Nowadays Olive Can't Even Write

"Purple Haze" , the second single by The Jimi Hendrix Experience, was released in the UK on this day in 1967.  Source:  Discogs Recording for the song began on January 11, 1967 at De Lane Lea Studios located in London, England. According to drummer Mitch Mitchell, he and bassist Noel Redding learned the song while recording and had it down by the third take. The basic track was completed in 4 hours, and the following days spent on the song focused solely on refining its sound. The final track was finished on February 8th. In terms of lyrics and meaning, "Purple Haze"  has many different interpretations, and even Hendrix himself never gave just one answer for it. Originally titled  "Purple Haze - Jesus Saves" , the song features imagery based off of the 1966 novel  Night of Light  written by Philip José Farmer. The story took place on a distant planet that produced a purplish haze that was known to disorient its inhabitants. Another explanation given was th...

On February 20th, 1959, a 16-year-old Jimi Hendrix made his stage debut at the Temple De Hirsch Sinai synagogue in his hometown of Seattle, Washington. Source: Morgan Media Partners/Ed Caraeff Playing with an unnamed band at the time, he was supposed to perform pop songs that were, by the sounds of it, supposed to be easier to play. There wasn't a need for flashy solos, but Hendrix had already gained much of the skill he would eventually become known for and couldn't really help himself. His bandmates, however, seemed to still be in the brunt of their learning, and just wanted to play without messing up.  His first gig turned out to be rather short-lived, as he was fired in the middle of the band's set due to the fact that they thought he was trying to show off. But despite the sudden setback, that night was enough for Hendrix to know for sure that he had found his calling as a musician and performer.  If that doesn't scream "Guitar master in the making", I do...

Today we are remembering the legendary Jimi Hendrix, who would have been celebrating his 80th birthday today.  James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was born in Seattle, Washington to parents Lucille Jeter and James Allen "Al" Hendrix in 1942. He began learning guitar at age 15 after taking an interest in rock 'n' roll artists of the time such as Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Elvis Presley. While enlisted in the army at age 19, he spent his free time listening to blues artists such as Jimmy Reed and Albert King, as well as listening to Bob Dylan's records repeatedly. He was discharged a year later and moved to Clarksville, Tennessee, where he and fellow serviceman Billy Cox formed their first band, The King Kasuals. He also got the idea to learn to play with his teeth around this time after seeing Butch Snipes perform that same trick back in Seattle.  Hendrix in 1969 By David Redfern/Redferns (GettyImages)   Hendrix worked with numerous bands and artists befo...