I was feeling perverse this morning, so when it came time to fight my exhaustion with a stimulating drink I opted to spend an extra buck for a "Jimi Hendrix Liquid Experience," the latest cash-in from the psych-guitar legend's estate. The packaging finds our hero surrounded by flames (is he in Hell?) beneath a bold promise that the beverage will provide peace, love and purpose. I don't know if that's truthful advertising, but the can is packed with almost 200mg of caffeine along with the usual vaguely-recognizable pharmaceuticals, and the taste is refreshingly tart unlike similar sickly-sweet energy drinks.

I can't help but think that if only Jimi had a can of this stuff by his bedside that fateful night, he might have been wide awake when the barbituate vomit started bubbling up and would still be with us today, performing slick, overly-reverent blues pop for Baby Boomers ala Clapton ... perhaps he might have even been among the performers at Michael Jackson's funeral, hushing the crowd with a mournful, spiritual version of the "Beat It" solo after a warm reminiscence of mentoring MJ in the early days of his pop/R&B crossover success.