Erection date: 14/9/1997
Jimi Hendrix, 1942 - 1970, guitarist and songwriter, lived here, 1968 - 1969.
English Heritage
Pete Townshend of The Who unveiled the plaque, which was, we've read, the first EH plaque awarded to a pop star.
Site: Jimi Hendrix - W1 (1 memorial)
W1, Brook Street, 23
Of the two blue plaques in the site photograph this is the one on the left. Handel's plaque was originally placed rather ambiguously and many people thought that Hendrix was living in Handel's house, including Hendrix himself. He was interested to the extent of buying some Handel music and having favourites pieces. (This error was repeated again in the Observer, 26 October 2014.)
Hendrix was the first rock star awarded a blue plaque. He lived here, in a flat on the top two floors, for a short time with his girlfriend and they furnished it together, making good use of the nearby John Lewis. He said that, of all the places he had ever lived, it was the place that he most thought of as home. Many people visited, with George Harrison and Billy Preston amongst those who made use of the guest room.
The next door Handel Museum use it as offices but (in about 2008) twice a year they run tours around the flat. There is not much left from Hendrix's occupation but the tour is packed with interesting information. 2013: reports on plans for the flat to become a proper museum. 2015: reports that it will open in February 2016.
See our page for the lost Handel plaque for a photo of this building in the 1970s, shortly after Hendrix moved out.
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