When Hendrix Met Clapton
“He Killed God, Man! He Killed Clapton!”
“He Killed God, Man! He Killed Clapton!” was the collective cry of disbelief when Jimi Hendrix plugged his Fender Stratocaster into a nearby bass amp one night while jamming with Eric Clapton’s Cream and proceeded to shred his way through ‘Killing Floor’ – a song Clapton loved but had previously written off as being “too difficult”.
Hendrix performed all sorts of theatrics that became his claim to fame; divebombs, playing with his teeth, playing behind his head and all the while, never missing a note! Who on earth besides Jimi Hendrix would have the sheer audacity to get up there and not only take over Cream’s set, but completely annihilate Clapton the Guitar God?
No one. That’s what makes Jimi Hendrix so special and such a legend among guitar geeks everywhere. He was lightyears ahead of his time and completely fearless – he was never afraid to let his guitar guide him where it wanted him to go, and even the now-embarrassed Eric Clapton had to bow down and acknowledge this shy kid from the U.S. with way too much talent.
It’s scenarios like this that make us painfully aware that Jimi was a living legend when he took the stage that night, and that he was snatched away before we got to see the culmination of his gift!
