Were Conscious Musicians of the Sixties and Seventies Silenced? – Part 2

The first musician I’d like to discuss is Jimi Hendrix. Beyond his hippie status, Hendrix brought much more to music and to the development of the guitar than perhaps anyone.

Hendrix, like so many others in his day, actively spoke of consciousness and becoming aware. I particularly enjoy a mainstream interview he did in the 60s where he talked about music as a spiritual experience. (3)

He revolutionized the music of his day and assisted in the progression of various genres, and was able to galvanize the conscious hippie masses with his melodic, intelligent and just plain impressive music. Music was an avenue for Hendrix to reach people, just like it was for Marley and Lennon, and reach people he certainly did.

However, the entertainment industry has long been known in the conscious circles for its corruption and cabal-ties, and it seems that Hendrix was tangled up in this corruption by being managed by Mike Jeffrey, who was known to have ties to the FBI.

Jeffrey was also said to be a beneficiary to a high sum of life insurance-money if Hendrix were to die, and some believe that he played a strong role in Hendrix’s death.

In order to discuss the possibility that Jimi Hendrix could’ve been murdered, we have to go back to the morning his tragic passing took place.

Woodstockstory.com outlines the version of events given by Hendrix’s girlfriend, Monica Dannemann, and explains how her version doesn’t match with the story given by the paramedics who were on the scene.

“On the morning of his death, girlfriend Dannemann claims to have woken up to find Hendrix sleeping normally and proceeded to go out for cigarettes. Upon return her story states that she found that Hendrix had gotten sick and was having trouble breathing. She called Eric Burdon of the Animals (…) he demanded that she call an ambulance. Dannemann claims that the ambulance arrived at about 11:30 a.m. and that she rode with Hendrix on the way to the hospital where he suffocated en route.

The recollection of the ambulance attendants are a direct contradiction of Dannemann’s story and claim that the apartment was empty except for Hendrix lying dead on the bed. After an unsuccessful attempt at revival, they pronounced him dead. The autopsy failed to conclude the time of death, but it was evident that Hendrix had been dead for some time before the paramedics arrived.” (4)

The referenced source also outlines the contradictory nature of Eric Burdon’s version of events.

“Eric Burdon initially claimed that Hendrix’s death was a suicide, but the facts also contradict this notion. Despite Hendrix’s increasingly erratic behavior and the dark circumstances present in his life, close friends claim that he was relatively happy at the time. Hendrix was found with nine Vesperax sleeping pills in his system which are said to contribute to his death. He was a chronic insomniac who was resistant to the effects of barbiturates and would not have felt such disastrous effects from nine pills. He was also found with a pack of 42 Vesperax in his pocket which would rule out suicide. If Hendrix was intent on self-termination, it is assumed that he would have taken all of the Vesperax.” (4)

The darkest aspect of Hendrix’s murder theory is the idea that the red wine that was found in his system in copious amounts was poured down his throat maliciously in a style similar to water boarding, rather than being there because of excessive drinking on his part.

While the most gruesome and potentially the hardest to believe, it’s also reasonable given two factors: that his blood-alcohol content didn’t match with the incredible amount of wine in his system, and that wine was actually found in his lungs.

Woodstock Story explains.

“It’s extremely rare that someone who intends on a night of hard drinking binges with such rapidity that the alcohol actually reaches their lungs.

The low blood alcohol content in comparison with the amount of wine found in Hendrix’s body meant that the ingestion of the wine was so quick that it didn’t even have time to enter his blood stream. This inconsistency suggests that excessive drinking was not the cause of death. The physical evidence suggests that the excessive amounts of wine in his stomach as well as lungs are more consistent with being water boarded.” (4)

At the very least, the facts that Hendrix’s blood-alcohol content didn’t match the level of wine in his system and that wine was found in his lungs should be investigated. Though I’m still not trying to place specific blame, this evidence certainly points to foul play in a manner that can be masked by the “just another dead partying musician” mindset. Nothing to see here!

So what type of gain was there to be found from Hendrix’s death? Sure, he was an amazing guitar-playing hippie who inspired a lot of people, but what role did he play that would make him a target in any powerful interest’s eyes (beyond helping lead a conscious generation)?

The article on Woodstock Story quite perfectly lays out the FBI’s COINTELPRO and their active determination to silence revolutionary dissent in the 60s and 70s, and discusses where Hendrix fits into all of it.

Hendrix’s manager and the aforementioned life insurance policy are also mentioned.

“There were many people who were believed to benefit from Hendrix’s removal. The COINTELPRO or Counter Intelligence Program designed by the FBI was aimed at eliminating subversive behavior within the country. Hendrix appearance at “subversive” benefits resulted in the FBI opening a dossier on him, and his ability to motivate masses were seen by COINTELPRO as less than innocuous.

Hendrix connection to manager Mike Jeffery only furthered his surveillance by the FBI. Jeffery had on numerous occasions alluded to being connected to underground organizations.”

(…) ”The web of unsavory individuals and circumstances surrounding Hendrix raises even more questions about his death. It was reported that Mike Jeffery was intent on manipulating Hendrix’s life as well as siphoning his money into his own offshore bank accounts. There is also a mention of a million dollar life insurance policy covering Hendrix and listing Jeffery as the beneficiary. Although Jeffery was in Spain during Hendrix’s death, conspiracy theorists speculate that he may have had a part in it.”

(…) “Friends state that in Hendrix’s final days, he became increasingly more paranoid.” (4)

If you research this subject, you’ll see that most of the blame from those who believe Jimi Hendrix was murdered is placed on his manager, Mike Jeffrey. I’d like to assert that if the cabal did have something to do with a death that’s shrouded in mystery and secrecy to this day, than Jeffrey could’ve played a smaller “fall guy” role in the whole thing.

My gut feeling is that Jeffrey wouldn’t have planned it out or organized it, but would’ve simply stood to benefit and remained complicit to/assisted the whole thing.

If the cabal had something to do with Jimi Hendrix’s death, it’s been a well-kept secret for decades. Seeing how many pioneers and inspirers seemed to perish before or during the conservative-driven 80s decade does make you wonder, though.

Jimi Hendrix continues to be a legend to this day, and his, Lennon and Marley’s music continue to inspire each new generation to create beautiful, intelligent music and help the public become conscious. Hendrix continues to live on in the realms beyond our conscious understanding and in the minds and hearts of each of us who find that has music resonates.

It’s tragic that he was taken from us so early into the seventies, but his work continues to inspire and motivate, which I can imagine has been the intention all along.

Continued in Part 3 on Sunday.