Hendrix Home Demolished

Despite efforts to save the historic building

The childhood home of iconic guitar player Jimi Hendrix has been demolished despite efforts to save the building.

It is now forty years since Hendrix walked on stage at Woodstock. A legendary moment in rock history, he was accompanied by a rag tag bag of musicians labelled ‘The Gypsy Sun And Rainbows’.

Culminating in his performance of ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ – complete with stunning noise elements – the show has become one of the most talked about in music history. Hendrix played to relatively meagre crowds due to his set beginning very early in the morning, but it seems half of the United States was there.

The guitarist was born in Seattle, and the house he grew up in was recently demolished. Located across the street from the place where Hendrix is buried, the house is said to be the place where Hendrix discovered his love of music.

The dilapidated property was recently demolished by a developer who is reported to be in the process of building over the site.

Despite the destruction, some elements of the house has been saved. The developer told the Los Angeles Times that wood from the building has been preserved. “Can you imagine a guitar made out of wood from Jimi’s house?” he asked. “Who wouldn’t want that?”

Good grief.

In other Hendrix related news, a tape of the musician playing songs that would form the backbone of his epic 1968 album ‘Electric Ladyland’ is due to go up for auction later this year. The tape contains rare acoustic performances that have never been released before.

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