Jimi Hendrix and the Flaming Guitar
The Monterey International Pop Festival, California, 1967. This was to be Hendrix’s one shot at a breakthrough in the U.S as he was only mostly making waves in the UK. Also, considering the fact that the festival also featured huge rock names like Janis Joplin, Otis Redding and The Who who happened to be his agelong rival, Hendrix knew he had to do something spectacular to stand out since The Who already left an impression by smashing their guitars on stage just before Jimi’s performance came up.
How the insanity unfolded
• Hendrix had already lerformed an electrifying set that already had the crowd crazy and buzzing.
• At the finale, he carefully set his guitar down, doused it in lighter fluid, and set it ablaze.
• But he didn’t just light it and walk away, he knelt down with it and coaxed the flames as if in a ritual, hereby creating one of the most iconic images in music history.
• When questioned about it, Hendrix said he already had it planned out after the altercation backstage with The Who about who is to perform first
• A coin was tossed in favour of The Who after which Hendrix began hunting around backstage for some lighter fluid.
• As Hendrix would later explain: “I decided to destroy my guitar at the end of a song as a sacrifice. You sacrifice things you love. I love my guitar.”
How this carved him a legacy
• The guitar itself, a 1965 Fender Stratocaster became a priceless piece of music history as it was later valued for thousands of dollars.
• Hendrix’s fiery act became one of the most iconic moments in rock history, marking the moment he arrived as a legend.