LIVERPOOL artist Anthony Brown has celebrated the 70th birthday of one of his all time idols, Jimi Hendrix – by unveiling a new canvas in his honour.
Brown's oil-and-mixed-media tribute to Hendrix will be on show for sneak previews at his temporary gallery and workspace at Neptune Development's Mann Island before it is moved to what will be the artist’s first exhibition in London.
Helping Brown to unveil the work was Merseybeats bass player and vocalist Billy Kinsley, a founder member of the 1960s group.
Kinsley is also a big fan of the guitar hero, who died when he was 27, and admitted one of his biggest regrets in life was missing out on the chance to play bass with him during an impromptu jamming session in London.
“I was seconds away from saying ‘I'll play bass’ when Hendrix entered a club in London. It would have only been a 15-minute session, but what a memory that would have been,” said Kinsley, who turns 66 this week.
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He is still touring the world with the group - and if it’s good enough for the Rolling Stones, why not?
Anthony Brown's Portrait Of Jimi Hendrix
Cue another story. Kinsley told how the group were appearing at a dancehall in Morecambe with the Stones, and were told they had to share a dressing room.
“We hardly spoke to each other and we thought it was because the Stones were well known and were probably looking down their noses at us,” recalled Kinsley.
Years later Bill Wyman revealed that the Stones thought it was the Merseybeats who had the attitude because “they were from Liverpool”.
Other figures from the music scene at the unveiling included Connie Lush, Paul Kappa, Joe Ankrah of another 1960s outfit, The Chants.
Brian Epstein By Anthony BrownGuests were also able to see another of Brown's works in progress, a painting of Brian Epstein.
Brown said he was delighted with his Hendrix painting. “He really is one of my all time heroes and I wanted to have it unveiled on what would have been his 70th birthday.”
Jimi Hendrix was born in November 27, 1942 and died in London September 18, 1970.
