LAMONT’S MUSIC NOTES-MARCH 31, 2019…FIFTY TWO YEARS AGO FANS IN LONDON ENGLAND WERE STUNNED WHEN JIMI HENDRIX SET HIS GUITAR ON FIRE FOR THE FIRST TIME AND THEN SMASHED IT TO PIECES.
HENDRIX WAS ADDED TO A CROWDED TOUR WHICH INCLUDED THE WALKER BROTHERS, ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK, AND CAT STEVENS (BOY THAT BILL RAN THE GAMUT)! TO GET ATTENTION SOMEONE SUGGESTED THAT IT WOULD BE COOL IF HE COULD ACTUALLY PLAY WITH FIRE WHEN PLAYING HIS SONG ‘FIRE’. A ROADIE WAS SENT TO GET SOME LIGHTER FLUID AND WHEN THE EXPERIENCE WAS ALMOST NEAR THE END OF THE SONG, HENDRIX PUT THE GUITAR DOWN ON STAGE IN FRONT OF THE AMPLIFIERS AND WALKED TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STAGE WHILE THE BAND CONTINUED TO JAM.
WHILE HENDRIX WAS DISTRACTING THE CROWD, THE BAND’S MANAGER
DOUSED THE GUITAR IN LIGHTER FLUID. HENDRIX THEN CAME BACK TO THE GUITAR, KNELT BESIDE IT AND THREW SOME MATCHES ON IT. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF FLUID ON THE GUITAR, THE FLAME SHOT 4 FEET INTO THE AIR AND ENDED UP BURNING HENDRIX’S HANDS. HE FINISHED THE FINAL SONG ON ANOTHER GUITAR AND THEN WENT TO THE HOSPITAL WERE HE WAS TREATED FOR HIS BURNS.
HENDRIX OF COURSE PERFECTED THE STUNT AND PERFORMED IT MANY OTHER TIMES. HERE’S VIDEO OF HENDRIX TORCHING THE GUITAR AT THE MONTEREY POP FESTIVAL (AND DAMN THAT GUITAR IS A GREAT QUALITY AX, IT DOESN’T WANT TO BREAK !!)
