As I entered the molten plastic blob, I was disappointed that BigSteve did not mention that EMP also doubled as a Science Fiction museum. I entered at the Sci-Fi entrance, and I feared that having to walk through the Sci-Fi exhibits would taint the musical side of the museum, leading me into some kind of shrine to Rush. During my nervous trot through the Sci-Fi exhibits, I did appreciate seeing some original Star Trek uniforms and the space suit worn by either Charlton Heston or James Franciscus in one of the Planet of the Apes movies.
As I entered the music museum side of the building, I was surprised at how humble the layout of the building was. It almost looked like the interior of some new, progressive high school. The Hendrix room was the obvious starting place. Before entering I took some time to marvel at the equipment Jimi and the Experience used at Monterey, I believe: the battered amps were particularly cool to examine. Mitch Mitchell’s rack toms were set flat. Jimi’s orange velour “butterfly” suit was set up in front of the gear. His silver shoes were there too. The guy had pretty big feet.
I entered the room, where a large monitor was playing live Hendrix clips. His guitar sound and style were so distinctive. I thought of all the burnout guys I knew in high school who slaved away at learning his licks. I thought of Stevie Ray Vaughn, Frank Marino, and other devotees. I thought of how far any of these guitar players arrived at reaching the futuristic-yet-natural sound of Hendrix. Perhaps only that Red Hot Chili Peppers guy, John Frusciante, I thought, comes within 100 years of combining the fluidity, power, and sense of groove that were so natural to Hendrix.
A chronologic display of Hendrix doodles, lyrics, posters, singles, and photos graced the walls. I started out at the end of the line, pausing to read some of his later lyrics from his original notebooks. I quickly thought about how unimpressed I usually am by his hippie-dippie, later period lyrics, so I got myself appropriately adjusted in the display’s chronology before my hypercritical ways spoiled what was off to an otherwise promising start to this room.
“That whole guitar-smashing/amp-humping routine of Jimi’s, as slightly embarrassing and calculated it would seem when artists following his footsteps would try it, seemed sincere and even necessary for the evolution of rock when Pete Townshend and then Hendrix did it”
Was Cobain brave or foolish for attempting to walk with giants?
Cobain was brave for many other things, in my opinion, but his guitar-smashing/amp-humping routine seemed no more powerful than what any of us might have done out of a desire to be part of that tradition. What do you think?
I’m truly ambivalent but I did think it was funny how indignant people were about that SNL appearance, often making a big show of re-enacting how bored they were by it. Even if their reactions were more nuanced, they seemed just as peeved as my parents would be.
On the other hand, the whole tradition has a privileged, “carpenter disrespectful to his tools” quality that bugs the grandson of the Depression in me.
Still, if he was only aiming to get himself in the footnotes of rock history, Cobain must be pleased somewhere that no discussion on the politics of guitar-smashing can be held without mentioning his name.
-db
(just finishing up his vacation and getting into the swing of things….)
Yeah I’m not really interested in science fiction, so I forgot all about that part of the museum. It’s true that the inside is not as out there as the exterior of the building. It seems like there’s a lot of wasted space, like they haven’t quite figured out yet all of what’s going in there.
One thing that exhibit does in reinforce the once-in-a-lifetime aspect of Hendrix. Even with all the artifacts of his upbringing and apprenticeship, he still seems to have come out of nowhere. Genius is always a quality that cannot be adequately explained, but Hendrix is a special case.
That EMF building is ugly as all heck. It looks like a melted Visible V-8 Engine model kit.
Jim said “…Hendrix (who played on a Covay single I don’t know)”
I say: What Covey track did he play on besides Mercy Mercy? Do you recall the name?
I don’t recall the name. I’ve been meaning to look it up.