry, especially the last page. I’m very happy to have read this book
September 28, 2024
Çok tatlı ama bir o kadar da hüzünlü bir metin
Hendrix'i kendi dilinden okuma imkanı bulmamıza olanak sağlayan kitapta, şarkı sözlerine ve röportajlara da yer verilmiş. İyi editlenmiş ve derlenmiş bir kitap olmasına rağmen çeviri bana biraz yetersiz geldi. Yine de Hendrix sevenler ve onu daha yakından tanımak isteyenler için iyi bir kaynak.
Hendrix'i kendi dilinden okuma imkanı bulmamıza olanak sağlayan kitapta, şarkı sözlerine ve röportajlara da yer verilmiş. İyi editlenmiş ve derlenmiş bir kitap olmasına rağmen çeviri bana biraz yetersiz geldi. Yine de Hendrix sevenler ve onu daha yakından tanımak isteyenler için iyi bir kaynak.
February 13, 2025
Diary entries, song lyrics (listen to the song to really soak in the words), random scribbling. All lovingly organized and presented as a window into the musical mind of Jimi Hendrix.
December 24, 2024
A brilliant autobiographical volume by a musical genius! Jimi recounts his life story starting at zero, in his own words through the lenses of his own consciousness based on his many adventures and experiences both inside and outside of the music industry. A legendary man of great talent who has continued to fascinate and ignite passion in the hearts of many adolescents growing up with rock music both during and after his lifetime.
Therefore, this volume is a must read for any long time fan of either The Jimi Hendrix Experience or The Band of Gypsys. On a personal note, I had the privilege to listen to the entire discography of 'The Experience' while I was still in secondary school and high school and then I further expanded my musical universe with The Band of Gypsys and other posthumously-released studio material as I moved on to a technical college and, ultimately, to university.
That being said, I truly recommend reading this book by Jimi himself as it serves as a great companion for his amazing work spanning, as paradoxically as it might seem to some, only a few years in time.
Therefore, this volume is a must read for any long time fan of either The Jimi Hendrix Experience or The Band of Gypsys. On a personal note, I had the privilege to listen to the entire discography of 'The Experience' while I was still in secondary school and high school and then I further expanded my musical universe with The Band of Gypsys and other posthumously-released studio material as I moved on to a technical college and, ultimately, to university.
That being said, I truly recommend reading this book by Jimi himself as it serves as a great companion for his amazing work spanning, as paradoxically as it might seem to some, only a few years in time.
October 22, 2014
Jimi Hendrix'i daha önce sadece 1-2 kez dinlemişliğim var. Biyografi tarzı kitaplar ilgimi çektiği için, kendi cümleleri ile yapılan bir anlatım olunca alıp okumak istedim.
Kitap iyi toparlanmış, günlükler, kişisel notlar, röportajlar güzel bir bütünlük ile anlatılmış. Sayfa tasarımı orjinaline sad��k kalınarak yapılmış, sayfa aralarında şarkı sözlerini de buluyorsunuz.
Gerçek bir sıfırdan başlama hikayesi, zamanın şartlarında elinden gelenin en iyisini ve kendi bildiği doğrular çizgisinde hiç taviz vermeden sevdiği işi yaparak yükselen bir müzisyen. Müzik kalitesi olarak sürekli en iyiyi arama çabasında, fazla kibirli ve onun çağındaki diğer müzisyenlerin işini kolay kolay beğenmiyor, iyi kayıt yapabilmek için kendi stüdyosunu kuruyor.
Alkol ve madde bağımlılığı, çoğu işi aksatması, yasal zorunluklarını karşılamak için ara verdiği konserlere dönmesi ve aşırı çalışması malesef ani ölümüne sebep oluyor.
Çok çarpıcı hikaye, ingilizcesinden okumak faydalı olabilir.
Kitap iyi toparlanmış, günlükler, kişisel notlar, röportajlar güzel bir bütünlük ile anlatılmış. Sayfa tasarımı orjinaline sad��k kalınarak yapılmış, sayfa aralarında şarkı sözlerini de buluyorsunuz.
Gerçek bir sıfırdan başlama hikayesi, zamanın şartlarında elinden gelenin en iyisini ve kendi bildiği doğrular çizgisinde hiç taviz vermeden sevdiği işi yaparak yükselen bir müzisyen. Müzik kalitesi olarak sürekli en iyiyi arama çabasında, fazla kibirli ve onun çağındaki diğer müzisyenlerin işini kolay kolay beğenmiyor, iyi kayıt yapabilmek için kendi stüdyosunu kuruyor.
Alkol ve madde bağımlılığı, çoğu işi aksatması, yasal zorunluklarını karşılamak için ara verdiği konserlere dönmesi ve aşırı çalışması malesef ani ölümüne sebep oluyor.
Çok çarpıcı hikaye, ingilizcesinden okumak faydalı olabilir.
November 7, 2020
DEŞI A PETRECUT DOAR PATRU ANI ÎN LUMINILE REFLECTOARELOR, impactul puternic şi originalitatea muzicii lui Jimi Hendrix l-au pus pentru totdeauna între uriaşii muzicii. Modest şi cât se poate de rezervat, a fost învăluit de controverse din momentul în care a ajuns în atenţia opiniei publice şi, cu timpul, misterul nu a făcut decât să sporească. S-au scris multe despre el, de către admiratori şi critici. Însă şi-a lăsat în urmă şi propria relatare în interviuri, scrieri, poezii, jurnale şi chiar şi în cele spuse pe scenă între cântece.
De la zero pune toate aceste elemente cap la cap. Rezultatul este intim, amuzant şi poetic � o carte de memorii care spune pentru prima dată povestea lui Jimi aşa cum doar el o putea spune.
De la zero îl arată pe chitarist ca fiind articulat şi de o înţelepciune intuitivă...
Ce străbate din fiecare pagină este un om cât se poate de viu.v
De la zero pune toate aceste elemente cap la cap. Rezultatul este intim, amuzant şi poetic � o carte de memorii care spune pentru prima dată povestea lui Jimi aşa cum doar el o putea spune.
De la zero îl arată pe chitarist ca fiind articulat şi de o înţelepciune intuitivă...
Ce străbate din fiecare pagină este un om cât se poate de viu.v
January 21, 2014
Lamentablemente no es una biografÃa. Son extractos de las palabras de Hendrix acomodadas (parcialmente) en contextos que tengan sentido. Te da una idea de lo que hubiera sido hablar con el, honestamente le entenderÃa la mirad de las veces. Me quedo con la impresión de Hendrix como un hombre muy sensible, poco coherente, herido, roto y buscando paz en su música. Hipócrita, principalmente consigo mismo. Triste darte cuenta como una estrella de rock de su calibre pasó sus últimos años ansioso y solo. Buscando el sonido perfecto no pudo darse cuenta de que lo que estaba haciendo trascenderÃa increÃblemente. Mientras lo leÃa busque acervo visual de sus interpretaciones y creo que lo conocà aún más. Esencial en una biblioteca musical.
October 27, 2014
Hendrix'in günlüklerinden, sağa sola karaladıklarından, söyleşilerinden ve mektuplarından oluşturulmuş otobiyografik bir kitap. Kitabın kurgusu oldukça iyi oluşturulmuş. Zamansız ölümü yaklaştıkça Hendrix umudunu kaybetmeye başlamış. Bir yapımcı olma isteği, notasyon öğrenme ihtiyacı, kendi müziğiyle ilgili vizyonu gayet samimi bir biçimde yansıtılmış. Jimi'nin duygu dünyasının çok derinlerine gidemiyoruz ama zaten bunu yapmanın yolu da bu kitaptan geçmiyor. Hendrix kendini sözlü olarak ifade etme konusunda yetersiz buluyor, kendi şarkılarını seslendirirken bile. Onun yarım kalan hayallerini okumak ve kitabın kapağındaki çocuksu bakan gözlerini görmek üzücüydü. Kitabın finalindeki vasiyet benzeri sözleri de unutmamak gerek.
March 30, 2016
"When I get up on stage and sing, that's my whole life. That's my religion. I am Electric Religion."
I have always wanted to crawl around in Jimi's brain and absorb all the information and knowledge he was spinning around. This allows you to do just that. You get a very intimate glimpse at the life of a guitar legend.
As you're reading this, you just close your eyes and imagine the world through his eyes, what he felt and thought at a time where the world was divided. Absolutely beautiful.
"Those bits of paper called marriage certificates are only for people who feel insecure."
I have always wanted to crawl around in Jimi's brain and absorb all the information and knowledge he was spinning around. This allows you to do just that. You get a very intimate glimpse at the life of a guitar legend.
As you're reading this, you just close your eyes and imagine the world through his eyes, what he felt and thought at a time where the world was divided. Absolutely beautiful.
"Those bits of paper called marriage certificates are only for people who feel insecure."
April 11, 2017
I came by his name first when I was looking into Jim Morrison & 27 club. When I read another 27 club member Kurt Cobain's biography , once teen aged Kurt mentioned to his friend ,"No, I want to be rich and famous and kill myself like Jimi Hendrix.�
The book is so well organised while I was reading I felt as if Jimi himself was speaking the words. The cry for love, the cry for worth living for something , the struggle for being one's ownself & showing equal truthfulness both inside & outside, travel through a magical musical journey ---> altogether splendid !
The book is so well organised while I was reading I felt as if Jimi himself was speaking the words. The cry for love, the cry for worth living for something , the struggle for being one's ownself & showing equal truthfulness both inside & outside, travel through a magical musical journey ---> altogether splendid !
June 10, 2014
"La gente sigue de luto cuando la gente muere. Eso es autocompasión. Todos los seres humanos son egoÃstas hasta cierto punto, y por eso las personas se ponen tan tristes cuando alguien muere. TodavÃa no habÃan terminado de usarlo."
"Es gracioso cómo la gente ama a los muertos. Hay que morirse para que piensen que vales algo. Una vez que te has muerto, lo has conseguido de por vida.
Cuando muera, sólo seguid escuchando mis discos."
"Es gracioso cómo la gente ama a los muertos. Hay que morirse para que piensen que vales algo. Una vez que te has muerto, lo has conseguido de por vida.
Cuando muera, sólo seguid escuchando mis discos."
April 23, 2018
This may not be the best biography ever but the composition is spot on. I loved how some events got explained and dates were added so readers won't get lost in timeline.
I enjoyed reading Hendrix's words and I loved my attempts to imagine myself witnessing the era. It was a great experience in general.
I enjoyed reading Hendrix's words and I loved my attempts to imagine myself witnessing the era. It was a great experience in general.
February 21, 2014
Shooting stars don't stick around too long but through Jimi's own words you appreciate the brilliance.
January 2, 2021
You really get to understand Jimi Hendrix better after reading this. I don't regret picking this up. The reason I rated it 3/5 is the way the book was compiled, it didn't really feel like a book, just a bunch of text spread between the images. I agree that THIS IS NOT REALLY IMPORTANT!! What I found about Jimi is priceless. Really makes the listening experience better. Also, the selection of quotes was pretty good, I guess it was just the romanian translation that sucked.
"Craziness is like heaven. Once you reach that point where you don't give a damn what everybody else is saying, you're going towards heaven."
"I think everybody should believe in himself. I suppose, in a way, that’s also believing in God. If there is a God and He made you, then believing in yourself is also believing in Him. Once you carry God inside yourself, then you’re part of Him."
“People still mourn when people die. That’s self-sympathy. All human beings are selfish to a certain extent, and that’s why people get so sad when someone dies. They haven’t finished using him. The person who is dead ain’t crying. Sadness is for when a baby is born into this heavy world, and joy should be exhibited at someone’s death because they are going on to something more permanent and infinitely better.�
"Craziness is like heaven. Once you reach that point where you don't give a damn what everybody else is saying, you're going towards heaven."
"I think everybody should believe in himself. I suppose, in a way, that’s also believing in God. If there is a God and He made you, then believing in yourself is also believing in Him. Once you carry God inside yourself, then you’re part of Him."
“People still mourn when people die. That’s self-sympathy. All human beings are selfish to a certain extent, and that’s why people get so sad when someone dies. They haven’t finished using him. The person who is dead ain’t crying. Sadness is for when a baby is born into this heavy world, and joy should be exhibited at someone’s death because they are going on to something more permanent and infinitely better.�
July 5, 2017
Starting at Zero, eine etwas andere (Autobiographie) von Peter Neal, ist eigentlich eher eine Ansammlung von Aufschrieben, Notizen und Interviews von Jimi Hendrx selbst zusammen mit verschiedenen Songtexten. In dieser Textsammlung erfährt man viel über die Person Jimi Hendrix an sich und über den Musiker und über sein Leben und dadurch, dass der "Autor" eigentlich nur Texte von Jimi Hendrix zusammengestellt hat, wirkt nichts an der gesamten Biographie überzogen oder sonst wie unreal und liest sich sehr gut.
Starting at Zero ist eine der interessantesten Biographien, die ich gelesen habe, da man tiefe Einblicke in die Gedanken des Künstlers bekommen hat und lohnt sich wirklich zu lesen, auch wenn man nicht soviel mit Jimi Hendrix und seiner Musik zu tun hat.
Starting at Zero ist eine der interessantesten Biographien, die ich gelesen habe, da man tiefe Einblicke in die Gedanken des Künstlers bekommen hat und lohnt sich wirklich zu lesen, auch wenn man nicht soviel mit Jimi Hendrix und seiner Musik zu tun hat.
December 29, 2019
I once archived items from Jimi Hendrix's life, pursuant to sale, and I never realized how tiny or fine boned he was, until I saw his clothing and shoes. I also remember his hand crafted wooden microphone box with writing all over it, and lyrics scribbled on the inside of Kool cigarette wrappers. I learned nothing from this book. Words taken from interviews and his own writings, it's not really adding to the genre of Hendrix's work or life, and he's been dead since 1970, just shy of fifty years. Throughout there are pen and ink and watercolor original art, but each illustration looks like it was taken from a photograph. You would have understood a lot more if you had a close-up of the fabric of his vintage military jacket (mentioned in the book) or that rough hewn microphone box.
February 3, 2017
I almost put this book down. Then....Jimi's voice clicked with me. Jimi in Jimi's words. Taken from scraps of paper, backs of matchboxes, candy wrappers, apparently anything that Jimi could get his hands on, this account of the guitar great's life is told through the prism his cataclysmic four year rise to fame.
Jimi is one of those guys....too creative to live a conventional life. As another reviewer duly noted, Jimi
broke my heart when he says towards the end of his life that he wasn't a very good guitar player. What torment that man must have felt. What a creative soul. He spoke of conducting an orchestra, writing plays, and scores. How heavy that would have been....
Jimi is one of those guys....too creative to live a conventional life. As another reviewer duly noted, Jimi
broke my heart when he says towards the end of his life that he wasn't a very good guitar player. What torment that man must have felt. What a creative soul. He spoke of conducting an orchestra, writing plays, and scores. How heavy that would have been....
January 9, 2018
It is very satisfying to read from his own writtings, his mind, ideas, experiences, point of view, etc.
The only thing is that I can't help to think that there were things not shown or told about his life. We only see the "good" Jimi... there must have been more which could have been researched of put in the book.
Still, I learnt too much about him and the way he saw life life. It is a fascinating to understand more his music and himself. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to know him more.
Personally, I liked his philosophy about music, and how he searched for freedom and expression above anything.
The only thing is that I can't help to think that there were things not shown or told about his life. We only see the "good" Jimi... there must have been more which could have been researched of put in the book.
Still, I learnt too much about him and the way he saw life life. It is a fascinating to understand more his music and himself. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to know him more.
Personally, I liked his philosophy about music, and how he searched for freedom and expression above anything.
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