Village Voice staffer Tate says this is a "book bent on making philosophical judgment calls regarding [rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix's] race, his romance, his tools"; a book "obsessed about the Blackness of Hendrix." So Tate and his informants munch on the "social meaning," "sexual mystery," and "scientific inquiries of Jimi Hendrix" to produce a "Jimi Hendrix Primer for Blackfolk." Whitefolk needn't feel left out, though, for Hendrix's adoration by whites is at the center of much of the discussion. Tate's own spiel runs out in 70-odd pages, after which he yields to various "witnesses" offering their insights and memories. Record producer Craig Street demonstrates forthrightness by remarking of Hendrix-influenced Led Zeppelin, "none of them are particularly strong on their own, but here are four guys who . . . form something powerful": straight talk, indeed, to Jimmy Page's and John Bonham's head-banging devotees. Though a little slapdash in places, this is thinking persons' rock criticism, commendably committed to understanding Hendrix's ongoing hold on his audience, and it should enliven any collection.
Mike TribbyCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Pressestimmen
"A jumpy, fast-talking take on Jimi Hendrix... Tate is smart and playful." -- Kirkus, May 2003. "An excellent variation on the hindsight conjecture found in much of the existing material on Hendrix. Recommended for all libraries." -- Library Journal. "At times 'Lightning' hits like a bolt." -- VIBE. "Few writers are better equipped to tackle such questions than Greg Tate... bursts with ideas." -- The Onion. "A remarkably astute examination of Hendrix's protean talents... Tate writes with an engaging, highly stylized voice." -- Wilson Quarterly. "An engaging and refreshing read from start to finish." -- Upscale. "One of the most original and linguistically inventive cultural observers in print... marvelously head-whirling phraseology." -- St Petersburg Times. "Like no biography that has come before." -- Relix. "Tate's dead-on logic is intriguing and revealing." -- Black Issues Book Review. "A testament to how much the enigmatic guitarist still affects American culture." -- N'Music.
