Hendrix.....what a loser!

[2NINTOKYO]

A friend says that the great guitarist Jimmy Hendrix would put acid tablets inside the his bandana and wear it during concerts. The sweat from his head would disolve the drug and enter his blood stream. Can you really play a guitar if your tripping on acid and is the above fact or a myth?  I'm not a real fan of the guy and have never done acid, so the sign says, long haired hippy freaks need not reply!

[cheyenne]

the fact is  i saw hendrix twice the last 3 months before he died,were you or your friend alive in 1970?he was and still is regarded as one of the best guitarist ever.and yes rockstars did take a lot of drugs in the sixties and so did there fans,but so do did great artists from the passed,painters,composers you name it they took it.im sure theres loads of fans who worship hendrix but dont take drugs!!SO THE SIGN SAYS,DONT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOUR FRIENDS TELL YOU2nintokyo?

[2NINTOKYO]

Vinny,so you're the man to ask.  No, I was not born in 1970 and I was just going for a laugh with the loser and hippy thing.  Hendrix changed rock forever. I do know that.  But I just wanted to know if he actually did that acid/bandana thing because my argument with my buddy was that you can't play guitar if you are going to be tripping on acid.  I've never done so I want to know.  Please anyone.

So Vin, if you're not mad at me, tell me about his live shows.

[andy hughes]

It is not uncommon for musicians to play under the influence of a variety of narcotics. Hendrix often tripped during concerts, and it didn't appear to affect his playing adversely. Remember, LSD can be made in various strengths, from the mildy hallucinogenic to the full-works-nine-yards-get-the -elephant-tranquiliser-which plane-is-this variety, which may inhibit musical expresion as the recipient remembers how to breathe in and out. I've never heard of this method of taking it though, but that doesn't mean it's not true, Syb Barrett of Pink Floyd once crushed an entire jar of mandrax tablets and mixed them with a tub of Brylcreem which he applied to his hair before the band went on stage for a show. As the hot lights melted the goo and it ran down his face, he licked the concoction and got steadily more stoned as the concert progressed. Musicians eh?

[dorset 1954]

Hi 2NINTOKYO. Andy referred to MANDRAX, which I doubt you've heard of. I used to be a Mental Health Nurse and one of our "stranger" clients was incessantly ranting about Mandrax. None of my younger (also qualified) colleagues had heard of it. This explains briefly:http://www.drugscope.org.uk/druginfo/drugsearch/ds_results.a sp?file=%5Cwip%5C11%5C1%5C1%5Cmandrax.html Have you heard of Syd Barrett.

[cheyenne]

syd barret,pink floyd.

[2NINTOKYO]

Thanks for the replies all. Thanks for the link Dorset. I had no idea what Mandrex was.  "Ludes" however, I know all about. Over here, Mandrex is called Quaaludes.  They are hard to find.  I asked the local "druglord" and he confirmed that those are "made to order" because "they come out of some piece of ..... country" he must mean India, as your site says.  I know about Syd.  I heard there is some old stuff that will be released.  Do you guys have it over there?  I dont think it's released on this side. Maybe.

[nicola_red]

Guitarists can indeed and frequently do play under the influence, but that's not to say it won't affect their playing. My bf recently went onstage after one too many Jack and cokes and later declared he would never do it again as during No More Tears (the Sabbath classic) he had messed up the solo to the extent of "playing a note that doesn't exist". I don't think anyone else noticed, and i bet Hendrix's devoted fans wouldn't have either!