Stoked Hendrix Fan: A new biopic about Jimi Hendrix!?!
Friend: Yep.
Stoked Hendrix Fan: And Outkast’s Andre 3000 will star as the rock legend?! The guy looks just like him. Plus Hayley Atwell and Imogen Poots just joined the cast!?! Atwell was amazing in Captain America.This is going to be the best film yet!
Friend: Yep… but get a load of this… Hendrix’s music won’t be featured in the film. (STOKED HENDRIX FAN passes out). Dude, you alive?
All seems well in the land of the Jimi Hendrix biopic titled All Is by My Side. With the most recent addition of two very talented ladies — Hayley Atwell from Captain America and Fright Night star Imogen Poots — plus the announcement that filming will start in three weeks everything appears to be on the right track. Well, everything except for the music.
Director John Ridley and Darko Entertainment have hit a brick wall. On the other side of that wall, lies the rights to Hendrix’s music. The only problem is that Experience Hendrix LLC, the family company in hold of the rights and publishing of Hendrix’s music, aren’t very supportive of the film, which means no music.
Below is a statement that Experience Hendrix LLC released stating their position on the situation:
Hayley Atwell
[Experience Hendrix LLC] has made it known many times in the past that no such film, were it to include original music or copyrights created by Jimi Hendrix, can be undertaken without its full participation.
Experience Hendrix CEO Janie Hendrix, sister of Jimi Hendrix, and the EH board have not ruled out a ‘biopic’ in the future though producing partners would, out of necessity, have to involve the company from the inception of any such film project if it is to include original Jimi Hendrix music or compositions.
When one hits a brick wall, you either give up completely or find a way around it or over it; being that this is Hollywood, abandoning a budgeted project is the last proposition, climbing over the wall, just isn’t going to happen, as Experience Hendrix LLC have already expressed their disinterest; therefore, you find another route! That’s exactly what Ridley and his crew plan to do.
According to Deadine, the film will get around the music issue by focusing on the musician’s upbringing, which will avoid Hendrix’s years of fame. The story will feature tales of Hendrix’s childhood years in Seattle, joining the Army, playing in back-up bands throughout the South and his time with the Isley Brothers and Little Richard.
Andre 3000 "Hey Ya!"
Magic occurs on screen when an artist’s fans are able to sing and tap along with the musicians all too familiar songs and tunes. Take that away from the film and you almost have nothing at all. People will focus on Andre 3000 playing Jimi Hendrix instead of getting lost in the true world of the man’s amazingly talented life.
I watched Killing Bono on Netflix a couple weeks ago, being just a casual listener of the band U2, I can say I thoroughly enjoyed the film. Killing Bono told the true-story of two bands, both whom went to the same high school, one would struggle for years trying to make a name for themselves, while the other band would go on to become the world’s top pop-rock performers. In all honesty, the music really did make the film, it’s what people are looking for, it’s what fans are looking for. Hopefully, Ridley can tell the story effectively without the music, but there’s a good chance that may not happen.
