The Legacy of Jimi Hendrix

are the almost mythical characters who sang, wrote, and recorded the anthems of an entire generation. Tonight, the man who mixed blues and rock into an explosive combination and who asked the seminal question, Explosive covers. Jimi Hendrix had a talent in 1965 for City. Are you experienced? Jimi Hendrix had a talent that was mind-blowing. I first met him in 1965 when my band The Hollies were playing at the Paramount Theater in New York City. Jimi was the guitar player in Little Richard's band, and we were sharing the same bill. It was exactly 31 years ago, Jimi was the guitar player in Little Richard's band and we were sharing the same bill. August of 1969, It was exactly 31 years ago in August of 1969 when I got my last look at his incredible musicianship. when I got last look at his incredible musicianship. I was Rick Fosby, I was with Crosby, Stills and Nash and we were about to play our second concert together ever before a few hundred of our closest personal friends at Woodstock. still Zanesh, and we were about to play our second... concert together ever before a few hundred of our closest personal friends at Woodstock. Up until the very last minute, Up until the very last minute, Jimmy was threatening to back out because he hated playing in large crowds. Jimmy was threatening to back out because he hated playing in large crowds. He felt like he couldn't touch them, He felt like he couldn't touch them, but of course, but of course, Jimmy and his incredible guitar could touch just about anyone. Jimmy Evans is incredible. He could touch just about anyone. He dazzled us all with Purple Haze and his unbelievably emotional rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. He dazzled us all with Purple Haze and his unbelievably emotional rendition of The Star Spangled... Little more than a year later, A little more than a year later, Jimmy was dead. Jimmy was dead. He lived just 27 years. He lived just 27 years, but he had time enough to transform rock and roll. But he had time enough to transform London. Jimi Hendrix, Jimi Hendrix, regarded by millions as one of the most talented and original performers in modern pop music, regarded by millions as one of the most talented and original performers in modern pop music, is dead. is dead. He'd collapsed in a flat in West London. He'd collapsed in a flat in West London. He was 27. He was 27. Jimi Hendrix, it goes without saying, Jimi Hendrix, it goes without saying, changed the face of the earth. changed the face of the earth. Boom! Jimi Hendrix was made and died in Britain. Hendrix was made and died in Britain. Because he was ours. Because he was out. You know, He was out. we felt like he was ours. He was a black musician with a white audience. You know you are a cute little heartbreaker. He was a black musician with a white audience. Protest who believed in the An icon of protest who believed in the Vietnam War. Vietnam War. I can explain myself like this and that sometimes, I can't express myself in conversation. I can't explain myself like this and that sometimes, but this isn't going to happen. because this doesn't come out like that. To the media, In the media, he was just another rock and roller with one foot in the grave. he was just another rock and roll with one foot in the grave. I saw him. I saw him. I saw his hand and that beautiful turquoise ring that I gave him. I saw his face. And? And the turquoise ring I gave him. There, And? I said to her, I said to her something. I said, He's gone. okay, he's gone. His friends were sad, His friends were sad, hardly surprised. but hardly surprised. He was kind of talking about maybe not living that long. He was kind of talking about maybe not living that long, that the next time he went back to visit his family in Seattle, Next time he went back to visit his family in Seattle, it would be in a pine box. it would be in the Pine Mountains. At his funeral, At his funeral. hard-faced men from the record industry stood next to fans who'd lost their God. face men from the record industry stood next to fans who had lost their god business, The business killed him. Kiernan. He'd always been a misfit, He'd always been a misfit, a skeleton on whom others hung their dreams. a skeleton on hooters, on their dreams. And days after he was born, Five days after he was born, Jimi Hendrix was dumped at the home of a family friend. Jimi Hendrix was dumped at the home of a family friend. And my mother went to the door, and I happened to be right there with my mother. She opened the door and she asked Mrs. And when my mother went to the door, Jeter, what in the world is that? and I happened to be right there with my mother, And she could see a little foot sticking out. she opened the door and she asked Mrs. Jeter, what in the world is that? And she brought Mrs. Jeter, and Mrs. And she could see a little foot sticking out. Jeter came in, and my mother took the baby because his little leg was sticking out and was kind of blue, And she brought Mrs. Jeter, came in, and my mother took the baby because his little leg was sticking out and it was kind of blue, like very cold. like very cold, because it was snowing. Because it was snowing. Not for the first time, his mother Lucille was drunk. Not for the first time, He was little, his mother Lucille was drunk. long, scrawny-looking. I'm just riding again. His father, Al Hendricks, His father, met Lucille just before World War II in Seattle. Al Hendricks, We interrupt this broadcast to bring you this important bulletin from the United Press. met Lucille just before World War II in Seattle when the Japanese... Flash, Washington. The White House announces Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Stay tuned for further developments. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, A Japanese bomb hurried the pregnant Lucille and went off when she was barely 16. Al married the pregnant Lucille and went off to war. She was barely 16. Her son was moved from one cold, Her son was moved from one cold, damp home to another. damp home to another. This child, and a lost young man, A lost child and a lost young man. you know, with that look on him like, You know, with that look on him like, what's going on? what's going on? And why me? And why me? His father, His father, Al, came back from the war to claim his new son. Al, came back from the war to claim his new son. But Lucille strayed. But Lucille strayed. She'd share love and remorse, She'd share love and remorse, then vanish with some new man. then vanish with some new man. Forbidden subject to talk about as well. It was a forbidden subject to talk about his mother between us, Between us, so we just, it was a code we had. so it was a code that we had. We just didn't talk about it. It wasn't something we talked about. He didn't talk of us in something, We talked about anything else but that. Growing up, anything else. Hendrix was lost in his own imagination. Going up in his own imagination. In the afternoon, He escaped to the room and said he wanted to get her so bad it was damaging him. he escaped to the movies. The shyest person I'd ever seen in my entire life, even to this day. A social worker said he wanted a guitar so badly, it was damaging him psychologically. His father bought him one for five dollars. His father immediately that when we hear different sounds, we're going to bring it back to him. We hear sounds on the cartoons and he tried to emulate them on his guitar. Let me try that and bend the strings and try to make these types of sounds. When we hear different songs with funny little sounds in them, he would just bring it back say let me try that and bend the strings and try to make those type of sounds. At home, At home the electricity was cut off. the electricity was cut off. Friends lent him clothes. Friends lent him clothes. He basically had one gray sweater and shoes, He basically had one gray sweater and shoes, but his shoes would always be turned on the side. Because, but his shoes would always be turned on the side because when you walk on your shoes so long, you know, when you walk in a shoe salon, on one side it starts leaning because the heel would clamp. on one side they start leaning because the heel would slant, And so he had a hard time with shoes. and so he had a hard time with shoes. He basically didn't have that many clothes. He basically didn't have that many clothes. Repeatedly, Repeatedly, social workers tried to take Hendrix away from his father. social workers tried to take Hendrix away from his farm. What? What a... In the South, In the South, schools were being forcibly integrated. schools were being forcibly integrated. In Seattle, racism was more subtle. In Seattle, racism was more subtle. Hendricks' Hendrix's school was a mix of white and black, school was a mix of whites and black, Hispanic and Asian, Hispanic and Asian. The fairly rich buried cruel. the fairly rich and the very poor. He was among the poorest. He was among the poorest. Would Jimmy admit how bad things were? Did Jimmy admit? No. No. He wouldn't just come out and tell you? He just knows his audience. No. Around girls, his odd clothes made him feel even shyer. made him feel even shyer. Hendrix's mother had cirrhosis of the liver. His mother had cirrhosis of the liver. When he was 15, When he was 15, she hemorrhaged and died. she hemorrhaged and died. We both were trying to escape. Whatever our personal hell was, We both escaped. escape. He joined the Rockin' He joined the Rockin' Kings, Kings, a bass player in an unknown school. a shy bass player in an unknown band. At school, he was tongue-tied. He was tongue-tied. Why he left school is unclear. Why he left school is unclear. He said it was because he made a lewd remark to a teacher. He said it was because he made a lewd remark to a teacher. Soon after, Soon after, he was caught in a stolen car and arrested. he was caught in a stolen car and arrested. His lawyer said he was leaving to join the army. His lawyer said he was leaving to join the army. The judge set him free. The judge set him free. As he told his aunt when he was a small boy in Seattle, As he told his aunt when he was a small boy in Seattle, When I'm big, When I'm big, I'm going far, I'm far, far away, far away, and I ain't never... and I ain't never coming back. You're watching Jimi Hendrix, Watching Jimmy Van Dyke's part of Rock Legend's movie on part of Rock Legends Week on Biography. Diablo III. Watching Jimmy Van Dyke's on Diablo III. You're watching Jimi Hendrix on Biography. In 1961, In 1961, Hendrix volunteered for the Hendricks volunteered for the 101st Airborne. It was the ultimate hop for somebody to volunteer for the 101st Airborne. 101st Airborne. It was the ultimate high. For somebody to volunteer for the 101st Airborne was absolutely bizarre because it was the one thing in the States that every young man had hanging over his head, It was awesome to be with Saul because it was the one thing in the States that every young man was... I had the hang of his hand during the draft. the draft. Twenty-six jumps later, 26 jumps later, he broke his ankle and the Army... he broke his ankle and the Army let him go. let him go he joined a band touring the south lights were clinging to segregation america was at war with itself for hendricks the south was an alien land he played with sam cook curtis knight and the isley brothers He joined a band touring the South. Whites were clinging to segregation. America was at war with itself. For Hendrix, the South was an alien land. He played with Sam Cooke, Curtis Knight, and the Isley Brothers. He played left-handed with his teeth upside down behind his back. He played left-handed with his teeth upside down behind his back. In Harlem, he won a talent contest at the famous Apollo Theater. In Harlem, he won a talent contest at the famous Apollo Theater. He joined the outrageous Little Richard. And then he began to start strumming the guitar with his stuff like something, He joined the outrageous Little Richard. And then he began to start strumming the guitar with his cuff links on, you know, and he used to play them like, you know, and then he started ripping this guitar up, you know, he used to play them like, you know, and then he started ripping this guitar up and jump down and start grinding it and just did a whole lot of put it behind his back and, coming down and grinding it and just did a whole lot. And you know, you know, just went on to this. just went on this, He just got crazy. and I think it just got crazy. But Hendrix was too flamboyant for little Richard. ...was to the old bluesman of Harky Hendrick was a step too far. Stranded in Harlem, he pawned his guitar. And he would go and he would try to sit in as a musician. To the old bluesmen of Harlem, the Freaky Hendrix was a step too far. And most of them were closed doors because his playing was a little too advanced. And he would go and he would try to sit in with the musicians. And most of them were closed doors because his playing was a little too advanced. His idol was Bob Dylan. His idol was Bob Dylan. Those guys were the ones that were saying, Those guys, everyone's the same, well, he's distorting the blues. Workless and often hungry, well, he's distorted. Workless and often hungry, Hendrix moved downtown to Greenwich Village, Hendrix moved downtown to Greenwich Village, once the haunt of Norman Mailer and Dylan Thomas. once the haunt of Norman Mailer and Dylan Thomas. Its clubs and bars were shabby but chic. Its clubs and bars were shabby, Here he seemed far less a freak. but cheap. No, Here he seemed far less free. I could never wear pork pie hats to fill space in news magazines. He was taking the blues sound of muddy water and all the other old-timers to another plateau. Let's take a chance to lose some of Muddy Waters in all the other old times to another cocktail. No one has done it before, and very few will hold an update on the taste. No one has done it before, and very few were bold enough to even attempt it. He complained that he had to sleep in the street with rats running over him and cockroaches stealing his last candy bar. He complained that he had to sleep in the street with rats running over him and cockroaches stealing his last candy bar. It was 1966. It was 1966. The The Beatles had already conquered America. Beatles had already come. Now the Rolling Stones were in New York. Now the Rolling Stones were in New York. This entourage included Linda Keith, Their vast entourage included Linda Keith, the girlfriend of the Stones' the girlfriend of the Stones' guitarist. One night, guitarist. she wandered into a club and heard Hendrix play. One night, she wandered into a club and heard Hendrix play. The way his hands actually moved up and down the neck of the guitar was mesmerizing. The way his hands actually moved up and down the neck of the guitar. was mesmerizing. He had the most amazing hands and he had an amazing way of... He had the most amazing hands and he had an amazing way of gripping the neck. gripping their neck. She called him over to say hello. She called him over to say hello. And then he came back to the house that night and asked, And then he came back to us that night, And I had the greatest night. and I had the greatest night. She pleaded with record producers to go and hear him. She pleaded with record producers to go and hear him. He was clearly a star. He was clearly a star. So strangely, So strangely, such an odd-looking star. such an odd-looking star. Finally, Finally, Chaz Chandler, Chaz Chandler, bass player with the Animals, bass player with the Animals, agreed. agreed. He asked to be Hendrix's manager and got him a passport. He asked the Hendrix manager... ...and a passport. On September 23rd, On September 23rd, 1966, 1966, they boarded Pan Am Flight 102 to London. they boarded Pan Am Flight 102 to London. He had a change of trousers, He had a change of trousers, a change of shirt, a change of shirt, a door of Alder, Dora Valderma for his spots, look at those spots, and a bag of rollers. and a bag of rolls. And that's about all he had. And he was very happy. The 60s was a strange land, Britain in the 60s was a strange land, deeply conservative, deeply conservative, entirely bizarre. entirely bizarre. The 90s arrived at a club in London. The night he arrived, Hendrix played at a club in London. I don't want to move, God. He played this whirlwind of music that just went and we were like pinned against the wall and I was just like wow I can't stand He played this real weird music. He was like, he was in it against the wall. And I was just like, wow. The next morning, he woke up in bed with Kathy etching him. Next morning, he woke up in bed with Kathy Etchingham. The impression was of an exotic. The impression was of an exotic young man. Now, that music didn't feel, He was good-looking and, you know, you know, in a terribly nice way about it. he had a terribly nice way about him. He was charming, really. Tom, very gentle, you know, very gentle and kind. He was a crazy fan. yeah. He was a very sort of pleasing figure. You know, he liked to do just like, You know, he wanted you to sort of like him. right. And he had a, And he had a... he had a naive type of a sound. He had a naive type of persona. You know, But, you know, he wasn't... he wasn't, as naive as he behaved. he was much different. I mean, he was much hipper. He held auditions for a drummer and a bass player. He held auditions for a drummer at the bass player. And he seemed very shy and polite. He was a very shy, bright, calm guy. You know what I mean? So we went up and had our pint of beer, This is the Renta. We're about to visit a band meeting that's been at the house since October. talked about music, went back down to the club. And Chaz said, And so, they're coming back tomorrow. can you come back tomorrow? And, also, they've been doing some cheering, And I said, if you give me ten shillings, so they're coming back tomorrow. I'll come back tomorrow. The pay was about $30 a week. The pay was about $30 a week. The band was called the Ginny Hendrix Experience. The band was called the Jimi Hendrix Experience. But once the scene was over, But what did he want? To be a star, the bass sounds... I suppose. Decca turned them down, Turn them down. but London overflowed with DJs and rock stars crammed into a few square miles of Soho. And there, the buzz was all about Hendrix. He was unique and completely different. A dynamo, a monster on stage, a giant. The End The Beatles and The Who went to see him play. dancing and play. So did French rock star Johnny Halliday. So did French rock star Johnny Alivet. Within days, the Jimi Hendrix experience was in France. Within days, the Jimi Hendrix experience experience was in France. On French commercial radio, Suddenly we're on tour. We only had three songs. DJ Emperor Roscoe unleashed Jimi Hendrix on Europe. On French commercial radio, DJ Emperor Roscoe unleashed Jimi Hendrix on Europe. Somehow the unknown entrance filled the famous Olympia Rien que du rock and roll aujourd'hui. Attention! Coast to coast, go, go, go! Rock and roll! Somehow the unknown Hendrix filled the famous Olympia Hall in Paris. Hall in Paris. Their first record was in... Jimi Hendrix! Hey, Joe! Their first record was a hit. I want my sensation. I mean, what wasn't special about Angel? It sent chills up and down my spine. I said, Joe's on the record. It was great because he broke ground. He said, great. He broke ground. And nobody had ever seen anybody play guitar with their teeth. And nobody had ever seen anybody play guitar with their teeth and go absolutely crazy. Go absolutely crazy. The guy just did magic. The guy just did magic. In Britain, A. Joe was on the record charts before anyone even knew who Ingris was. In Britain, Hey Joe was on the record charts before anyone even knew who Hendrix was. The charts were... The charts were rigged to make it a hit. rig to make it a hit. I wasn't absolutely sure if this was going to be a hit or not. I wasn't absolutely sure that this was going to be, But we were going to sort of you know, you know, a hit record. But we were going to sort of, we were going to try to get it by him. you know, if it didn't go into the charts, Once he had a toehold in the charts, we'd have to buy it in. Once he had a toehold in the charts, pirate radio stations off the coast pushed him to the top. pirate radio stations off the coast pushed him to the top. Pirate radio was totally important. My idea was totally no. My idea was to try and try it. Go, go, go! Pirate radio would listen to Hey Joe and play it, I'll try it 20 times a day. and play it 20 times a day. Jimmy phoned his father in Seattle to report that suddenly he was a star. Jimmy found his father in Seattle, so we thought that suddenly he was a star. I'm going to take you home! And he said, look, if you don't believe me, And he said, you should speak to my girlfriend. look, if you don't believe me, So I got the phone and I said, speak to my girlfriend. oh, well, So I got the phone and I said, that was to Henry. You know, oh, hello, and he just, Mr Hendricks. you know, I spoke to him a few words and then he said, And he just, you know, I spoke to him a few words. And he said, look, look. you see, He said, my boy's in England. my boy's in England. He said, He said, you tell my boy to write me. um, can you tell my boy to write me? I'm not paying for no first, I'm not paying for no, of course, no collect calls. no collect calls. I'm about to put the phone down. And I thought, well, Hi there, I don't Brian Matthew here in London with news of your fave brave old star. There was no going back. There was no going back. London seemed to run on sex and drugs. London seemed to run on sex and drugs. In America, young men his age were being shipped to In America, young men his age were being shipped to Vietnam. Vietnam. It's part of Drunk You're watching Jimi Hendrix, part of Rock Legends Week on Biography. Legends. Purple Haze, all around my brain. Lately, things just don't seem the same. The songs Hendrix played in British seaside towns echoed in Vietnam. The songs Hendrix played in British seaside towns echoed in Vietnam none more than Purple Haze. Excuse me while I kiss this guy. None more than Purple Haze. Purple Haze, He said it was about a dream he had had walking under the sea. all around. He said it was about a dream he had had, walking under the sea. Am I happy? What was the haze? In his brain. Whatever it is, that girl put a spell on me. It meant whatever you meant. it to mean and in Vietnam it meant everything. Whatever you meant to me, and in Vietnam, it meant everything. It was like, wow! Guys get up, I just gave up. Listen to this. listen to this. I've never heard anything like it. Had never heard anything like it. Couldn't explain it. You couldn't explain it. It was lucid freedom. It was loose, it was free. It meant that you didn't have to listen to the politics or... It meant that you didn't have to listen to the politics or the disciplinary of the military. The disciplinary of the military, You could listen to that music and escape into another realm with Jimmy's music. you can listen to that music and escape into another realm of human music. Boom! It's fantastic. Oh, fantastic. If he wanted to believe it was a protest song, If you wanted to believe it was a protest song, it was. But read into the music what they thought it meant and what his songs and how his music meant to them. it was. So everybody would read into the music what they thought it meant and what his songs and how his music meant to them. So, So he's telling you, he's telling you, you can do what you want. you can do what you want. You can do what you want. You can do what you want. Get on my guitar with me and let me play the music. Get on my guitar with me and let me play the music. For the anti-war movement, Hendricks became a hero. ...became liberal window and seen the police on the horseback, We could literally lean out the window and see the American embassy. and the meeting on the boat. And there was British police on horseback beating back the crowd. Few noticed that to start with, anyway. Few noticed that to start with anyway, Hendricks believed in the war. Hendricks believed in the war. He says, what do you think about China? So I said, what do you think of that, And he said, you know? And he said, well, well, when the when the Chinese go screaming down through Cambodia and into, Chinese come screaming down through Cambodia and into or through North Vietnam, well, through North Vietnam, through South Vietnam and take over South Vietnam. ...from South Vietnam and take over South Vietnam and then they take over Japan and China. and then they take over Japan and China, You ever stand by the U.S. you'll understand why the U.S. is trying so hard in Vietnam. is trying so hard in Vietnam. Wow, this guy's still in the Army. And I went, wow, The British-based black leader, this guy's still in the army. The British-based black power leader, Michael X, complained that Hendrix had a white girl. Michael X, complained that Hendricks had a white girlfriend. Was Jimmy interested in Michael X's message? Was Jimmy interested in Michael X's message? No, not in the least. No, not in the least. Not in the least. Not in the least. Their first real tour of Europe passed in a blur of sex, Their first real tour of Europe passed in a blur of sex, drugs, drugs, and rock and roll. and rock and roll. In June 1967, In June 1967, the summer of love, Hendrix floated back to America on a tide of acid. the summer of love, Hendrix floated back to America on a tide of acid. The End 90,000 people, 90,000 people, hippies and Hell's Angels, hippies and Hell's Angels, converged on Monterey, converged on Monterey, California. California. California. Eric Burden saw Hendrix before he went on. Eric Burton saw Hendrix before he went on. He looked like Navajo, Music He looked like Navajo Indian with his conch belt on and the purple pants and the white boots. Indian, his countryman, El Mon, Provence, Hawaii, and he had several guitars laid out in the dirt, And he had several guitars laid out in the dirt on a blanket. blank, and he was painting the guitars, And he was painting the guitars, the ones that were more sacrifice. the ones that would be sacrificed. Because it was his return to America. It was his return from America. It was his return from exile. It was his return from exile. It was, you know, like Napoleon Bonaparte being welcomed back to It was a foreign movement. France after exile or whatever. He was on the prime side of the race. And I just knew then that we were in for a great night. And I just knew, I knew that he was going to be in for a night. He was swamped with adulation. He was swamped with adulation. The LA Times said that when Hendrix left the stage, The LA Times said that when Hendrix left the stage, he had graduated from rumor to legend. he had graduated from rumor to legend. What did it feel like, When you feel like the realization of suffering, the realization that suddenly, you three were incredible? you three were incredibly bad. incredibly famous. Well, we got 40 pounds a week instead of 15 pounds a week. There we go. Going as ways as a 15-ass knight. Drix found himself in the Hollywood Hills at Falcon's Lair. Once on my way to the moon, Hendrix found himself in the Hollywood Hills at Falcon's Lair, I saw a man in a white suit. once owned by Rudolph Valentino. Valentino. He was asked to Hollywood parties where Steve McQueen served the beer. He was asked to holler at parties where Steve McQueen served the beer. He had come a long way. He had come a long way. For the unpolitical Hendrix, But even for the unpolitical Hendricks, racial turmoil in the racial turmoil in America was impossible to ignore. America was impossible to ignore. He sent money to Martin Luther King. But Luther King... And he said he didn't have to write me a letter to thank you. He said he didn't have to write me a letter to thank me. That's what I'm supposed to be doing. That's what I'm supposed to be doing. You know, we give back to help each other. You know, we give back to help each other. I'm not out there on the struggle like the rest of them are. I'm not out there on the struggle like the rest of them are. And he admired Dr. And he admired Dr. King very much. King very much. And he thought that he was going about it the right way. And he thought that he was going about it the right way. Peace and love. Peace and love. And that's what Jimmy was about. And that's what Jimmy was about. Peace and love. Martin Luther King, 20 minutes ago, died. Peace and love. That's what he was about. When King was shot, When King was shot, Hendrix was on tour in the American South. Hendricks was on tour in the American South. Sniper fire from open windows kills two... The following night he was due to play in Newark, The following night, New Jersey, he was due to play in Newark, the scene of recent race riots. New Jersey, Scores of police, the scene of recent race riots. troopers, Scores of police, guardsmen, and civilians are ordered. troopers, guardsmen, Police said if they canceled, and civilians are wounded. Police said if they canceled, there'd be trouble. there'd be trouble. Some believe not to be true. And Mitch and Noel were already on stage, And Mitch and Noel were already on stage and they were playing quietly. and they were playing quietly. And Jimmy came out and went to the microphone, And Jimmy came out and went to the microphone and muttered, and I said, His number is 435. this number is for a friend of mine. And then... And then he started to play and it was one of those amazing experiences. He started to play and it was one of those amazing experiences. I mean, it was in a very short time, I mean, it was stunning. And within a very short time, the whole audience was in tears. And then the stagehands came on from the back of the stage, the whole audience was in tears. And then the stagehands came on from the back of the stage, you know, what they call the redneck stagehands. you know, what they call call the redneck stagehands and they were standing there white people you know old white men with tears running down their faces at the back of the stage and this incredible music was played And they were standing there, white people, you know, old white men with tears running down their faces at the back of the stage. And this is a great scene. And the moment of truth was in his eyes. In Britain, Melody Maker proclaimed Hendrix top musician in the world. In Britain, melody maker playing Hendrix, He was rapidly becoming part of the rock establishment. musician in the world, established. But increasingly, Jimi Hendrix concerts were attended not by peace, Jimi Hendrix concerts were attended not by peace, but by violence. but by violence. In Zurich, In Zurich, riot police beat fans with batons. it's believed, beat fans with batons. Hendrix felt trapped by people's expectations. felt trapped by people's expectations. The band unwound in Majorca. The band unwound in Majorca, though the party seemed rather forced. Though the party seemed rather forced. The British Internal Revenue Service was chasing them for taxes under presumably monumental earnings, The British Internal Revenue Service was chasing them for taxes on their presumably monumental earnings, up to $100,000 per concert. up to $100,000 per concert. In fact, In fact, the money was in the... the money was in the Bahamas. taken there by Hendricks' taken there by Hendrick's elusive manager, elusive manager, Mike Jeffrey. Jeffrey claimed to be a former secret agent and carried a gun. Mike Jeffrey. Jeffrey claimed to be a former secret agent and carried a gun. I go, uh, you're, I don't know who got away with it. uh, yeah, I should have said that. What, he wore a Beretta? Yeah, the shoes. Jeffrey made frequent trips to NASA with briefcases full of cash. This person? Yeah. Yeah. Jeffrey made frequent trips to Nassau with briefcases full of cash. How much there was, How much there was, we didn't know. the band didn't know. When we went to America, When we went to America, we had like 1, we'd had like one, two, 2, three, 3, 3, three number ten hits. number 10 hits. I was wondering, And I was wondering, well, where's the money? where's the money? So you were constantly saying, So you were constantly skint? Yes. yes. And Jimmy? And Jimmy? Yes. Yes. You probably had a little bit more than I did. He probably had a little bit more than I did. So all this great flood of money was going... So all this great, a lot of money, was going up there. Elsewhere. ...to the Bahamas? On January 23rd, Yeah. On January 23rd, 1968... 1968... Jimi Hendrix had less than $20 in his account at Martin's Bank in London. Jimi Hendrix had less than $20 in his account at Martin's Bank in London. Europe and America had been conquered, Europe audiences wanted guaranteed destruction, but at a high cost. Audiences wanted guaranteed destruction, and guitars, broken amplifiers. burning guitars, Every night, broken amplifiers. they wanted him to go to the edge. Every night, they wanted him to go to the edge. And he did, He did. on a diet of sex, Light of sex, diet pills, diet pills, sleeping pills, sleeping pills, uppers and downs. uppers and downers. Fans and hangers-on gave him packages. Fans and hangers-on gave him packages. He said, would you like some? Hey! It was pretty good to go today. He said, would you like to have a snort? So, men go to the store to buy some. I thought he meant cocaine, so I had to snort and I had to run to the toilet. Not to run to the toilet. It was smack. Smell. Now beset by panic attacks, Now, beset by panic attacks, he saw LSD as the answer. he saw LSD as the answer. Open up the fridge and there is the LSD in the bottle. And there is the LSD in the bottle. We do it. We do it. We shoot it. We shoot it. I say one drop or two is enough. I say one drop or two is enough. He goes like this. It goes like this. He goes, Is that enough? ah! Is that enough? He goes again. It goes again. Is that enough? Oh, man. Oh man. Now I know how outrageous we were doing. Now I have you know how dangerous we were doing. The guy was so... God was so, so certain that we were okay with God in our days. so certain that we were okay, Wherever he went in America, regardless of how dangerous it was. Hendrix was surrounded by people who claimed to be his friend. Wherever he went in America, Hendrix was surrounded by people who claimed to be his friend. And a lot of people knew that if they got him to York, And a lot of people knew that if they got him to yield to certain drugs, to certain drugs, that they would have a certain amount of tolerance in his life. that they would have a certain influence in his life. In New York... In New York, he was taken by limousine to the expensive Pierre Hotel. he was taken by limousine to the expensive Pierre Hotel. Once, Once, he could barely afford the subway fare. he could barely afford the subway fare. One day, while I was at the Pierre Hotel, One day, while I was at the Pierre Hotel, this guy comes along who looked like Columbo. this guy comes along, he looked like Colombo. He sort of limped in and he sat down and he put this bag down at the side of the chair and it gaped open at the top. So we looked in, and we sat down, and we put this bag on the side of the chair, and it gaped open at the top. And the bag was absolutely full of packets of white powder, And the bag was absolutely full of packets, white powder, big packets of white powder. thick packets, and, And on the top was a gun. uh, it was a gun. And I'd never seen a gun before, And I'd never seen a gun before, ever. But I knew it was a real one. ever. But I knew it was a real one. I didn't think that it was a toy gun. I didn't think that it was a toy gun. I knew it was a real gun. I knew it was a real one. a real one. It was a big, It was a big, heavy gun. heavy gun. And I think that was it. And I think that was it. That was the turning point. That was the turning point. Seeing that gun was the turning point, Seeing that gun was the turning point, I thought, wow, I was frightened. I thought, wow, that was fast. The great Hendrix tool rolled on across America. The great Hendrix tour rolled on across America. The end credits crave to play new material, Hendrix craved to play new material, but audiences... but audiences didn't want to hear it. Like, here at... sometimes he'd turn his back on them off the stage. Sometimes he turned his back on them or walked off the stage. He couldn't beat that particular type of musical energy. He couldn't repeat that particular type of musical energy that he had. He couldn't bring it up to this certain point in time. He couldn't just bring that up at will. Up until this certain point in time, it had just been coming out anyway. It had just been coming out anyway. You know, You know, then somehow it peaked and he was on some sort of plateau. then somehow it peaked and he was on some sort of plateau. And everyone was calling him God. And everyone was calling him God. And everyone was calling him God and everyone was asking him to do this thing, And everyone was calling him God. And everyone was asking him to do this thing. um, on cue. Oh, Julie. He wrote to Redding, He wrote to Reading apologizing for being so moody. apologizing for being so moody. He said, Just saying he's gone. he's going through these changes. going through all these changes and he's terribly sorry and he loves us all and we should carry on with our music and he apologizes and all that sort of stuff. He's terribly sorry. He loves us all. We should carry on with our music. He apologizes and laughs all the time. The letter ended up, The letter ended up please help me as I would love to help you. please help me, as I would love to help you. He became angry if Redding got a woman he wanted. He became angry angry if Redding got a woman he wanted. He attacked a few young ladies in He's asking for a serial lady. L.A. LA with bricks and stuff like that. with great success. One of them, One of them was, because she came to my room, he came to my room, and I heard him screaming, not his room. And we heard this screaming and he'd gone chasing her and batter, and he'd gone chasing him. Pass it, pass it, batter, pass it. batter. In Los Angeles, In Los Angeles, Eric Burton also says he saw Hendricks attack two women. Eric Burton also says he saw Hendricks attack to win. And there was two black bodyguards was standing by watching as he was... And there was two black bodyguards who signed by watching as he was wading into these girls. wading into these girls. And, And, uh, uh, yeah, yeah, it was the beginning of the end. was the beginning of the end. Arriving in Toronto, Arriving in Toronto, Jimmy's bag was searched by customs. Jimmy's bag was searched by customs. I was standing beside him, He sat beside it. actually. And there on his headline case, Um, they opened up his airline case, and there was a packet of white powder on top of it, there was a packet of live pounds on top of it. And he was smacked. and it was smack. He claimed that someone else put the heroin in his luggage, He claimed that someone else put the heroin in his luggage, and the jury believed him. and the jury believed him. In 1969, In 1969, he disappeared to upstate New York, he disappeared to upstate New York for a huge estate near Woodstock. where a huge estate near Woodstock had been rented for him. had been read for him. It had room to breathe and horses to ride. It had room to breathe and horses to ride. He had visions of a new kind of music he'd play at the Woodstock Festival. He had visions of a new kind of music he'd play at the Woodstock Festival. It would be freewheeling and experimental. It would be freewheeling and experimental. He had a new bass player. He had a new bass player. Noel Redding was out. Noel Redding was out. Then I sort of found out through a guy in the office that And he also found out a third guy in the office. I've been asking too many questions about all the monies and everything, I'd been asking too many questions about where all the money is and everything, and having to be in a thaw is to get somebody else to just employ them. and Hendricks had been advised to get somebody else... just employ them, you know, I'm just really caught. which is Billy Cox. At Woodstock, At Woodstock, Hendrix played the national anthem. Hendrix played the national anthem. America was polarized. America was polarized. When you mention the National Anthem and... When you mention the National Anthem and talk about playing it in any unorthodox way, talk about playing it in any unorthodox way, you immediately get a guaranteed percentage of hate mail from people who say, you immediately get a guaranteed percentage of hate mail from people saying, how dare... How is that unorthodox? That's not unorthodox. I thought it was unorthodox. That's not unorthodox. It isn't unorthodox? It isn't unorthodox? No, no. I thought it was beautiful. I thought it was beautiful. Well, And then there you go. then there you go. Thank you. It was about who owned America and her most treasured symbols. It was about who owned America and their most treasured symbols. Especially for those that know what the world is about and they want to be there. Especially for those that knew what the war was about and they wanted to be there, that it made them feel that they were still part of And it made them feel that they were still part of America. America. When they heard Jimi Hendrix play the Sorry Spangled Banner in the manner that he did, And they heard Jimmy Kennedy explain to us something about it in the manner that he did. I think the people of the South felt like they had a vested interest in the country instead of just as involved in the war markets. I think that they still felt like they had a vested interest in the country instead of just the generals and the war mongers. As he toured the country, As he toured the country, Hendrix would see young men on their way to Vietnam. Hendrix would see young men on their way to Vietnam. No longer did he believe in the war. No longer did he believe in the war. Four months before his Four months before his 28th birthday, 28th birthday, Hendricks flew back to Seattle for the last time. Hendrix flew back to Seattle for the last time. He went to see Freddie May Gauthier, He went to see Freddie Macautier, whose family took him in when he was a few days old. whose family took him in when he was a few days old. Did he seem happy? Did he seem happy? No, No, Jimmy never seemed like he was happy to me. Jimmy never seemed like he was happy to me. He would laugh and make jokes, He would laugh and make jokes, but not genuine happiness. but not genuine happiness. Like he was always perturbed about something. Like he was always perturbed about something. All night long, All night long, Jimmy's handlers kept calling. Jimmy's handlers kept calling. Was he frightened? Was he funny? I think he was. I think he was, From the way that he talked, from the way that he talked. because he'd have that worried look on him. Because he'd have that wanted. You know, I don't know what they're after and what they want and things. What they're after, what they want, they think that's all your money. I said, well, your money and time, I know they keep you under that influence of drugs, they keep you under that influence of drugs. Then you do what they want you to do. and you do what they want you to do. August 1970. August 1970. Times were changing. Times were changing. Hendrix flew on to the Isle of Wight Pop Festival. Hendrix flew on to the Isle of Wight Pop Festival. It was the end of the Love and Peace era. It was the end of the Love and Peace era. People running down the fence in these socialist islands. People broke down the fences. There was violence. They'd have run his course. It had run its course, They'd run at least that... the Love and Peace bit. The clock had ticked off. ...club of TikTok. A Danish girlfriend was there. A Danish girlfriend was there. The scene where they had this, You could feel the bad vibrations. I mean, and it's hard to tell by this, it's hard to tell vibrations, but it's a funeral, but you could feel there was something nasty going on. something you must see. And when Jimmy got on stage, And when Gene comes, there's that dream come true. they booed him. Because he didn't do what they expected him to do. You know, all his gimmicks, Because he didn't do what they expected him to do. you know, putting fire to the guitar and whatever he used to do. Noel Redding's mother met him backstage. You know, he's been, you know, he couldn't fly to the time where he used to. There was some sort of feeling I had of worry about Jimmy and I wrote to him afterwards to say if he needed any help, Noel Redding's mother met him backstage. There was some sort of feeling I had of worry about Jimmy. And I wrote to him afterwards to say if he needed any help, give my, gave my telephone number. gave my telephone number and all this sort of thing. It is so simple. The tour continued to the German island of Fairmont for the Festival of Love and Peace. The tour continued to the German island of Fairmarn for the Festival of Love and Peace. There was nothing peaceful about Fairmont. There was nothing peaceful about Fairmont. Hell's Angels set fire to the organizer's office. Hells and angels set fire to the organizers' office. Love and peace were fading. Love and peace were fading. In the States, In the States, the Black Panthers were sneering at Hendrix because his audiences were white. the Black Panthers were sneering at Hendricks because his audience... were white. Even the weather was awful. ... ... ... ... ... Even the weather was awful. I will play in the rain. We will play tomorrow morning. What time tomorrow morning? If the weather is better, then we'll play around 12 o'clock. Next morning, the rain had eased. But the Hells Angels attacked one of Jimmy's roadies. But the Hells Angels attacked one of Jimmy's roadies. A slinger side job. When we went to the stage, I got hit by the Hells Angels. around the train. Here's one of those things, It was one of those things where, man. This is the latest in an absolute game we've had here at Westwood. let's just play this and get out of here, because we ain't going to get out of here unless we play. It would be the last time Hendrix performed in public. It would be the last time Hendrix performed in public. Many in the crowd were hostile. Many in the crowd were hostile. There were boos and shouts of, There were boos and shouts of, go home. go home. It started to rain again. It started to rain again. Fighting erupted close to the stage. Fighting erupted close to the stage. There's still a few people grasping at the love and peace thing, Still a big beer crossing, but I think it still is. but it's kind of over. I don't know. Hendrix would be 28 in two months. Hendrix would be 28 in two months. He was lonely. It was lonely. He did say, He did say, you know, you know. if I don't have a wife and a child, If I don't have a wife and a child, you know, you know, apart from the music, apart from your sake, I don't think I'll live to be 28 because what else is there for me? I don't think I'm meant to be 28 because, uh, what else is there to be? On the afternoon of September On the afternoon of September 15th, a German girlfriend, 15th, a German girlfriend, Monica Dannemann, Monica Dannemann, drove Hendrix to a small hotel in West London where she was staying. drove Hendrix to a small hotel in West London where she was staying. On the night of the 17th, On the night of the 17th, he was supposed to play at a nightclub with Sly Stone, he was supposed to play at a nightclub with Sly Stone, but Hendricks never showed up. but Hendrix never showed up. In the Russell Hotel at dawn, In the Russell Hotel at dawn, Eric Burden says he and his girlfriend, Eric Bergen says he and his girlfriend, Alvenia Bridges, Alvenia Bridges, got a call from Dan. got a call from Dannemann. So, Saying, uh, uh, help, we're gonna wake Jimmy up. I can't wake Jimmy up. And I'm thinking, And I'm thinking, what's anybody gonna wake Jimmy up for? what's anybody want to wake Jimmy up for? You know, You know, he never gets up till midday anyway. he never gets up. up to midday anyway but um she was frantic and i told her to just um walk him around you know coffee uh splash some water on his face you know sometime later dannemann called again to say that hendrix was getting worse he She was frantic. Had a nice, um, dinner round. You know, coffee, smashed some water on his face. Sometime later, Dannemann called again to say that Hendrix was getting worse. He was throwing up, was throwing up regurgitating in his sleep i regurgitating in his sleep. I said, I said, turn him over, turn him over, turn him over. turn him over. And I started to pull on my clothes and rush over to her place. And I started to pull on my clothes and rush over to her place. Burton says he told Dannemann to call an ambulance. Burden says he told Dannemann to call an ambulance. I can't get an ambulance. I can't get an ambulance. There's hashish in the place. This is how she should embrace me, And I said, you know. I said, just forget that. just forget that. Just get an ambulance. Just get an ambulance. And Alvinia was already on her way over there. And then I was already... on our way over there. At some stage, At some stage, while Hendricks lay dying, while Hendricks lay dying, drugs were apparently taken out of the room and hidden in the garden of the hotel. Drugs were apparently taken out of the room and hidden in the garden of the hotel. The ambulance wasn't called until 11.18 a.m. The ambulance wasn't called until 11.18 a.m. They took Hendricks to a hospital, They took Hendricks to a hospital, but it was too late. but it was too late. I immediately tried to help with the resuscitation. The Brits had taken an unknown sleeping pill prescribed for Dan and the Bridgewoods had also taken amphetamines. There was a monitor on, which was dead. Hendricks had taken an unknown number of German sleeping pills prescribed for Dannemann, powerful barbiturates. He'd also taken amphetamines. The nurse came out and said that they thought they had saved him. A nurse came out and said that they thought they had saved him. Could he have been saved? Could he have been saved? No, No, I'm not too certain he could have been saved because certainly by the time I saw him he wasn't, I'm absolutely certain he couldn't have been saved, because certainly by the time I saw him, he wasn't savable. he wasn't saveable. The record showed he'd drowned in his own gastric fluid. The record showed he drowned in his own gastric fluid. Large amounts of wine oozed from his stomach and lungs, Large amounts of wine oozed from his stomach and lungs, though oddly, though oddly, there was little alcohol in his blood. there was little alcohol in his blood. Then they came back, Then they came back and they said that he was gone. and they said that he was gone. And I didn't believe them because they had just said a few minutes ago that they thought they had him. And I didn't believe them, because they just said a few minutes ago they thought they had him. So So I insisted to see him. I insisted. I received a resource, So I was in hand and that beautiful turquoise ring that I gave him there. and I had a beautiful trip. I said to her, I said, I said, okay, he's gone. he's gone. In the apartment, In the apartment, Burton found what he first thought was a suicide note. Burden found what he first thought was a suicide note. The story of love is quicker than the wink of an eye. The story of love is quicker than the wink of an eye. The story of love is hello and goodbye until we meet again. The story of love is hello and goodbye, until we meet again. He realized it was the words to a song. He realized it was the words to a song. Jimi Hendrix was always pushing the envelope. Jimi Hendrix was always pushing the envelope. And if I took one head of ethnicity, If I took one hit of LSD, he always took three or four. he always took three or four. And he was always way more than you think. And he was always way out on the line. And unfortunately, And unfortunately, this time, this time, he fell off. he fell off of it. And never, And you never, never believe that he deliberately went out of his way to kill himself. ever believed that he deliberately went out of his way to kill himself. I'll send you your hotel room number and phone numbers. I was in New York, in my hotel room, I got a phone call saying that Jimi Hendrix is dead. And here we are, you're the suspect. And then suddenly, And then suddenly, by accident, like, there's all these women come to my room. police women had come to my room. And There's about three of them, I was very upset. I think. And I was going to make a serious sorry by jumping out of my window. And they want to commit suicide by jumping out of my window. A little hysterical. Not necessarily. But I was so shocked. I'm sort of shocked, you know. The body was sent home to Seattle. The body was sent home to Seattle. He told me he wanted to be buried in England, He told me he wanted to be buried in Haiti, which is the reason why I didn't go to the funeral. which is the reason why I didn't go to the funeral. I have to respect his wishes above anybody else's. I have to respect his wishes above anybody else's. Because he was ours. Because he was... ours. You know, You know, we felt like he was ours. we felt like he was ours. When Jill came down from heaven yesterday, Angel came down from heaven yesterday. She stayed with me just long enough to rescue me. she stayed with me just long enough to rescue me. But I think he was a tragic figure. He was a tragic figure. The man who is looking for approval. The man who He's looking for approval. He couldn't say no to anybody. He couldn't say no to anybody. And he had superficial relationships all around him, And he had superficial relationships all around him. but his family was his guitar. But his family was his guitar. Silver wings silhouetted against a child's sunrise. You're going to feel well again. At his funeral, At his funeral, his hand was washed on the sidelines. his handlers watched from the sidelines. Were you angry that day? We were in the same room. Yeah, Very. very. Because as kids in grade school, Because as kids in grade school, we all had our dreams and Jimmy made them. we all had our dreams. And Jimmy made it all the way, All the way through the year. but they just ruined him. He made it. They killed him. Killed it. The business. The business killed him. Killed it. And I can't put it any better. And I can't put it any better. He was a lovely guy, He's a lovely guy. and I still think about him. I still think about him. All the time. What's up? Jimi Hendrix is a legend whose status just seems to keep growing. Jimi Hendrix is a legend and his status just seems to keep growing. His family recently discovered a treasure trove of Jimmy's music, His family recently discovered a treasure trove of Jimi's music, including his final studio session. including his final studio session. The collection will be released later this year. The collection will be released later this year. And Hendrix fans now have a shrine dedicated partly to And Hendrix fans now have a shrine dedicated partly to their idol. to their idol. That's a museum in Seattle called the Experience Music Project. That's a museum in Seattle called The Experience Music Project. One of its very first visitors was Jimmy's One of its very first visitors was Jimmy's 81-year-old father, 81-year-old father, Al Hendrix, Al Hendricks, who has also written a book about his legendary offspring called My Son Jimmy. who has also written a book about his legendary offspring called My Son Jimmy. Next month marks 30 years since Jimmy's death. Next month marks 30 years since Jimmy's death. Many of us who knew him personally and millions of others who knew him through his music will set aside some time to celebrate his life and his memory. Many of us who knew him personally, and millions of others who knew him through his music, will set aside some time to celebrate his life and his memory. Tomorrow on Biography, Tomorrow on Biography, Janice Jarno. Janice Joplin.

Are you experienced? Jimi Hendrix had a talent that was mind-blowing. I first met him in 1965 when my band The Hollies were playing at the Paramount Theater in New York City. Jimi was the guitar player in Little Richard's band, and we were sharing the same bill.

It was exactly 31 years ago, Jimi was the guitar player in Little Richard's band and we were sharing the same bill. August of 1969, It was exactly 31 years ago in August of 1969 when I got my last look at his incredible musicianship. when I got last look at his incredible musicianship.

I was Rick Fosby, I was with Crosby, Stills and Nash and we were about to play our second concert together ever before a few hundred of our closest personal friends at Woodstock. still Zanesh, and we were about to play our second... concert together ever before a few hundred of our closest personal friends at Woodstock. Up until the very last minute, Up until the very last minute, Jimmy was threatening to back out because he hated playing in large crowds.

Jimmy was threatening to back out because he hated playing in large crowds. He felt like he couldn't touch them, He felt like he couldn't touch them, but of course, but of course, Jimmy and his incredible guitar could touch just about anyone. Jimmy Evans is incredible.

He could touch just about anyone. He dazzled us all with Purple Haze and his unbelievably emotional rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. He dazzled us all with Purple Haze and his unbelievably emotional rendition of The Star Spangled...

Little more than a year later, A little more than a year later, Jimmy was dead. Jimmy was dead. He lived just 27 years. He lived just 27 years, but he had time enough to transform rock and roll.

But he had time enough to transform London. Jimi Hendrix, Jimi Hendrix, regarded by millions as one of the most talented and original performers in modern pop music, regarded by millions as one of the most talented and original performers in modern pop music, is dead. is dead.

He'd collapsed in a flat in West London. He'd collapsed in a flat in West London. He was 27. He was 27. Jimi Hendrix, it goes without saying, Jimi Hendrix, it goes without saying, changed the face of the earth. changed the face of the earth. Boom!

Jimi Hendrix was made and died in Britain. Hendrix was made and died in Britain. Because he was ours.

Because he was out. You know, He was out. we felt like he was ours. He was a black musician with a white audience. You know you are a cute little heartbreaker.

He was a black musician with a white audience. Protest who believed in the An icon of protest who believed in the Vietnam War. Vietnam War. I can explain myself like this and that sometimes, I can't express myself in conversation.

I can't explain myself like this and that sometimes, but this isn't going to happen. because this doesn't come out like that. To the media, In the media, he was just another rock and roller with one foot in the grave.

he was just another rock and roll with one foot in the grave. I saw him. I saw him.

I saw his hand and that beautiful turquoise ring that I gave him. I saw his face. And? And the turquoise ring I gave him.

There, And? I said to her, I said to her something. I said, He's gone. okay, he's gone.

His friends were sad, His friends were sad, hardly surprised. but hardly surprised. He was kind of talking about maybe not living that long. He was kind of talking about maybe not living that long, that the next time he went back to visit his family in Seattle, Next time he went back to visit his family in Seattle, it would be in a pine box.

it would be in the Pine Mountains. At his funeral, At his funeral. hard-faced men from the record industry stood next to fans who'd lost their God. face men from the record industry stood next to fans who had lost their god business, The business killed him.

Kiernan. He'd always been a misfit, He'd always been a misfit, a skeleton on whom others hung their dreams. a skeleton on hooters, on their dreams.

And days after he was born, Five days after he was born, Jimi Hendrix was dumped at the home of a family friend. Jimi Hendrix was dumped at the home of a family friend. And my mother went to the door, and I happened to be right there with my mother.

She opened the door and she asked Mrs. And when my mother went to the door, Jeter, what in the world is that? and I happened to be right there with my mother, And she could see a little foot sticking out. she opened the door and she asked Mrs. Jeter, what in the world is that?

And she brought Mrs. Jeter, and Mrs. And she could see a little foot sticking out. Jeter came in, and my mother took the baby because his little leg was sticking out and was kind of blue, And she brought Mrs. Jeter, came in, and my mother took the baby because his little leg was sticking out and it was kind of blue, like very cold. like very cold, because it was snowing. Because it was snowing. Not for the first time, his mother Lucille was drunk.

Not for the first time, He was little, his mother Lucille was drunk. long, scrawny-looking. I'm just riding again. His father, Al Hendricks, His father, met Lucille just before World War II in Seattle. Al Hendricks, We interrupt this broadcast to bring you this important bulletin from the United Press.

met Lucille just before World War II in Seattle when the Japanese... Flash, Washington. The White House announces Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Stay tuned for further developments.

When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, A Japanese bomb hurried the pregnant Lucille and went off when she was barely 16. Al married the pregnant Lucille and went off to war. She was barely 16. Her son was moved from one cold, Her son was moved from one cold, damp home to another. damp home to another. This child, and a lost young man, A lost child and a lost young man. you know, with that look on him like, You know, with that look on him like, what's going on? what's going on?

And why me? And why me? His father, His father, Al, came back from the war to claim his new son. Al, came back from the war to claim his new son.

But Lucille strayed. But Lucille strayed. She'd share love and remorse, She'd share love and remorse, then vanish with some new man. then vanish with some new man. Forbidden subject to talk about as well.

It was a forbidden subject to talk about his mother between us, Between us, so we just, it was a code we had. so it was a code that we had. We just didn't talk about it.

It wasn't something we talked about. He didn't talk of us in something, We talked about anything else but that. Growing up, anything else. Hendrix was lost in his own imagination. Going up in his own imagination.

In the afternoon, He escaped to the room and said he wanted to get her so bad it was damaging him. he escaped to the movies. The shyest person I'd ever seen in my entire life, even to this day.

A social worker said he wanted a guitar so badly, it was damaging him psychologically. His father bought him one for five dollars. His father immediately that when we hear different sounds, we're going to bring it back to him. We hear sounds on the cartoons and he tried to emulate them on his guitar. Let me try that and bend the strings and try to make these types of sounds.

When we hear different songs with funny little sounds in them, he would just bring it back say let me try that and bend the strings and try to make those type of sounds. At home, At home the electricity was cut off. the electricity was cut off. Friends lent him clothes.

Friends lent him clothes. He basically had one gray sweater and shoes, He basically had one gray sweater and shoes, but his shoes would always be turned on the side. Because, but his shoes would always be turned on the side because when you walk on your shoes so long, you know, when you walk in a shoe salon, on one side it starts leaning because the heel would clamp. on one side they start leaning because the heel would slant, And so he had a hard time with shoes.

and so he had a hard time with shoes. He basically didn't have that many clothes. He basically didn't have that many clothes.

Repeatedly, Repeatedly, social workers tried to take Hendrix away from his father. social workers tried to take Hendrix away from his farm. What? What a... In the South, In the South, schools were being forcibly integrated.

schools were being forcibly integrated. In Seattle, racism was more subtle. In Seattle, racism was more subtle.

Hendricks' Hendrix's school was a mix of white and black, school was a mix of whites and black, Hispanic and Asian, Hispanic and Asian. The fairly rich buried cruel. the fairly rich and the very poor.

He was among the poorest. He was among the poorest. Would Jimmy admit how bad things were?

Did Jimmy admit? No. No.

He wouldn't just come out and tell you? He just knows his audience. No.

Around girls, his odd clothes made him feel even shyer. made him feel even shyer. Hendrix's mother had cirrhosis of the liver.

His mother had cirrhosis of the liver. When he was 15, When he was 15, she hemorrhaged and died. she hemorrhaged and died. We both were trying to escape. Whatever our personal hell was, We both escaped.

escape. He joined the Rockin' He joined the Rockin' Kings, Kings, a bass player in an unknown school. a shy bass player in an unknown band.

At school, he was tongue-tied. He was tongue-tied. Why he left school is unclear.

Why he left school is unclear. He said it was because he made a lewd remark to a teacher. He said it was because he made a lewd remark to a teacher.

Soon after, Soon after, he was caught in a stolen car and arrested. he was caught in a stolen car and arrested. His lawyer said he was leaving to join the army.

His lawyer said he was leaving to join the army. The judge set him free. The judge set him free. As he told his aunt when he was a small boy in Seattle, As he told his aunt when he was a small boy in Seattle, When I'm big, When I'm big, I'm going far, I'm far, far away, far away, and I ain't never...

and I ain't never coming back. You're watching Jimi Hendrix, Watching Jimmy Van Dyke's part of Rock Legend's movie on part of Rock Legends Week on Biography. Diablo III.

Watching Jimmy Van Dyke's on Diablo III. You're watching Jimi Hendrix on Biography. In 1961, In 1961, Hendrix volunteered for the Hendricks volunteered for the 101st Airborne.

It was the ultimate hop for somebody to volunteer for the 101st Airborne. 101st Airborne. It was the ultimate high. For somebody to volunteer for the 101st Airborne was absolutely bizarre because it was the one thing in the States that every young man had hanging over his head, It was awesome to be with Saul because it was the one thing in the States that every young man was... I had the hang of his hand during the draft.

the draft. Twenty-six jumps later, 26 jumps later, he broke his ankle and the Army... he broke his ankle and the Army let him go.

let him go he joined a band touring the south lights were clinging to segregation america was at war with itself for hendricks the south was an alien land he played with sam cook curtis knight and the isley brothers He joined a band touring the South. Whites were clinging to segregation. America was at war with itself. For Hendrix, the South was an alien land.

He played with Sam Cooke, Curtis Knight, and the Isley Brothers. He played left-handed with his teeth upside down behind his back. He played left-handed with his teeth upside down behind his back.

In Harlem, he won a talent contest at the famous Apollo Theater. In Harlem, he won a talent contest at the famous Apollo Theater. He joined the outrageous Little Richard. And then he began to start strumming the guitar with his stuff like something, He joined the outrageous Little Richard.

And then he began to start strumming the guitar with his cuff links on, you know, and he used to play them like, you know, and then he started ripping this guitar up, you know, he used to play them like, you know, and then he started ripping this guitar up and jump down and start grinding it and just did a whole lot of put it behind his back and, coming down and grinding it and just did a whole lot. And you know, you know, just went on to this. just went on this, He just got crazy. and I think it just got crazy.

But Hendrix was too flamboyant for little Richard. ...was to the old bluesman of Harky Hendrick was a step too far. Stranded in Harlem, he pawned his guitar. And he would go and he would try to sit in as a musician.

To the old bluesmen of Harlem, the Freaky Hendrix was a step too far. And most of them were closed doors because his playing was a little too advanced. And he would go and he would try to sit in with the musicians.

And most of them were closed doors because his playing was a little too advanced. His idol was Bob Dylan. His idol was Bob Dylan.

Those guys were the ones that were saying, Those guys, everyone's the same, well, he's distorting the blues. Workless and often hungry, well, he's distorted. Workless and often hungry, Hendrix moved downtown to Greenwich Village, Hendrix moved downtown to Greenwich Village, once the haunt of Norman Mailer and Dylan Thomas.

once the haunt of Norman Mailer and Dylan Thomas. Its clubs and bars were shabby but chic. Its clubs and bars were shabby, Here he seemed far less a freak. but cheap. No, Here he seemed far less free.

I could never wear pork pie hats to fill space in news magazines. He was taking the blues sound of muddy water and all the other old-timers to another plateau. Let's take a chance to lose some of Muddy Waters in all the other old times to another cocktail.

No one has done it before, and very few will hold an update on the taste. No one has done it before, and very few were bold enough to even attempt it. He complained that he had to sleep in the street with rats running over him and cockroaches stealing his last candy bar. He complained that he had to sleep in the street with rats running over him and cockroaches stealing his last candy bar.

It was 1966. It was 1966. The The Beatles had already conquered America. Beatles had already come. Now the Rolling Stones were in New York. Now the Rolling Stones were in New York. This entourage included Linda Keith, Their vast entourage included Linda Keith, the girlfriend of the Stones' the girlfriend of the Stones' guitarist.

One night, guitarist. she wandered into a club and heard Hendrix play. One night, she wandered into a club and heard Hendrix play.

The way his hands actually moved up and down the neck of the guitar was mesmerizing. The way his hands actually moved up and down the neck of the guitar. was mesmerizing. He had the most amazing hands and he had an amazing way of... He had the most amazing hands and he had an amazing way of gripping the neck.

gripping their neck. She called him over to say hello. She called him over to say hello.

And then he came back to the house that night and asked, And then he came back to us that night, And I had the greatest night. and I had the greatest night. She pleaded with record producers to go and hear him. She pleaded with record producers to go and hear him. He was clearly a star.

He was clearly a star. So strangely, So strangely, such an odd-looking star. such an odd-looking star. Finally, Finally, Chaz Chandler, Chaz Chandler, bass player with the Animals, bass player with the Animals, agreed. agreed.

He asked to be Hendrix's manager and got him a passport. He asked the Hendrix manager... ...and a passport.

On September 23rd, On September 23rd, 1966, 1966, they boarded Pan Am Flight 102 to London. they boarded Pan Am Flight 102 to London. He had a change of trousers, He had a change of trousers, a change of shirt, a change of shirt, a door of Alder, Dora Valderma for his spots, look at those spots, and a bag of rollers.

and a bag of rolls. And that's about all he had. And he was very happy.

The 60s was a strange land, Britain in the 60s was a strange land, deeply conservative, deeply conservative, entirely bizarre. entirely bizarre. The 90s arrived at a club in London.

The night he arrived, Hendrix played at a club in London. I don't want to move, God. He played this whirlwind of music that just went and we were like pinned against the wall and I was just like wow I can't stand He played this real weird music.

He was like, he was in it against the wall. And I was just like, wow. The next morning, he woke up in bed with Kathy etching him.

Next morning, he woke up in bed with Kathy Etchingham. The impression was of an exotic. The impression was of an exotic young man.

Now, that music didn't feel, He was good-looking and, you know, you know, in a terribly nice way about it. he had a terribly nice way about him. He was charming, really. Tom, very gentle, you know, very gentle and kind. He was a crazy fan.

yeah. He was a very sort of pleasing figure. You know, he liked to do just like, You know, he wanted you to sort of like him. right.

And he had a, And he had a... he had a naive type of a sound. He had a naive type of persona.

You know, But, you know, he wasn't... he wasn't, as naive as he behaved. he was much different. I mean, he was much hipper.

He held auditions for a drummer and a bass player. He held auditions for a drummer at the bass player. And he seemed very shy and polite.

He was a very shy, bright, calm guy. You know what I mean? So we went up and had our pint of beer, This is the Renta.

We're about to visit a band meeting that's been at the house since October. talked about music, went back down to the club. And Chaz said, And so, they're coming back tomorrow.

can you come back tomorrow? And, also, they've been doing some cheering, And I said, if you give me ten shillings, so they're coming back tomorrow. I'll come back tomorrow. The pay was about $30 a week.

The pay was about $30 a week. The band was called the Ginny Hendrix Experience. The band was called the Jimi Hendrix Experience. But once the scene was over, But what did he want?

To be a star, the bass sounds... I suppose. Decca turned them down, Turn them down. but London overflowed with DJs and rock stars crammed into a few square miles of Soho. And there, the buzz was all about Hendrix.

He was unique and completely different. A dynamo, a monster on stage, a giant. The End The Beatles and The Who went to see him play. dancing and play.

So did French rock star Johnny Halliday. So did French rock star Johnny Alivet. Within days, the Jimi Hendrix experience was in France.

Within days, the Jimi Hendrix experience experience was in France. On French commercial radio, Suddenly we're on tour. We only had three songs.

DJ Emperor Roscoe unleashed Jimi Hendrix on Europe. On French commercial radio, DJ Emperor Roscoe unleashed Jimi Hendrix on Europe. Somehow the unknown entrance filled the famous Olympia Rien que du rock and roll aujourd'hui.

Attention! Coast to coast, go, go, go! Rock and roll! Somehow the unknown Hendrix filled the famous Olympia Hall in Paris.

Hall in Paris. Their first record was in... Jimi Hendrix!

Hey, Joe! Their first record was a hit. I want my sensation.

I mean, what wasn't special about Angel? It sent chills up and down my spine. I said, Joe's on the record.

It was great because he broke ground. He said, great. He broke ground. And nobody had ever seen anybody play guitar with their teeth.

And nobody had ever seen anybody play guitar with their teeth and go absolutely crazy. Go absolutely crazy. The guy just did magic. The guy just did magic.

In Britain, A. Joe was on the record charts before anyone even knew who Ingris was. In Britain, Hey Joe was on the record charts before anyone even knew who Hendrix was. The charts were... The charts were rigged to make it a hit. rig to make it a hit.

I wasn't absolutely sure if this was going to be a hit or not. I wasn't absolutely sure that this was going to be, But we were going to sort of you know, you know, a hit record. But we were going to sort of, we were going to try to get it by him.

you know, if it didn't go into the charts, Once he had a toehold in the charts, we'd have to buy it in. Once he had a toehold in the charts, pirate radio stations off the coast pushed him to the top. pirate radio stations off the coast pushed him to the top. Pirate radio was totally important. My idea was totally no.

My idea was to try and try it. Go, go, go! Pirate radio would listen to Hey Joe and play it, I'll try it 20 times a day.

and play it 20 times a day. Jimmy phoned his father in Seattle to report that suddenly he was a star. Jimmy found his father in Seattle, so we thought that suddenly he was a star. I'm going to take you home! And he said, look, if you don't believe me, And he said, you should speak to my girlfriend.

look, if you don't believe me, So I got the phone and I said, speak to my girlfriend. oh, well, So I got the phone and I said, that was to Henry. You know, oh, hello, and he just, Mr Hendricks. you know, I spoke to him a few words and then he said, And he just, you know, I spoke to him a few words.

And he said, look, look. you see, He said, my boy's in England. my boy's in England.

He said, He said, you tell my boy to write me. um, can you tell my boy to write me? I'm not paying for no first, I'm not paying for no, of course, no collect calls. no collect calls. I'm about to put the phone down. And I thought, well, Hi there, I don't Brian Matthew here in London with news of your fave brave old star.

There was no going back. There was no going back. London seemed to run on sex and drugs. London seemed to run on sex and drugs.

In America, young men his age were being shipped to In America, young men his age were being shipped to Vietnam. Vietnam. It's part of Drunk You're watching Jimi Hendrix, part of Rock Legends Week on Biography.

Legends. Purple Haze, all around my brain. Lately, things just don't seem the same.

The songs Hendrix played in British seaside towns echoed in Vietnam. The songs Hendrix played in British seaside towns echoed in Vietnam none more than Purple Haze. Excuse me while I kiss this guy. None more than Purple Haze. Purple Haze, He said it was about a dream he had had walking under the sea.

all around. He said it was about a dream he had had, walking under the sea. Am I happy? What was the haze? In his brain.

Whatever it is, that girl put a spell on me. It meant whatever you meant. it to mean and in Vietnam it meant everything. Whatever you meant to me, and in Vietnam, it meant everything.

It was like, wow! Guys get up, I just gave up. Listen to this.

listen to this. I've never heard anything like it. Had never heard anything like it.

Couldn't explain it. You couldn't explain it. It was lucid freedom.

It was loose, it was free. It meant that you didn't have to listen to the politics or... It meant that you didn't have to listen to the politics or the disciplinary of the military. The disciplinary of the military, You could listen to that music and escape into another realm with Jimmy's music.

you can listen to that music and escape into another realm of human music. Boom! It's fantastic. Oh, fantastic.

If he wanted to believe it was a protest song, If you wanted to believe it was a protest song, it was. But read into the music what they thought it meant and what his songs and how his music meant to them. it was. So everybody would read into the music what they thought it meant and what his songs and how his music meant to them.

So, So he's telling you, he's telling you, you can do what you want. you can do what you want. You can do what you want.

You can do what you want. Get on my guitar with me and let me play the music. Get on my guitar with me and let me play the music.

For the anti-war movement, Hendricks became a hero. ...became liberal window and seen the police on the horseback, We could literally lean out the window and see the American embassy. and the meeting on the boat. And there was British police on horseback beating back the crowd.

Few noticed that to start with, anyway. Few noticed that to start with anyway, Hendricks believed in the war. Hendricks believed in the war.

He says, what do you think about China? So I said, what do you think of that, And he said, you know? And he said, well, well, when the when the Chinese go screaming down through Cambodia and into, Chinese come screaming down through Cambodia and into or through North Vietnam, well, through North Vietnam, through South Vietnam and take over South Vietnam. ...from South Vietnam and take over South Vietnam and then they take over Japan and China. and then they take over Japan and China, You ever stand by the U.S. you'll understand why the U.S. is trying so hard in Vietnam.

is trying so hard in Vietnam. Wow, this guy's still in the Army. And I went, wow, The British-based black leader, this guy's still in the army.

The British-based black power leader, Michael X, complained that Hendrix had a white girl. Michael X, complained that Hendricks had a white girlfriend. Was Jimmy interested in Michael X's message? Was Jimmy interested in Michael X's message? No, not in the least.

No, not in the least. Not in the least. Not in the least.

Their first real tour of Europe passed in a blur of sex, Their first real tour of Europe passed in a blur of sex, drugs, drugs, and rock and roll. and rock and roll. In June 1967, In June 1967, the summer of love, Hendrix floated back to America on a tide of acid. the summer of love, Hendrix floated back to America on a tide of acid. The End 90,000 people, 90,000 people, hippies and Hell's Angels, hippies and Hell's Angels, converged on Monterey, converged on Monterey, California.

California. California. Eric Burden saw Hendrix before he went on.

Eric Burton saw Hendrix before he went on. He looked like Navajo, Music He looked like Navajo Indian with his conch belt on and the purple pants and the white boots. Indian, his countryman, El Mon, Provence, Hawaii, and he had several guitars laid out in the dirt, And he had several guitars laid out in the dirt on a blanket.

blank, and he was painting the guitars, And he was painting the guitars, the ones that were more sacrifice. the ones that would be sacrificed. Because it was his return to America.

It was his return from America. It was his return from exile. It was his return from exile.

It was, you know, like Napoleon Bonaparte being welcomed back to It was a foreign movement. France after exile or whatever. He was on the prime side of the race. And I just knew then that we were in for a great night. And I just knew, I knew that he was going to be in for a night.

He was swamped with adulation. He was swamped with adulation. The LA Times said that when Hendrix left the stage, The LA Times said that when Hendrix left the stage, he had graduated from rumor to legend.

he had graduated from rumor to legend. What did it feel like, When you feel like the realization of suffering, the realization that suddenly, you three were incredible? you three were incredibly bad.

incredibly famous. Well, we got 40 pounds a week instead of 15 pounds a week. There we go. Going as ways as a 15-ass knight. Drix found himself in the Hollywood Hills at Falcon's Lair.

Once on my way to the moon, Hendrix found himself in the Hollywood Hills at Falcon's Lair, I saw a man in a white suit. once owned by Rudolph Valentino. Valentino. He was asked to Hollywood parties where Steve McQueen served the beer.

He was asked to holler at parties where Steve McQueen served the beer. He had come a long way. He had come a long way.

For the unpolitical Hendrix, But even for the unpolitical Hendricks, racial turmoil in the racial turmoil in America was impossible to ignore. America was impossible to ignore. He sent money to Martin Luther King.

But Luther King... And he said he didn't have to write me a letter to thank you. He said he didn't have to write me a letter to thank me.

That's what I'm supposed to be doing. That's what I'm supposed to be doing. You know, we give back to help each other. You know, we give back to help each other. I'm not out there on the struggle like the rest of them are.

I'm not out there on the struggle like the rest of them are. And he admired Dr. And he admired Dr. King very much. King very much. And he thought that he was going about it the right way. And he thought that he was going about it the right way.

Peace and love. Peace and love. And that's what Jimmy was about. And that's what Jimmy was about. Peace and love.

Martin Luther King, 20 minutes ago, died. Peace and love. That's what he was about. When King was shot, When King was shot, Hendrix was on tour in the American South. Hendricks was on tour in the American South.

Sniper fire from open windows kills two... The following night he was due to play in Newark, The following night, New Jersey, he was due to play in Newark, the scene of recent race riots. New Jersey, Scores of police, the scene of recent race riots. troopers, Scores of police, guardsmen, and civilians are ordered.

troopers, guardsmen, Police said if they canceled, and civilians are wounded. Police said if they canceled, there'd be trouble. there'd be trouble. Some believe not to be true. And Mitch and Noel were already on stage, And Mitch and Noel were already on stage and they were playing quietly.

and they were playing quietly. And Jimmy came out and went to the microphone, And Jimmy came out and went to the microphone and muttered, and I said, His number is 435. this number is for a friend of mine. And then...

And then he started to play and it was one of those amazing experiences. He started to play and it was one of those amazing experiences. I mean, it was in a very short time, I mean, it was stunning.

And within a very short time, the whole audience was in tears. And then the stagehands came on from the back of the stage, the whole audience was in tears. And then the stagehands came on from the back of the stage, you know, what they call the redneck stagehands.

you know, what they call call the redneck stagehands and they were standing there white people you know old white men with tears running down their faces at the back of the stage and this incredible music was played And they were standing there, white people, you know, old white men with tears running down their faces at the back of the stage. And this is a great scene. And the moment of truth was in his eyes. In Britain, Melody Maker proclaimed Hendrix top musician in the world.

In Britain, melody maker playing Hendrix, He was rapidly becoming part of the rock establishment. musician in the world, established. But increasingly, Jimi Hendrix concerts were attended not by peace, Jimi Hendrix concerts were attended not by peace, but by violence. but by violence. In Zurich, In Zurich, riot police beat fans with batons.

it's believed, beat fans with batons. Hendrix felt trapped by people's expectations. felt trapped by people's expectations. The band unwound in Majorca. The band unwound in Majorca, though the party seemed rather forced.

Though the party seemed rather forced. The British Internal Revenue Service was chasing them for taxes under presumably monumental earnings, The British Internal Revenue Service was chasing them for taxes on their presumably monumental earnings, up to $100,000 per concert. up to $100,000 per concert. In fact, In fact, the money was in the... the money was in the Bahamas.

taken there by Hendricks' taken there by Hendrick's elusive manager, elusive manager, Mike Jeffrey. Jeffrey claimed to be a former secret agent and carried a gun. Mike Jeffrey.

Jeffrey claimed to be a former secret agent and carried a gun. I go, uh, you're, I don't know who got away with it. uh, yeah, I should have said that.

What, he wore a Beretta? Yeah, the shoes. Jeffrey made frequent trips to NASA with briefcases full of cash.

This person? Yeah. Yeah.

Jeffrey made frequent trips to Nassau with briefcases full of cash. How much there was, How much there was, we didn't know. the band didn't know.

When we went to America, When we went to America, we had like 1, we'd had like one, two, 2, three, 3, 3, three number ten hits. number 10 hits. I was wondering, And I was wondering, well, where's the money? where's the money?

So you were constantly saying, So you were constantly skint? Yes. yes. And Jimmy?

And Jimmy? Yes. Yes.

You probably had a little bit more than I did. He probably had a little bit more than I did. So all this great flood of money was going... So all this great, a lot of money, was going up there. Elsewhere.

...to the Bahamas? On January 23rd, Yeah. On January 23rd, 1968...

1968... Jimi Hendrix had less than $20 in his account at Martin's Bank in London. Jimi Hendrix had less than $20 in his account at Martin's Bank in London. Europe and America had been conquered, Europe audiences wanted guaranteed destruction, but at a high cost.

Audiences wanted guaranteed destruction, and guitars, broken amplifiers. burning guitars, Every night, broken amplifiers. they wanted him to go to the edge. Every night, they wanted him to go to the edge.

And he did, He did. on a diet of sex, Light of sex, diet pills, diet pills, sleeping pills, sleeping pills, uppers and downs. uppers and downers.

Fans and hangers-on gave him packages. Fans and hangers-on gave him packages. He said, would you like some? Hey!

It was pretty good to go today. He said, would you like to have a snort? So, men go to the store to buy some. I thought he meant cocaine, so I had to snort and I had to run to the toilet. Not to run to the toilet.

It was smack. Smell. Now beset by panic attacks, Now, beset by panic attacks, he saw LSD as the answer.

he saw LSD as the answer. Open up the fridge and there is the LSD in the bottle. And there is the LSD in the bottle.

We do it. We do it. We shoot it. We shoot it. I say one drop or two is enough.

I say one drop or two is enough. He goes like this. It goes like this. He goes, Is that enough? ah!

Is that enough? He goes again. It goes again. Is that enough? Oh, man.

Oh man. Now I know how outrageous we were doing. Now I have you know how dangerous we were doing. The guy was so... God was so, so certain that we were okay with God in our days.

so certain that we were okay, Wherever he went in America, regardless of how dangerous it was. Hendrix was surrounded by people who claimed to be his friend. Wherever he went in America, Hendrix was surrounded by people who claimed to be his friend. And a lot of people knew that if they got him to York, And a lot of people knew that if they got him to yield to certain drugs, to certain drugs, that they would have a certain amount of tolerance in his life.

that they would have a certain influence in his life. In New York... In New York, he was taken by limousine to the expensive Pierre Hotel.

he was taken by limousine to the expensive Pierre Hotel. Once, Once, he could barely afford the subway fare. he could barely afford the subway fare. One day, while I was at the Pierre Hotel, One day, while I was at the Pierre Hotel, this guy comes along who looked like Columbo. this guy comes along, he looked like Colombo.

He sort of limped in and he sat down and he put this bag down at the side of the chair and it gaped open at the top. So we looked in, and we sat down, and we put this bag on the side of the chair, and it gaped open at the top. And the bag was absolutely full of packets of white powder, And the bag was absolutely full of packets, white powder, big packets of white powder. thick packets, and, And on the top was a gun.

uh, it was a gun. And I'd never seen a gun before, And I'd never seen a gun before, ever. But I knew it was a real one. ever.

But I knew it was a real one. I didn't think that it was a toy gun. I didn't think that it was a toy gun. I knew it was a real gun. I knew it was a real one.

a real one. It was a big, It was a big, heavy gun. heavy gun. And I think that was it. And I think that was it.

That was the turning point. That was the turning point. Seeing that gun was the turning point, Seeing that gun was the turning point, I thought, wow, I was frightened. I thought, wow, that was fast. The great Hendrix tool rolled on across America.

The great Hendrix tour rolled on across America. The end credits crave to play new material, Hendrix craved to play new material, but audiences... but audiences didn't want to hear it. Like, here at... sometimes he'd turn his back on them off the stage.

Sometimes he turned his back on them or walked off the stage. He couldn't beat that particular type of musical energy. He couldn't repeat that particular type of musical energy that he had. He couldn't bring it up to this certain point in time. He couldn't just bring that up at will.

Up until this certain point in time, it had just been coming out anyway. It had just been coming out anyway. You know, You know, then somehow it peaked and he was on some sort of plateau.

then somehow it peaked and he was on some sort of plateau. And everyone was calling him God. And everyone was calling him God.

And everyone was calling him God and everyone was asking him to do this thing, And everyone was calling him God. And everyone was asking him to do this thing. um, on cue.

Oh, Julie. He wrote to Redding, He wrote to Reading apologizing for being so moody. apologizing for being so moody.

He said, Just saying he's gone. he's going through these changes. going through all these changes and he's terribly sorry and he loves us all and we should carry on with our music and he apologizes and all that sort of stuff.

He's terribly sorry. He loves us all. We should carry on with our music.

He apologizes and laughs all the time. The letter ended up, The letter ended up please help me as I would love to help you. please help me, as I would love to help you.

He became angry if Redding got a woman he wanted. He became angry angry if Redding got a woman he wanted. He attacked a few young ladies in He's asking for a serial lady.

L.A. LA with bricks and stuff like that. with great success.

One of them, One of them was, because she came to my room, he came to my room, and I heard him screaming, not his room. And we heard this screaming and he'd gone chasing her and batter, and he'd gone chasing him. Pass it, pass it, batter, pass it.

batter. In Los Angeles, In Los Angeles, Eric Burton also says he saw Hendricks attack two women. Eric Burton also says he saw Hendricks attack to win. And there was two black bodyguards was standing by watching as he was...

And there was two black bodyguards who signed by watching as he was wading into these girls. wading into these girls. And, And, uh, uh, yeah, yeah, it was the beginning of the end.

was the beginning of the end. Arriving in Toronto, Arriving in Toronto, Jimmy's bag was searched by customs. Jimmy's bag was searched by customs. I was standing beside him, He sat beside it. actually.

And there on his headline case, Um, they opened up his airline case, and there was a packet of white powder on top of it, there was a packet of live pounds on top of it. And he was smacked. and it was smack.

He claimed that someone else put the heroin in his luggage, He claimed that someone else put the heroin in his luggage, and the jury believed him. and the jury believed him. In 1969, In 1969, he disappeared to upstate New York, he disappeared to upstate New York for a huge estate near Woodstock. where a huge estate near Woodstock had been rented for him. had been read for him.

It had room to breathe and horses to ride. It had room to breathe and horses to ride. He had visions of a new kind of music he'd play at the Woodstock Festival. He had visions of a new kind of music he'd play at the Woodstock Festival. It would be freewheeling and experimental.

It would be freewheeling and experimental. He had a new bass player. He had a new bass player.

Noel Redding was out. Noel Redding was out. Then I sort of found out through a guy in the office that And he also found out a third guy in the office.

I've been asking too many questions about all the monies and everything, I'd been asking too many questions about where all the money is and everything, and having to be in a thaw is to get somebody else to just employ them. and Hendricks had been advised to get somebody else... just employ them, you know, I'm just really caught. which is Billy Cox. At Woodstock, At Woodstock, Hendrix played the national anthem.

Hendrix played the national anthem. America was polarized. America was polarized.

When you mention the National Anthem and... When you mention the National Anthem and talk about playing it in any unorthodox way, talk about playing it in any unorthodox way, you immediately get a guaranteed percentage of hate mail from people who say, you immediately get a guaranteed percentage of hate mail from people saying, how dare... How is that unorthodox?

That's not unorthodox. I thought it was unorthodox. That's not unorthodox. It isn't unorthodox? It isn't unorthodox?

No, no. I thought it was beautiful. I thought it was beautiful.

Well, And then there you go. then there you go. Thank you.

It was about who owned America and her most treasured symbols. It was about who owned America and their most treasured symbols. Especially for those that know what the world is about and they want to be there. Especially for those that knew what the war was about and they wanted to be there, that it made them feel that they were still part of And it made them feel that they were still part of America. America.

When they heard Jimi Hendrix play the Sorry Spangled Banner in the manner that he did, And they heard Jimmy Kennedy explain to us something about it in the manner that he did. I think the people of the South felt like they had a vested interest in the country instead of just as involved in the war markets. I think that they still felt like they had a vested interest in the country instead of just the generals and the war mongers. As he toured the country, As he toured the country, Hendrix would see young men on their way to Vietnam.

Hendrix would see young men on their way to Vietnam. No longer did he believe in the war. No longer did he believe in the war.

Four months before his Four months before his 28th birthday, 28th birthday, Hendricks flew back to Seattle for the last time. Hendrix flew back to Seattle for the last time. He went to see Freddie May Gauthier, He went to see Freddie Macautier, whose family took him in when he was a few days old. whose family took him in when he was a few days old.

Did he seem happy? Did he seem happy? No, No, Jimmy never seemed like he was happy to me.

Jimmy never seemed like he was happy to me. He would laugh and make jokes, He would laugh and make jokes, but not genuine happiness. but not genuine happiness.

Like he was always perturbed about something. Like he was always perturbed about something. All night long, All night long, Jimmy's handlers kept calling.

Jimmy's handlers kept calling. Was he frightened? Was he funny?

I think he was. I think he was, From the way that he talked, from the way that he talked. because he'd have that worried look on him.

Because he'd have that wanted. You know, I don't know what they're after and what they want and things. What they're after, what they want, they think that's all your money.

I said, well, your money and time, I know they keep you under that influence of drugs, they keep you under that influence of drugs. Then you do what they want you to do. and you do what they want you to do.

August 1970. August 1970. Times were changing. Times were changing. Hendrix flew on to the Isle of Wight Pop Festival.

Hendrix flew on to the Isle of Wight Pop Festival. It was the end of the Love and Peace era. It was the end of the Love and Peace era.

People running down the fence in these socialist islands. People broke down the fences. There was violence. They'd have run his course. It had run its course, They'd run at least that...

the Love and Peace bit. The clock had ticked off. ...club of TikTok.

A Danish girlfriend was there. A Danish girlfriend was there. The scene where they had this, You could feel the bad vibrations. I mean, and it's hard to tell by this, it's hard to tell vibrations, but it's a funeral, but you could feel there was something nasty going on.

something you must see. And when Jimmy got on stage, And when Gene comes, there's that dream come true. they booed him. Because he didn't do what they expected him to do.

You know, all his gimmicks, Because he didn't do what they expected him to do. you know, putting fire to the guitar and whatever he used to do. Noel Redding's mother met him backstage. You know, he's been, you know, he couldn't fly to the time where he used to. There was some sort of feeling I had of worry about Jimmy and I wrote to him afterwards to say if he needed any help, Noel Redding's mother met him backstage.

There was some sort of feeling I had of worry about Jimmy. And I wrote to him afterwards to say if he needed any help, give my, gave my telephone number. gave my telephone number and all this sort of thing.

It is so simple. The tour continued to the German island of Fairmont for the Festival of Love and Peace. The tour continued to the German island of Fairmarn for the Festival of Love and Peace.

There was nothing peaceful about Fairmont. There was nothing peaceful about Fairmont. Hell's Angels set fire to the organizer's office. Hells and angels set fire to the organizers' office.

Love and peace were fading. Love and peace were fading. In the States, In the States, the Black Panthers were sneering at Hendrix because his audiences were white.

the Black Panthers were sneering at Hendricks because his audience... were white. Even the weather was awful. ... ...

... ... ...

Even the weather was awful. I will play in the rain. We will play tomorrow morning. What time tomorrow morning? If the weather is better, then we'll play around 12 o'clock.

Next morning, the rain had eased. But the Hells Angels attacked one of Jimmy's roadies. But the Hells Angels attacked one of Jimmy's roadies. A slinger side job.

When we went to the stage, I got hit by the Hells Angels. around the train. Here's one of those things, It was one of those things where, man.

This is the latest in an absolute game we've had here at Westwood. let's just play this and get out of here, because we ain't going to get out of here unless we play. It would be the last time Hendrix performed in public.

It would be the last time Hendrix performed in public. Many in the crowd were hostile. Many in the crowd were hostile.

There were boos and shouts of, There were boos and shouts of, go home. go home. It started to rain again.

It started to rain again. Fighting erupted close to the stage. Fighting erupted close to the stage.

There's still a few people grasping at the love and peace thing, Still a big beer crossing, but I think it still is. but it's kind of over. I don't know. Hendrix would be 28 in two months. Hendrix would be 28 in two months. He was lonely.

It was lonely. He did say, He did say, you know, you know. if I don't have a wife and a child, If I don't have a wife and a child, you know, you know, apart from the music, apart from your sake, I don't think I'll live to be 28 because what else is there for me?

I don't think I'm meant to be 28 because, uh, what else is there to be? On the afternoon of September On the afternoon of September 15th, a German girlfriend, 15th, a German girlfriend, Monica Dannemann, Monica Dannemann, drove Hendrix to a small hotel in West London where she was staying. drove Hendrix to a small hotel in West London where she was staying.

On the night of the 17th, On the night of the 17th, he was supposed to play at a nightclub with Sly Stone, he was supposed to play at a nightclub with Sly Stone, but Hendricks never showed up. but Hendrix never showed up. In the Russell Hotel at dawn, In the Russell Hotel at dawn, Eric Burden says he and his girlfriend, Eric Bergen says he and his girlfriend, Alvenia Bridges, Alvenia Bridges, got a call from Dan. got a call from Dannemann.

So, Saying, uh, uh, help, we're gonna wake Jimmy up. I can't wake Jimmy up. And I'm thinking, And I'm thinking, what's anybody gonna wake Jimmy up for? what's anybody want to wake Jimmy up for? You know, You know, he never gets up till midday anyway.

he never gets up. up to midday anyway but um she was frantic and i told her to just um walk him around you know coffee uh splash some water on his face you know sometime later dannemann called again to say that hendrix was getting worse he She was frantic. Had a nice, um, dinner round. You know, coffee, smashed some water on his face. Sometime later, Dannemann called again to say that Hendrix was getting worse.

He was throwing up, was throwing up regurgitating in his sleep i regurgitating in his sleep. I said, I said, turn him over, turn him over, turn him over. turn him over. And I started to pull on my clothes and rush over to her place.

And I started to pull on my clothes and rush over to her place. Burton says he told Dannemann to call an ambulance. Burden says he told Dannemann to call an ambulance. I can't get an ambulance. I can't get an ambulance.

There's hashish in the place. This is how she should embrace me, And I said, you know. I said, just forget that. just forget that.

Just get an ambulance. Just get an ambulance. And Alvinia was already on her way over there. And then I was already...

on our way over there. At some stage, At some stage, while Hendricks lay dying, while Hendricks lay dying, drugs were apparently taken out of the room and hidden in the garden of the hotel. Drugs were apparently taken out of the room and hidden in the garden of the hotel. The ambulance wasn't called until 11.18 a.m. The ambulance wasn't called until 11.18 a.m.

They took Hendricks to a hospital, They took Hendricks to a hospital, but it was too late. but it was too late. I immediately tried to help with the resuscitation. The Brits had taken an unknown sleeping pill prescribed for Dan and the Bridgewoods had also taken amphetamines.

There was a monitor on, which was dead. Hendricks had taken an unknown number of German sleeping pills prescribed for Dannemann, powerful barbiturates. He'd also taken amphetamines. The nurse came out and said that they thought they had saved him.

A nurse came out and said that they thought they had saved him. Could he have been saved? Could he have been saved?

No, No, I'm not too certain he could have been saved because certainly by the time I saw him he wasn't, I'm absolutely certain he couldn't have been saved, because certainly by the time I saw him, he wasn't savable. he wasn't saveable. The record showed he'd drowned in his own gastric fluid.

The record showed he drowned in his own gastric fluid. Large amounts of wine oozed from his stomach and lungs, Large amounts of wine oozed from his stomach and lungs, though oddly, though oddly, there was little alcohol in his blood. there was little alcohol in his blood. Then they came back, Then they came back and they said that he was gone.

and they said that he was gone. And I didn't believe them because they had just said a few minutes ago that they thought they had him. And I didn't believe them, because they just said a few minutes ago they thought they had him. So So I insisted to see him.

I insisted. I received a resource, So I was in hand and that beautiful turquoise ring that I gave him there. and I had a beautiful trip. I said to her, I said, I said, okay, he's gone. he's gone.

In the apartment, In the apartment, Burton found what he first thought was a suicide note. Burden found what he first thought was a suicide note. The story of love is quicker than the wink of an eye.

The story of love is quicker than the wink of an eye. The story of love is hello and goodbye until we meet again. The story of love is hello and goodbye, until we meet again. He realized it was the words to a song. He realized it was the words to a song.

Jimi Hendrix was always pushing the envelope. Jimi Hendrix was always pushing the envelope. And if I took one head of ethnicity, If I took one hit of LSD, he always took three or four. he always took three or four.

And he was always way more than you think. And he was always way out on the line. And unfortunately, And unfortunately, this time, this time, he fell off.

he fell off of it. And never, And you never, never believe that he deliberately went out of his way to kill himself. ever believed that he deliberately went out of his way to kill himself. I'll send you your hotel room number and phone numbers. I was in New York, in my hotel room, I got a phone call saying that Jimi Hendrix is dead.

And here we are, you're the suspect. And then suddenly, And then suddenly, by accident, like, there's all these women come to my room. police women had come to my room. And There's about three of them, I was very upset.

I think. And I was going to make a serious sorry by jumping out of my window. And they want to commit suicide by jumping out of my window.

A little hysterical. Not necessarily. But I was so shocked.

I'm sort of shocked, you know. The body was sent home to Seattle. The body was sent home to Seattle.

He told me he wanted to be buried in England, He told me he wanted to be buried in Haiti, which is the reason why I didn't go to the funeral. which is the reason why I didn't go to the funeral. I have to respect his wishes above anybody else's. I have to respect his wishes above anybody else's.

Because he was ours. Because he was... ours. You know, You know, we felt like he was ours. we felt like he was ours.

When Jill came down from heaven yesterday, Angel came down from heaven yesterday. She stayed with me just long enough to rescue me. she stayed with me just long enough to rescue me. But I think he was a tragic figure. He was a tragic figure.

The man who is looking for approval. The man who He's looking for approval. He couldn't say no to anybody. He couldn't say no to anybody. And he had superficial relationships all around him, And he had superficial relationships all around him.

but his family was his guitar. But his family was his guitar. Silver wings silhouetted against a child's sunrise.

You're going to feel well again. At his funeral, At his funeral, his hand was washed on the sidelines. his handlers watched from the sidelines.

Were you angry that day? We were in the same room. Yeah, Very.

very. Because as kids in grade school, Because as kids in grade school, we all had our dreams and Jimmy made them. we all had our dreams.

And Jimmy made it all the way, All the way through the year. but they just ruined him. He made it. They killed him. Killed it.

The business. The business killed him. Killed it.

And I can't put it any better. And I can't put it any better. He was a lovely guy, He's a lovely guy. and I still think about him. I still think about him.

All the time. What's up? Jimi Hendrix is a legend whose status just seems to keep growing. Jimi Hendrix is a legend and his status just seems to keep growing.

His family recently discovered a treasure trove of Jimmy's music, His family recently discovered a treasure trove of Jimi's music, including his final studio session. including his final studio session. The collection will be released later this year. The collection will be released later this year.

And Hendrix fans now have a shrine dedicated partly to And Hendrix fans now have a shrine dedicated partly to their idol. to their idol. That's a museum in Seattle called the Experience Music Project.

That's a museum in Seattle called The Experience Music Project. One of its very first visitors was Jimmy's One of its very first visitors was Jimmy's 81-year-old father, 81-year-old father, Al Hendrix, Al Hendricks, who has also written a book about his legendary offspring called My Son Jimmy. who has also written a book about his legendary offspring called My Son Jimmy. Next month marks 30 years since Jimmy's death. Next month marks 30 years since Jimmy's death.

Many of us who knew him personally and millions of others who knew him through his music will set aside some time to celebrate his life and his memory. Many of us who knew him personally, and millions of others who knew him through his music, will set aside some time to celebrate his life and his memory. Tomorrow on Biography, Tomorrow on Biography, Janice Jarno.

Janice Joplin.

Transcript for:The Legacy of Jimi Hendrix

Transcript for:
The Legacy of Jimi Hendrix