Hi folks. There's a book just out titled _Black Gold: The Lost Archives of
Jimi Hndrix_ by one Steven Roby. It's purported to be "the first
comprehensive biography to authenticate the lost sessions, previously
unknown record collaborations, and rare film and video documents of one of
the most innovative and influential rock guitarists in music history."
I read in one of the entertainment papers down in L.A. that Joni was
mentioned in the book. When I heard that the author was doing a reading at
Marin Civic Center Library tonight, in my neck of the Northern California
woods, I decided to meander over to take in the presentation and maybe get
in on the Q&A. It was turned out to be rather interesting.
The author showed some video footage I hadn't seen before, which delighted
me. Newly unearthed footage of Jimi performing "Voodoo Chile" and "Hey Joe"
on the Lulu Show on BBC televison in 1969. You may remember Lulu from her
heart wrenching ballad "To Sir With Love," theme song to the movie of the
same name? She had gotten her own variety-type show on BBC with her
new-found popularity and the Jimi Hendrix Experience had guested. Jimi was
supposed to do a duet with Lulu for their final song, but instead he
defiantly launched into a Cream song ("Sunshine of Your Love"), as a tribute
to the recently dissolved band. The BBC banned him for life for the stunt,
Roby said.
After his spiel, I peppered the author with my questions about the "Holy
Grail" recordings Jimi did of Joni and himself in Seattle in '69. Well,
maybe 'peppered' is too strong a word. Wallflower that I am, I meekly posed
two questions, actually. Roby says his understanding is that thieves got
away with those Joni reel-to-reels when Jimi's NY apartment was ripped off
later that year. In his book, he only quotes the Jimi diary entry about
Joni most of us have read before. So, the mystery of what music they made
together that night remains. Curses! ;-)
There are four Joni references in the book. The Jimi diary bit is one.
There are two others that I won't divulge, so as not to rain on the parade
of anyone who might want to read _Black Gold_. But I can't resist passing
on one excerpt. How's this for a Joni cover?:
"One of the first [Alan] Douglas productions involving Hendrix took place on
September 30, 1969, at the Record Plant sessions for LSD guru Timothy Leary.
Douglas assembled Stephen Stills on guitar, Buddy Miles on drums, John
Sebastian on guitar, and Hendrix on bass to record an instrumental track
based on Joni Mitchell's newly penned song "Woodstock." He then overdubbed
selections from Leary's press conferences and titled the track "Live and Let
Live." ... The album was to be part of Leary's 1970 campaign for governor
of California, but when the LP was released in April, Leary was in jail for
drug possession."
I heard the first few seconds of the song on the Net, but couldn't quite get
the gist of it in that time. Judging from what I did hear, it probably
sucks. It was released on a Ryodisc CD in '92, but I wouldn't sell the farm
to buy it off Ebay unless you're into weird...and you know who you are.
Nevertheless, if you're a Jimi fan or a wanna be, I recommend the book.
-Julius
