Customer Reviews

Voodoo Child: The Illustrated Legend of Jimi Hendrix (Penguin Studio Books)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

...are a great match. The paint is everywhere. It goes out in every direction, it folds back in on itself, it darts from realism to quick cartoon. It's alive and insane. It is, of course, everything you'd expect from Bill. I should have been LISTENING to Hendrix while reading it, but I didn't have to. It was in the painting.

Not to mention the text. Martin Green chronicles the major events of Jimi's life, to the detail of which order the songs came, where were the major concert appearances, what was Jimi trying to accomplish with each album. For me, not being that familiar with the facts, but loving the songs, it was really interesting. You empathize with Jimi. He may have been a rock god, but you get the sense that his short life was never particularly easy.

As insanely abstract as Sinz. can get, the likeness he nails of Jimi is uncanny. It's obvious the artist really enjoyed painting him. There's about 1,000 beautiful paintings of Hendrix in this book. Some realistic, some hallucinogenic, some celebratory, and some sad.

Rarely is this kind of comment said about a book...but the typesetting is great. Many comics don't even experiment with the lettering, it's just functional. But reality is, that it's too big a part of the experience to not inject some art into it. That's why movies spend millions on sound. Anyway, in this book, the lettering's just really intelligent. Hats off to letterer Bobbi Bongard with (I would imagine) much help from Sienkiewicz.

One last touch I really like is the use of Hendrix's lyrics to accent the story. Every few pages, a scene from Jimi's life is accompanied by song lyrics. Often these were lyrics I was familiar with (Bold As Love, Freedom, Foxy Lady, Angel), but they're in a whole new light when set against the major events in his life. I can only suppose that Martin Green "guessed" at what many of the connections between Jimi's lyrics and his experiences, but I quite sure he often guessed right.

A great read. I look forward to reading it again. This would be a great gift for someone who might not read a lot of comics, but loves rock. In another few passes, it may be my favorite work by Bill.

After reading this book, or rather gazing in awe at the amazingly beautiful illustrations which tell in such an interesting way of the puzzling life of perhaps the greatest guitarist who has ever lived, I am left with a heightened respect for Bill Sienkiewicz. In addition, quotes from Jimi himself as well as song lyrics and a previously unreleased cd compliment the work and ensure its place at the top of any others in its genre. A must own for any fan of James Marshall Hendrix or Bill Sienkiewicz.

Even if comics are not your thing, the art of Bill Sienkiewicz should win you over to buy this book. About 140 pages of fully painted and truly outstanding art, make this book a landmark even in Sienkiewicz' oeuvre. It is a special delight to see him experimenting with mixed media and the computer and break out of the traditional constraints of the comics medium.

As far as the quality of the biographical facts is concerned, let's suffice to say that a more than fair amount of research has been done, but that the presentation of the material is pretty biased. Of course Hendrix was always a saintly and lovable guy. He never had a serious drugs problem and when he was busted for drugs possession he was obviously framed. What did him in finally were certainly not his drug habits but the Big Bad Suits of the record companies and his fiendish Agent, who conspired to impose an inhuman touring scheme on the poor artist, who finally died of sheer exhaustion (helped along maybe by a sleeping pill or two...). You get the picture...

i feel compelled to add my endorsement of this truly beauty-full tribute to Jimi Hendrix's artistry as the other reviews do not emphasize enough how wonder-full the CD of Jimi's home recordings are... as beauty-full as the book's cover & contents are to the eye- it is the CD that leaves me in awe of Jimi Hendrix as a creative composer !!! the simple, naked portrait of a genius at work creating the foundations of some of his finest music & poetry is tremendously educational as well as inspiringly wonder-full for any other guitarist & songwriter to listen to as well as experience... it reminds any admiring artist how much simple, hard work is involved in the labore of Love that is the basis a genius's legacy... one is able to observe the creative process of Hendrix's genius as you can hear him attempting to evolve his creations before going into the studio to extrapolate them into "Electric Church" anthems... it is simply amazing to experience Jimi so nakedly raw & working soul-lovingly on music that would later become his legend !!! i love the artwork in the book & i adore the book's cover portrait BUT it is the CD that makes this exquisite package "essentially vital" to anyone who truly adores this genius's exceptional talents & treasures... "Fly On, My Sweet Angel"

The book is really nice and worth the expense in all respects.
Great story, great designs and a really great storytelling!
If you like Bill Sienkiewicz, this is a purchase that is over time, in this book its graphic skills are very high!

The material in it hardly makes this a historical work worthy of academic study. I read it and saw, in brilliant color, all the old rumors and anecdotes brought to life by Bill Sienkiewicz. Essentially, this is a nice introduction into Hendrix's career with some poetic license taken (liberally), and having those Sienkiewicz paintings really make me want to sit down and paint again...

Purists and historians will note some familiar pictures in the book; personally I found it fun to see Bill interpreting posters and covers and famous photos.

This one left me a bit short. I actually saw Jimi Hendrix perform at the Cafe Wa in Greenwich Village, NY. Also saw his 1968 Experience concerts in Hartford at the Bushnell Memorial concert hall and outdoors at the Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood, CA and he was amazing! This comic depiction is not completely accurate and since I was there it does not hit home for me since the information is off and not overly complete. Nice try, collectable, but not for the purist Hendrix fan. The CD which comes inside rear cover is a nice touch and bonus almost worth the price of the book. I even found a mint copy of this book missing the CD, pouch there unopened, but missing the CD in error!