Be the Hendrix of content, challenge your readers
Jimi Hendrix is the definition of inspiration. His unprecedented guitar work had the ability to ravage the ears of listeners, or bring them to tears over the sheer beauty of note selection and lyric accompaniment.
During the 1960s Hendrix played with big names like Little Richard, the Isley Brothers, and Curtis Knight and the Squires before revolutionizing rock and roll music with his group the Jimi Hendrix Experience.
In those days, distorted guitars were not the norm. Hendrix used his amplifier to create feedback. He also used various guitar effects like the wah pedal which allowed him to mimic the sounds of shrieks and wails. His whammy bar spurred the sound of falling bombs, heard in classics like his rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner”.
It goes without saying that Jimi Hendrix was before his time. His playing style birthed a new form of rock and roll, and numerous sub-genres from it. His ability was uncanny, and it flowed throughout his body. Remember, this is a man who played his guitar behind his head and with his teeth and tongue. A man who played a right-handed guitar turned upside down, and strung for lefties.
Unfortunately, the brilliance of Jimi’s life was cut short. He died at the age of 27, after recording three albums with the Jimi Hendrix Experience and one live album with Band of Gypsys.
During his life, Hendrix experienced a number one record with Electric Ladyland. He was the highest paid performer in 1969, heading the now infamous Woodstock festival.
Rolling Stone magazine has listed all three Jimi Hendrix Experience albums in the top 100 greatest albums of all time. They’ve also ranked Hendrix as the greatest guitar player ever, and the sixth greatest artist of all time.
[Tweet “Jimi Hendrix changed music, and you can change content.”]How to write a blog post like Jimi Hendrix
If you want to be a force in the blogging world like Hendrix was a force in the music world, you must find your signature sound and let your voice be heard. Here are five quick tips on how to write a blog post like Jimi Hendrix:
- Be different: Jimi didn’t seem to worry that he was letting his freak flag fly. Instead, he did what he felt through music and ended up creating a legacy that he probably could not have dreamed of.
- Use tools as you see fit: Jimi didn’t just play the guitar, he used it as an extension of his body, creating an array of sounds that weren’t necessarily always musical, but they were always powerful.
- Utilize inspiration where fitting: Even though Hendrix became known as one of the greatest to ever pick up a six string electric guitar, he was inspired early on by blues legends Muddy Waters, Elmore James, and B.B. King. Don’t be afraid to tap some of the creative energy that has come before you. It may be a catalyst for the greatness to come out of yourself.
- Keep at it: Jimi Hendrix was kicked out of one of the first bands he ever played with. Granted, it was for showing off too much. But still, he kept at it, playing his music the way he saw fit. He has also said, “Sometimes you want to give up the guitar, you’ll hate the guitar. But if you stick with it, you’re gonna be rewarded.” If you keep working at your writing and blogging craft, you’re bound to be rewarded.
- Make sacrifices: Jimi Hendrix set his guitar on fire at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. Even though he loved his guitar, he set it on fire because he saw it as a sacrifice. You don’t necessarily have to set your notebooks or laptop on fire in the same way, but realize that making necessary sacrifices in your life will allow for more attention to be put on what truly matters to you. Sometimes we have to set ablaze the things we to make space for even bigger things.
To commemorate this article on how to write a blog post like Jimi Hendrix, and to honor the man who brought amazing talent and perspective to this world, I’d like to leave you with a quote:
“When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.” – Jimi Hendrix
