S Poddar
Next month, a rare collection of five demo tapes by Jimi Hendrix, the rock legend who died tragically at the age of 27 in 1970, will sell at auction. The five demo tapes made in 1968 hint at preliminary versions of some of his most popular tracks in his repertoire.
Recorded on these tapes are demo versions of songs like “Up From The Skies,” “Ain’t No Telling,” “Little Miss Lover,” and “Stone Free,” all of which come in at about seven minutes. These bits of rock history are going to command handsome sums of money from fans and collectors, where each tape is expected to fetch hundreds of thousands of pounds.
The entertainment auction house handling the sale describes it as an “absolute once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” for any aficionados to get a glimpse of Hendrix genius in a way that has never been possible before. According to Mark Hochman, music expert at Propstore, “It not only reflects the personal life of Jimi Hendrix but also transports you back to a pivotal moment in music history.”
However what makes the tapes interesting is their story. In 1973, Patricia “Trixie” Sullivan-the assistant of Hendrix’s manager Mike Jeffrey-collected the tapes from Jeffrey’s office. It is more than fifty years since it was recorded and Sullivan has also decided it’s time to let go. So here are the tapes and any person who is interested can come and take them. Along with the demo tapes, other memorabilia concerning Hendrix will be available for sale, including payslips for Hendrix and his band members; handwritten documents; receipts; and even a form that Hendrix completed to ask for his birth certificate.
These seemingly mundane documents provide a glimpse of Hendrix’s private life off-stage and allow one to have quite an idea about his daily goings-on. There are itineraries for the tours and even dry-cleaning receipts. Fans will not only be able to experience his music, but get to catch a glimpse into the personal life of one of the most influential musicians of this century.
Hendrix is known to the world as one of the best guitarists, and his music is rock, soul, blues, and jazz. He was brought up with such innovation on the guitar and new trends of performance that he engraved his signature in the world’s soil of music. Other songs attesting this legend include “Purple Haze,” “Foxy Lady,” and his popular cover of Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower.” It remains an inspiration even decades after his death; thus, it encourages a line of artists and listeners.
For such a short career, Hendrix leaves an indelible mark in the music world. He was the trendsetter for genre-bending and taking the guitar to its limits of vision, so he certainly finds a place in the all-time greats. His death at age 27 in 1970 was a tragic blow to music. Hendrix died of an accidental alcohol and sleeping pill overdose, ending a career in which he achieved legendary status in just a few short years.
Apart from the Hendrix tapes, other master tapes of many other artists under the management of Mike Jeffrey, The Animals and Soft Machine, are included in the auction, making it even more appealing for the collectors and music fans. However, the live auction will occur at the auction hall in London on Friday, 15 November; though, the live streaming will be done for the followers around the world who would like to witness the occurrence of this event.
For those interested in tracing the career of Hendrix or just history to know how rock music evolved, this auction is a moment not so much in terms of those tapes but as an integral part of history and stories. Any recording is a time capsule from an era in which Hendrix was experimenting with the limits and possibilities of what music could be, and now, for the first time after so many years, they are available to the public. This is more than an auction; it’s a chance to own a piece of history in music, hidden from us for over half a century.
Where digital music thrives with downloads and streaming services, the ability to own some of these scarce and concrete pieces of history is a rare occurrence. As the day of the auction approaches, collectors, fans, and music historians are excited to see what treasures they will find among the demo tapes containing Hendrix’s creativity. For these demo tapes are rare and offer an unparalleled glimpse into how Hendrix created, reminding us of his raw talent and visionary spirit.
It will commemorate the life of Hendrix’s music and remind the world of how fast time flies and how, even though he is no more, his music still inspires people all over the world.
