The Experience Music Project Museum (EMP)
Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2010 10:02 am

I was looking around to see what kind of exhibitions other famous guitar players have in relation to their careers and affect on American culture. Jimi Hendrix seemed like the perfect place to start. In Seattle, Washington at the foot of the Space Needle is the EMP. Inside you will find Jimi's guitars, stage costumes, notebooks, song lyrics, album covers, pictures, and yes...lots of video. Even better, you can hear Hendrix all over the museum. There are "huge" screens and televisions at every turn and each tv featured Jimi live and doing what he does best – playing the guitar like nobody before or after him.
http://www.empsfm.org/exhibitions/index ... 4&ccID=242 Jimi Hendrix: An Evolution of Sound illustrates Hendrix's musical evolution from his early days in Seattle, to his time as a journeyman musician touring the southern "chitlin' circuit" and in New York City, to his explosion on the popular music scene in London and beyond. The exhibition and the visitor experience weave together the various musical styles and cultures that Hendrix soaked up throughout his all-too-short journey.
Jimi Hendrix: An Evolution of Sound is the first in a series of ongoing Hendrix-related exhibitions, exploring different facets of the life and legacy of the creative genius, ranging from his unique, flamboyant fashion-sense, to his early days playing rhythm and blues in Nashville.
Traces of Hendrix can be found throughout EMP|SFM, from interviews in Sound and Vision: Artists Tell Their Stories, stories of his early bands in Northwest Passage and rocking out karaoke-style to "Purple Haze" in On Stage.
Jimi Hendrix: An Evolution of Sound features:
*An iconic guitar wall displaying guitars from the EMP|SFM collection, in addition to loaned items, for example: Hendrix's Woodstock Fender Stratocaster and his Saville Theatre and Monterey Pop Festival guitar shards.
*A musical and cultural timeline visualizing Hendrix's career, within the larger context of popular culture. It will focus on Hendrix's specific musical experiences and how these areas shaped his musical outlook.
*A sound effects interactive demonstrating how Hendrix used effects pedals to create a new instrument out of the guitar.
*A mixing interactive showing Hendrix as an innovator and forefather of modern recording technology.
*In the Play On Theater, guests can view rare Hendrix films and other footage.
Here's a guided tour of the EMP: http://www.empsfm.org/documents/exhibit ... yGuide.pdf
While it would be fantastic to have a Randy Rhoads museum I think there should be more "organized" exhibitions of Randy's career at a place like the EMP. Does anyone in the RR community know where all of Randy's guitars are even stored? From what I've seen so far, Randy's exhibits are rather meek by comparison. http://www.schrammguitars.com/Rhoads.html
Looks like we have a long way to go...