Original subtitles

AND KIT LAMBERT, OUR MANAGER,

HAD JUST SIGNED JIMI HENDRIX TO OUR LABEL...

AND PUT HIM ON...

BACKING US UP.

AND I COULDN'T REALLY BELIEVE IT.

I THOUGHT, "JESUS CHRIST, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?"

SO HE WENT ON AND HE DID HIS THING.

HE KNOCKED THE AMPLIFIERS OVER, HE SET HIS GUITAR ALIGHT.

HE PRACTICALLY SMASHED IT UP.

HE GOT FEEDBACK TOGETHER,

AND HE ALSO PLAYED IN HIS OWN, INIMITABLE WAY.

AND I WENT ON AFTERWARDS, AND I JUST STOOD AND STRUMMED.

[ PLAYING "ROCK ME, BABY" ]

YEAH!

* ROCK ME, BABY

* ROCK ME ALL NIGHT LONG

* ROCK ME, BABY

* ROCK ME ALL NIGHT LONG

* ROCK ME, BABY

* ROCK ME ALL NIGHT LONG

* HOLD ME, BABY

* ROCK MY WORLD, OH, WELL

* HOLD ME, BABY

* ROCK MY WORLD, OH, WELL

* HOLD ME, BABY

* YOU JUST DON'T KNOW HOW GOOD YOU MAKE ME FEEL *

[ GUITAR SOLO ]

*

* HOLD ME, BABY

* HOLD ME ALL NIGHT LONG

* HOLD ME, BABY

* HOLD ME ALL NIGHT LONG

* ROCK ME, BABY

* HOLD ME ALL NIGHT LONG

* ROCK ME, BABY

* ROCK ME, BABY

* ROCK ME, BABY

* ROCK ME, BABY

* ROCK ME, BABY

* ROCK ME, BABY

* ALL NIGHT LONG, NOW

* ALL NIGHT LONG, NOW

OUR MANAGER -- THE CREAM'S MANAGER --

FELT THAT IF WE WENT OVER TO SAN FRANCISCO TOO EARLY,

WE'D LOSE OUR MARKET VALUE.

SO HE HELD OFF -- SAID, "NO, NO.

"YOU MUST GO LATER ON

AND THEN BE A BIG BANG AT THE FILLMORE."

AND IT WORKED OUT ALL RIGHT IN THE END,

BUT I WAS REALLY UPSET ABOUT IT

BECAUSE WE'D BEEN ASKED TO GO AND I WANTED TO GO.

I FELT THAT THEY MUST HAVE THOUGHT

WE WERE BEING BIGHEADED.

BUT I'D LOVED TO HAVE SEEN HIM PLAY THERE.

HE DID THAT SACRIFICE THING FOR THE AUDIENCE WITH HIS GUITAR.

I'VE SEEN IT SO MANY TIMES ON FILM.

AND EVERYBODY ON --

THE WHOLE AUDIENCE ON OWSLEY, RIGHT?

OWSLEY ACID. FANTASTIC.

[ PLAYING "WILD THING" ]

COME ON, MAN. COME ON.

SING IT WITH ME.

* WILD THING

* YOU MAKE MY HEART SING

* YOU MAKE EVERYTHING GROOVY

* WILD THING

* WILD THING, I THINK YOU MOVE ME *

* BUT I WANNA KNOW FOR SURE

* COME ON, NOW, S-S-S-OCK IT TO ME ONE TIME *

* YOU MOVE ME

LOOK OUT.

Townshend: BEFORE THE SHOW AT MONTEREY,

WE WERE STARTING TO TALK ABOUT THE RUNNING ORDER.

BRIAN JONES WAS INTRODUCING US, I THINK,

AND ERIC BURDON WAS INTRODUCING HIM, OR VICE VERSA.

AND THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO COME FIRST,

AND WE COULDN'T REALLY DECIDE.

I SAID TO JIMI, "WE'RE NOT GOING TO FOLLOW YOU ON."

SO HE SAID, "WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO FOLLOW YOU ON."

SO I SAID, "LISTEN, WE ARE NOT GOING TO FOLLOW YOU ON,

"AND THAT IS IT.

"AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, WE'RE READY TO GO ON NOW.

OUR GEAR'S GOING TO BE THERE. THAT'S THE END OF IT."

AND THERE WAS A CERTAIN LOOK IN HIS EYE,

AND HE GOT ON A CHAIR,

AND HE PLAYED SOME AMAZING GUITAR

JUST STANDING ON A CHAIR IN THE DRESSING ROOM.

JANIS JOPLIN WAS THERE, BRIAN JONES, ERIC, ME,

AND A FEW OTHER PEOPLE JUST STANDING AROUND.

AND THEN HE GOT DOWN OFF THE CHAIR

AND TURNED AROUND TO ME AND JUST SAID,

"IF I'M GOING TO FOLLOW YOU,

I'M GOING TO PULL ALL THE STOPS."

[ PLAYING "WILD THING" ]

Man: IN THE END OF "WILD THING,"

HE WOULD GO ACROSS TO THE AMPLIFIER

AND GRAB HOLD OF IT

AND GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS OF FUCKING IT,

WHICH WOULD, UH...

WELL, VIBRATE AND SHAKE THE THING TO SUCH A DEGREE

THAT I USED TO HAVE TO STAND BEHIND THE COLUMNS,

HOLDING IT UP WHILST HE FUCKED IT AROUND THE FRONT.

[ "WILD THING" CONTINUES ]

Man: I GUESS OUT OF BOREDOM -- DOING THE SAME THING.

THERE WAS A LOT OF ROUTINE IN THOSE SOUL BANDS --

THE STEPS AND EVERYTHING.

THE GUITARIST IS SORT OF A SLY PRANK

WHO'D PLAY BEHIND THEIR BACKS AND PLAY WITH THEIR TEETH.

THIS IS A WAY OF BREAKING THE PATTERN, BREAKING THE LAW.

THE OUTRAGEOUS.

I'VE HEARD THINGS, LIKE, FROM DON COVAY, TELLING STORIES

ABOUT WILSON PICKETT PULLING A GUN ON A DRUMMER --

JUST GIMMICKS LIKE THAT.

GIMMICKS. HERE WE GO AGAIN.

I'M TIRED OF PEOPLE SAYING WE RELY ON GIMMICKS.

THE WORLD IS A BIG GIMMICK. WARS, NAPALM BOMBS, ALL THAT.

PEOPLE GET BURNED UP ON TV,

AND IT'S NOTHING BUT A GIMMICK.

[ "WILD THING" CONTINUES ]

[ APPLAUSE ]

THAT ISN'T ALL HE DOES. BUT HE IS HERE TONIGHT,

AS I SAY, WITHOUT HIS EXPERIENCE.

SO HERE IS A NAIVE AND INNOCENT JIMI HENDRIX RIGHT HERE.

[ APPLAUSE ]

NICE TO MEET YOU.

THAT IS NOT THE ONLY THING YOU DO ONSTAGE,

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER SEEN YOU BEFORE, IF THERE ARE ANY.

BUT WHAT IS THE MEANING OF DESTRUCTION ONSTAGE

WHEN YOU DO IT LIKE THAT?

IT'S A RELEASE, I GUESS.

I BET YOU DIDN'T WEAR THIS IN THE PARATROOPS.

NOT NECESSARILY.

YOU WERE A PARA-- WHAT IS IT?

A PARATROOPER OR A PARACHUTIST?

101st AIRBORNE, FORT CAMPBELL, KENTUCKY.

YEAH, WELL, LET ME SEE.

UH, GO BACK.

I THINK I WAS GOING TO MY COMPANY,

AND I HAD TO PASS SERVICE CLUB NUMBER ONE ON THE WAY.

I HEARD THIS GUITAR PLAYING INSIDE.

I SAID, "WOW. THE CAT'S ALL RIGHT."

SO I STOPPED IN,

I INTRODUCED MYSELF TO HIM AND TOLD HIM I PLAYED BASS.

I WENT AND CHECKED OUT A BASS.

WE STARTED JAMMING RIGHT OFF.

I STARTED A LITTLE GROUP AS SAXOPHONE PLAYER.

TWO OF THE PEOPLE THAT I HAD WITH ME

TURNED OUT TO BE JIMI HENDRIX AND BILL COX.

WE STARTED, AND WE PLAYED

AT VARIOUS SERVICE CLUBS ON THE POST,

BUT MOST OF THE TIME, WE GOT FIRED FROM THE GIGS

BECAUSE WE PLAYED REAL LOUD.

AS YOU KNOW, JIMI WAS A LEFT-HAND PLAYER.

THAT BEING THE CASE, HE WOULD HAVE TO STRING HIS GUITAR

WITH THE STRINGS BACKWARD, UPSIDE DOWN --

THE HEAVY STRINGS IN REVERSE OF WHAT THEY NORMALLY SHOULD BE.

THIS WAS OKAY WITHIN ITSELF, WITH THE ONE EXCEPTION --

JIMI SOMEHOW WOULD ALWAYS MANAGE TO PAWN THIS GUITAR

BEFORE A GIG, BEFORE A DANCE,

AND OF COURSE, THE BAND WOULD HAVE TO GO REPAWN IT,

REPOSSESS IT.

NOTHING ELSE COULD BE USED.

OF COURSE, HE HAD TO HAVE THIS SPECIFIC GUITAR,

AND I THINK HE PLAYED THIS PARTICULAR ANGLE

AGAINST THE BAND.

IT REALLY APPEARED THAT JIMI, IN MANY CASES,

WAS NEVER REALLY WITH US.

HE DID A LOT OF CONCENTRATING ON HIS MUSIC,

AND A LOT OF THE SMALL TALK

THAT THE TYPICAL GROUP OF GUYS WOULD MAKE --

SOMETIMES HE WOULD NOT ENTER INTO IT.

AND OF COURSE, WE'D LOOK OVER AT HIM OCCASIONALLY,

AND THERE HE IS, STARING.

AND WE WOULDN'T ASK HIM FOR HIS THOUGHTS PER SE,

BUT THIS IS WHAT I REALLY MEANT BY BEING ON CLOUD NINE.

YOU DIDN'T REALLY GET TO KNOW HIM THAT CLOSELY

AS FAR AS THE EXACT LINE OF THINKING.

DO YOU EVER RUN INTO ANY OF THE GUYS FROM THE OLD 101st?

YEAH.

DO THEY THINK YOUR LIFE IS STRANGE

COMPARED TO WHAT THEY'RE IN?

OH, THAT WOULDN'T MATTER, REALLY.

THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON NOW.

YOU CAN'T TAKE TIME OUT TO SAY,

"OH, I WONDER WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT ME THERE."

I CAN'T GO THROUGH ALL THAT.

I'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH IT FOR THREE YEARS.

I REMEMBER WHEN HE GOT HIS FIRST GUITAR.

AND WE USED TO HAVE A LITTLE JAM SESSION

BETWEEN THE TWO OF US.

I...BOUGHT A SAXOPHONE AT THAT TIME.

IT WAS ONE OF THOSE OLD, BEAT-UP, "C" MELODY SAXOPHONES.

AND WE LIVED IN THIS SCRUM-DUM APARTMENT.

IT WAS IN A ROUGH NEIGHBORHOOD.

NOISE DIDN'T MEAN NOTHING TO THE UPSTAIRS NEIGHBOR

OR THE NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR,

SO WHILE JIMI WAS WAILING AWAY ON HIS GUITAR,

I'LL BE BLOWING THE SAX.

I WENT AND GOT BEHIND IN THE PAYMENTS ON THE SAX,

AND I LET IT GO. I KNEW HE COULD DO MORE

WITH THE GUITAR THAN ME WITH THE SAX.

[ GUITAR SOLO ]

*

*

I REMEMBER GETTING OUT OF ARMY, TRYIN' TO GET STUFF TOGETHER,

AND THEN I WAS PLAYING IN DIFFERENT GROUPS

ALL AROUND THE STATES AND CANADA.

PLAYING BEHIND PEOPLE MOST OF THE TIME, YOU KNOW.

A LOT OF MORNINGS --

WE WERE RIGHT DOWN HERE ON JEFFERSON STREET.

WE LIVED OVER TOP OF JOYCE'S HOUSE OF GLAMOUR.

LOT OF TIMES, I'D GET HIM UP MORNINGS TO GO FOR BREAKFAST.

KNOCK ON HIS DOOR, DOOR WOULD BE OPEN.

HE'S LYING IN THE SAME CLOTHES HE'D HAD ON THE NIGHT BEFORE

WITH HIS GUITAR LYING ON HIS STOMACH.

Jimi: SO I STARTED TRAVELING AROUND. I WENT TO NEW YORK

AND WON FIRST PLACE IN THE APOLLO AMATEUR CONTEST -- $25.

I PLAYED SOME SHOWS WITH IKE AND TINA TURNER.

I PLAYED WITH KING CURTIS AND JOEY DEE.

YOU KNOW, THIS GROUP CAME UP AND BROUGHT ME BACK

TO ATLANTA, GEORGIA, WHERE I MET LITTLE RICHARD,

AND I STARTED PLAYING WITH HIM FOR A WHILE.

HE WAS A STAR. WHEN I GOT HIM, HE WAS A STAR.

SLY TOLD YOU THAT EVERYBODY IS A STAR.

THE ONLY PROBLEM IS SOME PEOPLE HAVEN'T BEEN PUT IN THE DIPPER

AND POURED BACK ON THE WORLD.

THAT'S WHAT THE ANSWER IS.

THAT'S WHAT THE ANSWER -- YOU GOT TO BE PLACED

INTO THE DIPPER AND POURED BACK DOWN ON THE WORLD,

AND THEN MEN WILL SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS

AND GLORIFY GOD, JEHOVAH.

THE LITTLE STORIES AND THINGS HE WOULD TELL ME --

I STARTED GOING FOR HIM, REALLY DIGGING HIM AND LIKING HIM

MORE THAN I WAS LIKING THE FACT THAT HE WAS A CUTIE-PIE

WITH A GUITAR -- THE "IN" THING AT THAT TIME.

THEY WERE JUST GETTING TO BE THE THING,

LIKE WITH THE PROCESSES FALLING IN YOUR FACE

WHEN YOU'RE PLAYING, YOU KNOW.

WELL, HE WASN'T THE AVERAGE PROCESS WEARER.

SO WE GOT OUR OWN LITTLE CRIB,

AND IT WAS SARDINES AND CRACKERS ON AND OFF, AND OUR MOMS --

WELL, MY MOM WOULD THROW IN A GOOD MEAL HERE AND THERE.

SHE, UH...SHE COULDN'T STAND HIM, ACTUALLY,

BECAUSE SHE THOUGHT HE WAS A BUM.

SHE SAID, "YOU AIN'T GONNA HAVE

THAT LONGHAIRED NIGGER IN HERE."

SHE'D GET IN FRONT OF HIS FACE, AND SHE SAYS,

"WELL, JIMI, YOU JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND.

"FAY'S GOING THROUGH A THING. IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A MINUTE.

YOU SHOULDN'T GET YOURSELF ALL INVOLVED."

'CAUSE HE TALKED TO HER ABOUT LITTLE THINGS.

WE USED TO GO TO PALMS CAFE AND PLACES LIKE SMALL'S,

THE SPOTLIGHT, PLACES AROUND 125th STREET --

IN THE HARLEM SCENE, YOU KNOW.

AND HE'D TELL THEM HE WANTED TO SIT IN, RIGHT?

AND THESE OLD, FUDDY-DUDDY, ROUGH-DRIED AIN'T-NEVER-BEENS --

THEY AIN'T GONNA GIVE HIM A BREAK,

SO THEY JUST ACT LIKE

THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT HE'S THERE.

AND HE'D SIT THERE WITH THIS KIND OF LOOK ON HIS FACE

FOR A FEW MINUTES, AND HE SAYS, "I'M GONNA SPEAK TO THEM AGAIN."

AND I SAID, "HEY, DON'T SAY NOTHIN' TO THOSE CATS

'CAUSE IT'S OBVIOUS THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO PLAY."

I USED TO HAVE HIM CLEAN UP THE BEDROOM

ALL THE TIME WHILE I WAS GONE, AND WHEN I'D COME HOME,

I'D FIND A LOT OF BROOM STRAWS AROUND THE FOOT OF THE BED.

I USED TO ASK HIM -- I SAID,

"DIDN'T YOU SWEEP THE FLOOR?" AND HE SAID OH, YEAH, HE DID.

BUT I FOUND OUT LATER

HE USED TO BE SITTING AT THE FOOT OF THE BED

STRUMMING THE BROOM LIKE HE WAS PLAYING A GUITAR.

FINALLY, THEY WOULD LET HIM COME IN AND PLAY.

AND THEN THEY'D GET UP

AND REALLY JUST MESS UP SO BAD BEHIND HIM IT WAS INCREDIBLE.

AND HE'D BE LOOKING ALL DISGUSTED ON THE STAGE,

AND HE'D KEEP LOOKING BACK AT THEM,

AND THE OTHER GUYS COME AND SAY HE'S GOT TO TURN IT DOWN

AND TAKE HIM THROUGH ALL KIND OF CHANGES.

WELL, WHEN I WAS WITH THE ISLEY BROTHERS,

THEY USED TO MAKE ME DO MY THING

BECAUSE IT MADE THEM MORE BUCKS OR SOMETHING, I DON'T KNOW.

BUT MOST GROUPS I WAS WITH DIDN'T LET ME DO MY OWN THING,

LIKE FEEDBACK IN "MIDNIGHT HOUR" OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

HE WOULD SIGN A CONTRACT WITH ANYBODY THAT CAME ALONG

THAT HAD A DOLLAR AND A PENCIL.

HE'D SIGN WITH THEM, WHICH GOT HIM INTO A LOT OF TROUBLE

THAT HE GOT INTO LATER WITH THE COMPANIES AND STUFF.

NO, READING A CONTRACT MEANT NOTHING TO JIMI.

HE JUST CAME IN AND SIGNED IT.

AND I DIDN'T HEAR FROM HIM FOR MONTHS.

WE'D GET OUR DOOR PLUGGED AT HOTELS.

WE'D GET THROWN OUT. WE'D PAWN THE GUITAR. WE'D COME BACK.

WE'D BORROW GUITARS FROM PEOPLE TO PLAY, DO A GIG.

WE'D EAT GOOD FOR A MINUTE.

IT WAS JUST THAT ON AND OFF ALL THE TIME.

BUT JIMI HAD THIS PERSEVERANCE TO GO ON.

HE DIDN'T MIND LOOKING FREAKY, LIKE I DON'T MIND IT.

'CAUSE I WAS DOING IT BEFORE HE WAS,

AND I KNOW WHEN HE SAW ME,

IT GAVE HIM CONFIDENCE AND GREAT RECOMPENSE OF REWARD.

MY LORD.

BUT THE TWINS, BY NOW, WERE ON THE SET.

I DON'T KNOW IF THE TWINS MENTIONED ANYTHING

ABOUT WHEN JIMI AND THEM FIRST MET.

BUT WE WERE ALL LIVING TOGETHER.

HE THOUGHT WE WAS, LIKE, JUST HUSTLING,

AND HE WAS REALLY THE ONLY MUSICIAN IN THE HOUSE.

BECAUSE IN THE BEGINNING,

IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A SEPARATION-TYPE THING.

HE'S ON ONE SIDE OF THE HOUSE...

RIGHT, 'CAUSE HE DIDN'T KNOW THAT WE HAD ANY --

...AND EVERYBODY WALKING BY DURING THE DAY

AND SEEING EACH OTHER, PEEPING AT EACH OTHER

AND SAYING, "DAMN, WHAT IS HE DOING HERE?

DO YOU KNOW HIM, ARTHUR?"

I USED TO ASK ARTHUR, "DO YOU KNOW HIM?"

AND HE USED TO SQUINCH ON BY REAL QUICK WITH HIS GUITAR,

WASHING UP REAL QUICK BECAUSE HE WAS KIND OF TIMID HIMSELF.

AND WE'D LOOK AT HIM LIKE, "DAMN."

THEN FAY WOULD WALK OUT OF THE ROOM

BECAUSE FAY WAS HIS GIRLFRIEND AT THIS TIME.

Y'ALL CALL HER "FAYNE," I THINK,

BUT WE CALL HER "FAY."

AND SHE'D WALK ON OUT AND SWITCH

BECAUSE SHE WAS BAD HERSELF, IN HER OWN RIGHT.

AND I THINK HE WAS JUSTIFIED IN HIS DECISIONS TO CUT ON OUT.

IF HE HAD NEVER DONE THAT, HE MIGHT HAVE --

WELL, I DON'T THINK IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED,

BUT IT'S POSSIBLE THAT HE COULD HAVE BEEN

POKING AROUND FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS

BEING A SIDEMAN AND A FLUNKY,

AND HE WASN'T ANY OF THESE THINGS.

HE WAS THE STAR WHEN HE WAS THERE, AND THEY KNEW IT.

THAT'S WHY THEY DIDN'T WANT HIM TO COME OUT

AND PLUNK THE GUITAR WITH HIS TEETH

AND SHAKE HIS LONG PROCESS AND COME NEAR THE EDGE OF THE STAGE

AND LICK HIS TONGUE AT THE GIRLS BECAUSE THEY WOULD SCREAM.

THEY TREATED HIM LIKE HE WAS THE STAR.

THEY WERE THE FUCKING SIDEMEN.

SO AS OFTEN AS THEY COULD,

THEY WOULD KIND OF KEEP THIS QUIET, RIGHT?

AND AFTER HE LEFT, THEY FIGURED,

WELL, IT'S JUST ANOTHER GUITAR PLAYER GONE.

THEY HAD NO IDEA HE WAS GOING TO DO WHAT HE DID.

* DEEP DOWN IN LOUSIANA CLOSE TO NEW ORLEANS *

* WAY BACK UP IN THE WOODS AMONG THE EVERGREENS *

* LIVIN' IN A COTTAGE MADE OF EARTH AND WOOD *

* LIVED A COUNTRY BOY NAMED JOHNNY B. GOODE *

* HE NEVER, EVER LEARNED TO READ AND WRITE SO WELL *

* BUT HE COULD PLAY THE GUITAR JUST LIKE RINGIN' A BELL *

* GO, GO

* GO, JOHNNY, GO, GO

* GO, JOHNNY, GO, GO

* GO, JOHNNY, GO, GO

* GO, JOHNNY, GO, GO

* JOHNNY B. GOODE

* HE USED TO CARRY HIS GUITAR IN A GUNNYSACK *

* WOULD SIT BENEATH THE TREES BY THE RAILROAD TRACK *

* STRUMMIN' HIS GUITAR SITTIN' IN THE SHADE *

* STRUMMIN' WITH THE MUSIC THAT THE DRIVERS MADE *

* PEOPLE PASSIN' BY, THEY USED TO STOP AND SAY *

* MY, BUT THAT LITTLE COUNTRY BOY CAN PLAY *

* GO, GO

* GO, JOHNNY, GO, GO

* GO, JOHNNY, GO, GO

* GO, JOHNNY, GO, GO

* GO, JOHNNY, GO, GO

* JOHNNY B. GOODE

[ GUITAR SOLO ]

*

* MAMA TOLD HIM SOMEDAY, YOU WILL BE A MAN *

* AND YOU WILL BE THE LEADER OF A BIG OLD BAND *

* ALL KIND OF PEOPLE COME FROM MILES AROUND *

* TO HEAR YOU PLAY YOUR GUITAR WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN *

* MAYBE SOMEDAY, YOUR NAME WILL BE IN LIGHTS *

* SAYIN' "JOHNNY B. GOODE TONIGHT" *

* GO, GO

* GO, JOHNNY, GO, GO

* GO, JOHNNY, GO, GO

* GO, JOHNNY, GO, GO

* GO, JOHNNY, GO, GO

* JOHNNY B. GOODE

[ GUITAR SOLO ]

*

JIMI HENDRIX COULD PLAY THAT ROCK 'N' ROLL.

I USED TO BE SINGING ROCK 'N' ROLL.

[ Imitating guitar ] WOOOOH! WOOOOH!

HE'D HAVE THAT THING

JUST ROMPIN' AND TOMPIN' ALL UP UNDER MY TOES.

AT TIMES, HE USED TO MAKE MY BIG TOE SHOOT UP IN MY BOOT.

HE DID IT SO GOOD!

HE GAVE IT ALL TO YOU, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT.

YOU WANT IT ALL OR NONE.

I DON'T KNOW WHY WE WENT TO THE CHEETAH.

IT WAS A PLACE THAT I DIDN'T USUALLY GO TO.

BUT WE WENT THIS NIGHT,

AND IT WAS A HUGE, ENORMOUS PLACE -- LIKE A BALLROOM.

VERY FEW PEOPLE THERE,

AND THIS SORT OF REGULAR BAND PLAYING NOT VERY WELL --

AT LEAST, I DIDN'T TAKE ANY INTEREST IN THE BAND AT ALL.

AND THEN SUDDENLY, I SAW THE GUITAR PLAYER,

WHO WAS PLAYING REALLY QUITE DISCREETLY IN THE BACK ROW.

AND, UH...AND FROM THAT MOMENT,

I JUST BECAME COMPLETELY INVOLVED.

HE WAS VERY NAIVE AND VERY SHY AND NERVOUS,

AND HE DIDN'T LOOK AT YOU WHEN HE SPOKE TO YOU.

AND HE CAME BACK TO THE APARTMENT

AND PLAYED A LOT OF DYLAN, WHO JIMI IDOLIZED.

HE THOUGHT DYLAN WAS THE GREATEST.

I SAID, "MAN, YOU BETTER TELL ME WHO YOU SPENT OUR LAST $5 ON."

HE WOULDN'T TELL ME NOTHING.

HE JUST KEPT FLASHING THE THING.

AND THEN HE FINALLY TOOK IT OUT OF THE BAG,

AND, UH...HE STILL WOULDN'T LET ME READ IT.

BUT HE WAS READING SOME OF THE THINGS IT SAID

OFF IT TO ME UP IN THE AIR LIKE THIS,

AND I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE ANYTHING HE SAID, ANYWAY.

SO I PRETENDED I DIDN'T GIVE A SHIT.

I WENT UP TO THE BEDROOM.

AND HE FINALLY CAME IN AND TOLD ME IT WAS BOB DYLAN.

I SAID, "BOB WHO?"

"BOB DYLAN. YOU NEVER HEARD OF BOB DYLAN?"

I SAID, "NO, I NEVER HEARD OF BOB DYLAN."

AND I'M SAYING, "WHAT'S WITH THIS WEIRD CAT?"

I MEAN, BOB DYLAN WAS REALLY A GENIUS IN HIS OWN RIGHT,

BUT I JUST COULDN'T GET READY FOR IT,

AND I FIGURED JIMI WAS SO HEAVY INTO WHAT I WAS INTO

HE WOULD NEVER LIKE ANYTHING LIKE THAT,

BUT HE JUST LOVED IT TO DEATH. I WANTED GO TO THE BATHROOM.

HE WOULD GRAB ME BY MY ARM, LIKE I'M GONNA MISS THIS PART.

YOU KNOW. "LISTEN."

YOU KNOW. "OKAY." I COULDN'T MISS IT.

YOU COULD HEAR IT TO 42nd STREET, PROBABLY.

WE ALMOST GOT PUT OUT OF THE BUILDING BEHIND BOB DYLAN.

HE'D NEVER REALIZED THAT MOST OF THE...

RECORDING...STARS LIKE DYLAN

DON'T HAVE... AN INCREDIBLE SINGING VOICE.

AND HE WOULD NEVER LET ANYBODY WATCH HIM PUTTING VOCALS ON.

HE WAS VERY SHY ABOUT HIS VOICE.

HE THOUGHT HE HAD THE WORST VOICE IN THE WORLD.

WE WOULD PUT A LINE OF SCREENS UP,

AND WE'D STICK HIM BEHIND THERE.

AND HE'D POKE HIS HEAD OUT AND SAY, "ALL RIGHT."

HE WAS VERY SELF-CONSCIOUS ABOUT HIMSELF --

VERY, VERY SELF-CONSCIOUS ABOUT THE THINGS THAT HE WORE

BECAUSE HE WAS KIND OF DIFFERENT,

KIND OF FREAKY, ESPECIALLY IN COMPARISON

TO A LOT OF BROTHERS UPTOWN AT THAT TIME.

SO HE WAS VERY SENSITIVE

TO THE PLACES THAT HE LIKED TO BE,

AND HE FIGURED THAT THE PEOPLE

WOULD TOLERATE HIM A LITTLE MORE DOWN HERE,

BECAUSE HE'D JUST BLEND IN WITH THE CROWD,

WHICH HE STILL DIDN'T BECAUSE HE ALWAYS STOOD OUT.

I TOLD THIS RECORD PRODUCER

THERE WAS THIS FANTASTIC GUITAR PLAYER, SINGER, MAN,

PLAYING IN THE VILLAGE,

AND WOULD HE COME DOWN AND LISTEN TO HIM?

BECAUSE HE'S REALLY GOING TO LIKE THIS.

THIS IS A VERY MATERIALISTIC MAN.

AND HE THOUGHT, "RIGHT, GOOD."

AND HE CAME DOWN.

HE THOUGHT I WAS MAD.

HE DID NOT SEE WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.

WHEN HE SAW JIMI, HE THOUGHT, "THIS IS NOTHING."

AND THEN EVENTUALLY, I BUMPED INTO CHAS CHANDLER,

WHO I DIDN'T KNOW, BUT I KNEW WAS ONE OF THE ANIMALS.

AND I THINK JIMI WAS GETTING QUITE DESPERATE TO RECORD,

OR TO AT LEAST MAKE ANOTHER STEP.

AND SO CHAS CAME DOWN TO SEE HIM AND WAS, LIKE --

IT WAS INSTANTANEOUS.

THERE WAS NO QUESTION IN HIS MIND.

I'D BEEN ON THE SCENE A FEW TIMES

WITH PEOPLE THAT SAID, "HEY, HENDRIX IS PLAYING

AT THE SO-AND-SO DOWN IN THE VILLAGE."

AND THEY SAID, "OH, YEAH, THAT'S NICE."

JUST SHINE IT ON LIKE IT AIN'T NO BIG THING.

BUT THEY HAD NO IDEA THAT HE WAS GOING TO RUN INTO

A CHAS CHANDLER OR WHOEVER -- LINDA KEITH OR SOMEBODY

THAT WAS GOING TO PUT THE ICING ON THE FUCKING CAKE,

'CAUSE IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF TIME.

ALL HE HAD TO DO WAS GET OUT OF FUCKING HARLEM

AND GO SOMEWHERE WITH SOMEBODY WITH SOME BREAD

AND HAD AN EYE FOR TALENT AND WANTED TO SEE SOMEBODY

SURE ENOUGH TO DO IT THAT HAD IT.

THE STAGE WAS SET FOR JIMI, REALLY.

I MEAN, IT COULD HAVE BEEN ANYONE,

BUT IT HAD TO BE HIM BECAUSE LONDON WAS JUST COMING INTO

A KIND OF REALLY HEAVY SOUL THING.

THE BLUES BOOM WAS DYING, AND IT NEEDED SOMEONE

TO BRING IT ALL BACK TO LIFE AND SORT OF CEMENT IT TOGETHER.

I DIDN'T KNOW NOTHING. I JUST THOUGHT

HE'D JUST COME OUT OF NOWHERE. AND WE JUST ADOPTED HIM.

WE FELT, IN ENGLAND -- BECAUSE HE WAS GREAT,

AND HE WASN'T BIG IN AMERICA, AND HE'D COME HERE.

HE'D COME TO ENGLAND.

WE WERE THERE, AND HE HAD HIS FIRST RECORD IN ENGLAND,

AND HE WAS OURS.

[ PLAYING "HEY, JOE" ]

* HEY, JOE

* WHERE YOU GOIN' WITH THAT GUN IN YOUR HAND? *

* HEY, JOE

* I SAID, WHERE YOU GOIN' WITH THAT GUN IN YOUR HAND? *

* I'M GOIN' DOWN TO SHOOT MY OLD LADY *

* YOU KNOW, I CAUGHT HER MESSIN' AROUND *

* WITH ANOTHER MAN

* I'M GOIN' DOWN TO SHOOT MY OLD LADY *

* YOU KNOW, I CAUGHT HER MESSIN' AROUND *

* WITH ANOTHER MAN

* NO, NO, THAT AIN'T TOO GOOD *

* HEY, JOE, I SAID

* I HEARD YOU SHOT YOUR OLD LADY DOWN *

* YOU SHOT HER DOWN

* HEY, JOE, I SAID

* I HEARD YOU SHOT YOUR OLD LADY DOWN *

* YOU SHOT HER DOWN TO THE GROUND *

* YES, SIR, I DID, I SHOT HER

* YOU KNOW, I CAUGHT HER MESSIN' AROUND *

* MESSIN' AROUND TOWN *

* YES, SIR, I DID, I SHOT HER

* YOU KNOW, I CAUGHT HER MESSIN' AROUND TOWN *

NOW, GIVE ME THE GUN! I SHOT HER!

[ GUITAR SOLO ]

* HEY, JOE, I SAID

* WHERE YOU GONNA RUN TO NOW?

* WHERE YOU GONNA RUN?

* HEY, JOE, I SAID

* WHERE YOU GONNA RUN TO NOW?

* WHERE YOU GONNA GO?

* AND HE SAID THIS

* I'M GOIN' WAY DOWN SOUTH *

* WAY DOWN TO MEXICO WAY

* YEAH

* I'M GOIN' WAY DOWN SOUTH *

* WAY DOWN WHERE I CAN BE FREE

* AIN'T NO ONE GONNA FIND ME *

* AIN'T NO HANGMAN GONNA *

* HE AIN'T GONNA PUT A ROPE AROUND ME *

* YEAH

* YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT, BABY

* HEY, JOE

* YOU BETTER RUN ON DOWN, YOU BETTER *

* GOODBYE, EVERYBODY

[ GUITAR SOLO ]

FIRST TIME I EVER SAW JIMI WAS IN BLAZE'S CLUB.

I JUST WENT DOWN FOR A MEAL ONE DAY,

AND AS I WAS GOING IN, JEFF BECK WAS COMING OUT.

AND HE CAME UP TO ME AND SAID,

"HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THIS GUY THAT'S PLAYING TONIGHT,

"JIMI HENDRIX?

"IT'S A COMPLETE DISGRACE.

HE'S RIPPING OFF ALL YOUR THINGS."

I HAD MET HIM BEFORE IN THE STUDIO.

JUST SAID HELLO.

I'D NEVER SEEN HIM PLAY.

AND I WENT IN AND SAW HIM PLAYING AND...

WAS COMPLETELY FLOORED, YOU KNOW,

REALLY JUST COMPLETELY...

ALTHOUGH I COULD SEE WHAT JEFF WAS TALKING ABOUT --

I COULD SEE THAT HE WAS DOING

A LOT OF GUITAR UP AGAINST THE AMP

AND ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF,

WHICH I HAD FELT WERE VERY PRECIOUS TRADEMARKS.

HE WAS TAKING THEM AND DOING SOMETHING ELSE WITH THEM.

HE HAD JUST GOT INTO ENGLAND.

HE WAS WITH HIS MANAGER, CHAS, YOU KNOW -- CHAS CHANDLER --

AND HE BROUGHT HIM TO THIS GIG.

A GUY COMES UP TO CLAPTON AND ASKS IF HE CAN SIT IN.

I DOUBT WHETHER CLAPTON GOT MANY PEOPLE

ACTUALLY COMING UP AND ASKING IF THEY COULD SIT IN

BECAUSE BEING THE WORLD'S GREATEST GUITAR PLAYER,

ALL THE OTHER GUITAR PLAYERS

WOULD BE SUPER DEFERENTIAL ABOUT IT.

ANYWAY, THIS GUY CAME UP, AND CLAPTON SAID "YEAH."

THE GUY PLUGS HIS GUITAR IN, STARTS TO PLAY --

STARTS TO PLAY AMAZINGLY.

NO ONE HAD EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT.

HE'S PLAYING JUST THE FASTEST, WAILINGEST BLUES RUNS

ANYONE'S EVER HEARD.

WELL, I THINK HE DID A HOWLING WOLF NUMBER

OR SOMETHING, BUT HE DID HIS WHOLE ROUTINE.

HE DID ALL THE THING WITH HIS TEETH --

PLAYING THE GUITAR WITH HIS TEETH --

AND LAYING IT ON THE FLOOR AND PLAYING IT BEHIND HIS HEAD

AND DOING THE SPLITS -- THE WHOLE THING.

THE FIRST TIME I EVER REALLY GOT

ANY SORT OF RELATIONSHIP TOGETHER WITH ERIC CLAPTON

WAS WHEN -- I WAS JUST SITTING AT HOME,

AND HE RANG ME UP AND SAID, "HELLO, THIS IS ERIC."

SO I SAID, "ERIC WHO?" HE SAID, "ERIC CLAPTON." OH!

NEVER SPOKEN TO ME BEFORE IN MY LIFE, EVER.

HE SAID, "DO YOU WANT TO COME TO THE PICTURES?"

I SAID, "OH, SURE."

AND WE WENT AND SAW SOME STRANGE ITALIAN FILM --

REALLY GOOD FILM.

HE WAS REALLY INTO MOVIES AT THE TIME.

AND DURING THE MOVIE,

WE STARTED TO TALK ABOUT JIMI HENDRIX,

AND WE DECIDED THAT WE BOTH REALLY LIKED HIM.

AND WE...WE WERE SUDDENLY, OUT OF THE BLUE,

HAD A VERY STRONG SORT OF BOND OF FRIENDSHIP

WHICH I THINK CAME ABOUT --

BECAUSE IT ENDED AS SOON AS JIMI SPLIT ENGLAND.

I THINK IT CAME ABOUT

BECAUSE JIMI THREATENED US BOTH, IN A WAY,

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, HE ALSO ENTERTAINED US BOTH.

CHAS CHANDLER, HAVING FOUND JIMI,

SEEN HIS POTENTIAL AS A GUITAR PLAYER,

AND THEN SAID TO HIMSELF, "WHAT DO I NEED TO DO

TO MAKE A PRACTICAL MUSICAL UNIT AROUND HIM?"

AND THEN WE HAD A JAM SESSION AT ONE CLUB IN ENGLAND,

AND THAT'S HOW MITCH, NOEL, AND I GOT TOGETHER.

NOEL COMES DOWN EXPECTING TO PLAY GUITAR.

HE WAS TRYING FOR THE ANIMALS.

I DUG HIS HAIRSTYLE, SO WE ASKED HIM TO PLAY BASS.

THE OPENING NIGHT OF SOME TERRIBLE DISCOTHèQUE, YOU KNOW.

IT WAS WHEN DISCOTHèQUES WERE ALL THE RAGE.

AND THERE WERE A FEW PEOPLE.

I WENT DOWN WITH MARIANNE, YOU KNOW.

AND HE WAS JUST AMAZING.

I MEAN, HE WAS JUST AMAZING. BLEW MY HEAD OFF COMPLETELY.

I WAS SURPRISED TO GET THIS CALL FROM LONDON, ENGLAND,

AND I DIDN'T KNOW WHO THAT WOULD BE COMING FROM.

AND HERE, JIMI, HE SAID TO ME,

"WELL, DAD, I THINK I'M ON MY WAY TO THE BIG TIME.

"I'M OVER HERE IN ENGLAND NOW,

"AND THEY'RE BUILDING UP A GROUP AROUND ME.

I'M NAMING IT THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE."

I SAID, "GOOD FOR YOU, SON.

JUST KEEP YOUR NOSE CLEAN, AND KEEP IN THERE WAILING."

[ APPLAUSE ]

HEY, FANTASTIC SOUNDS.

REAL PSYCHEDELIC SOUNDS FROM THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE.

THE BOYS HAVE GOT A NEW ONE OUT ON THE 17th OF MARCH,

AND THIS ONE'S GOING TO REALLY TAKE THE MARKET BY STORM.

SO LET'S HEAR, ONCE AGAIN, THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE!

[ PLAYING "PURPLE HAZE" ]

* PURPLE HAZE ALL IN MY BRAIN

* LATELY, THINGS JUST DON'T SEEM THE SAME *

* ACTIN' FUNNY, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHY *

* 'SCUSE ME WHILE I KISS THE SKY *

* PURPLE HAZE ALL AROUND

* DON'T KNOW IF I'M COMIN' UP OR DOWN *

* YOU GOT ME BLOWIN', BLOWIN' MY MIND *

* IS IT TOMORROW OR JUST THE END OF TIME? *

* TOMORROW, OR JUST THE END OF TIME? *

* HELP ME, BABY

* HELP ME, BABY

[ GUITAR SOLO ]

*

* PURPLE HAZE ALL IN MY EYES

* DON'T KNOW IF IT'S DAY OR NIGHT *

* YOU GOT ME BLOWIN', BLOWIN' MY MIND *

* IS IT TOMORROW OR JUST THE END OF TIME? *

* HELP ME, BABY

* HELP ME, BABY, WHOA

* YEAH, PURPLE HAZE

* YEAH, PURPLE HAZE

* OH, BABY, YOU'RE BLOWIN' MY MIND *

* I'M NOT NECESSARILY STONED, BABY *

* I'M ALMOST BLIND, BABY *

* TOO HARD TO FIND

[ GUITAR SOLO ]

*

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

THANK YOU, MAN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

HE WENT TO -- WAS IT ENGLAND? SOMEPLACE OVER IN EUROPE.

AND HE STAYED THERE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS

AND THEN HE GOT PRETTY FAMOUS, AND THEN HE CAME BACK,

AND HE CAME BACK LOOKING VERY PROSPEROUS.

I SAID, "DAMN, JIMI, WHERE DID YOU GO, MAN?"

AND HE USED TO TALK A LOT

ABOUT THE THINGS, LIKE ALL OF A SUDDEN,

HERE I AM, A STAR NOW.

IT WAS NEW, EXCITING, AND FUN,

AND WE WERE REALLY ENJOYING OURSELVES.

WE WERE HANGING OUT, WE WERE GETTING STONED,

WE WERE DANCING SEVEN OUT OF SEVEN NIGHTS A WEEK,

WE WERE GOING TO LOTS AND LOTS OF GIGS.

IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE ROCK AFFLUENCE

THAT WAS SHARED, YOU KNOW.

THE MONEY BEGAN TO MOVE OUT INTO OTHER AREAS.

IT WASN'T JUST THE STARS WHO WERE SPENDING THE MONEY.

WE WERE ALL SPENDING THE MONEY.

Albert: HE SPENT HIS MONEY --

LIKE, HE SPENT HIS MONEY

AS CARELESSLY AS EVERYBODY'S SUPPOSED TO SPEND IT.

"H": MURRAY THE "K" HAD A RADIO SHOW THEN,

AND HE SAID, "I'M GOING TO PLAY THE NEW JIMI HENDRIX ALBUM."

AND HE PLAYED IT, AND WE HEARD THIS GUITAR PLAYER

WHO WAS DOING EVERYTHING THAT WAS POSSIBLE.

I MEAN, IT WAS JUST AMAZING.

Al: I ALWAYS FIGURED HE WOULD MAKE IT.

I ALWAYS FIGURED THAT, WELL, MAYBE HE'D BE PLAYING

AROUND CABARETS HERE AND THERE.

BUT I DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS GOING TO MAKE IT

SO WORLDWIDE LIKE HE DID.

THIS CHILD AIN'T DID NOTHING THAT GREAT.

HE SAID, "NO, THEY REALLY DO DIG ME OVER THERE."

AND HE SAYS, "I GOT THIS REALLY NICE ALBUM.

"I GOT TWO CATS THAT PLAY WITH ME AND EVERYTHING.

AND I BROUGHT YOU SOMETHING, TOO."

I SAID, "WELL, YOU BRING IT WHEN YOU BRING THE ALBUM."

I'M THINKING HE'S BROUGHT ME

SOME FABULOUS PRESENT BACK FROM LONDON.

"JIMI, PLEASE TELL ME WHAT IT IS."

AND HE SAID, "ACID. SOME ACID."

AND I SAID, "ACID?"

I HAD NO IDEA WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT.

I THOUGHT THEY HAD A CAULDRON OF ACID OR SOMETHING

HE WAS GONNA DROP ME IN.

AND HE LOOKED OVER TO ARTHUR, AND ARTHUR SAID, "LSD."

AND I SAID, "OH, LSD."

I WAS TRYING NOT TO SOUND TOO DISAPPOINTED.

SO HE POPPED A COUPLE OF THEM RIGHT AWAY.

SO I SAID, "AS LITTLE AS JIMI IS,

IF HE CAN TAKE IT, I KNOW I CAN TAKE IT."

SO I POPPED A HALF AND FAY POPPED A HALF.

I WAS WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO COME ON.

I DIDN'T FEEL IT, SO I SAID, "JIMI, GIVE ME ANOTHER HALF."

HE POPPED TWO.

AND SO WE WOUND UP GETTING STONED

ABOUT AFTER 30 MINUTES -- HALF AN HOUR OF ME COMPLAINING

ABOUT, "WHERE'S THE HIGH? WHERE'S THE HIGH?"

ABOUT HALF AN HOUR LATER,

WE WOUND UP GETTING TORE UP, MAN.

I KNEW JIMI COULD TAKE MORE OF ANYTHING THAN WE COULD

BECAUSE HE WAS ALREADY ABNORMAL, SO WHATEVER HE TOOK

JUST BROUGHT HIM BACK AROUND TO NORMAL.

THEN HE GOT TO START FROM THERE.

SO WE KNEW IF HE COULD TAKE A GALLON, WE BETTER TAKE A PINT.

HE WAS ALWAYS INTO GETTING HIGH.

HE WAS A LITTLE BIT SCARED OF DRUGS.

HE DISTRUSTED DEALERS.

HE DISTRUSTED TAKING IT FROM ANYBODY HE DIDN'T KNOW.

I WOULD ALWAYS CHECK IT OUT FOR HIM IN FRONT OF HIM

SO HE WOULD BE CONFIDENT

THAT HE WASN'T GOING TO GET A BUM TRIP AND THINGS.

BUT, NO. HE JUST LOVED TO GET HIGH.

IT WAS ALL PART OF THE WHOLE SCENE.

HE PLAYED 24 HOURS A DAY. HE WAS ALWAYS PLAYING.

YOU ALWAYS KNEW WHEN HENDRIX WAS IN TOWN,

HE WAS JAMMING HERE, HE WAS JAMMING THERE,

HE WAS JAMMING HERE, BUT HE WAS ALWAYS PLAYING.

DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF A DISCIPLINED GUY?

DO YOU GET UP EVERY DAY AND WORK?

OH, I TRY TO GET UP EVERY DAY.

[ LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE ]

IT WAS JUST IMPOSSIBLE TO GET ANY WORK DONE

BECAUSE OF THE HANGERS-ON.

HE COULD NEVER REFUSE ANYBODY.

HE USED TO HAVE PEOPLE HANGING IN THE CONTROL ROOMS.

HE HAD PLENTY OF WOMEN.

AS HE GOT UP INTO STARDOM,

HE REALLY MOVED UP IN HIS MONEY,

AND SO IN HIS WOMEN, OF COURSE,

BECAUSE ONE FOLLOWS THE OTHER.

SORRY ABOUT THAT, GIRLS, BUT...

IF I'LL GET UP AT 7:00 IN THE MORNING

AND I'M REALLY SLEEPY, BUT THEN I OPEN THE DOOR

AND SEE SOMEBODY THAT APPEALS TO ME, OR, LIKE --

FIRST OF ALL, I SAY,

"WHAT IN THE WORLD IS SHE DOING HERE?"

OR, "WHAT DOES SHE WANT?" OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

I STAND THERE, SHE SAYS, "COULD I COME IN?"

AND I'M STANDING THERE AND REALLY DIGGING HER.

SHE'S REALLY NICE-LOOKING, YOU KNOW.

I'M TELLING THE HONEST-TO-GOD TRUTH.

SHE'S ABOUT 19, 20, OR BEYOND THE AGE OF SO-AND-SO.

AND SO I SAY, "OH."

WELL, I'LL PROBABLY STAND THERE, AND THEN, THERE I GO.

I'LL BE BITING INTO AN APPLE MAYBE.

I REMEMBER TIMES IN CLUBS WHERE CHICKS WOULD COME,

AND OBVIOUSLY, THEY'D BEEN PREPARING THEMSELVES

IN THE BATHROOM FOR HALF HOUR FOR THIS BIG NUMBER.

THEY GOT THE LIPSTICK ON AND THE COURAGE UP.

AND OUT THEY COME AND OVER TO THE TABLE.

AND THE MOMENT ANYBODY WOULD GET UP --

ALL PLACES AT THE TABLE WERE CONTINUALLY FULL.

YOU COULDN'T GET UP FOR A SECOND

WITHOUT EIGHT PEOPLE CHARGING FOR YOUR CHAIR.

AND THEY'D SIT DOWN, AND BY THE TIME THEY GOT THERE,

THEY WERE SO FUCKING UPTIGHT ABOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH

THIS MASSIVE PREPARATION -- WHAT TO SAY AND HOW TO SAY IT

AND HOW TO MAKE THE BEST IMPRESSION POSSIBLE --

THAT THEY CAME ON LIKE A BUNCH OF SNOTS.

JIMI WOULD SAY,

"HI, MY NAME IS JIMI. WHO ARE YOU?"

AND THEY'D GO...

SHE'S SPENT FIVE YEARS PLOTTING TO SIT DOWN AND MEET HIM,

AND HE SAID, "HI, I'M JIMI," AND YOU GOT AN ATTITUDE?

HE'S ALWAYS WANTED TO BE THIS BIG STAR, BUT YOU KNOW,

I NEVER GOT A CHANCE TO SEE HIM AFTER HE MADE IT?

THEY WOULD'NT LET ME COME BACK. I SAID, "WHY? WHAT DID I DO?"

I HAD SOMETHING TO TELL HIM, AND I NEVER DID,

SO NOW I HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT AND LET HIM KNOW.

I WANTED TO TELL HIM THAT I KNEW YOU WAS GONNA MAKE IT.

[ PLAYING "WILD THING" ]

* YEAH

* YEAH, WHAT I SAY NOW

YES, AS I SAID BEFORE, IT'S REALLY GROOVY.

I'D LIKE TO BORE YOU FOR A FEW MINUTES

AND DO A LITTLE THING.

YEAH. EXCUSE ME FOR A MINUTE.

JUST LET ME PLAY MY GUITAR, ALL RIGHT?

RIGHT NOW I'M GONNA DO A THING BY BOB DYLAN.

THAT'S HIS GRANDMA OVER THERE.

IT'S A LITTLE THING CALLED "LIKE A ROLLING STONE."

* ONCE UPON A TIME, YOU DRESSED SO FINE *

* THREW THE BUMS A DIME IN YOUR PRIME *

* DIDN'T YOU? *

* PEOPLE CALL, SAY BEWARE, DOLL *

* YOU'RE BOUND TO FALL YOU THOUGHT THEY ALL *

* WERE KIDDIN' YOU *

* YOU USED TO

* LAUGH ABOUT

* EVERYBODY THAT WAS

* HANGIN' OUT *

* LOOK AT YOU

* BUT NOW YOU DON'T TALK SO LOUD *

* NOW YOU DON'T, BABY, SEEM SO PROUD *

* ABOUT HAVIN' TO BE SCROUNGIN' *

* YOUR NEXT MEAL

* YEAH, HOW DOES IT FEEL?

* OH, HOW DOES IT FEEL, BABY

* TO BE ON YOUR OWN

* NO DIRECTION HOME

* LOOK AT YOU

* A COMPLETE UNKNOWN

* YEAH! LIKE A ROLLIN' STONE? *

* GONE TO THE FINEST SCHOOLS, ALL RIGHT, MISS LONELY *

* BUT YOU KNOW YOU ONLY USED TO GET *

* JUICED IN IT

* NOBODY HERE TAUGHT YOU HOW TO LIVE ON THE STREETS *

* AND NOW YOU JUST GONNA HAVE TO GET *

* USED TO IT

* YOU SAY YOU NEVER

* YOU NEVER COMPROMISE

* WITH THE MYSTERY TRAMP

* BUT NOW YOU, YOU GOT TO REALIZE *

* HE'S NOT SELLIN' ANY ALIBIS *

* AS YOU STARE INTO THE VACUUM

* OF HIS EYES

* AND HE SAYS, HEY, BABY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO *

* MAKE A DEAL?

* HOW DOES IT FEEL, BABY?

* HOW DOES IT FEEL

* TO BE ON YOUR OWN

* WITH NO DIRECTION HOME

* A COMPLETE UNKNOWN

* LOOK AT YOU!

* LIKE A ROLLING STONE?

* PRINCESS ON THE STEEPLE AND ALL THE PRETTY PEOPLE *

* THEY ALL LAUGHIN,' DRINKIN', THINKIN' THAT THEY *

* GOT IT MADE

* YEAH

* EXCHANGIN' ALL PRECIOUS GIFTS AND THINGS *

* BUT, BUT YOU BETTER TAKE YOUR DIAMOND RING *

* I THINK YOU BETTER

* YOU BETTER PAWN IT, BABE

YES, I KNOW I MISSED THE WORDS. DON'T WORRY.

* YOU USED TO BE SO AMUSED

* AT NAPOLEON IN RAGS

* AND THE SWEET TALK THAT HE USED *

* GO TO HIM NOW, HE CALLS YOU

* YOU CAN'T REFUSE *

* WHEN YOU AIN'T GOT NOTHIN', YOU GOT NOTHIN' TO LOSE *

* YOU'RE INVISIBLE NOW, YOU GOT NO SECRETS *

* TO CONCEAL

* YEAH

* HOW DOES IT FEEL?

* YEAH

* OH, HOW DOES IT FEEL, BABY

* TO BE ON YOUR OWN

* WITH NO DIRECTION HOME

* A COMPLETE UNKNOWN

* LOOK AT YOU!

* LIKE A ROLLIN' STONE? *

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

HE FLUCTUATED SO FAST AND SO WELL

FROM GREAT JOY INTO INTENSE UNHAPPINESS.

I MEAN, SUICIDAL, NOT INTERESTED IN LIFE,

COMPLETELY DISINTERESTED IN HIS BODY.

HE WANTED TO TEAR OFF HIS BODY, YOU KNOW.

AND HE DID.

BUT HE GLORIFIED BODIES AND FLESH AND HUMAN BEINGS

AND WOMEN AND CHILDREN AND ALL THAT.

CAN YOU TELL SOMETIMES YOU'RE JUST NOT MAKING IT AT ALL?

YOU JUST WANT TO WALK OFF AND --

THAT'S WHY I HATE COMPLIMENTS.

COMPLIMENTS ARE SO EMBARRASSING SOMETIMES.

AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T REALLY TRY TO UNDERSTAND.

IT'S LIKE A CIRCUS THAT MIGHT COME IN TOWN.

"OH, WOW, WATCH THAT."

AND WHEN THEY'RE GONE, YOU FEED UPON THE NEXT THING.

BUT IT'S ALRIGHT. IT'S JUST PART OF LIFE.

I'M DIGGING IT, MYSELF.

YOU'RE CONSIDERED ONE OF THE BEST GUITAR PLAYERS

IN THE WORLD.

OH, NO.

JIMI WAS VERY, VERY SELF-CONSCIOUS.

HE CAME IN AND SAID, "HOW DOES MY HAT LOOK?"

AND SO WE SAID, "YOUR HAT LOOKS ALRIGHT."

HE SAID, "YOU THINK THEY'LL MIND IF I HAVE" --

YOU THINK THEY'LL MIND.

ALWAYS WORRYING ABOUT WHAT WE --

WHEN I SAY "WE,"

WHAT THE OTHER BLACK PEOPLE THOUGHT, YOU KNOW,

ABOUT HIS MUSIC AND HIMSELF AND THE PROPAGANDA THAT THEY HEARD.

A LOT OF IT WAS TRUE, BUT HE WAS EXPERIENCING THINGS.

HE WAS GOING THROUGH A LOT OF CHANGES.

HE WAS A BLACK MAN IN A WHITE MAN'S WORLD.

I MEAN, IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY SORT OF UPTIGHT, WHITE,

HETERO SET, THE ROCK-'N'-ROLL SET.

THEY'RE ALL SO AGGRESSIVELY NORMAL,

WITH THEIR WIVES AND CHILDREN AND HOUSES IN THE COUNTRY,

AND JIMI DOESN'T BELONG TO THAT.

I THINK NOEL WANTED TO BECOME A LEAD GUITARIST FOR A START,

AND NOEL WAS THE FIRST ONE TO LEAVE, YOU KNOW.

HE WAS THE FIRST ONE TO EVER LEAVE THE BAND.

WELL, MITCH STAYED. MITCH WAS HAPPY.

BUT THEN IT WENT IN A WEIRD WAY.

IT WENT, LIKE -- JIMI STARTED BRINGING IN ALL THESE MUSICIANS,

LIKE HIS OLD ARMY BUDDY BILLY COX,

AND THEN HE BROUGHT UP A CONGA PLAYER

AND ANOTHER GUITARIST.

THAT WAS WHEN WE DID WOODSTOCK.

AND UP AT THAT HOUSE, YOU KNOW,

THERE WAS ALL THESE COLORED GUYS,

AND IT WAS A REALLY STRANGE ATMOSPHERE.

IF HE HAD A GROUP OF PEOPLE

THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE TO TELL WHAT TO PLAY,

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ANOTHER KIND OF SOUND.

THAT'S THE KIND OF SOUND HE WAS LOOKING FOR --

SOMEBODY THAT WAS THINKING FOR THEMSELVES.

AND THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN -- RIGHT NOW --

BETWEEN THE MARKETING OF COMMERCIAL MUSIC

AND MUSIC OF TRUE EXPRESSION.

HE WAS TRYING TO SPREAD A LITTLE JOY AND LOVE TOGETHER

TO SHOW THE WORLD THAT THE END IS NOT YET,

THAT I GOT TO TAKE YOU HIGHER.

NOT OVER SOME COCAINE OR A PIECE OF GRASS

OR SOME HEROIN,

BUT JIMI WAS GOING TO TAKE THEM HIGHER THAN THAT!

[ PLAYING "THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER" ]

*

*

ALL I DID WAS PLAY IT. I'M AMERICAN, SO I PLAYED IT.

I USED TO SING IT IN SCHOOL. THEY MADE ME SING IN SCHOOL,

SO IT'S A FLASHBACK.

THIS MAN WAS IN THE 101st AIRBORNE,

SO WHEN YOU WRITE YOUR NASTY LETTERS IN --

NASTY LETTERS?

WHEN YOU MENTION THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

AND TALK ABOUT PLAYING IT IN ANY UNORTHODOX WAY,

YOU GET A GUARANTEED PERCENTAGE OF HATE MAIL

FROM PEOPLE SAYING, "HOW DARE YOU."

THAT'S NOT UNORTHODOX.

IT ISN'T UNORTHODOX?

I THOUGHT IT WAS BEAUTIFUL, BUT THEN, THERE YOU GO.

[ APPLAUSE ]

DON'T YOU FIND THAT THERE'S A CERTAIN MAD BEAUTY

IN UNORTHODOXY?

[ GROWLING ]

YEAH, IT WAS PROBABLY THE SAME FOR HIM AS IT IS FOR THE WHO,

BECAUSE I KNOW PETE GETS VERY FRUSTRATED,

ALTHOUGH HE LIKES TO DO IT.

HE KNOWS THAT THE AUDIENCES --

HALF OF THE POINT THEY GO TO SEE THEM,

AS MUCH AS THE MUSIC, IS TO SEE HIM SMASH HIS GUITAR.

I THINK THAT MUST BE A TERRIBLE SORT OF EXPECTATION

TO LIVE UP TO ALL THE TIME. I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT IT

'CAUSE I NEVER REALLY WENT THAT FAR OUT IN AN ACT.

WHAT HANGS PERFORMERS UP IS PLAYING THE SAME NUMBERS.

IT'S NOT DOING THE SAME ACT OR THE SAME TYPE OF ACT

BUT PLAYING THAT NUMBER, AND AT THAT POINT IN THE NUMBER,

DOING THIS, AND IF YOU DON'T DO IT

OR IF YOU DON'T SMASH YOUR AMP UP AT THE END,

THE PEOPLE GET DISAPPOINTED.

AND I KNOW HOW THAT FEELS.

I DON'T CARE ANYMORE WHAT THEY SAY ANYMORE.

IT'S UP TO THEM IF THEY WANT TO MESS UP THE EVENING

BY LOOKING AT ONE THING.

BECAUSE ALL THAT IS INCLUDED, MAN.

WHEN I FEEL LIKE PLAYING WITH MY TEETH,

I DO IT BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT.

WHEN I'M ONSTAGE, I'M COMPLETELY NATURAL --

MORE SO THAN TALKING TO A GROUP OF PEOPLE OR SOMETHING.

BLACK RADIO DIDN'T WANT TO PLAY JIMI HENDRIX'S MUSIC

BECAUSE THEY SAID NOT ONLY DID HIS MUSIC NOT RELATE,

BUT THE PEOPLE THAT WENT TO SEE JIMI HENDRIX

WAS NOT THE CROWD THAT WOULD LISTEN TO A BLACK STATION.

THEN, ON MOST OF THE WHITE POP STATIONS,

THEY SAID IT WAS TOO HARD

AND THAT HE WASN'T RELATING TO THAT AUDIENCE.

AND THEN YOU'D GO TO A CONCERT, AND IT WAS STANDING-ROOM ONLY.

HE WASN'T MUCH OF A COLOR TALKER

BECAUSE THE WAY HE GREW UP OVER IN SEATTLE.

I REMEMBER ONE TIME, WE WAS WALKING TOWARDS 8th STREET.

I WAS TELLING YOU THIS THE OTHER DAY.

AND WE WAS RAPPING ABOUT A FEW THINGS

THAT WAS WRONG WITH THE STUDIO.

AND THERE WAS THIS GUY SELLING "BLACK PANTHER" PAPERS.

HE SAYS, "BLACK PANTHER, BLACK PANTHER, BROTHER."

SO I WAS WALKING BY

BECAUSE MY HEAD WAS SOMEWHERE ELSE AT THE TIME.

MY HEAD WAS PROBABLY INVOLVED WITH MY MUSIC.

BUT JIMI PICKED UP ON IT, PICKED UP ON OUR VIBES,

SO THE FIRST THING HE DID

WAS HE WENT OVER AND HE BOUGHT THE PAPER.

SO ALBERT AND I, WE LOOKED AT EACH OTHER.

SO THE PANTHER SAID, "OH, WOW, BROTHERS.

"JIMI HENDRIX IS BUYING A BLACK PANTHER PAPER

AND Y'ALL ARE NOT?"

SO WE SAID, "YEAH, WELL, JIMI HENDRIX BOUGHT A PAPER

BECAUSE HE WANTED A PAPER. WE DON'T."

BUT THEN JIMI LOOKED AT US.

'CAUSE THE REASON HE BOUGHT THE PAPER

WAS TO IMPRESS US.

MITCH AND I WENT BACK TO ENGLAND, AND JIMI GOT

THAT "BAND OF GYPSIES" THING TOGETHER --

BUDDY MILES, BILLY COX.

AND MITCH AND I COMPLETELY MISSED OUT ON ALL THAT.

WE SORT OF JUST, LIKE, HUNG OUT,

AND JUST SORT OF, LIKE, THE NEXT THING YOU KNEW,

WE WERE REALLY, REALLY CLOSE -- I MEAN, SUPER CLOSE.

WE WERE RUNNING TOGETHER,

GOING DOWN TO THE SCENE IN NEW YORK, JAMMING,

AND, YOU KNOW, SEEING EVERYBODY AND JUST HAVING A GOOD TIME.

AND THEN JUST ALL OF A SUDDEN, JUST --

[ GUITAR SOLO ]

*

HIS MUSIC, TO ME, WAS ENTERTAINING,

AS WAS HIS STAGE ACT, FOR THAT MATTER.

BUT HE WAS SUCH A BITCHIN' GUITAR PLAYER --

YOU KNOW, THAT WAS ENOUGH. THAT WAS ENOUGH.

AND THE OTHER THING WAS DISTRACTING FROM IT,

I THINK HE REALIZED THAT AND WANTED TO GET OUT OF THAT

AND GET PEOPLE TO JUST LISTEN TO THE MUSIC.

THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE

IN WASHINGTON, OR ALL THE GUYS

JIMI WAS IN THE ARMY WITH, OR THE POOR BLACK CATS

WHO ARE TRYING TO DESPERATELY GET IT TOGETHER

THAT HE WAS NOT HAVING A GOOD TIME.

IT WASN'T THAT EVERY DAY WAS A MISERY AND A TORTURE,

BUT IN A SITUATION WHERE IT APPEARS

AS IF YOU'VE GOT THE BEST OF ALL POSSIBLE WORLDS

TO GET ON WHAT YOU WERE GETTING ON,

THE DISCOVERY THAT NONE OF THAT WAS TRUE

AND TO MAKE A TENTH OF THAT TRUE

YOU HAD TO FIGHT ALL DAY LONG,

IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN'T EXPLAIN TO ANYBODY.

MOST PEOPLE ASSUME, "BABY, IF I ONLY HAD $10,000,

"EVERYTHING WOULD BE COOL.

"IF I ONLY HAD THIS, THIS, AND THIS,

I COULD GET IT ON REALLY WELL."

ANOTHER THING THAT JIMI DISCOVERED IS THAT ISN'T TRUE.

HE WAS POOR, HE WAS STARVING, HE WAS FUCKED UP,

HE NEEDED A BREAK BADLY, AND HE HAD A REALLY HARD TIME --

MUCH HARDER THAN MOST OF US EVEN HAVE A CLUE.

AND AS IT GOT BETTER AND BETTER AND BETTER --

FIRST YOU GO ALONG ON THAT TRIP

AND YOU BEGIN GETTING THINGS YOU WANT.

YOU'RE GETTING MORE MONEY, GUITARS, RECOGNITION,

YOU'RE GETTING YOUR SONGS RECORDED.

THEN YOU ARRIVE AT THIS PARTICULAR POSITION

WHERE, IDEALLY, LOGICALLY, LEGALLY,

YOU ARE ENTITLED TO HAVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED

IN ORDER TO GET YOUR THING ON,

AND YOU BEGIN TO DISCOVER THAT THAT'S NOT TRUE,

THAT YOU ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE THIS

UNDER ANY KIND OF CIRCUMSTANCES

THAT OTHER PEOPLE PICK AND CHOOSE FOR YOU.

THERE'S NO END TO WHAT HE COULD HAVE DONE,

BUT THE SITUATION THAT HE GOT PLACED IN

THROUGH EITHER HIS RECORD COMPANY,

THE MANAGEMENT, THE PROMOTERS, THE PUBLICITY MEN --

ALL THOSE GUYS YOU GOT TO DEAL WITH --

WHO WERE SAYING, "HEY, JIMI, WE GOT TO TOUR HERE, HERE, HERE,

"AND 'X' NUMBER OF PEOPLE AREN'T COMING IN,

"AND YOU BETTER DO THIS BECAUSE YOUR ACCOUNT IS AT 'X.'

"YOU INVESTED IN ELECTRIC LADYLAND.

AND MAYBE THIS ISN'T WORKING OR THAT IS WORKING."

SO I THINK HE HAD ALL THESE PRESSURES ON HIM, AND...

YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DEAL WITH THAT.

YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO MAKE MUSIC.

SOMEONE SAID IT'S HARD TO SING THE BLUES

WHEN YOU'RE MAKING THAT KIND OF MONEY.

THIS ASSUMES THAT YOU CAN'T BE UNHAPPY

AND HAVE A LOT OF MONEY.

IT BECOMES REALLY EASY TO SING THE BLUES

WHEN YOU'RE MAKING ALL THIS MONEY.

'CAUSE MONEY IS GETTING TO BE OUT OF HAND NOW.

MUSICIANS GET A CHANCE TO MAKE ALL THIS MONEY,

AND THEY SAY, "WOW, THAT'S FANTASTIC."

THEY LOSE THEMSELVES.

THEY FORGET ABOUT THE MUSIC, THEIR TALENTS,

THE OTHER HALF OF THEM.

SO YOU CAN SING A WHOLE LOT OF BLUES.

THE MORE MONEY YOU MAKE, THE MORE BLUES YOU CAN SING.

LOT OF THINGS THAT WERE GOING ON AROUND HIM

THAT HE DIDN'T LIKE, AND HE ALWAYS WONDERED --

WHAT IS THE METHOD?

HOW DO YOU STRAIGHTEN OUT THESE THINGS GOING ON AROUND YOU

WITHOUT HURTING PEOPLE, GETTING VIOLENT?

AND I SAID, "DAMN, IT'S DAMN-NEAR IMPOSSIBLE."

I MEAN, WE CIPHERED IT OUT THAT "MIGHT IS RIGHT."

MIGHT IS RIGHT, AND HE WAS MIGHTY.

HE WAS THE KING,

AND HIS CASTLE WAS GETTING FUCKED UP ALL AROUND HIM.

HE WAS THE KING OF THE CASTLE.

ALL HE CARED ABOUT WAS SURVIVAL AND PEACE OF MIND,

AND THAT WAS THE HARDEST THING IN THE WORLD FOR HIM TO GET --

THE HARDEST THING IN THE WORLD --

BECAUSE PEOPLE WOULDN'T LEAVE HIM ALONE.

PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T MEAN HIM NO GOOD

WOULDN'T LEAVE HIM ALONE.

THE PEOPLE THAT COULD DO HIM SOME GOOD WOULDN'T DO IT

IN THE MANNER THAT IT WOULD DO HIM SOME GOOD.

AND AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, THE EASIEST THING TO DO

IS TO LEAVE SOMEBODY ALONE,

BUT THEY JUST WOULDN'T LEAVE HIM ALONE, BEFORE AND AFTER.

[ PLAYING "HEAR MY TRAIN A-COMIN'" ]

NO, I'D RATHER DO IT AGAIN.

CAN WE DO IT ONCE MORE? DON'T WASTE THE FILM .

STOP IT FOR A SECOND.

'CAUSE I WAS SCARED TO DEATH.

CAN I JUST DO IT ONE MORE TIME?

[ PLAYING "HEAR MY TRAIN A-COMIN'" ]

* WELL, I'M WAITIN' 'ROUND THE TRAIN STATION *

* WAITIN' FOR THAT TRAIN *

* WAITIN' FOR THE TRAIN, YEAH *

* TO TAKE ME, YEAH

* FROM THIS LONESOME PLACE

* WELL, NOW, A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE...YEAH *

* MY DARLIN' CALLED ME A DISGRACE *

* DIG

* THE TEARS ARE BURNIN', YEAH *

* THE TEARS ARE BURNIN' ME *

* THE TEARS ARE BURNIN' ME *

* WAY DOWN IN MY HEART

* WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S TOO BAD, LITTLE GIRL *

* IT'S TOO BAD *

* TOO BAD WE HAVE TO PART

* HAVE TO PART

[ HUMMING ]

* DIG

* GONNA LEAVE THIS TOWN, YEAH

* I GOTTA LEAVE THIS TOWN

* GONNA MAKE A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY *

* GONNA BE BIG, YEAH

* GONNA BE BIG, YEAH

* I'M GONNA BUY THIS TOWN *

* GONNA BUY THIS TOWN

* AND PUT IT ALL IN MY SHOE

* MIGHT EVEN GIVE A PIECE TO YOU *

* THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA DO *

* WHAT I'M GONNA DO *

* WHAT I'M GONNA DO *

YOU THINK I'D DO THAT?

WHENEVER I SAW HIM, THERE WAS ALWAYS

AT LEAST FOUR PEOPLE SORT OF DRAGGING HIM

FROM ONE SIDE OF THE ROOM TO THE OTHER,

AND IT JUST SEEMED AS THOUGH HE COULDN'T KEEP UP.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS.

I CAN'T SEE WHY HE COULDN'T HAVE GOT AWAY AT SOME POINT.

BUT HE WAS SO GULLIBLE.

IT WAS SO EASY FOR PEOPLE TO TAKE HIM IN

AND SORT OF CON HIM.

THAT WAS THE BEST PART OF HIS NATURE, REALLY,

WAS THE KIND OF INNOCENCE THAT HE HAD,

BUT IT WAS THE THING THAT EVERYBODY PREYED ON.

HE TOOK ON WHAT HE WANTED TO TAKE ON.

THERE'S NO MISTAKE ABOUT THAT,

NO MATTER WHAT EVER WENT DOWN AS,

"YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALL THESE PEOPLE AND LEECHES AROUND ME."

AND THERE WAS A LOT OF LEECHES.

THERE ALWAYS WERE.

HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS TAKING ON.

HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS LETTING HIMSELF IN FOR.

OTHERWISE, HE WOULDN'T HAVE GOT INVOLVED

BECAUSE HE WASN'T A NAIVE MAN.

IT MUST BE AWFUL TO LIVE LIKE THAT ALL BY YOURSELF.

YOU'RE TOTALLY ISOLATED.

IN THE CASE OF THE POOR, OLD BEATLES,

THEY WERE ISOLATED BECAUSE A THOUSAND PEOPLE

WERE GOING TO CRUSH THEM TO DEATH

AND RIP THEIR COCKS OUT JUST SO THEY COULD TAKE THEM HOME.

THAT WAS SOMETHING ELSE.

BUT ONCE THAT KIND OF CROWD HYSTERIA PASSES,

AND THE ACTUAL PHYSICAL DANGER BEGINS TO PASS,

YOU REALIZE WHAT ISOLATIONISM IS.

IT MEANS THAT YOU HAVE NO ONE TO TALK TO, PARTICULARLY,

YOU HAVE NO ONE TO EXCHANGE ANY IDEAS WITH,

AND PARTICULARLY IF YOU SEE THE WORLD

IN A PARTICULAR SORT OF WAY THAT'S RELEVANT TO YOU

WHICH OTHER PEOPLE CAN IDENTIFY WITH --

JUST THE MUSIC AND WHATEVER --

IT'S A TERRIBLE SITUATION TO BE IN BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GROW.

IN A GENERAL SORT OF WAY, I THINK I'D PUT IT DOWN

TO THE IMPOTENCE OF THE COMMUNITY THAT HE PLAYED FOR

BECAUSE WE HAD NO WAY OF MAKING HIM UNDERSTAND

HOW MUCH WE LOVED HIM

OR WHAT WHAT HE WAS DOING MEANT TO US AT ALL.

HE KNEW WHAT THE PRESS SAID, HE KNEW WHAT THE PUBLICITY SAID,

HE KNEW WHAT THE HYPE WAS,

BUT HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW MUCH WE NEEDED HIM

OR WHAT KIND OF ENERGY HE WAS GIVING US AT ALL.

THERE IS A SPACE BETWEEN THE ARTIST AND THE PUBLIC

ONCE THE ARTIST IS AN ESTABLISHED ARTIST.

THE PUBLIC EXPECTS THE ARTIST TO DO SOMETHING

THAT THEY SAW HIM DO SIX MONTHS AGO OR A YEAR AGO,

BUT SIX MONTHS AGO OR A YEAR AGO IS AN IMAGE

WHICH COULD STILL LIVE IN THE EYE OF THE PUBLIC.

IT'S A FORGOTTEN IMAGE IN THE MEMORY OF THE ARTIST.

SO THERE IS A SPACE THERE.

HE DIDN'T EVEN FEEL LIKE DRESSING THE SAME WAY.

HE DIDN'T PLAY THE SAME KIND OF MUSIC.

[ PLAYING "RED HOUSE" ]

* THERE'S A RED HOUSE OVER YONDER, BABY *

* THANK GOD

* LORD, THAT'S WHERE MY SWEET BABY'S COMIN' FROM *

* LORD, THERE'S A RED HOUSE OVER YONDER *

* LORD

* LORD, THAT'S WHERE MY BABY LIVES *

* AND LORD, I AIN'T BEEN HOME TO SEE MY PRETTY BABY *

* LORD, IN ABOUT 99 1/2 DAYS

* YEAH

* WAIT A MINUTE, SOMETHING'S WRONG *

* LORD, HAVE MERCY

* THE KEY WON'T UNLOCK THIS DOOR *

* WAIT A MINUTE, SOMETHIN'S WRONG *

* WE ALL KNOW SOMETHIN'S WRONG *

* LORD, LORD, MY BABY WENT AND CHANGED THE LOCK *

* AND THIS KEY WON'T FIT NO MORE *

* WELL, I THINK I

* I THINK I GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE *

* BECAUSE MY LINDA DON'T LIVE HERE NO MORE *

* THAT'S ALL RIGHT -- I STILL GOT MY GUITAR *

[ GUITAR SOLO ]

*

*

* WELL, I MIGHT AS WELL GO BACK OVER YONDER *

* WAY BACK OVER YONDER, ACROSS THE HILL *

* YES, I MIGHT AS WELL GO BACK OVER YONDER, BABY *

* LORD, WAY OVER YONDER, ACROSS THE HILL *

* IF MY BABY DON'T LOVE ME NO MORE *

* LIKE SHE SAID SHE DON'T *

* LORD, I KNOW GOOD AND WELL

* THAT HER SISTER WILL

THE EFFECT HE HAD ON ENGLISH MUSICIANS --

NOT JUST GUITARISTS, BUT ALL MUSICIANS --

WAS JUST PHENOMENAL.

I MEAN, EVERYBODY LIKED HIM.

THEY LIKED HIM, PROBABLY, BUT THEY WERE JEALOUS.

SO HE WAS VERY CONTROVERSIAL FOR A LONG TIME,

BUT I THINK EVERYONE CAME AROUND IN THE END.

IT SORT OF CHANGED THE MUSIC SCENE COMPLETELY.

I THINK IN MANY RESPECTS,

HE CHANGED THE SOUND OF ROCK FAR MORE THAN THE BEATLES.

THEY BROUGHT SONGWRITING TO ROCK 'N' ROLL,

BUT JIMI CHANGED THE SOUND OF THE GUITAR.

HE TURNED IT INTO AN INSTRUMENT,

WHICH PEOPLE LIKE BUDDY GUY AND T-BONE WALKER

AND CHUCK BERRY HAD DONE PREVIOUS TO THAT,

BUT NONE HAD EVER BROUGHT IT OUT AND SOLD IT TO THE PUBLIC

AND SOLD IT TO PEOPLE LIKE ME

WHO NOW BELIEVE IN IT AS AN INSTRUMENT.

PEOPLE LIKE ERIC CLAPTON WERE TOO ETHNIC.

THEY KEPT THEMSELVES TO THEMSELVES

AND THEY HAD FIXED GROUPS, BUT JIMI WAS UNASHAMEDLY OUTWARD

AND WANTED TO REACH AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.

YOU CAN SAY A MILLION THINGS, AND PEOPLE HAVE DONE,

AND I DON'T WANT TO SAY NO MORE.

I MEAN, I JUST THOUGHT JIMI WAS A GREAT GUITAR PLAYER,

AND I THOUGHT HE WAS THE BEST OR THE MOST ORIGINAL.

HE HAD A REALLY ORIGINAL ACT.

THAT'S ALL, MAN.

I DON'T KNOW NOTHIN' ABOUT HIS BUSINESS,

WHETHER HE WAS A CASUALTY.

I WISH HE WAS STILL HERE.

HE ALWAYS FELT THAT HE WASN'T GOING TO LIVE LONG,

LIKE HE WAS BURNING HIMSELF OUT.

BUT MOST BLACK PEOPLE DO, ANYWAY --

FEEL AS THOUGH THEY'RE BEING BURNT OUT.

THERE'S A FUSE THAT'S IN EVERYBODY,

AND EVERYBODY KNOWS THE LIMIT OF THEIR FUSE

OR HOW FAST IT'S GOING.

MOST BLACK PEOPLE -- THE FUSE IS FAST ANYWAY.

THEY GOT A FAST FUSE

BECAUSE OF THE THINGS AROUND THEM.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, EVEN YOU HAVE A FAST FUSE.

WE ALL HAVE FAST FUSES, LIVING IN THIS GENERATION,

AND THE SHIT --

THOSE OF US WHO ARE LIVING IN IT.

IF YOU'RE NOT, I'M NOT TALKING TO YOU.

IF YOU ARE, THAT'S WHO I'M TALKING TO.

HE WAS GETTING READY TO GO INTO ANOTHER PHASE,

AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WERE CLOSE TO HIM

SAW THAT HE WAS GETTING READY TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER PHASE

THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A STRONG CHANGE,

AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT JIMI.

AND SO AS FAR AS THAT TRANSITION,

IT HAPPENED, AND HE'D FEEL --

IN OUR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT DEATH IN THE PAST,

AND YOU CAN LOOK AT HIS WORK, HIS WRITINGS -- JUST READ THEM.

DON'T EVEN TRY TO SING THEM, BUT READ WHAT HE HAD TO SAY.

YOU KNOW, I WAS SHOCKED, BUT IT WAS NO SURPRISE.

HE WAS IN LOVE WITH EVERYTHING --

WITH LIFE, WITH MUSIC, WITH HIMSELF,

WITH THE PEOPLE AROUND HIM.

GIVE A LOT AND TAKE A LOT.

HE WAS NO MORE DESTRUCTIVE THAN ANY OTHER GREAT TALENT.

AND HE DIDN'T DESTROY HIMSELF

MORE THAN THE GUY WHO'S IN AN AIRPLANE THAT EXPLODES.

WHO KNOWS HOW DESTRUCTIVE YOU ARE

WHEN YOU'RE PART OF AN ACCIDENT? WE DON'T KNOW THAT.

SO I STOPPED IMMEDIATELY, CALLED THE AMBULANCE,

AND WHILE I WAS WAITING FOR THE AMBULANCE,

I WAS CHECKING JIMI'S PULSE,

WHICH I HAD LEARNED BECAUSE I HAD A LOT OF OPERATIONS.

AND HIS PULSE WAS NORMAL.

HE WAS BREATHING NORMALLY, BUT HE WAS SICK,

AND I COULDN'T GET HIM AWAKE. I TRIED.

WHILE THE OTHER TYPE OF SLEEP, THE LIGHT SLEEP,

IS COMING UPON YOU,

THERE'S TWO SOCKETS WHERE YOU CAN GO INTO.

ONE SOCKET IS DEATH,

AND ONE SOCKET IS THE SOCKET TO LIVE.

I THINK THEY CALL THAT AN ALPHA JERK.

YOU CAN GET AN ALPHA JERK.

ALPHA JERK IS WHEN -- HAVE YOU EVER FELT AS THOUGH,

"WOW, I'M GOING INTO THE WRONG HOLE HERE."

AND YOU REALLY FEEL FUNNY.

YOU FEEL LIKE THAT, POSSIBLY, IS THE HOLE TO DIE.

AND THE OTHER SIDE IS TO GO AHEAD AND SLEEP

AND GET INTO YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS AND WHATNOT AND SLEEP,

WHICH WE NORMALLY GO INTO.

I BELIEVE THAT JIMI

POSSIBLY COULD HAVE GOT INTO HIS ALPHA-JERK FEEL,

AND IT KIND OF FELT GROOVY TO HIM BECAUSE HE WAS HIGH,

SLIGHTLY HIGH, AND HE SAID,

"DAMN. I'M JIMI HENDRIX. I WONDER IF I CAN DIE?"

AND THE ALPHA JERK CAME ON HIM, AND HE JUST SAID,

"FUCK IT. LET ME TRY THE ALPHA," AND SLIPPED ON OUT.

AND ANOTHER WAY HE COULD HAVE DIED,

I ALWAYS FELT, WAS DYING OUT OF PURE FRUSTRATION --

JUST SAYING, "FUCK IT."

HIS MUSIC IS INFINITE. IT WILL LAST.

HE'S A VIRTUOSO. HE'S A MASTER. HE'S A GREAT SPIRIT.

YOU'VE HEARD EVERYBODY SAY THAT.

AND WHAT I SAY, OR WHAT TWO OR THREE

OR TEN PEOPLE SAY, DON'T REALLY MATTER

BECAUSE HIS MUSIC IS THERE, ALIVE FOREVER.

NOBODY CAN CHANGE THAT.

WE'LL GET OUTDATED. HE WON'T.

[ PLAYING "IN FROM THE STORM" ]

* I JUST CAME BACK TODAY

* I JUST CAME BACK FROM THE STORM *

* I SUFFERED

* I JUST CAME BACK, BABY

* JUST CAME BACK FROM THE STORM *

* IT WAS SO COLD AND LONELY WAY DOWN THERE *

* GOOD THING I FOUND MY LOVE TO KEEP ME WARM *

* SO COLD AND LONELY

* CRYIN' THROUGH RAIN WAS TEARIN' ME UP *

* IT WAS SO COLD AND LONELY

* CRYIN' THROUGH RAIN WAS TEARIN' ME UP *

* THANK YOU, PRETTY BABY

* FOR DIGGIN' IN THE RAIN, DIGGIN' ME UP *

[ GUITAR SOLO ]

* CRYIN' THROUGH RAIN WAS TEARIN' ME UP *

* THE WIND AND LIGHTNING TOOK ME BY SURPRISE *

* THANK YOU, PRETTY BABY, FOR DIGGIN' ME UP *

* SWEETEST THING I'D EVER SEEN WAS YOU, OH, YEAH *

[ GUITAR SOLO ]

THANK YOU FOR BEING SO PATIENT.

MAYBE ONE OF THESE DAYS WE'LL JOIN AGAIN.

I REALLY HOPE SO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND PEACE AND HAPPINESS AND ALL THAT OTHER BULLSHIT.

* WELL, I'M WAITIN' 'ROUND THE TRAIN STATION *

* WAITIN' FOR THAT TRAIN *

* WAITIN' FOR THE TRAIN, YEAH *

* TO TAKE ME, YEAH

* FROM THIS LONESOME PLACE

* WELL, NOW, A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE...YEAH *

* MY DARLIN' CALLED ME A DISGRACE *

* DIG

* THE TEARS ARE BURNIN', YEAH *

* THE TEARS ARE BURNIN' ME *

* THE TEARS ARE BURNIN' ME *

* WAY DOWN IN MY HEART

* WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S TOO BAD, LITTLE GIRL *

* IT'S TOO BAD *

* TOO BAD WE HAVE TO PART

* HAVE TO PART

[ HUMMING ]

* DIG

* GONNA LEAVE THIS TOWN, YEAH

* I GOTTA LEAVE THIS TOWN

* GONNA MAKE A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY *

* GONNA BE BIG, YEAH

* GONNA BE BIG, YEAH

* I'M GONNA BUY THIS TOWN *

* GONNA BUY THIS TOWN

* AND PUT IT ALL IN MY SHOE

* MIGHT EVEN GIVE A PIECE TO YOU *

* THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA DO *

* WHAT I'M GONNA DO *

* WHAT I'M GONNA DO *