The Jimi Hendrix Experience Axis:Bold as Love
Jimi Hendrix was arguably one of the best guitar players of all time, his classics Purple Haze, All Along the Watchtower, and his rendition of the Star Bangled Banner defined a generation. The sixties generation was a time of unprecedented freedom, experimentation, defiance of the status quo and the expression of love in all it’s forms. It was indeed a bold generation, but what happened. How did all this free love and peace and experimentation turn into the ‘me generation’? How did this generation which marched against the Vietnam war send troops to Afghanistan and Iraq? How did they leave an environmental legacy that may be beyond repair and the impact of which will not be fully felt until 2050? How did “Love the one your with” turn into the love of greed, power and money? How do this generation lose their love? How do we the next generation get it back? As the Black Eyed Peas asked “Where is the Love”
Some say that the boomers in their retirement will come out in droves and use their vast stores of entrepreneurship, leadership and experience toward philanthropic ends, that voluntarism which has been on the decline will start to surge forward. There is some evidence that the 60’s generation may still find the their way to give back and ensure that their children inherit a planet that is better off then the one they received. Some examples include the foundations that Bill and Melinda Gates and Oprah Winfrey have founded. These provide real examples of where the love is at. Those that have been blessed with unlimited abundance have an obligation to give back to their societies and indeed the human race. For all of the evil of Islam that some in the west proclaim one of the Five Pillars of Islam is to give back to the community up to 10% of one’s earnings. Just as Friday prayer, observance of Ramadan and a visit to Mecca are pillars of Islam, so is giving back to society.
The boomer generation needs to take some responsibility for the legacy they have created and define a new paradigm that encompasses more than amassing wealth and caring for one’s family. We need to take care of the whole family, the family we call the human race, and to share abundance with those less fortunate. turn the other cheek when threatened and attacked and create a world in which love and peace are the most important and sacred principles as opposed to profit and national security. This may be an overly idealized perspective, however I do believe that love begets love, hate and war and suffering beget the same. The Law of Attraction and The Secret have some value here in creating a world that radiates with light and hope and abundance for all. It is indeed Bold as Love to be a pacifist or environmentalist in this day of polarized partisan politics. To be for peace is to be called unpatriotic and uncaring of the struggles of others. To be an environmentalist and to put the health of our planet before profit is considered to be against the American Dream. We need a new way forward that bridges party politics, transcends partisanship, power brokering, and profiteering.
Jimi Hendrix is also quoted as saying When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace. This is such a powerful statement. The key word in this statement is ‘When’. When will we come together as one and realize that there are no boundaries or borders on this planet we are all the same despite all our apparent differences. Listening to the title track on this album I can’t but help think of Lenny Kravitz, the sound and tone of Jimi’s voice are echoed in the recordings and style of Lenny. They had more than their style of music in common they shared an equally passionate view that the world could be a better place if we Let Love Rule.
