112. Crosstown Traffic by Jimi Hendrix 1968

I missed the Hendrix phenomenon in the late sixties being too busy with The Monkees and The Beatles. And as a Bowiephile in the 70's I never understood why Ziggy Stardust was based a little on Hendrix. By the time punk came along I was totally removed from knowing anything about his music.
however around 1981 I was at a party in Carlton, slightly drunk and not altogether when someone put this on the stereo. I was in one of those long hallways that Carlton homes seem to have supping a can of beer when it hit me. Bang! I didn't know he was so good. I was gobsmacked. What a sound. I couldn't get over it and started chasing down his albums.

Admittedly it was his run of hit singles that I really got into. Later there was a show on the ABC about Vietnam and the war. One night I was waiting to go out with my bass player Chris Hunter to see someone quite big at the Prospect Hotel. After the show I had a few drinks and put on Hendrix really loud.  sometimes you can have a really great time playing loud music and waiting for the night to begin. When Chris got there we set off. By the end of the road we realised I wouldn't be driving that night.