Let's Speculate: What if Hendrix had lived and Clapton had died?

[New Trail]

If Clapton had died right after the Bluesbreaker album or even right after Cream or Blind Faith but before his solo album and mellow period, how would he be regarded differently than he is today?

 

If Hendrix had lived, what would he have done?

[Vito Corleone]

 

If Hendrix had lived, what would he have done?

 

 

A disco song in 1979.

 

Sung on "We Are The World" in 1985.

 

An album with Phil Collins playing drums in 1986.

 

Entered rehab in 1988.

 

An unplugged acoustic album in 1991.

[Rezrover]

Leo Fender would've probably died the owner of Fender Guitars...

[JonChorba]

A collaboration in 1987 with SRV.

[Vito Corleone]

Would have been bummed that he wasn't Michael Jackson's 1st choice to play the solo on "Beat It" in 1983.

 

Would have taken Prince and Lenny Kravitz to court claiming "Bitch Stole My Look" in 1998.

[kmart]

Would have continued to revolutionize music.

 

Would have continued breaking ground in numerous genres.

 

Would have collaborated with John, Paul and/or (most likely) George at some point, but would NOT have stolen George's wife and then made an overwrought and overplayed song about it.

 

Would have ended up doing some sort of project with Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy), Mick Jones (Clash) and/or Vernon Reid (Living Color), individually or all at the same time.

 

Would NOT have lived to see his legacy tarnished by the greedy marketing & selling of his image to anybody with $ by his sister.

[kmart]

 

A collaboration in 1987 with SRV.

 

 

Continue the thought full circle:

 

If Hendrix lived and Clapton died, thwere wouldn't have been an Eric Clapton show at Alpine Valley, WI in 1990.

And thus, no helicopter ride back to Chicago after the show.

And thus no helicopter crash...

[Vito Corleone]

I don't mind speculating what would have happened had someone lived. But speculating what would have happened if someone else DIED?

 

ewwww...that's just bad karma, man.

[TIMKEYS]

I dont think he would have done as much as most people think he would have done. he may well have just faded into the background. While cutting edge at the time , he was pretty sloppy. He was also self destructive. My guess is that he would have ended up pretty unable to function as a rock star. Its not an uncommon path. think brian wilson.

[Vito Corleone]

 

I dont think he would have done as much as most people think he would have done. he may well have just faded into the background. While cutting edge at the time , he was pretty sloppy. He was also self destructive. My guess is that he would have ended up pretty unable to function as a rock star. Its not an uncommon path. think brian wilson.

 

 

Even taking out the self-destructive stuff, very very VERY few artists (if any) continue to be "groundbreaking" beyond their first few years. Realistically, I see two paths for Hendrix that would have been likely (assuming he cleaned up pretty early on):

 

1) the path like I described in my first post. I meant that one seriously (I was joking more in the others). If he had tried to go down a commercial path with his music, he would have hit the same road bumps every other 60s artist hit in the late 70s/early 80s: disco; the emphasis on pop songs; MTV, etc. He would likely have struggled to remain relevant, experimented with "new" styles and would have later found a resurgance when he was rediscoved in the late 80s/early 90s. Let's remember that a big part of his "guitar god" status was as a result of his early death. Had he lived he would have been, to a large degree, just another 60s guitar player like Beck or Clapton or Townsend just trying to keep it going and stay on the radio and remain relevant throughout the 70s.

 

2) he would have continued down the path he was showing at the very end of his life: going deeper into jazz and experimental music. In which case he would have abandoned rock altogether and would have effectively taken HIMSELF out of the game.

[kmart]

 

I don't mind speculating what would have happened had someone lived. But speculating what would have happened if someone else DIED? ewwww...that's just bad karma, man.

 

Ah, but look at my example re: SRV...

 

The life given at the expense of a life taken yields another life given...

Circle of life, man, circle of life.

[Guitarman63]

Too bad we'll never know, Rest in peace Jimi.

[TIMKEYS]

 

Even taking out the self-destructive stuff, very very VERY few artists (if any) continue to be "groundbreaking" beyond their first few years. Realistically, I see two paths for Hendrix that would have been likely (assuming he cleaned up pretty early on): 1) the path like I described in my first post. I meant that one seriously (I was joking more in the others). If he had tried to go down a commercial path with his music, he would have hit the same road bumps every other 60s artist hit in the late 70s/early 80s: disco; the emphasis on pop songs; MTV, etc. He would likely have struggled to remain relevant, experimented with "new" styles and would have later found a resurgance when he was rediscoved in the late 80s/early 90s. Let's remember that a big part of his "guitar god" status was as a result of his early death. Had he lived he would have been, to a large degree, just another 60s guitar player like Beck or Clapton or Townsend just trying to keep it going and stay on the radio and remain relevant throughout the 70s. 2) he would have continued down the path he was showing at the very end of his life: going deeper into jazz and experimental music. In which case he would have abandoned rock altogether and would have effectively taken HIMSELF out of the game.

 

 

I really question if he was good enough to go into the jazz genre. those guys are really good and have a huge command of chords, scales and structure. Many could play chet stuff with their eyes closed. Hendrix was not even close to being that kind of guitar player

[wheresgrant3]

 

Even taking out the self-destructive stuff, very very VERY few artists (if any) continue to be "groundbreaking" beyond their first few years. Realistically, I see two paths for Hendrix that would have been likely (assuming he cleaned up pretty early on): 1) the path like I described in my first post. I meant that one seriously (I was joking more in the others). If he had tried to go down a commercial path with his music, he would have hit the same road bumps every other 60s artist hit in the late 70s/early 80s: disco; the emphasis on pop songs; MTV, etc. He would likely have struggled to remain relevant, experimented with "new" styles and would have later found a resurgance when he was rediscoved in the late 80s/early 90s. Let's remember that a big part of his "guitar god" status was as a result of his early death. Had he lived he would have been, to a large degree, just another 60s guitar player like Beck or Clapton or Townsend just trying to keep it going and stay on the radio and remain relevant throughout the 70s. 2) he would have continued down the path he was showing at the very end of his life: going deeper into jazz and experimental music. In which case he would have abandoned rock altogether and would have effectively taken HIMSELF out of the game.

 

 

I'm not an expert on Hendrix... fascinated yes... expert no. I agree with you and Tim on this... His death (like alot of artists) was cemented by his early death and the potential of what could have been. I've never considered Hendrix overrated but I think like alot of artists his relevance would have been largely relegated to the 60's & 70's in terms of his popularity. In terms of influence I imagine he continued to experiment with guitar and music in all manner. I would see the drugs playing an early role but then as he got older I could see him sobering up later in life... maybe even on a semi spiritual level. I'd see him as an ambassador of Woodstock having a revival period (like Santana). Mostly I'd see him touring and performing because it seemed like that was when he was happiest.

 

I wonder how Steve Vai or even EVH would be remembered if they died at their height. You think of EVH now and the things I associate him with is "tempermental, out of touch, best years behind him". I wonder how I would feel if we lost him in 1984.

[urca]

SRV would have had no one to rip off.

[TIMKEYS]

 

I'm not an expert on Hendrix... fascinated yes... expert no. I agree with you and Tim on this... His death (like alot of artists) was cemented by his early death and the potential of what could have been. I've never considered Hendrix overrated but I think like alot of artists his relevance would have been largely relegated to the 60's & 70's in terms of his popularity. In terms of influence I imagine he continued to experiment with guitar and music in all manner. I would see the drugs playing an early role but then as he got older I could see him sobering up later in life... maybe even on a semi spiritual level. I'd see him as an ambassador of Woodstock having a revival period (like Santana). Mostly I'd see him touring and performing because it seemed like that was when he was happiest. I wonder how Steve Vai or even EVH would be remembered if they died at their height. You think of EVH now and the things I associate him with is "tempermental, out of touch, best years behind him". I wonder how I would feel if we lost him in 1984.

 

 

 

I think alot of younger musicans think he was alot bigger than he actually was back in the day. His stuff was not main stream cover band material during the summer of love. If you played alot of hendrix , you were not a top band in the working band cover scene.

[MartinC]

Clapton probably did die a lot when his son died. That he wrote a hit song about it and could actually perform it live is amazing. I've followed his playing since I became aware of him in about 1973 and think he's a giant, same with Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. Jimi, to me, is in another class as those other guitar giants-he transended guitar playing, in that he really expanded the vocabulary of the instrument, and in addition(as opposed to for example, EVH, who did the same), created and sang music that was socially relevent to his era. like Bob Dylan, if he was still alive, he would still be an icon. I think Jimi's music will survive for decades more, but I'm not sure Clapton or Beck's will. Page, tough call. Have to disagree with Guido in that clapton, beck, and page are not simply "another 60's guitar player" They are, with Jimi, THE 60's guitar players, representing an era when guitar players enjoyed the most influence over music and culture that they ever have.

[Vito Corleone]

 

You think of EVH now and the things I associate him with is "tempermental, out of touch, best years behind him". I wonder how I would feel if we lost him in 1984.

 

 

People would have focused on "all the potential he never got to bring forward" which, in reality, never happened. It's very likely Hendrix had already peaked.

 

Or think what would have happened had Pete Townsend died in 1971: after "Tommy" and after having just released "Who's Next" (one the best rock albums of all-time, IMO)---people would have gone crazy speculating all that might have come later from such a visionary and groundbreaking talent. And yes, he did go on to have a very solid career, but in truth, that WAS his peak.

[Vito Corleone]

 

like Bob Dylan, if he was still alive, he would still be an icon.

 

I think that's likely. But I also think that, like Dylan, he'd largely still be riding on the music he did in the 60s with he subsequent material being spotty and largely disconnected with younger audiences.

 

It's funny how this works but when you look at an aging artist like Dylan---yes, he's still influential with many young kids, but it's just his OLD stuff they like. The only people who have been buying any record Dylan has released since the mid 70s has been pretty much just the fans who grew up with him. I could very well imagine it being the same way with Hendrix--young kids would still be listening to "Are You Experienced?" but hardly anyone under 50 would be listening to his 2005Grammy winning album...

[MartinC]

We will never know, but I think your right.

 

 

 

I think that's likely. But I also think that, like Dylan, he'd largely still be riding on the music he did in the 60s with he subsequent material being spotty and largely disconnected with younger audiences. It's funny how this works but when you look at an aging artist like Dylan---yes, he's still influential with many young kids, but it's just his OLD stuff they like. The only people who have been buying any record Dylan has released since the mid 70s has been pretty much just the fans who grew up with him. I could very well imagine it being the same way with Hendrix--young kids would still be listening to "Are You Experienced?" but hardly anyone under 50 would be listening to his 2005Grammy winning album...

 

[Vito Corleone]

 

Have to disagree with Guido in that clapton, beck, and page are not simply "another 60's guitar player" They are, with Jimi, THE 60's guitar players, representing an era when guitar players enjoyed the most influence over music and culture that they ever have.

 

 

Sorry, I guess I worded that poorly. I didn't mean to put all those guys into a catagory of "just another 60s guitar player". I mentioned those names specifically because they ARE the 60s legends. Yet, none of them have QUITE the legendary status that Hendrix has. I agree with you that part of that is a result that he not only played but sang his songs and had a dynamic stage presence as well. But a large degree of that is a result of his early death.

 

Not to be crass, but it really helps to cement a legendary status if you die before you release a bunch of crap nobody wants to hear. Guys like Hendrix, Morrison and Cobain will be Forever Young and people's memories of them will only ever be of their truncated musical output.

 

Nobody has had to endure Jim Morrison doing a Duets album with younger singers warbling Doors classics or Kurt Cobain putting out album after album that Rolling Stone hails as a "return to form" and "his best album since 'Nevermind'!" only to have it relegated to the cut-out bin six months after its release.

[New Trail]

 

I don't mind speculating what would have happened had someone lived. But speculating what would have happened if someone else DIED? ewwww...that's just bad karma, man.

 

 

I didn't mean it that way, but kinda like the way we romanticize about James Dean and Marilyn Monroe being so great because they died young and Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor don't get quite the same credit because they didn't. My point is would we be calling Clapton the greatest ever if he had left us early before he started doing the lamer material? I didn't mean it in a gruesome or cold way.

[P. Wallace]

He'd be using backing tracks

[Vito Corleone]

 

I didn't mean it that way, but kinda like the way we romanticize about James Dean and Marilyn Monroe being so great because they died young and Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor don't get quite the same credit because they didn't. My point is would we be calling Clapton the greatest ever if he had left us early before he started doing the lamer material? I didn't mean it in a gruesome or cold way.

 

 

Yeah I get that. I just suddenly got a little creeped out when the convo turned to "well if Clapton had died then SRV would have lived!" I'd hate to sacrifice one legend for another simply because I might like one's guitar playing better....

[Vito Corleone]

He'd be using backing tracks