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oMarketing Manager: Handles all advertising and press-related issues regarding museum exhibitions.oMuseum Educator: Creates education resources and interpretive materials for school groups and thegeneral public.oPublic Programs Coordinator: Creates programs and events that showcase museum exhibitions for thepublic. Exhibition Design ProcessAlthough the creative design process for exhibitions may vary, development generally follows these steps:o Concept design and development – Goals and themes for the exhibition take shape, an artifact list is createdalong with layouts, schematics, and pre-visualization imagery to demonstrate the look and feel of theexhibition.o Interactive and sound development – Goals and objectives for each interactive installation are established,creation is outsourced as necessary.o Construction drawings – Final blueprints for the layout of the gallery are created.o Fabrication – Artifact casework is created.o Installation – Artifacts are installed in the gallery.Exhibition WalkthroughThe exhibition layout is arranged chronologically. Beginning the visit with the gallery closest to Sky Church andcontinuing clockwise will allow visitors to view Hendrix’s experiences in London in a linear fashion. Hendrix Hits LondonReflection Question: What images come to mind when you think of Hendrix?o The nine-month period beginning in September 1966 is regarded by many as the most important and formativetime in Hendrix’s career.o Hendrix’s transformation started on the plane to London where he decided to change his name from Jimmy toJimi.o In September 1966 when Hendrix arrived, London was enjoying a youth-driven cultural renaissance. Led by TheBeatles and The Rolling Stones, the city had become the epicenter of the country’s revitalized music scene.o Hendrix’s blues style was unique at the time in London. Many of the blues musicians popular in the UK werefrom the previous generation, whereas Hendrix was a contemporary musician.o During his first few weeks in London Hendrix jammed with notable British musicians such as The Animals’ EricBurdon and Eric Clapton of Cream. Chas Chandler quickly arranged auditions to form a band, subsequently hiringNoel Redding on bass and Mitch Mitchell on drums to create what would be known as The Jimi HendrixExperience.o The music industry of the 1960s centered on singles. Following this model, The Jimi Hendrix Experience releasedseveral singles before releasing their first album titled “Are You Experienced.”5

ooooThe first of these singles was “Hey Joe,” whose B-side featured the song “Stone Free,” Hendrix’s first originalvocal recording with The Jimi Hendrix Experience.“Hey Joe” rose steadily and remained in the Top 10 UK charts for several months. Of the release, Mick Jaggerwas quoted as saying, “That Jimi Hendrix record is just great! I wish I’d done this.” Disc and Music Echo, February4, 1967.Object Focus: Acetate recording of “Hey Joe” / “Stone Free,” November 1966.Acetates are fragile discs made of aluminum, coated in lacquer, and encoded with audio via a cutting lathe. JimiHendrix may have had this copy made after a recording session to listen to the songs at home.Object Focus: “Purple Haze” / “51st Anniversary” promo, Track, UK, 1967.Hendrix was a science fiction fan. “Purple Haze” was influenced by imagery from Philip José Farmer’s 1957novel, Night of Light. Hendrix and FashionReflection Question: How would you describe Hendrix’s choice of fashion and how would these same styles beperceived today?o Hendrix is famous for his eclectic taste in stage outfits.o One type of popular menswear fashion in London at this time was referred to asDandyism (or Peacock Style). This style is characterized by a refined or “bespoke”look, which means tailored to the individual.o Several outfits owned by Hendrix are featured in the first room of the exhibition.The casework for these outfits is meant to resemble a boutique clothing store.o As with many current fashion trends, not everyone agreed on what wasacceptable. In the 1960s, it became legal for UK civilians to purchase and wearmilitary garments, which became quite fashionable. Some felt that it wasdisrespectful. Hendrix responded to their criticisms by stating: “Some people havesaid that wearing a uniform is an insult to the army—but I wear these jackets outof respect. I hate war but I respect a fighting man. Would they rather his uniformfaded and withered away like the memory of the man that wore it?” Jimi Hendrix,Green velvet jacket, worn inRave, March 1967.1967o Object Focus: Green velvet jacket, worn in 1967.When Hendrix toured with Little Richard and the Isley Brothers from 1964–65 he was expected to wear outfitsthat matched those of his bandmates. On his own in London he was finally able to express his individualitystating: “You were asking me about why I go for way-out gear, right? Well, it wasn’t just the army. I had toconform when I was playing in groups too. I was playing with the Isley Brothers and we had white mohair suits,patent leather shoes and patent leather hair-dos. We weren’t allowed to go on stage looking casual. If ourshoelaces were two different types we’d get fined five dollars. Oh, man, did I get tired of that!” Jimi Hendrix, toAlan Freeman, Rave, June 1967. Mitch Mitchell, DrummerReflection Question: How might the relationship/associations of band members affect the type and quality oftheir music?6

oooA few years younger than Hendrix, John “Mitch” Mitchell had been a child actor and a model, and was alreadyan accomplished drummer before being asked to join The Jimi Hendrix Experience.The trio format of The Jimi Hendrix Experience allowed Mitchell not only to hold down the rhythm, but also adda sense of melody and momentum to the group. His accomplished, jazz-influenced style proved to be one of thegreatest assets of The Jimi Hendrix Experience.Object Focus: Radiola 007 record player, 1967.Mitch Mitchell bought this record player while on tour in Stockholm, Sweden,September 1967: “We were on tour, and someone had just brought our newacetate [“Burning of the Midnight Lamp”] over to Sweden for us to hear. Wehad nothing to listen to it—so Jimi and I ran out—and I bought this littlerecord player. The chap in the shop told us they called it the James Bondrecord player, because it looked like a briefcase gadget Bond would carry.”Mitch MitchellRadiola 007 record player, 1967 Walker Brothers TourReflection Question: Bands often have a specific image that they endeavor to convey. Choose severalcontemporary musicians or bands and consider what adjectives you would use to describe their music andpersona.At the end of March 1967 The Jimi Hendrix Experience joined their first highprofile tour of the United Kingdom, with Engelbert Humperdinck; Cat Stevens;and The Walker Brothers, a teen-focused pop group from Los Angeles.o Hendrix’s group was radically different from the other acts on the tour. WhileThe Jimi Hendrix Experience was certainly the odd man out, it ended upworking in their favor by garnering them a new audience base.o On opening night Hendrix shocked Walker Brothers’ fans with a suggestiveperformance that culminated in lighting his guitar on fire. The act sparkedcontroversy and led to Hendrix’s band being removed from the tour—whichonly served to fuel Hendrix’s popularity.o Object Focus: Beat Instrumental magazine, May 1967.Example of how the press promoted The Jimi Hendrix Experience as a teen popgroup.Beat Instrumental magazine, Mayo Object Focus: Concert Poster, The Jimi Hendrix Experience at the Astoria,1967March 31, 1967.After lighting his sunburst Stratocaster on fire at the Finsbury Astoria, Hendrix was kicked off the April 1967Walker Brothers’ tour.o Hendrix’s popularity in London greatly increased after the Walker Brother’s tour—particularly among teenagefans.o Soon after finishing their tour, The Jimi Hendrix Experience released “The Wind Cries Mary,” a song inspired byHendrix’s girlfriend Kathy Mary Etchingham. The beautiful blues-inflected ballad was a marked contrast to the7

frenetic rave-up “Purple Haze,” and in some ways served as a response to critics who had described Hendrix’smusic as lacking in depth. Mixing InteractiveReflection Question: In what ways has the changing technology in recording and mixing affected both music andthe music industry?o This interactive station allows visitors to remix the original four-track recordings of these classic Hendrix songs:“Purple Haze,” “The Wind Cries Mary,” “Fire,” and “Foxey Lady.”o In the mid to late 1960’s 4-track recording technology was the standard, allowing only four separate soundsources to be recorded simultaneously.o Hendrix experimented heavily with additional 4-track machines in thestudio adding additional layers of guitars and studio effects that wouldn’thave been possible in a live setting. The Jimi Hendrix Experienceo The Jimi Hendrix Experience was formed by a trio of musicians, includingHendrix on guitar, Mitch Mitchell on drums, and Noel Redding on bass. Thelast exhibit case in this room showcases select artifacts from each.o Individually, they were incredible musicians—together from 1966-1969 asThe Jimi Hendrix Experience, they formed a phenomenal power trio thatamazed audiences worldwide and influenced generations of rock bands.o Object Focus: Jimi Hendrix, orange jacket and black hat.Hendrix wore this iconic Westerner brand hat and orange velvet jacketindividually in concert and around London from October 1967 to JanuaryConcert Poster, Astoria. March 31,19671968.o Object Focus: Noel Redding, 1966 Fender Jazz Bass and Sunn 2000S bass amplifier and cabinet.Several pieces of Noel Redding’s signature equipment with The Jimi Hendrix Experience during their time inLondon.o Object Focus: Mitch’s William F. Ludwig (WFL) sparkle kit.Mitch Mitchell was a powerful, nuanced drummer and he played this mid1950s WFL drum kit with Zildjian cymbals primarily in the studio during therecording of Axis: Bold as Love (October 1967) and other sessions. Hendrix’s Farwell to LondonReflection Question: In what ways might Hendrix’s incendiary stage anticshave affected his public perception? How might Jimi Hendrix have beenregarded differently if he were judged on his music alone?o Are You Experienced? Hendrix’s debut album was released on May 12, 1967.The album soon shot up to #2 on the charts, behind the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’sLonely Hearts Club Band.Are You Experienced?, Reprise, US,release August 23, 19678

oooooFor many fans around the UK and Europe that weren’t able to see Hendrix live, the album was a revelation. TheJimi Hendrix Experience in concert was about dynamic showmanship, raw instrumentation, and pure volume.For Are You Experienced? the recording studio was used as a powerful tool in composition. With it Hendrixcreated a new paradigm in psychedelic sound.Object Focus: Are You Experienced, US cover.Are You Experienced? Reprise, US, released on August 23, 1967. The US release featured the addition of “HeyJoe,” “Purple Haze,” and “The Wind Cries Mary,” but omitted “Red House,” “Can You See Me,” and“Remember,” because Reprise felt US audiences weren’t as receptive to the blues. This copy is from JimiHendrix’s personal record collection.On June 4, 1967, with his work visa soon to expire, Hendrix bid farewell to London,playing his last show at the Saville Theatre.Famously, he opened the set with a cover of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts ClubBand”—a nod to the massive influence of The Beatles, who had released their newalbum only three days prior. Paul McCartney and George Harrison were both inattendance.Object Focus: Saville guitar shards.During his Saville show, Hendrix smashed this poetry-inscribed guitar to the lastnotes of “Are You Experienced?” The back of the guitar features a poemincorporating lyrics from his song “Love or Confusion” along with an allusion to hisguitar as a loving sacrifice.Saville guitar shards Hendrix Returns Home, Monterey Pop FestivalQuote: “The Jimi Hendrix Experience owned the future, and the audience knew it in an instant. When Jimi leftthe stage he graduated from rumor to legend.” Pete Johnson on the Monterey International Pop Festival, LosAngeles Times, June 1967.o The Monterey International Pop Music Festival was a three-day concert event in June, 1967. Along with The JimiHendrix Experience other acts included Jefferson Airplane, The Who, Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, Ravi Shankar,and The Mamas & the Papas.o The Beatles originally considered playing the festival but declined due to their music becoming increasingcomplex and challenging to play live. It was Paul McCartney who recommended that The Jimi HendrixExperience be added to the show.o Nearly 100,000 people attended Monterey Pop, which helped initiate the Summer of Love and launched JimiHendrix’s career in America.o Object Focus: Monterey guitar shards.Hendrix ended his set with “Wild Thing,” after which he lit his painted guitar on fire and smashed it, signaling hisdramatic and triumphant return to America. Hendrix Record CollectionReflection Question: What might someone be able to tell about you from your music collection?9

ooHendrix's musical tastes were diverse, and his record collection shows a keen interest in rock, folk, classical, jazz,R&B, country, world music, and of course the blues.Object Focus: George Frederic Handel, Messiah excerpts (conducted by Frederic Jackson), 1962.This record was likely purchased as a result of Hendrix moving into an apartment at 23 Brook Street in London.This building had the notable reputation of neighboring the house where George Frederic Handel had lived, the18th century composer of the choral masterwork “Messiah.” Years after Hendrix’s death, the apartment wasrestored to the condition in which he had lived there. The apartment is currently theadministrative offices of the Handel House Museum. Woodstock Strato This white Fender guitar was used by Hendrix to play his famous rendition of the nationalanthem at the Woodstock Music and Art Fair in August, 1969.o Throughout his career Hendrix played a variety of different guitars but is best known forhis use of the Fender Stratocaster. Stratocasters are known for their deep, doublecutaway neck. This allows for easier playing in higher ranges, a feature Hendrix can beheard taking advantage of in songs such as “Fire.” This model also includes three singlecoil pickups with a 5-way switch. This setup gave players greater versatility in playingrhythm and lead.o Object Focus: White Fender Stratocaster, 1968.Though dating from a period after the exhibition focus, this 1968 Fender Stratocaster isone of the most popular artifacts at EMP Museum. You may note the unusual stringing ofthis guitar. Hendrix was left-handed and would regularly play his instrument upside downsince left-handed guitars weren’t readily available at the time. This necessitatedrestringing the guitar to the standard order, flipping the nut at the headstock, andswitching the strap button to the other horn.White FenderStratocaster, 1968 ConclusionReflection Question: What are some reasons that the music of Hendrix continues to be popular today?o Without Hendrix’s experiences in London, which served to both define Hendrix as a musician and solidify hispublic image, his continuing legacy might have been very different.o Fueled by his success in London and his dramatic performance in Monterey, the US release of Are YouExperienced (released on August 23, three months after the UK version) shot to No. 5 on the Billboard 200album chart and Hendrix became an international superstar.o “If he ever returns to Britain or not, Jimi Hendrix can be sure that things will never be the same again here sincehis Experience hit town with all the impact of a 50-megaton H-bomb.” Hugh Nolan, Disc and Music Echo, June10, 1967.10

Extension Resourceso Official Hendrix site: jimihendrix.com/uso EMP Museum, Hear My Train a Comin’: Hendrix Hits London site: EMPmuseum.org/hendrixo EMP Museum, Poet As Songwriting lesson plan: /educational-resources/lesson-planso Victoria and Albert Museum, London Fashion Trends in the 1960s: 1

5 o Marketing Manager: Handles all advertising and press-related issues regarding museum exhibitions. o Museum Educator: Creates education resources and interpretive materials for school groups and the general public. o Public Programs Coordinator: Creates programs and events that showcase museum exhibitions for the public. Exhibition Design Process