Jimi Hendrix arrived on the London scene like a ton of bricks in 1966, smashing every British blues guitarist to pieces the instant they saw him play. As vocalist Terry Reid tells it, when Hendrix played his first showcase at the Bag O’Nails, arranged by Animals’ bassist Chas Chandler, “there were guitar players weeping. They had to mop the floor up. He was piling it on, solo after solo. I could see everyone’s fillings falling out. When he finished, it was silence. Nobody knew what to do. Everybody was dumbstruck, completely in shock.”
He only exaggerates a little, by all accounts, and when Reid says “everybody,” he means everybody: Keith Richards, Mick Jagger, Brian Jones, Jeff Beck, Paul McCartney, The Who, Eric Burdon, John Mayall, and maybe Jimmy Page, though he denies it. Mayall recalls, “the buzz was out before Jimi had even been seen here, so people were anticipating his performance, and he more than lived up to what we were expecting.” In fact, even before this legendary event sent nearly every star classic rock guitarist back to the woodshed, Jimi had arrived unannounced at the Regent Street Polytechnic, and asked to sit in and jam with Cream, where he proceeded to dethrone the reigning British guitar god, Eric Clapton.
Nobody knew who he was, but “in those days anybody could get up with anybody,” Clapton says in a recent interview, “if you were convincing enough that you could play. He got up and blew everyone’s mind.” As Hendrix biographer Charles Cross tells it, “no one had ever asked to jam” with Cream before. “Most would have been too intimidated by their reputation as the best band in Britain.” To hear the story as it’s told in the clip above from the BBC documentary Seven Ages of Rock, no one else would have ever dared to get onstage with Eric Clapton. Clapton, as the famed graffiti in London announced, was God. “It was a very brave person who would do that,” says Jack Bruce.
Actually, it was Chandler who asked the band, and who also tried to prepare Clapton. Jimi got onstage, plugged into Bruce’s bass amp, and played a version of Howlin’ Wolf’s “Killin’ Floor.” Everyone was “completely gobsmacked,” Clapton writes in his autobiography. “I remember thinking that here was a force to be reckoned with. It scared me, because he was clearly going to be a huge star, and just as we are finding our own speed, here was the real thing.” Fear, envy, awe… all reasonable emotions when standing next to Jimi Hendrix as he tears through “Killin’ Floor” three times faster than anyone else played it (as you can see him play it in Stockholm above)—while doing the splits, lying on the floor, playing with his teeth and behind his head…
“It was amazing,” writes Clapton, “and it was musically great, too, not just pyrotechnics.” There’s no telling how Jimi might have remembered the event had he lived to write his memoirs, but he would have been pretty modest, as was his way. No one else who saw him felt any need to hold back. “It must have been difficult for Eric to handle,” says Bruce, “because [Eric] was ‘God,’” and this unknown person comes along, and burns.” He puts it slightly differently at the top: “Eric was a guitar player. Jimi was some sort of force of nature.”
Rock journalist Keith Altham has yet a third account, as Ed Vulliamy writes at The Guardian. He remembers “Chandler going backstage after Clapton left in the middle of the song ‘which he had yet to master himself’; Clapton was furiously puffing on a cigarette and telling Chas: ‘You never told me he was that fucking good.’” Who knows if Hendrix knew Clapton had struggled with “Killin’ Floor” and decided not to try it live. But as blues guitarist Stephen Dale Petit notes, “when Chas invited Jimi to London, Jimi did not ask about money or contracts. He asked if Chas would introduce him to Beck and Clapton.”
He had come to meet, and blow away, his rock heroes. “Two weeks after The Bag O’Nails,” writes Classic Rock’s Johnny Black, “when Cream appeared at The Marquee Club, Clapton was sporting a frizzy perm and he left his guitar feeding back against the amp, just as he’d seen Jimi do.”
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Watch the Earliest Known Footage of the Jimi Hendrix Experience (February, 1967)
Josh Jones is a writer and musician based in Durham, NC. Follow him at @jdmagness
I have heard that Kieth Richards wife told Kieth about Jimi while he was playing at a small club in the U.K.
Kieth went to see him and I think Chas may have gone with him or Kieth told Chas about ” This black american cat” and Chas went to see him. That’s how Chas became his ” manager”.
Jimi.was popular in the U.K. B4 he became famous in the states.
Chas got the J.H.EXP. on tour with the hottest band in America at the time The Monkees.
Jimi had no idea who they were because their TV show was not on the air in the U.K.
I know he only did a few shows when there was a mutual.agreement for them to leave the tour.
That’s why they returned to the U.K.
ALSO He had a disastrous meeting with deep purple. He was at one of their gigs and walked on stage after several songs and was enthusiastically commenting on how much he liked their music.
One of the band’s members looked at Jimi and said…
“Get off the stage spade”
No one from deep purple ever owned up to saying it.
The J.H.EXP. did not get popular in the U.S. until they played at Papa John Phillips bash in Monterey.
I got all of this from Bobby Keys when a friend was on your with Joe Cocker in the later 70′ s
Jimi got cheated in life.…..
Anyone who doesn’t believe there is a God has never watched Jimi Hendrix perform.
Murder By those he trusted..
His Manager for starters..
Eric Clapton had a hand in it I’m sure..
Same with Stevie Ray Vaughan was murdered
then Clapton paid for it by losing his son
That’s why it took a whole generation of axe players like Ernie Isley,Frank Marino,SRV, Slash,Eddie Hazel,Carlos Santana ‚Dennis Coffey,Prince,Vernon Reid etc etc
to rewrite the book from where Jimi laid it down…He’s still showing us all how to dream and play from a special place inside you won’t find on any sheet music or map 🤗 🎸
My god, I thought that for years about SRV being with Clapton that night, after read story was thinking it again.…then read what you wrote.…I do believe that!
💫
👁
🕊 to Quote The EMPORER Of the QQuaZZarDDeliQQ DYNASTY Himself:
“Play ON”
I still love Jimi’s music. I just found an old CD today and played it for the whole 2 and 1/2 hrs I had to drive this afternoon.
About 15 yrs ago, I came home and my teenage daughter was playing Jimi Hendrix. I started singing along. She asked, “how do you know …or music?” Haha.…what?????!!! I had to explain to her that I’d listened to him in the 60s!!! Her music ..my ass!!!
Clapton has Hendrix and SRV posters on his walls.
Who isn’t a more interesting guitar player than clapton? He’s still playing the same thing the same way after all these years.
Saw JH EXP a few days after Monterey Pop in NYC @ THE Wollman Skating Rink. He was not on the bill but was in NY. The Young Rascals were the headliners and out comes Jimi and blows us all away. After Jimi’s 45 minute set, I left, went home and bought Are You Experienced the next day. After that show, I saw him every single time he played in NYC. At the Fillmore East, early show and late show two nights in a row. Was at the Band of Gypsies on New Year’s Eve. I have an autographed Axis: Bold As Love album Jimi signed, “Jimi Hendrix, Peace & Love” and he drew a small heart. I’m 70 years old & have seen every rock guitarist, Page, Clapton,Beck,Winter, Zappa,Van Halen, Gallagher, Reid, Rundgren, Derringer, Vai, Satriani and on and on but no one come close to Jimi. RIP, my friend. You changed my life forever!
Please leave that album to me in your will i will love it like a precious baby lol ..i have a nice collection but no autograph.…
Some needed corrections Linda Keith was Keith Richard’s (Rolling Stones Guitar Player) girlfriend she had seen Jimi Hendrix in Summer of 1966 in NYC at the Cafe Wha?She Knew he had to leave the USA based on it’s Racism and short sighted vision for Black Musician, She knew Chas Chandler Animal’s bass player was starting his own management Co with his Ex manager Mike Jeffery. They went to the Cafe Wha? and Jimi went Midnight off on them MIND’S BLOWN Chas said hey mate you need your own Band NOW the USA has no Respect for you but LONDON Loves AXE MAN JIMI said when do we leave
Hendrix never blew Clapton away. Hendrix had some nice licks, but he was sloppy.
What does that mean?
You were smokin’ dope then and you are smokin’ dope now!
There were and still are African American blues guitarists that could blow Eric Clapton away their and now.
I agree, jimi was fast, loud and sloppy, how can you compare Jeff beck and Clapton?
Srv and Hendrix are a to be compared, both have the same style
You just saw the video I know he hurt your soft white ego that your guitar God was blown away by a brother.Get over it it’s been almost 52 years ago.Plus Hendrix damn sure didn’t play sloppy.Maybe you should get the years of dirt build up in your ears cleaned.
Clampton was always highly overrated the only good song he played was crossroads.
👍👍👍👍❗❗
Jimi,1969.1970
Hawai’i
Honolulu, & Maui
The man was quiet ‚itrospective and loved to smoke good pakalolo.
Yes ‚he was a extradonary Talent.
He was also getting a bit burned out
Woodstock,was amazing
Hawai’i was small,relaxing and much slower for Jimi.
I made food,that was healthy for everyone.Jimi came out to me my dad
Kid Ory
They talked jazz,riffs and styles for over two hours.
There is only one Jimi.
All can enjoy what he left us
Hey Ben jimi Hendrix was to the guitar like Bruce Lee was to martial arts nobody to this day has surpassed him .guys have came close (SRV) but no one has gone beyond him .and yeah he definitely blew Clapton Away
killing floor live in monterey is the best version
Not really. They had different styles and Hendrix was a phenomenon and next level, but Clapton is a great guitarist, artist and he, along with the Stones and others, brought American Blues back to the ears of Americans. Listen to Five Live Yardbirds 1965 for more information. I don’t mind glorifying the great Jimi Hendrix. His music deserves it, but this constant BS about Clapton has to stop.
Hendrix was a phenomenon and next level, but Clapton is a great guitarist, artist and he, along with the Stones and others, brought American Blues back to the ears of Americans. Listen to Five Live Yardbirds 1965 for more information. I don’t mind glorifying the great Jimi Hendrix. His music deserves it, but this constant tearing of the great Eric Clapton has to stop.
You are a blithering idiot 🤔
I would say Eric influenced Jimi but Jimi took it to another level and dimention!
Hi,Dolph,I just read your post on Jemi Hendrix,You seem like,ya are very engaged and interested in the music industry,!! Dolph,I would like to have your opinion on a up and coming guitar Lengend ‚His Name is Taj Farrant,a 11yr.old.kid from Australia,managed by his father,He is I beleive he is tottaly amazing, check him out,on the web,etc.Thank you ‚stevecahill12@gmail.com
You’ve been listening to too much digitized and “remastered” music. Hendrix music is not purified notes, it was pure genius, It was Hendrix
Page is telling the truth…he was not there when Hendrix played those gigs. Page was in America working.
I was backstage at a December 1967 all-night concert in London where I was “introduced” to Hendrix and his two British sidemen just before they were to go on. Hendrix did not acknowledge me or anyone else although the other two were quite gabby. Hendrix faced the wall and ran silent riffs on his guitar. I had never seen such concentration. His playing did not just happen.
True.
Page outplayed Hendrix in every concert he played during their heyday. If you subtract Hendrix’s hotdogging and lighter fluid etc, he wasn’t half the guitarist Page was.
Thatvis totally awesome. We have same Bday 20 years apart to the minute. He is the reason I play guitar!!!! I do a solid job playing his tunz but nobody can make it sound line him!!!!
All true Jimi Fans here, great. My first record ever, xmas 71 when I Was 11, are you experienced.
Hendrix was great. Clapton was great. Why all the childish arguing? I have seen people I have never heard of in clubs that are probably better raw guitar players than either, but its just a past time for them, not their life. It’s all about the music. Just enjoy.
So, how did Jimi get sustain and feedback plugging into Jack Bruce’s amp, while Jack was playing in it? I never read Jimi brought any Stomp Boxes with him. That’s great he could get any decent tone at all.
You were a very lucky man to have witnessed the man…
Wow, I am a fan of all the names that were mentioned. My wife and I took a 2 week trip this past September and stopped @ the Rock and Roll hall of fame and saw Guitars from all of them. Those folks you talk about made music that withstood the test of time as one person wrote here when his daughter asked how he knew the words to the songs. So I find it amazing that anyone thought any of them were sloppy players or not very good. Especially considering how much it means to me to still hear those 50 year old songs to this day. There is only one thing I am sure of about any of the things that were written here. The folks that had anything bad to say about any of them? I know all the names that were mentioned But, never heard of any of you!
Mike, didn’t Jim cheat himself in life?
Jimmy didn’t get cheated, he cheated himself.
I think it was ’67 or ’68 when I heard first time JH’s Purple Haze! I was in purple haze too!!!! Man.… what a trip!
Facts!
Garbage take! And definitely not true.…guitar players on the chittlin circuit that would run rings around JPage! Eddie Kramer help shape JPs sound as well! Hell SRV would run rings around page. Stop trippin
You’re on the right track. Crapton gave his firstborn sons soul to Satan to extend his deal, and make millions lying that the song Will Jennings wrote for the Greg Allman death scene in “Rush”, was about his son. Does make sense, they are crying in heaven because crapton sent his innocents sons soul to hell…
Your nutz.
Clapton was a blues scale guy. Period. Jimi was Picasso by comparison.
Clapton could not play any of the chords Jimi used. Major and minor 7ths
Suspended chords and of course the 7#9 that triggered a slew of wannabe covers. Born to be wild, Taxman, Back in the USSR etc. etc.
Maybe he shouldn’t have touched that heroin. He cheated himself.
Barnaby Collins- Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix murdered by Eric Clapton? That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard in all my years on this planet