All language subtitles for Jimi.Hendrix.1973.WEBRip.x264-ION10

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 *