Rascals’ Felix Cavaliere Says Jimi Hendrix’s Personality Got Him In Trouble

Rascals frontman Felix Cavaliere recently joined Rock History Music for an interview and argued that Jimi Hendrix got in trouble because he was such a nice and giving person.

Although Jimi Hendrix was one of the greatest guitar players in the music scene, he was a timid and reserved person. Sadly, he departed from this world very soon, but he achieved great things in a career that lasted a short period. Today, Hendrix continues to influence various guitarists with his distinctive sound.

Hendrix began to abuse drugs and alcohol after he became a worldwide-known guitarist. This wasn’t a surprise since rock stars were in the middle of the ‘sex, drugs, and rock and roll’ lifestyle back then. Although the guitarist was a quiet and insecure person in nature, he would become very violent after he used substances.

According to the engineer of Jimi Hendrix Experience’s albums, Eddie Kramer, Jimi Hendrix hated his voice and was very insecure during the recording sessions. Recently, Rascals’ Felix Cavaliere also argued that Hendrix was so sweet of a person that he got himself in trouble because he was saying ‘yes’ to everybody.

Cavaliere also commented on Jimi Hendrix’s decline and death. He said he lost a dear friend when Hendrix died, and the guitarist’s heavy drug use influenced his mind to a point where he wasn’t aware he was sick. Cavaliere then said he tried to reach out to him and did his best. Recalling the watch Hendrix gave him, the musician said Hendrix was a nice person.

During the conversation, Felix Cavaliere said the following:

“The first part, I was really happy for him because Jimmy was a really nice guy. He was really absolutely too nice — he was so giving that he got himself in trouble because ‘yes, yes, yes, yes,’ you can’t say ‘yes’ to everybody. Some people have ulterior motives. But he was just a sweet guy like I say, you see this image, but that wasn’t him. He was not afraid to show you his licks because many guitar players don’t want you to see how they [play], but he could show you all you want, and you still couldn’t do it.

My reaction to the so-called decline is the same as anybody else. I mean, unfortunately, during the years of our lives, we’ve seen a lot of sad stories. I lost a dear friend I grew up with because of drugs [which influenced] his mind to a point where he didn’t even know he was sick. So when you see somebody like that, you try to reach out and help. And I tried, I did my best.”

After the host John Beaudin reminded Cavaliere that Hendrix gave him a watch, he said:

“Yeah, yeah. Like I say, he just was that kind of a man.”

You can watch the rest of the interview below.