August 17, 200520 yr SEATTLE, Washington (AP) -- Jimi Hendrix might have stayed in the Army. He might have been sent to Vietnam. Instead, he pretended he was gay. And with that, he was discharged from the 101st Airborne in 1962, launching a musical career that would redefine the guitar, leave other rock heroes of the day speechless and culminate with his headlining performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Woodstock in 1969. Hendrix's subterfuge, contained in his military medical records, is revealed for the first time in Charles R. Cross' new biography, "Room Full of Mirrors." Publicly, Hendrix always claimed he was discharged after breaking his ankle on a parachute jump, but his medical records do not mention such an injury. In regular visits to the base psychiatrist at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, in spring 1962, Hendrix complained that he was in love with one of his squad mates and that he had become addicted to masturbating, Cross writes. Finally, Capt. John Halbert recommended him for discharge, citing his "homosexual tendencies" -- four years before Arlo Guthrie suggested that path for avoiding military service in the protest song "Alice's Restaurant." Hendrix's legendary appetite for women negates the notion that he might have been gay, Cross writes. Nor, Cross says, was his stunt politically motivated: Contrary to his later image, Hendrix was an avowed anti-communist who exhibited little unease about the escalating U.S. role in Vietnam. He just wanted to escape the Army to play music -- he had enlisted to avoid jail time after being repeatedly arrested in stolen cars in Seattle, his hometown. http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Music/08/1...y.ap/index.html And don't shoot the messanger. If I actually cared about the political views of most entertainers, I probably wouldn't be watching very much TV or listening to any music at all.
August 17, 200520 yr Author "Actin' funny, and I don't know why... 'Scuse me, while I kiss this guy..." :lol
August 17, 200520 yr "Actin' funny, and I don't know why... 'Scuse me, while I kiss this guy..." :lol 905099[/snapback] Why'd you move it from the original post to this one?
August 17, 200520 yr Author "Actin' funny, and I don't know why... 'Scuse me, while I kiss this guy..." :lol 905099[/snapback] Why'd you move it from the original post to this one? 905104[/snapback] Because I thought it was funny enough to warrant it's own post.
August 17, 200520 yr It is funny how it mentions that he became addicted to masturbating because I have heard that there is a rule that states that masturbating means you are crazy and that is one way to get out of the military is to be an open masturbater. I doubt it would still work.
August 17, 200520 yr It is funny how it mentions that he became addicted to masturbating because I have heard that there is a rule that states that masturbating means you are crazy and that is one way to get out of the military is to be an open masturbater. I doubt it would still work. 905126[/snapback] Then there are some crazy people on these boards.
August 17, 200520 yr The only thing my drill sergeants said about masturbating was have at it, unless it's the morning or night before a PT test.
August 17, 200520 yr It is funny how it mentions that he became addicted to masturbating because I have heard that there is a rule that states that masturbating means you are crazy and that is one way to get out of the military is to be an open masturbater.? I doubt it would still work. 905126[/snapback] Then there are some crazy people on these boards. 905130[/snapback] :plain :mischief
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