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"“I, unfortunately, was too young" |
A ROOM FULL OF MIRRORS – INTERVIEW WITH JIMI HENDRIX BIOGRAPHER CHARLES CROSS
Coinciding with the 35th anniversary of Jimi Hendrix's tragic death in 1970, Room Full of Mirrors is the definitive biography of rock 'n' roll's greatest guitarist. Meticulously researched and based on more than 300 interviews with those who knew him best -- more than half of whom have never spoken about him before -- this landmark book recounts the entire arc of Hendrix's life, from his troubled childhood in Seattle's projects and the early loss of his mother to his struggles against racial prejudice as a young musician and his rapid ascent to the top amidst the swinging London scene, and finally to the apex of his career headlining Woodstock in 1969, with his death occurring a year later.
This is a book as colorful and large as the decade of the sixties. It is the story of an outrageous life -- with legendary tales of sex, drugs, and excess -- but it also reveals a man who struggled to accept his role as an idol and who privately craved the kind of normal family life he never had. Using never-before-seen documents and private letters, Room Full of Mirrors unlocks the vast mystery of one of rock's most enduring legends.
 FPE: What one discovery about Jimi Hendrix startled you the most?
CC: “The most shocking discovery was probably the true reason he got out of the army—it was not what was expected, not what Jimi said, and not what had been reported in the press and other books over the years. And it was also so opposite of Jimi’s public image. I’m writing vaguely here as I don’t want to give this surprise away—you’ll have to read the book!”
FPE: What one discovery about Jimi upset you most?
CC: “It you are asking what of his character I found upsetting, that would be his behavior when drunk and his treatment of women when he was really drunk. However, as a biographer I feel it is not my job to judge my subjects—instead, it is my job to tell the story of their lives without judgement.”
 FPE: Did you get an opportunity to play or see any of his guitars
CC: “In a word yes, I saw a number of them. I didn’t presume to play them.”
FPE: Had you even seen Hendrix perform?
CC: “I, unfortunately, was too young.”
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