The Jimi Hendrix statue at Dimbola on the Isle of Wight is to receive a makeover fit for a cycling champion for the final stage of the Tour of Britain on 11th September.
The Dimbola Museum and Galleries are set to be on the route of the final stage and to mark the occasion, the famous Jimi Hendrix statue, situated in their gardens, will be getting into the spirit with an ‘Ezy Ryder’ makeover of lycra and bike helmet.
The iconic statue, commissioned in 2006 by Isle of Wight Festival organiser John Giddings in tribute to Jimi’s iconic performance at the 1970 festival (52 years ago this month), will be joined by a crowd of well-wishers dressed-up as hippies and Victorian gentry to wave on the cyclists as they come through the area on the day.
Giving his blessing to the makeover, John Giddings commented:
“I am very happy to lend the rock ‘n’ roll spirit of Jimi Hendrix to what is a momentous occasion for the island.”
Brian Hinton, Chair of Dimbola, says:
“Jimi is now immortal, a man for all seasons, and it is lovely to dress him up to celebrate cultural and sporting events in the vicinity of the Afton site where he very much helped put the West Wight on the map, as did Mrs Cameron and Alfred Lord Tennyson a century earlier.”
How do drug using hippies and cyclist’s on dope have a connection? Oh, I see it now.
Victorian gentry and hippies? Both groups had an opiate problem.
How very clever, the iow will be televised celebrating drug culture whilst prancing about in lycra. Classy eh…
Should keep the tourists away nicely;)
Jimi Hendrix stature? You kept that very quiet. Like the cable car and Blue Arrow.
Your island is full of surprises.
Ridiculous, what the hell have they done to Jimi Hendrix, whoever thought up the idea should take it all down and go sit in a dark room for a very long time, as for Giddings piping in, he needs a reality check too, what the hell would Hendrix think of it, disgusted no doubt.