if i had the opportunity to go back in the past i would choose the date of october 1966, the 1st and the place became mythical of central london polytechnic those who were present that night were far from imagining in coming that they were going to live one of the most sacrosanct moments in rock history the first encounter, and what's more on stage, between the two greatest guitarists in history. that is rock ! jimi hendrix and eric clapton, two men only one thing separates : atlantic ocean.
the first is american. the second is english. everything was aligned for them to meet one day and in the first place this unconditional love for the blues. both took as examples to follow robert johnson, muddy waters and other howlin 'wolf. the crime scene is in london, which is experiencing an unprecedented cultural climax. fashion, art and music are in full swing and the city is the international showcase. the standards of blues, r&b and american rock'n'roll are taken up by these new bands who, by bringing them up to date, will come to create their own styles and standards. at this time, in the english capital city,
no one knows that on the other side of atlantic still sleeps the absolute heir of these myths and the one who goes, by his genius, synthesize the whole. on the other side, beyond the great american spaces, james marshall hendrix, just out of the army, starts cruising the country from seattle to accompany orchestras of r&b headlining that are little richard, wilson pickett or the isley brothers. that year, the destiny of young hendrix rock the day when linda keith, then keith richards's girlfriend, see him play in a new york club. subjugated by his performance, she will do everything to reveal him to the face of the world. it is then that she presents him to the freshly ex-bassist of the animals, chas chandler, who will become his first manager.
so for the story and according to keith richards in his memoirs, linda keith would have taken a demo of hey joe performed by a folk singer named tim rose and would have given it to hendrix. hendrix will play it in front of chandler for their first meeting and as if by chance, chandler was looking for an interpreter to cover this song. so it was pretty good. life is beautiful, isn't it ? chandler offers him a contract on the spot, but also to bring him back to london, then new mecca of music and pop culture but with only one condition
at the same time, the excitement of swinging london is at its height. 66 is the year that experimental music meets pop, with the beatles' revolver album for the beginnings of what will be the year of psychedelia a year later. the stones, from their part, let r&b for pop and experiment also new sounds thanks to the genius of brian jones. only one man remains more purist than the others and faithful to the ancestral blues eric clapton. then member of the john mayhall and the bluesbreakers clapton leaves the band in march 66, not supporting the fact of not being the headliner of this one
nicknamed god by his fans, he forms cream, the first super group in history with drummer ginger baker and bassist jack bruce. also first great power trio who will be joined few months later in his virtuosity by another trinity named jimi hendrix experience. where hendrix gets lucky, it is that chas chandler, as ex-animals, knew very closely all the musical gratin from england and london. a few hours after his arrival, chandler put him on the scene of the scotch in the district of saint james, under the eyes of a certain paul mccartney. i thought, "wow wait a minute, he's playing guitar that guy" the club was almost empty. it was absurd ! how could we miss that ? hendrix then comes out the big game, he plays with the teeth, behind the head, the big one ! still today i'm moved when i think "i was there"
a week later, chandler invites hendrix to a cream concert and ask the band if they want to jam with this young american that no one knows. we must understand the scope of this event put ko the god of the guitar, on stage, with his band and at home it opens you completely the doors of fame. hendrix has everything to succeed in england, he's young, he's cool, he has style and not insignificant point, he's black and american, like the musicians of previous generation venerated by the english youth. his guitar style mixes blues, r&b and newborn psychedelic rock.
hendrix certainly would not have been what he became without chas chandler, nor without the advertising that lennon, mccartney, jagger and subsequently also clapton made of him. mccartney himself will recommend him the following year at the legendary monterey pop festival, in june 67, festival where will born his guitar hero and absolute rock star legend in front of his audience. but this is another story. after october 66 event,
his rivalry with eric clapton will not really exist. hendrix will reinvent electric guitar like no other done before him and clapton would have to resolve, like a large majority, to make hendrix an example of style and creativity. while becoming one of his closest friends.
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