Starting At Zero

It took just four years in the spotlight for Jimi Hendrix to become an international cultural icon. The sheer impact and originality of his music and his unique mastery of the guitar placed him for ever amongst musical giants. But what of the man behind the public image? Modest and intensely private by nature, Jimi was shrouded in intrigue from the moment he first came into the public eye, and the mystery has only grown with time. Much has been written about him by experts, fans and critics, some of it true and some of it not. He did, however, leave his own account of himself locked away like a Chinese puzzle in his many interviews, lyrics, writings, poems, diaries and even stage raps. Starting At Zero brings all these elements together in narrative form. The result is an intimate, funny and poetic memoir - one that tells, for the first time, Jimi's own story as only he could tell it. Starting At Zero is the real deal. It's the first book I've ever read entirely in Jimi's own words, uncensored and unadulterated. I can hear his voice in my head as I read it Leon Hendrix The nearest we'll ever get to an autobiography by the guitarist who redefined pop ... The book contains both snippets that confirm hunches one had about both man and music, and others that confound the stereotype of a wild reckless genius who played himself into an early grave in 1970 ... Fascinating -- Ed Vulliamy Observer A startling first-person narrative, this is an engaging and immersive work that will delight those fascinated by the guitarist's legacy Sunday Times Books of the Year The legendary guitarist had a gift with words ... articulate and instinctively wise on life's vicissitudes ... What pervades every page ... is a man thoroughly alive MOJO **** The virtue of this book is its revelation of the restless, curious, creative, self-contradictory mind of a musical genius as he grappled with fame, fellow musicians, inspiration, doubt and life under the competing spotlights of adulation and criticism. A must-read Kirkus Documentary filmmaker Neal and record producer Douglas have astutely and seamlessly assembled Hendrix's long-scattered writings into a confiding, funny, and wrenching memoir of a life lived on the edge and passionately devoted to music and freedom Booklist A chronological account of Hendrix's life told exclusively in his own words, painstakingly researched over two decades. The result is a first-person narrative ... an intimate look inside the musician's thoughts ... Thrilling Wall Street Journal