Jimi Hendrix’s former London Mayfair home is to be opened up to the public in September this year to commemorate the 40th anniversary of his death. Hendrix rented the top floor flat for the princely sum of £30 per week with his girlfriend, Kathy Etchingham.
The opening will form part of an exhibition called Hendrix in Britain and includes rarely-seen as well as iconic photographic images of rock music’s greatest guitarist and includes works by photographers David Redfern, Baron Wolman, Miki Slingsby, Gered Mankowitz, Bruce Fleming, Richard Wolff, Jan Persson and Barrie Wentzell. The work captures not only the flamboyant stage persona, but the thoughtful, reflective musician behind the rock icon.
Jimi Hendrix lived at 23 Brook Street, W1 from 1968-69 at the peak of his tragically short career. For Hendrix, Brook Street was the doorstep to the London music scene of the late 60s. His flat was a short stroll from legendary venues like the Marquee, the Speakeasy and the Saville, and he would spend many evenings wandering from club to club looking for a chance to play. On 14 September 1997, 23 Brook Street was chosen for an English Heritage Blue Plaque commemorating his life and work. Since November 2001, the upper floors of 23 Brook Street including Hendrix’s flat, have been part of the Handel House Museum.
The exhibition is curated by author, critic and broadcaster, Keith Shadwick who has written a penetrating and fully illustrated book Jimi Hendrix: Musician by Backbeat Books (November 2003).
Hendrix in Britain will run at Handel House Museum from 25 August to 7 November and tickets for the opening of the Hendrix flat from 15-26 September cost £8 and can be booked from 1 June.
For more information, visit HandelHouse.org.
Meanwhile, this is a new video which imagines what it would have been like to see Hendrix play the pyramid Stage at Glastonbury, Kate Moss along with Michael Eavis make an appearance.