Many thanks to all the author for their research and anlysis.
Carl Belz – “The Story Of Rock” – (Oxford University Press 1969)
“Rock : A World Bold As Love” – (Cowles Book Company 1970)
Chris Welch: “Hendrix: A Biography” – (Ocean Books 1972)
Curtis Knight: “Jimi: An Intimate Biography Of Jimi Hendrix” – (Star Books 1974)
“The N.M.E. Book Of Rock 2” – (Star Books 1977)
Tom Nolan: “Jimi Hendrix, A Biography In Words And Pictures” – (Sire Chappel 1977)
David Henderson: “Scuse Me While I Kiss The Sky” – (Bantam 1981)
Benoit Feller – “Jimi Hendrix” – (Rock and Folk – France)
Charles Shaar Murray: “Crosstown Traffic – Jimi Hendrix and Post-War Pop” – (Faber & Faber 1989)
Mitch Mitchell/John Platt: “The Hendrix Experience” – (Pyramid Books 1990)
Tony Brown – “Jimi Hendrix: A Visual Documentary” (Omnibus Press 1992)
Eddie Kramer & John McDermott: “Hendrix: Setting The Record Straight” – (Warner Books 1992=
Harry Shapio & Caesar Glebbeek – “Jimi Hendrix – Electric Gypsy” – (Mandarin revised edition 1994)
Tony Brown “Jimi Hendrix: The Final Days” – Rogan House 1994
Bill Nitopi: “Cherokee Mist – The Lost Writings” (Bloomsbury Publishing 1994)
Adrian Boot and Chris Salewicz “The Ultimate Experience” (Boxtree 1995)
Noel Redding & Carol Appelby: “Are You Experienced” – (De Capo Press 1996)
Kathy Etchingham: “Through Gypsy Eyes” – (Orion 1998)
Tony Brown: “Jimi Hendrix Concert Files” (Omnibus Press 1999)
Monica Danneman: “The Inner World Of Jimi Hendrix” – Bloomsbury
Johnny Black – ” Jimi Hendrix – The Ultimate Experience” – (Thunder’s Mouth Press 1999)
Moebius & Jean-Noël Coghe: “Jimi Hendrix – Emotions Electriques” (Le Castor Astral 1999 – France)
Sean Egan: “Not Necessarily Stoned , But Beautiful – The Making Of Are You Experienced” – (Unanimous 2002)
Keith Shadwick: “Jimi Hendrix – Musician” – (Backbeat 2003)
Martin I. Green and Bill Sienkiewicz -“Voodoo Child: The Illustrated Legend of Jimi Hendrix” (Viking Penguin 1995) + CD “Jimi By Himself”.
John Perry – “Electric Ladyland” (Continuum 2004)
Steven Roby – “Black Gold : The Lost Archives of Jimi Hendrix” – Billboard Books 2002
Sharon Lawrence – “Jimi Hendrix: The Man, The Magic, The Truth (Sidgwick & Jackson 2005)
Charles R. Cross – “Room Full Of Mirrors – A Biography Of Jimi Hendrix (Hodder & Stoughton 2005)
Janie Hendrix & John McDermott – “Jimi Hendrix : An Illustrated Experience” (Atira Books 2007)
Ben Valkhoff – “Eye Witness 1966-1967” (Up From The Skies Ltd 2007)
John McDermott (with Eddie Kramer and Billy Cox) – “Ultimate Hendrix” (Backbeat Books 2009)
Régis Canselier – “Le Rève Inachevé” (Le Mot Et Le Reste 2010)
Steve Roby & Brad Schreiber – “Becoming Jimi Hendrix” (De Capo 2010)
Steve Roby – “Hendrix On Hendrix” (Chicago Review Press 2012)
Jas Obrecht – “Stone Free – Jimi Hendrix In London – September 1966 to June 1967” (The University of North Carolina Press 2018)
Kevin Le Gendre – Hear My Train A, Comin’: The Songs Of Jimi Hendrix (Equinox 2020)
Ben Valkhoff & Luigi Garuti – Foxy Papers #1 and #2, Day By Day 1969 and 1970
Not forgetting years of articles read in Britain’s Disc & Music Echo, Melody Maker, New Musical Express, Sounds, and France’s Rock & Folk.
Other books on Hendrix:
James Allen Hendrix: “My son Jimi” – Ajas Enterprises
John McDermott/Billy Cox/Eddie Kramer: “Jimi Hendrix Session” – Little Brown & Co. 1995
Caesar Glebbeek & Douglas J Noble: “Jimi Hendrix: The Man, The Music, The Memorabilia” – Paper Tiger
Tony Brown “Jimi Hendrix In His Own Words” – Omnibus 1994
Frank Moriarty – Modern Listener Guide: Jimi Hendrix
Jerry Hopkins – “The Jimi Hendrix Experience” – Plexus 1996
Gary Geldeart & Steve Rodham: “From The Benjamin Franklin Studios” – Jimpress 1998
Roger St. Pierre: “Jimi Hendrix: Recorded Poems” – International Music Publications 1986
Victor Sampson: “Hendrix, An Illustrated Biography” – Proteus 1984
John Faralaco and Ken Voss – “Jimi Hendrix”
Nona Hatay – “Jimi Hendrix: “The Spirit Lives On” – Last Gap Of San francisco
Nona Hatay – “Jimi Hendrix: “Reflexions and Visions” – Pomegranate Artbooks
Mary Willix: “Voices from Home” – Creative Forces Publishing
Alan Dister – “Ezy Rider: “En Voyage Avec Jimi Hendrix” – Le Seuil -France
Renaud Ego: “Jimi Hendrix” – Le Castor Astral -France
Olivier Nuc – “Jimi Hendrix” – Librio Musique – France
David Stubbs – “Jimi Hendrix: The Stories Behind Every Song”
Greg Tate – “Midnight Lightning: Jimi Hendrix and the Black Experience”
Michael Fairchild – “Rock Prophecy – Sex & Jimi Hendrix in World Religions – The Original Asteroid Prediction & Microsoft Connection”
Kees De Lang & Ben Valkhoff – “Plug Your ears” -1993
Ritchie Unterberger – “The Rough Guide To Jimi Hendrix”
William Saunders – “Jimi Hendrix : London”
Gered Mankowitz and Ritchie Unterberger – “The Experience: Jimi Hendrix at Masons Yard”
V. Brunner – “Jimi Hendrix Electric Life”
Roberto Crema and Cesare Glebbeek (Univibes) – “Jimi Hendrix in Italia 1968”
Nona Hatay and Arnold Skolnick – “Jimi Hendrix: Reflections and Visions”
Ian McCann – “Jimi Hendrix le coffret anniversaire” (book + DVD)
Frédéric Martinez – “Jimi Hendrix”
M. Gaillard, Oliv’ – “Jimi Hendrix en BD”
Stéphane Koechlin – “Blues pour Jimi”
Leon Hendrix and Adam Mitchell – “Jimi Hendrix: A Brother’s Story”
Marcus Hearn – “The Jimi Hendrix Experience”
“Jimi Hendrix Lyrics” (Omnibus Press 2003)
Bruce Mann – “Jimi Hendrix”
Zéno Bianu – “Jimi Hendrix”
Rainer Höltschl Klaus Theweleit – “Jimi Hendrix”
Harry Shapiro – “Jimi Hendrix”
Tom Stockdale – “Jimi Hendrix”
Howard & Al Brown (?) – “Jimi Hendrix”
Mosqueda Ser – “Jimi Hendrix”
Franck Médioni – “Jimi Hendrix”
John Faralaco – “Jimi Hendrix”
Rita J. Markel – “Jimi Hendrix”
David Stubbs – “Jimi Hendrix”
Stéphane Letourneur – “Jimi Hendrix”
Frédéric Martinez – “Jimi Hendrix”
Sven Roddewig – “A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix”
Stéphane Koechlin – “Blues pour Jimi Hendrix”
Richard Thomas – “Jimi Hendrix de A à Z”
Jean-Pierre Filiu – “Jimi Hendrix : Le gaucher magnifique”
Tom Stockdale – “Jimi Hendrix (They Died Too Young)”
Otto Schulz and Pete Bruns – “Jimi Hendrix: A Rockview Audiobiography”
Geoffrey Giuliano – “Castles Made of Sand: The Jimi Hendrix Story”
David Stubbs – “Jimi Hendrix: The Stories Behind Every Song”
Geoffrey Giuliano – “The Illustrated Jimi Hendrix”
Inaki Fernandez – “Jimi Hendrix”
Charles River Editors – “Legends of Music: The Life and Legacy of Jimi Hendrix”
Richard Peabody – “Kiss the Sky: Fiction & Poetry Starring Jimi Hendrix”
Mary Willix – “Jimi Hendrix, Voices From Home”
Dale Evva Gelfand – “Jimi Hendrix (Black Americans of Achievement)”
Greg Tate – “Midnight Lightning: Jimi Hendrix and the Black Experience
Kathy Knight-McConnell – “Curtis Knight: Living in the Shadow of Jimi Hendrix”
Brian Southall – “Hendrix: Made in England”
Steve Rodham – “Jimi Hendrix in London and New York”
Ben Valkhoff – “One Last Experience” – about The Royal Albert Hall concerts of 1969
Tony Brown – “Talking (In His Own Words)”
Peter Neal/Alan Douglas – “Starting At Zero – His own Story”
Gillian G. Garr – “Jimi Hendrix: The Illustrated Story” – Read it here
“Jimi Hendrix Gear” – Michael Heatley
etc…
New and recent books
Here’s a selection of some interesting books that have appeared in recent months/years.
Jimi Hendrix In France
by Caesar Glebbeek (Univibes – September 2023)
Presented in the same way as the Jimi Hendrix In Holland book (see further down), this is a highly detailed account of Jimi’s various visits to France from 1966 to 1969.
It’s a lavishly illustrated (colour and b/w) 96 page hardback A4+ book. Limited edition.
Foxy Papers #11
by Ben Valkhoff
Ben just keeps them coming. Here’s his last collection of press clippings, covering the two years after Jimi’s passing.
Hear My Train A, Comin’: The Songs Of Jimi Hendrix
by Kevin Le Gendre
Jimi is widely recognised as the greatest rock guitarist but one of the main reasons for his success was his talent as a songwriter. All the other “guitar heroes” pale in comparison (with the exception of Prince).
This interesting new book is a brilliantly written journey through Jimi’s musical universe, exploring his musicianship, lyrics, arrangements, evolution, influences, legacy,…
Modern Listener Guide: Jimi Hendrix
by Frank Moriarty
One of the best books ever about Jimi’s recorded legacy.
Details here
> Check out “The Book of the Future” section for reviews of albums released since publication of the book!
Stone Free – Jimi Hendrix In London
September 1966 to June 1967
by Jas Obrecht
An interesting book from the award-winning journalist and former editior of Guitar Player magazine, concentrating on Jimi’s conquoring of Europe in 1966-67, up to his return to the U.S.A. at the Monterey Pop Festival.
A nice idea to do a step-by-step account of this exhilerating rise to fame before all the problems turned things sour.
Very well researched and rich with technical details for those interested in Jimi’s gear and guitar techniques!
Jimi Hendrix In Holland
by Caesar Glebbeek
A Univibes special edition from the renowned Hendrix researcher.
Jimi Hendrix – The Day I Was There
by Richard Houghton
An excellent collection of eye-witness accounts of Hendrix performances including many precious ones from the pre-Experience days!
This is a great read, giving so many little details about the various performances seen and also about how people thought, behaved, reacted
travelled, shopped,… many fascinating glimpses into the past.
There are many mentions of guitar burning, which haven’t been detailed before (as far as I know).
It is generally acknowledged that Jimi set fire to a guitar only at the London Astoria and at Monterey but here, we have accounts of the stunt at: Leeds, Chesterfield, Hastings Pier, Sheffield, Jacksonville, Washington, Ann Arbour, Bristol and Miami!
HENDRIX DAY BY DAY
by Ben Valkhoff & Luigi Garuti
Ben and Luigi’s superb series of four volumes detailing Jimi’s life from September 1966 to September 1970. These and many other books by Ben are available from his site Jimi Hendrix Books:
Jimi
A book from the Hendrix Estate to celebrate Jimi’s 80th Anniversary.
Kiss The Sky
by J.M. Dupont & Mezzo
A supeb 2022 graphic novel of Jimi’s life written by J.M. Dupont and drawn by Mezzo, this first volume (of two) recounts Jimi’s early years, from his birth (looking out of the belly-button window) right up to his life-changing flight to England in Sepember 1966.
All aspects of this troubled period of Jimi’s short life have been well researched by the authors (with help from Yazid Manou again), covering his upbringing, his girlfriends, his Sreaming Eagles training, the chitlin’ circuit (Gorgeous George, Little Richard, Isleys,…) and New York (Curtis Knight, John Hammond, Linda Keith, Chas,…).
Mezzo’s highly contrasted black and white artwork is lavish and dynamic with some clever image/text inserts (follow the link below to view some pages on the editor’s website). This is in French for now but other language versions should appear in the future. Looking forward to volume 2!
The publisher’s website: Kiss The Sky – Glenat
Jimi Hendrix en BD
An interesting upgrade of the French comic book/graphic novel, which feaures 27 artists, each depicting episodes/moments in Jimi’s life (all the scenarios are written by Olivier Petit). This hardback re-edition is bigger and better printed (stronger blacks) than the previous edition. A few shorter stories that were in the first edition have been axed but this time, the added bonus is that each story has an accompanying essay (by the French Hendrix specialist Yazid Manou) and many photos, so the book reads more like a short illustrated biography.
A few stories might have factual errors (for example suggesting that Jeffery had something to do with Jimi’s demise – utter nonsense) but Yazid’s pieces keep things in historical context . The stories themselves are illustrated in a multitude of styles so it’s nice to have, even if one doesn’t master the French language (an English version could follow later).
* BD = Bande Dessinée (comic strip)
> Note that the book is part of a series of multi-artist graphic novels about many other musicians (Bowie, Pink Floyd, The Clash, ACDC,…)
The publisher’s website: Petit à Petit
< The previous edition which had a much nicer front cover!
Jimi Hendrix – Electric Requiem
This other graphic novel appeared before the book detailed above – coincidentally with a cover depicticting Jimi as the guitar gnasher.
This time the artwork is by Gianluca Maconi who also wrote the scenario with Mattia Colombara. The cover is by Giovanni Marinovich.
Review