Synopses & Reviews
More than forty years after his death, Jimi Hendrix—recently named the greatest guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone magazine—continues to inspire fans of rock music. Many have written about Hendrixs life and music, but Jimi Hendrix: A Brothers Story provides a revealing and unprecedented look at this visionary icon: an intimate biography written by Jimis younger brother, Leon.
Leon Hendrix takes us back to the days before Jimis amazing rise to fame in the 1960s, beginning with their tough childhood in Seattle, when their fascination with science fiction and UFOs helped them escape a difficult family life. (Jimi insisted his family call him “Buster,” after Flash Gordon actor Buster Crabbe.) The author reveals Jimis early fascination with sound, from his experiments with plucking wires attached to bedposts to the time when he got in trouble for taking apart the family radio (“I was looking for the music,” he explained) to Jimis purchasing his first guitar—a Sears, Roebuck and Co. acoustic, from a neighbor.
Leon recounts Jimis early days performing on the “Chitlin Circuit,” when Jimi would call from the road to play early versions of tracks for the classic album Are You Experienced, and illuminates the biographical roots of Jimis most well-known rock & roll songs. Readers learn about the heady days of sex and drugs that came with Jimis skyrocketing fame in the sixties and how Leon felt Jimis management isolated him from the rest of the family. The author speaks of his own heartbreak, learning of his brothers sudden death while incarcerated in Washington States Monroe Reformatory.
Commemorating what would have been Jimi's seventieth birthday, Leon Hendrixs poignant and captivating account sheds new light on a music legend.
Review
“Memoirs about rock stars written by family members, friends, ex-wives and quickie backstage assignations are a wildly divergent lot that alternately take the narrative tracks of score-settling, axe-grinding, deification or exploitation. Fortunately, this effort by Jimi Hendrix's younger brother is a mostly sweet remembrance of the rock legend, heavy on tales of their youthful adventures (and misadventures) as Leon and the brother everyone called "Buster" (after Flash Gordon serial actor Buster Crabbe and Jimi's love of science fiction) grew up under less than ideal circumstances….While other Hendrix books have concentrated on his roles as musical genius, troubled soul and visionary dead far too soon, this one celebrates the sweet, shy, protective older brother -- who just happened to wear crazy clothes and set his guitar on fire.”
—Houston Press
"Although several books have been written about the artist, this one has a different perspective since it is Jimis life as seen through the eyes of his younger brother, Leon. This highly readable book reveals the origin and meaning of many of the classic Hendrix tunes, which Jimi often played for his brother over the phone while he composed and was on the road. The complicated family dynamic, the culture of sex and drugs that came with Jimis fame is also chronicled. This biography is being released just months before what would have been Jimis 70th birthday."
—Tucson Citizen
“While the rest of the world knew the great guitarist as Jimi, Leon Hendrix knew him as ‘Buster, his big brother and protector. While Leon clearly idolized his older brother, he tells a balanced and honest story of his parents broken marriage and substance abuse, and the peripatetic life he and Jimi led with their father. With the help of Mitchell (co-author of Street Player), Leon, in an informal yet intimate tone, chronicles his own life as much as his brothers, presenting the divergent paths they took: Jimi channeling his energies into making music while Leon lived a hustlers life filled with drugs and crime. Mixed in with the Hendrix family melodrama are some great vignettes (Jimi trying to make music with a one-string ukulele or wires and rubber bands)—that truly give a glimpse of the real Jimi behind the on-stage antics and flamboyant clothing. Leon also has some unique insights into Jimis music, especially when he opines on the inspiration for some of his brothers powerful lyrics (he felt “Machine Gun” betrayed Jimis “fear and paranoia”).”
—Publishers Weekly
“His little brother Leon gives us ‘Buster, the Jimi Hendrix only his family knew. Keeping it real all the way, Leon Hendrix gives us an entirely new, life-size portrait of Jimi."
—Joel Selvin, author of the classic Summer of Love and co-author of Sammy Hagars New York Times #1 bestseller Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock
Review
"Although several books have been written about the artist, this one has a different perspective since it is Jimis life as seen through the eyes of his younger brother, Leon. This highly readable book reveals the origin and meaning of many of the classic Hendrix tunes, which Jimi often played for his brother over the phone while he composed and was on the road. The complicated family dynamic, the culture of sex and drugs that came with Jimis fame is also chronicled. This biography is being released just months before what would have been Jimis 70th birthday."
—Tucson Citizen
“Memoirs about rock stars written by family members, friends, ex-wives and quickie backstage assignations are a wildly divergent lot that alternately take the narrative tracks of score-settling, axe-grinding, deification or exploitation. Fortunately, this effort by Jimi Hendrix's younger brother is a mostly sweet remembrance of the rock legend, heavy on tales of their youthful adventures (and misadventures) as Leon and the brother everyone called "Buster" (after Flash Gordon serial actor Buster Crabbe and Jimi's love of science fiction) grew up under less than ideal circumstances….While other Hendrix books have concentrated on his roles as musical genius, troubled soul and visionary dead far too soon, this one celebrates the sweet, shy, protective older brother -- who just happened to wear crazy clothes and set his guitar on fire.”
—Houston Press
“A candid memoir of the Jimi Hendrix only he knew.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Leon warmly describes the brothers childhood in Seattle, providing a dramatically different perspective.”
—Booklist
“While the rest of the world knew the great guitarist as Jimi, Leon Hendrix knew him as ‘Buster, his big brother and protector. While Leon clearly idolized his older brother, he tells a balanced and honest story of his parents broken marriage and substance abuse, and the peripatetic life he and Jimi led with their father. With the help of Mitchell (co-author of Street Player), Leon, in an informal yet intimate tone, chronicles his own life as much as his brothers, presenting the divergent paths they took: Jimi channeling his energies into making music while Leon lived a hustlers life filled with drugs and crime. Mixed in with the Hendrix family melodrama are some great vignettes (Jimi trying to make music with a one-string ukulele or wires and rubber bands)—that truly give a glimpse of the real Jimi behind the on-stage antics and flamboyant clothing. Leon also has some unique insights into Jimis music, especially when he opines on the inspiration for some of his brothers powerful lyrics (he felt “Machine Gun” betrayed Jimis “fear and paranoia”).”
—Publishers Weekly
“His little brother Leon gives us ‘Buster, the Jimi Hendrix only his family knew. Keeping it real all the way, Leon Hendrix gives us an entirely new, life-size portrait of Jimi."
—Joel Selvin, author of the classic Summer of Love and co-author of Sammy Hagars New York Times #1 bestseller Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock
Review
“Memoirs about rock stars written by family members, friends, ex-wives and quickie backstage assignations are a wildly divergent lot that alternately take the narrative tracks of score-settling, axe-grinding, deification or exploitation. Fortunately, this effort by Jimi Hendrix's younger brother is a mostly sweet remembrance of the rock legend, heavy on tales of their youthful adventures (and misadventures) as Leon and the brother everyone called "Buster" (after Flash Gordon serial actor Buster Crabbe and Jimi's love of science fiction) grew up under less than ideal circumstances….While other Hendrix books have concentrated on his roles as musical genius, troubled soul and visionary dead far too soon, this one celebrates the sweet, shy, protective older brother -- who just happened to wear crazy clothes and set his guitar on fire.”
—Houston Press
"Although several books have been written about the artist, this one has a different perspective since it is Jimis life as seen through the eyes of his younger brother, Leon. This highly readable book reveals the origin and meaning of many of the classic Hendrix tunes, which Jimi often played for his brother over the phone while he composed and was on the road. The complicated family dynamic, the culture of sex and drugs that came with Jimis fame is also chronicled. This biography is being released just months before what would have been Jimis 70th birthday."
—Tucson Citizen
“While the rest of the world knew the great guitarist as Jimi, Leon Hendrix knew him as ‘Buster, his big brother and protector. While Leon clearly idolized his older brother, he tells a balanced and honest story of his parents broken marriage and substance abuse, and the peripatetic life he and Jimi led with their father. With the help of Mitchell (co-author of Street Player), Leon, in an informal yet intimate tone, chronicles his own life as much as his brothers, presenting the divergent paths they took: Jimi channeling his energies into making music while Leon lived a hustlers life filled with drugs and crime. Mixed in with the Hendrix family melodrama are some great vignettes (Jimi trying to make music with a one-string ukulele or wires and rubber bands)—that truly give a glimpse of the real Jimi behind the on-stage antics and flamboyant clothing. Leon also has some unique insights into Jimis music, especially when he opines on the inspiration for some of his brothers powerful lyrics (he felt “Machine Gun” betrayed Jimis “fear and paranoia”).”
—Publishers Weekly
“His little brother Leon gives us ‘Buster, the Jimi Hendrix only his family knew. Keeping it real all the way, Leon Hendrix gives us an entirely new, life-size portrait of Jimi."
—Joel Selvin, author of the classic Summer of Love and co-author of Sammy Hagars New York Times #1 bestseller Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock
About the Author
LEON HENDRIX lives in Los Angeles and is pursuing his art and music full-time in the Leon Hendrix Band. In addition to touring across North America and Europe, he is also the owner of Rockin Artwork LLC, a company that licenses Jimi Hendrixs likeness and image.
ADAM MITCHELL is also the author of Street Player: My Chicago Story with legendary drummer Danny Seraphine. He lives in Los Angeles.