Chris Cornell: Radio Would Reject Jimi Hendrix Now
July 16, 2011 – Chris Cornell doesn’t mince words when talking about the state of radio today. When chatting with Ultimate Classic Rock the singer, of the reunited Soundgarden, had some choice words.

“Think about Jimi Hendrix’s Smash Hits. This is an album by Jimi Hendrix and it’s even called Smash Hits,” he said. “But if it came out today it wouldn’t be played on the radio. That’s weird to me. It’s odd that an album that came out in 1967 would be too strange for radio play in 2011.”

Cornell had this to say about the Beatles.

ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons Remembers Guitar Lessons from Hendrix
May 5, 2009 – One of the hottest tours this summer is bound to be the pairing of ZZ Top and Aerosmith. The tour starts on June 21 in Bristow, VA. and ends Sept. 16th in Auburn Hills MI.

Formed in Houston Texas in the late sixties, ZZ Top has become synonymous with cold beer, hot legs, sunglasses and a Bluesy/Rock guitar style that has withstood the test of time. After 40 years the original line-up of Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard are still going strong.

Gibson.com recently sat down with Gibbons to talk about his early years and especially his relationship, although short, with legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Gibbons plays it down but Hendrix actually went on live TV and said that the bearded wonder was the best guitarist in America. That might seem like a stretch to most and the ZZ Top’s front man is the first to allude to the fact that it was probably the other way around.

 “When we were supporting Jimi (on tour), I was sitting in my hotel room one night and practiced a little. Then this dude stuck his head through the door — it was Jimi Hendrix! I felt paralyzed and speechless. He grabbed my guitar, laid down on the floor, looked at the ceiling and played some unbelievable licks, before asking whether I could do stuff like this, too — and then he even stepped it up a notch. Afterwards he showed me some tricks. I learned a lot from him.” Read More

Jimi Hendrix Guitar Strap Could Fetch $35,000
Dec. 1, 2008 – How much would you pay for a piece of Rock’n’Roll history? How about Jimi Hendrix, Woodstock history? The guitar strap that Hendrix used at the Woodstock Music and Art Festival in 1969 is going up for auction on December 11th. It could sell for about $35 thousand according to memorabilia experts.

EBay Live Auctions and LiveAuctioneers.com will carry the item where bids can be placed in person, via mail, phone, fax or live on the internet.

The strap was also used at the famous Hollywood Bowl show in 1967 and other performances.

David Vega, lead guitarist of the San Francisco funk band, Graham Central Station was given the strap from a sound technician who worked at Woodstock.

Jimi Hendrix Drummer Mitch Mitchell Dies
Nov. 13, 2008 – The man who played behind the kit while Hendrix went nuts has died. Drummer Mitch Mitchell was found dead in a hotel room yesterday (Nov. 12) in Portland Oregon. He was 62.

 Mitchell had just finished his tour with the Experience Hendrix band and was taking some time off in the city before heading home to England. Police say he likely died of natural causes.

"We're all devastated to hear of Mitch's passing," says Experience Hendrix CEO Janie Hendrix. "He was a wonderful man, a brilliant musician and a true friend. His role in shaping the sound of the Jimi Hendrix Experience cannot be underestimated."

Mitchell started playing with Jimi Hendrix in 1966, along with bassist Noel Redding and was with Hendrix at Woodstock.

Hendrix died on Sept. 18, 1970 and Noel Redding died in 2003. – by Kari Graham

Katy Perry’s Mom Once Dated Jimi Hendrix
Oct. 10, 2008 – As Katy Perry’s parent ask ‘Whatever happened to our little girl,” Katy has her own sermon locked and loaded that seems to be calling her parents hypocrites – sort of. Perry who rose to fame with one of the most infectious tunes of the year, 'I Kissed a Girl’ says her parents were hippies in the 60’s who experimented and sold drugs. Hell, she even says her mom dated Jimi Hendrix, “He just came up to her in a club and picked her out.” Both her parents are strict Christian preachers in California but Perry says what she’s doing now has nothing on their youth. She claims her father, for instance sold drugs and was a close friend with LSD guru Timothy Leary. The 23 year old singer adds that his specialty was a drug named after the Beatles tune ‘Strawberry Fields.’  She says, “My dad would have died from one tab of Strawberry Fields too many if he hadn’t found God.” To quote the church lady – “isn’t that special.” Katy’s mother has gone on record as hating ‘I kissed a Girl,’ going as far as calling the tune “shameful and disgusting” for promoting homosexuality. Word is, her mother prays when she hears the song or maybe she’s just having flashback of Jimi. – by John Beaudin