Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Child: The Stories Behind Every Song [Paperback]

David Stubbs (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 16, 2003 | Series: Stories Behind Every Song

Jimi Hendrix began musical life on the "chitlin' circuit" in the mid-1960s, where he developed a fluid, funky guitar style, backing the likes of the Isley Brothers on the road. In 1966 Chas Chandler, formerly of The Animals, discovered him playing in Greenwich Village and shrewdly persuaded him to relaunch his career in London, from whence he could be manufactured as a pop-rock sensation and then sold back to America. The plan worked. He enjoyed instant success with hits like "Hey, Joe" and "Purple Haze." His band, which included British rhythm section Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell, was promoted as the Jimi Hendrix Experience, cutting three albums in quick succession in 1967 and 1968. Part of the successful series that includes Rolling Stones, U2, The Doors, and others in the strong-selling and well-established Stories Behind the Songs series, Voodoo Child includes a complete discography, 90 photographs, as well as a discussion of all of Hendrix's live albums. Jimi Hendrix is very probably the greatest solo rock artist of all time and thirty-seven years after his death, he remains a best-seller. Certainly, if anyone personified the genre in its purest, most potent and inflammatory form, it was Hendrix.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press; First Edition edition (October 16, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560255374
• ISBN-13: 978-1560255376
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,260,511 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Interesting, Plenty of Information, and a Good Read!, May 7, 2004

By 

A Hendrix Fan (Louisville, Kentucky United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Child: The Stories Behind Every Song (Paperback)

I am a huge fan of Jimi Hendrix. I listen to his music every day, and it never gets old. I've listened to all of the essential albums (and many more) but have never actually read any book on him and his music. I saw this book in the music part of the book store. I quickly looked through the pages, and was very intrigued, since I'd never heard where he got his inspiration from. And I must say this book will intrigue you as well. It really fills in the gaps on some of Jimi's songs, such as on Castles Made of Sand. I didn't know that the first verse was about Jimi's mom and dad fighting and eventually splitting up. Or the second verse was about his troubled brother Leon. And the third verse was about Jimi's mom dying. These interesting facts and more are in this book. If you own a lot of Jimi Hendrix CDs out there, and you're asking yourself: How did he do that? Where did he get that idea for a song? or Who is that song about? Then buy this book. It's a very informative and an interesting read.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I Was Hoping For More, January 23, 2004

By 

Mad Dog "maddog6969" (TimbuckThree, Tennessee) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Child: The Stories Behind Every Song (Paperback)

My 3 star rating isn't really a put-down. 3.5 is probably more accurate. The overall content and presentation are fine and there's alot of useful information in here. My problem with it is that I'd hoped to read a bunch of stuff I'd never seen elsewhere. But in fact, I didn't find much of anything that I hadn't already read elsewhere. Of the stuff that is here, some isn't even as detailed as you'll find in other books like Setting The Record Straight or Shadwick's Musician.