Meeting Jimi Hendrix
In February of 1968 I had recently turned sixteen years old. None of my friends were allowed to go, but amazingly, my parents let me take the subway to a newly opened hippie club in a converted warehouse in Philadelphia, alone on a school night. Jimi Hendrix’s debut album was released the previous May, a month before the Monterey Pop Festival. This was his first headlining tour in America and after Monterey his reputation was spreading fast, so the show was well attended. I managed to find a spot close to the stage, sitting on the floor. I remember counting thirteen Sunn speaker cabinets on Jimi’s side of the stage. Of course the show was jaw dropping, including many of his early songs and flashy stage moves.
After the show I was checking out the venue’s flea market/boutique when Jimi walked in. There were no entourage, groupies or body guards, he was alone. I couldn’t resist the opportunity to chat with him. At the time, the only effect pedals available for guitar were the fuzz tone and wah-wah. I couldn’t afford either, I could barely afford a crappy guitar. But my guitar playing friends who could afford pedals were unable to get a tone anything like Jimi’s and guessed that he must be using multiple pedals to get his unique sound. So I asked him how many pedals were in his set up. He was very friendly and happy to discuss his gear with a curious school kid. He told me that he was using only one fuzz and one wah pedal. I realized that his incomparable sound must be the result of his technique. We chatted a bit more and shook hands before he wandered off.
Listen to my former band The Dead Beetles covering Hendrix’s song Fire live.