In a recent interview with Guitar World, Frank Marino, the leader of the rock band Mahogany Rush, spoke candidly about his complicated relationship with the late guitar legend Jimi Hendrix. Over the years, Marino has frequently been compared to Hendrix due to his guitar playing style, but these comparisons took a bizarre turn with an urban legend suggesting that Hendrix's spirit haunted him after a hospital visit. Marino has unequivocally denied the story, stating, "What was true is that I went to the hospital, learned how to play guitar in hospital, and came out and played the music of the day: Hendrix, the Beatles, the Doors, and other stuff from the late '60s."
The genesis of this ghostly rumor can be traced back to a treatment at Montreal Children's Hospital following an acid trip when Marino was just 14 years old. He insists that the idea of a Hendrix visitation is completely fabricated, calling it, "this ridiculous piece," that dogged him throughout his career. Yet, Marino recalled, his first encounter with Hendrix placed him on a path laden with the guitarist’s shadow. In 1968, before embarking on his own career, Marino attended a Hendrix concert but left during the performance, thinking it was "a bunch of noise." "I was the only person who left," he remembers, adding that the irony is not lost on him: "It almost felt like Jimi Hendrix was saying, 'I'll make sure you never forget my name.'"
Marino began his career at 16 when he recorded Mahogany Rush's debut album, Maxoom (1972), which he says was all about simply wanting to play rock music. Today, Marino continues to contribute to the music scene, recently focusing on creating custom guitar pedals designed to help other guitarists achieve his sought-after tones. For more insights from Marino, readers can find the full interview in issue 583 of Guitar World, which also features interviews with Pat Travers and DeWayne "Blackbird" McKnight. The magazine is available for purchase at Magazines Direct.