Jimi Hendrix Hussar pelisse

[SGB]

Seeing him live must have been quite an experience... Jimi must have been like a visitor from another planet when he arrived on the scene. Just look at the live footage of the Experience in the video above.... the audience in suits and ties (bunch of squares - just like us! lol ), and Jimi being... well, Jimi. My mother saw him live in Belfast during her Uni days, about 66 or 67, I think - she's not clear on the details. Closest I've ever been were the couple of occasions I was lucky enough to get to play the Black Angel, Jimi's custom Gibson Flying Vee that he played, most famously, at the IoW festival. Being a southpaw myself, that was a big deal - not often I get to handle a guitar hero's instrument, let alone one oriented for me to play.... The Hendrix guitar I'd love to get my hands on most of all, though, is his black '68 Strat - the sister guitar to the white, so-called Woodstock Strat. It was the one he played the day he died, and reportedly was his favourite of all the instruments he ever had. If Squier put out a 68 Strat in the Classic Vibe range, I may well pick one up to Hendrix...

Actually at the Fillmore Jimi just fit right in, he was one of us.
The stage at the Fillmore was about 4' high with a small area at the front for lights to shine up at the performers. The audience couldn't see this area. While playing, Jimi would reach down and a hand would pop up and give him a smoke, he'd take a couple drags and then keep playing. We leaned over and saw a young girl down there keeping his smokes lit. Naturally some of us asked for some, to no avail.
I think he was wearing the same outfit that he had on at Monterey, being the same time frame.
Also saw him at an outdoor music festival in California, where I got to be an usher in the VIP section up front. Got to hang out backstage when I was done working, so got up close to lots of musicians from that era. I remember the PA system went out in the middle of Jimi's set, for awhile. So they just jammed w/o mics and the sound system, sounded neat just like in a small rehearsal studio.

SGB

 

[Jeff M]

Kind of sedate for my tastes.
Great looking repro! Wonder where Jimi's original is?

 

[greeny]

I've tried to find some info on where the original went - but no luck. Actually, I'm not sure whether he still had it after that first US trip. I know he wore it at Monterey and in San Francisco - not sure about back in England. I'll have to check my sources again. Maybe it disappeared in the States. I know that it was starting to look a little more raggedy at Monterey. Perhaps he just wore it out!

Will post some pics of me wearing the pelisse soon!

 

[dr greg]

tech

, reminds you that his first album was mono, kind of like doing the Sistine Chapel in Crayon, same colors, but just doesn't cut it!

I dunno about that, my original mono copy sounds pretty good to me, and better than my stereo copy of AXIS, remember that most people's record players were primitive back then as well, the mid-70's Hi-Fi boom was a long way off.
I'd rather have a Robert Johnson 78 than a CD ......

 

[Edward]

I dunno about that, my original mono copy sounds pretty good to me, and better than my stereo copy of AXIS, remember that most people's record players were primitive back then as well, the mid-70's Hi-Fi boom was a long way off.
I'd rather have a Robert Johnson 78 than a CD ......

My (admittedly limited) understanding of the technology is that a lot of the later stereo and digital remixes often sound inferior simpyl because they changed the compression rate(?), altering the mix and making it all sound much tinnier, less oomph.

Also saw him at an outdoor music festival in California, where I got to be an usher in the VIP section up front. Got to hang out backstage when I was done working, so got up close to lots of musicians from that era. I remember the PA system went out in the middle of Jimi's set, for awhile. So they just jammed w/o mics and the sound system, sounded neat just like in a small rehearsal studio.

SGB

He was one of few people for whom pretty much nobody seems to have a bad word. I'd have loved to have gotten the chance to hang out with him and talk classical music.

 

[GriffDeLaGriff]

Very often they up the volume so you loose the dynamics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war


Sweet jacket.

 

[imported_Flaming_Groovy]

Wow! Somebody finally did it!
Didn't we just all want a jacket like Jimi's back then. And here is someone who just did it! Great work!

On ebay you can find this hussar coat.
www.dealtime.co.uk/xDN-clothing-melton_coat--ebay_express_merch

 

[greeny]

I looked at that ebay jacket early on -it kind of looks the part but many of the details (including the basic cut of the jacket) are off. Also, up close, it really falls down as the materials used are simply wrong. Yellow woolen braiding instread of gold metalic braiding just for starts. I notice they now include the cord around the neck, after I asked them about it. They were nice people to comminicate with though and were honest enough to suggest to me that I probably wouldn't be satisfied with the quality of their offering. Basically they make costume pieces which should look good from a distance, on a stage, and not have to stand close scrutiny.
Happily, my custom made jacket wasn't much more expensive - although the maker did state afterwards that if he were to offer the jacket on his website he'd have to charge much more - simply due to the workmanship involved.
More pics coming...

 

[Absinthe_1900]

Also saw him at an outdoor music festival in California, where I got to be an usher in the VIP section up front. Got to hang out backstage when I was done working, so got up close to lots of musicians from that era. I remember the PA system went out in the middle of Jimi's set, for awhile. So they just jammed w/o mics and the sound system, sounded neat just like in a small rehearsal studio.

SGB

That must have been the Golden Gate Park show.

 

[SGB]

That must have been the Golden Gate Park show.

No, it was a festival in San Jose, CA, at the fairgrounds. It was a 3 day festival and Jimi played Sunday afternoon, didn't get to play at night as a headliner.

 

[Absinthe_1900]

I know someone who at that show, I just missed seeing him when I was a kid.

At Golden Gate Park he wore the jacket, there are several photos from that early tour.

Guess which one of these has a very intriguing set of markings inside.

 

[dr greg]

do tell

the one on the left

 

[andyfalzon]

This is obe great jacket.
How much you paid for it, if I may ask?

 

[greeny]

Well.. I comissioned it. I provided all the pics I could find and a few videos and asked whether it could be done on my budget of 550pounds. The guy spent several weeks on the project, sourcing materials which he felt best represented what he saw. In the end it cost me exactly 600 including shipping, but he told me if he was to make another he would have to charge more - like 850 maybe - simply due to the cost of the materials used and the work involved (hand stitching the jacket swirls!). He honoured his promise to bring it in on my budget but rather than skimping on any details decided to do the best replica he could - for which he would quote a higher price in future.

 

[greeny]

Here's how it looks on! Obviously it looks brand new and not worn like Jimi's - time and wear should sort that out though and the gold should dull down in time too.

 

[Kt Templar]

Mate, they just added your name into the OED definition of extrovert!

 

[Metatron]

Epic.

 

[pipvh]

I've ALWAYS wanted one of those. You certainly wear it with conviction, mate! Fantastic!!

 

[kampkatz]

Not exactly what one would want to wear if you just hoped to blend in with the crowd.

 

[Absinthe_1900]

Now you need the embroidered vest.