Ever wanted to go back in time and have a sneaky look into the home of the absolute God of guitar and sixties icon, Mr Jimi Hendrix…?
Well now you can, all thanks to the Handel House Trust. They don’t build time machines, but they have renovated Jimi’s 23 Brook Street, London apartment. The museum and permanent exhibition of Jimi’s bedroom opened on Wednesday 10th February of this year.
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| © Barrie Wentzell |
First brought to London by his manager Chas Chandler in September 1966, Jimi fell in love with the London music scene, the style and the women. After leaving London for recording and touring, Jimi’s love affair continued when he returned. This time moving in with his then girlfriend and sixties babe, Kathy Etchingham.
23 Brook Street could not have prepared for the whirlwind that was soon to hit. By day, Hendrix used his home not only for spending his private time, but also as a base for giving interviews, writing songs and having photo shoots. By night, 23 Brook Street came alive. The music was loud, the cigarettes were chain-smoked and the Mateus Rosé flowed. The parties went on into the early hours of the morning. What I would give to have been a fly on the wall in ‘68!
Jimi has been known to describe 23 Brook Street as,
The Hendrix apartment has been renovated into a museum area which includes video projections, a timeline of Jimi’s life and most importantly his New York built, 1951 Epiphone guitar. The video of Jimi playing the exact guitar in this apartment is projected on the wall next to the display case. This took my breath away and for all of those Jimi fan’s out there, I am sure will do the same.
Walking through the landing you will find another guitar on display on the wall, adjacent to the original staircase which was used by Jimi and his entourage. Although some may not find some old stairs very interesting, I shot them because it captures more than an image of old wood. For me this is the first time he entered the home, the last time he entered, and all the journeys made in between. The stories that were told here and the famous faces that climbed the case during the sixties.
Passing the stairs, to the left you will find the doorway into Jimi’s bedroom. This is the holy grail of sixties style. My initial thoughts resembled that of a child in a sweet shop, the “woah, this is so amazing, I want it all please”.
The £30 a week flat was snapped up by the pair after Etchingham saw it advertised in an evening paper. The advert was said to have boasted about it’s “stylish” interior.
This did not matter to the pair, as Jimi gave Kathy £1000 in cash (which in those days, meant she was absolutely ballin’), to go and fill the home with new furnishings and make it their own. That she did. Kathy completely furnished the flat with their current possessions and teamed them with the new items which included an array of soft furnishings and carpets which were said to have been bought from the John Lewis and Liberty on Oxford Street. A stones throw away from the Brook street home.
The room is decorated in sixties bohemian decadence. This is the utopia dreamland for any lover of vintage, sixties style. Bold colours and pattern reflect from every angle of the room, tapestries, and wall hangings adorn the walls and ceilings- contrasting with the dark wood furniture. Lamps draped in fabric alongside feathers and flowers in the room enhance the soft, creative mood.
Hendrix was also seen regularly buying rugs, textiles and soft furnishings from markets across London, such as Portobello and Chelsea. In the room, you will see a pile of rugs and soft furnishings next to the bed. The hangings and rugs changed so frequently that this is where they stored the spares.
The 68-69 apartment has been recreated using photographs from shoots during his time at the apartment and descriptions from Etchingham.
Some items have been sourced and some have been recreated from scratch. It is the exact details of the room which take you back to a time full of life lived in the sixties by Hendrix. The oval mirror is original to the apartment, smaller details such as the vintage Bakerlite telephones, the scallop shell ash tray, the vintage Bang and Olufsen turntable and the lyric sheets handwritten next to the bed transport you into Jimi’s world.
The final room in the museum is home to a wall covered in Jimi’s favourite album covers and a cabinet which holds the vinyl Jimi had in his apartment.
Last, but not least the museum of Handel and Hendrix had a dress-up area. YEP!! As if this place could not get any better, there is a small area between the two homes where you can dress up and take your best selfies dressed as Handel or Hendrix. The mix of wigs and clothes, did not fail to put a smile on everyones face!
Separated by walls and time, but bought together under the same roof and their shared passion for music, you can also visit the apartment of German composer George Frideric Handel. The only homes of either musician that still exist. Paying a small fee of either £7.50 for either exhibition, or £10.00 for both. I cannot recommend it enough.
This was an incredible day, thank you Handel & Hendrix!
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