In yesterday’s blog I noted the absurdity of The Sun referring to Ben Chasny as the “Jimi Hendrix of Folk”. This is a prime example of the kind of lazy mainstream ‘journalism’ reducing complexity into neatly packaged categories. In other words the hacks seem to assume that we share their limited capacity for appreciating shades of grey.
I came across an article in the Guardian Weekly about bluesman Otis Taylor in which he was described as the “Jimi Hendrix of the banjo”. For both Chasny and Taylor the analogy at least has a semblance of logic since they refer to virtuosity and innovation in the use of a stringed instrument. So if you use this phrase to describe expertise of the bass, violin or ukelele you could at least argue that you are comparing like with like.
A google search , however, reveals that the Hendrix connection is also made to likes of Keith Emerson (keys), Ian Anderson (flute), Brian Eno (synthesizer) as well as a heap of lesser-known players of the accordion, bagpipes, clarinet and harmonica. Continue reading
