Lost interviews and diaries by Jimi Hendrix in which the guitar hero reveals his thoughts about forming his first band, racism and his plans for the future have been uncovered.

On his first band, Hendrix, who died aged 27 in 1970, wrote: "When I was 17 I formed this group with some other guys, but they drowned me out. I didn't know why at first, but after about three months I realised I'd have to get an electric guitar. My first was a Danelectro, which my dad bought for me. Must have busted him for a long time."

Hendrix was so nervous at his first gig that he had to play behind the stage curtains. "I remember my first gig was at an armoury, a National Guard place, and we earned 35 cents apiece and three hamburgers.

"It was so hard for me at first. I knew about three songs, and when it was time for us to play on stage I was all shaky, so I had to play behind the curtains. I just couldn't get up in front."




Writing in 1967, Hendrix revealed his thoughts on racism. "Race isn't a problem in my world. I don't look at things in terms of races. I look at things in terms of people. I'm not thinking about black people or white people. I'm thinking about the obsolete and the new.

"There's no colour part now, no black and white. The frustrations and riots going on today are all about more personal things. Everybody has wars within themselves, so they form different things, and it comes out as a war against other people. They get justified as they justify others in their attempts to get personal freedom. That's all it is."

Fatefully, he also talked about what music he would have played at his funeral. "I tell you, when I die I'm going to have a jam session. I want people to go wild and freak out. And knowing me, I'll probably get busted at my own funeral. The music will be played loud and it will be our music.

"I won't have any Beatles songs, but I'll have a few of Eddie Cochran's things and a whole lot of blues. Roland Kirk will be there, and I'll try and get Miles Davis along if he feels like making it. For that it's almost worth dying. Just for the funeral.

"It's funny the way people love the dead. You have to die before they think you are worth anything. Once you are dead, you are made for life. When I die, just keep on playing the records."