1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,480 Speaker 1: The twenty seven Club is the production of I Heart 2 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:10,400 Speaker 1: Radio and Double Elvis Media. Jimmie Hendricks died at the 3 00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:14,240 Speaker 1: age of and he lived a life of constant reinvention. 4 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:18,720 Speaker 1: He not busy being born, is busy dying. I can 5 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:21,520 Speaker 1: give you twenty seven reasons why that statement is true. 6 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:24,640 Speaker 1: One would be the number of bandanas he wore tight 7 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 1: around his head to hold himself together to retain the 8 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:29,640 Speaker 1: knowledge of how and where his hands were placed on 9 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 1: his stratocaster. Two would be the number of consecutive nights 10 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:36,239 Speaker 1: he'd played transformative shows at the Filmore East as the 11 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:39,480 Speaker 1: sixties gave way to the seventies with the Band of Gypsies, 12 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:43,000 Speaker 1: a band that would allow him to trade psychedelic experimentation 13 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 1: for raw soul and blues power. Another two would be 14 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:49,559 Speaker 1: the number of tabs of bad acid that his manager, 15 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:52,600 Speaker 1: Michael Jeffrey, would slip him before a show and result 16 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:55,400 Speaker 1: in his collapse on stage, not to mention one of 17 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: the worst shows of his career. Two more would be 18 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 1: the number of clubs in newcast So owned by the 19 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 1: same manager, that mysteriously burned down on a fall day 20 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: in the first in a series of mysterious events that 21 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: would work their way into Jimmie Hendricks's world throughout the years. 22 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: In twenty would be the number of months he would 23 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 1: have left to live after the oil and water dynamic 24 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 1: of band members and management would derail as band of 25 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:26,840 Speaker 1: Gypsies mere months after they started all totally. On this 26 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 1: our eighth episode of season one, Bad Trips, houses burning down, 27 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:35,720 Speaker 1: oil and water, and they always searching Jimmie Hendricks. I'm 28 00:01:35,800 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 1: Jake Brennan, and this is the seven Wilson Pickett was 29 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 1: calling for the head of Mike Bloomfield. That's scraggy white 30 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 1: kids stole wilson S drummer right out from under his nose. 31 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 1: The balls. Wilson was going to lose it. His lips twitched, 32 00:02:12,919 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 1: his mustache twittered, he was sweating his ass off and 33 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:19,080 Speaker 1: his tailored red suit. It was hot out. He was tired, 34 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:23,400 Speaker 1: and now this horseship Bloomfield was a dead man. Wilson 35 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 1: was set to go off. And they didn't call him 36 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:28,119 Speaker 1: the wicked Picket for nothing. No one messed with him 37 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 1: like that, no one with any good sense. That is, 38 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 1: you saw that raw, violent temper coming, felt that oversized 39 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 1: ego flex and you walked the other way. If you 40 00:02:37,960 --> 00:02:41,359 Speaker 1: were smart anyway, the wicked Pickett would wait until the 41 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 1: midnight hour for you. If that's what he wanted to do, 42 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:46,320 Speaker 1: that's what he wanted to do. The wicked Pickett once 43 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:49,160 Speaker 1: walked into Jerry Wexter's office, slammed a pistol down on 44 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 1: the table and said he shoot any producer or engineer 45 00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:54,760 Speaker 1: who walked in on his session. How do you negotiate 46 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 1: with that? Zero fox given nothing to leverage. So when 47 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 1: Mike bloomfiel Old and Barry Goldberg invited Pickets drummer up 48 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:05,240 Speaker 1: to their room at the Albert Hotel to convince him 49 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:07,920 Speaker 1: to join their band, they probably weren't aware of they 50 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:11,239 Speaker 1: are they drop that he just didn't openly poach cats 51 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:14,400 Speaker 1: from Wilson Picket like that. It's not like their careers 52 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 1: would end or anything, but they might be required to 53 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:18,960 Speaker 1: go forth with fewer teeth and they started out with 54 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:21,520 Speaker 1: and they weren't aware of it because they didn't have 55 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:24,120 Speaker 1: time for it for the drama and they were putting 56 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: together a new band, the Electric Flag, and they needed 57 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: one final member, the drummer, and they were told the 58 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 1: Pickets guy, Buddy Miles was where it was at. So 59 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 1: they caught pickets show at Murray the Caves Music in 60 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,400 Speaker 1: the Fifth Dimension Concert series that the r k O 61 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 1: fifty Street Theater in New York. Buddy Miles blew them away. 62 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 1: The groove, the swing, the soul, motherfucker's saying, too heavy, 63 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:50,680 Speaker 1: honeyed R and B voice that could jump high and 64 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 1: make the hairs on the back of your neck pop. 65 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 1: He was certainly where it was at. Buddy wanted out. 66 00:03:57,320 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: He'd been playing live professionally since he was twelve year 67 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 1: old when he joined his father's jazz band, the Bebops. 68 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 1: He'd only been with Wilson Pickett for a few months, 69 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 1: but he was quickly growing tired of the soul singers, drunkenness, 70 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 1: his verbal abuse at his mood swings. He wanted some 71 00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 1: creative autonomy. He didn't want to just be the drummer anymore. 72 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: Mike and Barry sat on the edge of one of 73 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 1: the beds in the hotel room, and Buddy was on 74 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 1: the other. Mike had bought a package of oreos on 75 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:25,880 Speaker 1: his way upstairs, and it crinkled in his lap as 76 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:31,279 Speaker 1: he talked. He handed Buddy one. Buddy chomped on it, 77 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 1: nodding his head as He listened to Mike Wax poetic 78 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:37,360 Speaker 1: about the girls in San Francisco, about how they love Buddy, 79 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 1: and Buddy's head would just spin, and trying to take 80 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 1: them all in, about how Buddy could be a star 81 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 1: with them, not just a nameless, thankless hired gun keeping 82 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:48,880 Speaker 1: time behind a dictatorial dick of a front man. He'd 83 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:51,280 Speaker 1: be part of the Flag, a psychedelic rock band that 84 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:55,240 Speaker 1: would push boundaries move forward. Buddy could get famous, get 85 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 1: some West Coast strange, and move beyond the R and 86 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:02,279 Speaker 1: B circuit. All in one fell swoop. Buddy, having just 87 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 1: played a show hosted by Murray the Kid, a self 88 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 1: annointed fifth Beatle, was a drift in a sea of 89 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:10,920 Speaker 1: ego like minded ego, and now Mike and Barry were 90 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:14,680 Speaker 1: appealing to his own ego. Mike, Hannon, Buddy another Orio, 91 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 1: and Buddy twisted off the top cookie layer, licked the 92 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:20,360 Speaker 1: creamy center and then ate it nonchalantly, one half at 93 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:25,320 Speaker 1: a time. Ego, though takes one to no one for digits. 94 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:27,840 Speaker 1: At a young age and nicknamed after the iconic jazz 95 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 1: term or Buddy Rich, Buddy Miles was only seventeen years old. 96 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:34,279 Speaker 1: He didn't know a lot, but he knew he was great. 97 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 1: He called himself the baddest of the bad. The only 98 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:40,920 Speaker 1: thing more hulking than his own confidence was his three 99 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 1: pound frame. When Buddy was in the room, you knew it. 100 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:48,480 Speaker 1: The laugh, the voice, the energy of the physique. There 101 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:51,040 Speaker 1: was no missing Buddy Miles. He was part Buddy Rich, 102 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 1: part Muhammad Ali, part Deacon Jones. For Mike Bloomfield, there 103 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:58,120 Speaker 1: was no doubt about it. Buddy Miles needed to be 104 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 1: part of the Electric Flag. What about Pickett, Buddy asked, 105 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:05,919 Speaker 1: popping another one of Mike's oreos into his mouth. What 106 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:08,880 Speaker 1: about him? Mike responded, it's not like you're in a contract, 107 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 1: and it's not like he hasn't lost the player before. Shit, 108 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:13,719 Speaker 1: I'm surprised he hasn't lost more the way he treats 109 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:17,159 Speaker 1: you guys. But he nodded, looked at the oreos in 110 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:20,200 Speaker 1: Mike's hand, and then up at Mike, raising his eyebrows, 111 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 1: and are not so subtle? Ask Mike gave the drummer 112 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:25,720 Speaker 1: Sun a few more oreos to munch on while he 113 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 1: contemplated his imminent fate. Goddamn, those cookies tasted good. But 114 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:34,760 Speaker 1: he saw the writing of the wall and hitched his 115 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:38,480 Speaker 1: wagon to the Psychedelic Express headed west. He moved quick 116 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:40,840 Speaker 1: and get the hell out of Dodge before Sheriff Pickett 117 00:06:40,839 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 1: caught up to him. In seven, The Electric Flag wrote 118 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 1: and performed the soundtrack for Roger Corman's LSK exploitation film 119 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:53,600 Speaker 1: The Trip, and also performed at the Monterey Pop Festival 120 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 1: in California. Jimmie Hendricks was there with the Experience, and 121 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:01,200 Speaker 1: he and Buddy started chatting. Soon they'd be jamming together. 122 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:04,359 Speaker 1: It's Stevens Still's Malibu home, tripping their balls off and 123 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:07,719 Speaker 1: playing for the Ocean is Still so Remember, and Jimmy 124 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 1: would produce records for Buddy's next group, Buddy Miles Express, 125 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 1: after The Flag split up. Soon after that, Buddy would 126 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:19,560 Speaker 1: give Jimmy a reason to cut the fat from Gypsy's 127 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:22,520 Speaker 1: Son and Rainbows and transformed into his next great rock 128 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:26,600 Speaker 1: and roll trio, The Band of Gypsies. A black experience, 129 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:30,920 Speaker 1: a soulful experience, but an experience not without its challenges. 130 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 1: But he was a catalyst that formed the Band of Gypsies. 131 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:38,440 Speaker 1: But he got greedy with that spotlight. He'd give Michael Jeffrey, 132 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:41,840 Speaker 1: Jimmy's manager, a reason that ended he was there for 133 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:44,840 Speaker 1: the highs and the lows, for the quick trajectory. The 134 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 1: trio would burn bright on stage, and they'd also fizzle out, 135 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:52,600 Speaker 1: sometimes in the same night, and they would set a 136 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:55,160 Speaker 1: high watermark on the stage of the Film Or East 137 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:57,800 Speaker 1: on New Year's Eve with a performance for the ages. 138 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 1: But less than month later the Band of Gypsies would end. 139 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:29,080 Speaker 1: When Jimmy collapsed on stage at Madison Square Garden. Jimmie 140 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:32,280 Speaker 1: Hendrick stared through the disbelief in Bill Graham's eyes and 141 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:36,120 Speaker 1: searched for the right words. Bill, standing there in his 142 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 1: stripe button up dress shirt, talked into his slacks, his 143 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 1: midnight black hair neatly combed one side a hipsters square 144 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:46,680 Speaker 1: holding court backstage at the Film Or East, one of 145 00:08:46,679 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 1: the premier concept venues in the country. Bill was its architect, 146 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 1: mingling amongst the hippies and the rockers, making that money 147 00:08:54,760 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 1: and giving Jimmie Hendricks ship. Jimmy had just walked off 148 00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 1: stage after the second set of the evening. Bill had 149 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:05,320 Speaker 1: bitched about the first set, told Jimmy he was all 150 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:08,959 Speaker 1: a jive, was all stick and no substance. Graham went 151 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:12,280 Speaker 1: on with his bullshit, couching his squareness and heptoc trying 152 00:09:12,280 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 1: to appeal to the greatest guitarists and the planet as 153 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:17,400 Speaker 1: if he knew better, and Jimmy hated him for it. 154 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:22,120 Speaker 1: Fuck Bill Graham. The second set was Jimmy's response. Jive 155 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:24,880 Speaker 1: talked to motherfucker that right there, that was art, that 156 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:27,960 Speaker 1: was all fired. That good enough for you, Jack. Jimmy 157 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 1: spat a Bill when he came off stage, their faces 158 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:33,720 Speaker 1: only a few feet apart, sweat running scared from his 159 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:38,640 Speaker 1: headband down his forehead, glistening on his mustache. I said 160 00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:43,000 Speaker 1: that good enough for you, motherfucker. Graham miraculously said nothing. 161 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:46,080 Speaker 1: Perhaps he sensed the fear in Jimmy's voice, the fear 162 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:49,959 Speaker 1: behind the bravado, the overcompensation. It's possible that Graham knew 163 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:54,720 Speaker 1: a thing or two about insecure artists. And indeed, Jimmy 164 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:57,840 Speaker 1: was waist deep in an identity crisis, a musical shift 165 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:01,440 Speaker 1: into some new, uncharted territory, and here was Bill Graham, 166 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:04,880 Speaker 1: a square concert promoter, harshing his mellow, telling him how 167 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:08,320 Speaker 1: to play. It was too much. Jimmy was getting it 168 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:11,360 Speaker 1: from all sides, from black fans who complained that he 169 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 1: made music for white kids, from white fans who wanted 170 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:17,760 Speaker 1: more of that head trips psychedelic studio noise. From Buddy Miles, 171 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:20,600 Speaker 1: whose vision of Jimmy's future had him relegated to guitar 172 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:23,000 Speaker 1: duties while the big man on the drum riser led 173 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 1: the show. And from Michael Jeffrey, who saw this whole 174 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:28,320 Speaker 1: back to basics blues based Band of Gypsies is a 175 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:31,720 Speaker 1: career killing mistake and a colossal waste of everyone's time. 176 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 1: And now from jive as concert promoters telling the greatest 177 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:37,679 Speaker 1: guitar player on the planet that his ship was weak. 178 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 1: No one was taking Jimmy Hendrix seriously. No one had 179 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:45,040 Speaker 1: asked him what he wanted. He kept searching for himself 180 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:47,840 Speaker 1: and for the next stage, the next transition, the next thing, 181 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:50,360 Speaker 1: and no one stepped back to let that journey happen. 182 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:54,080 Speaker 1: But maybe Billy Cox, Jimmy's longtime army buddy and third 183 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 1: member of the Band of Gypsy's, Billy maintained supported went 184 00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:00,240 Speaker 1: with the flow. Everyone else just wanted Jimmy to be 185 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:06,440 Speaker 1: what they thought Jimmy should be. When Chas Chandler whisked 186 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 1: Jimmy away to London in nineteen sixty six, the concept 187 00:11:09,840 --> 00:11:12,920 Speaker 1: of who would become was out of Jimmy's hands. The 188 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:15,720 Speaker 1: experience was formed for him. He made it his own, 189 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 1: made it legendary, but it wasn't wholly his. With the 190 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:21,680 Speaker 1: band of Gypsies, he took those reins into his own hands. 191 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 1: He'd make it great or he'd funk it up, but 192 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 1: he'd own it. And he just had to keep Buddy 193 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:28,360 Speaker 1: Miles from grabbing the reins out of his hands when 194 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:32,680 Speaker 1: he wasn't looking. The trio was playing two consecutive nights 195 00:11:32,679 --> 00:11:35,199 Speaker 1: at the film were two shows on New Year's Even, 196 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:38,320 Speaker 1: two more on New Year's Day, and they were transformative. 197 00:11:38,559 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 1: They reinvented themselves. They reinvented the Power Trio. Nineteen sixty 198 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:46,679 Speaker 1: nine became nineteen seventy, and Jimmy Hendricks became something new too. 199 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:50,520 Speaker 1: He cut the flashy bullshit, playing the guitar this way 200 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:53,240 Speaker 1: and that way over his head with his face. He'd 201 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:56,439 Speaker 1: been there, he'd done that. Now he would just play. 202 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:59,480 Speaker 1: Everyone knew Jimmy could play, but now he'd really play. 203 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:02,240 Speaker 1: He'd stay and still like clapped in those cats had 204 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 1: done back in sixty six at the Region Street Polytechnic, 205 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:10,520 Speaker 1: and play. He'd stand still uncharacteristically, Jimmy, But you know what, 206 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:15,080 Speaker 1: uncharacteristically to whom funk those people? This was him. Now 207 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:17,400 Speaker 1: the crowd would have to focus on his playing and 208 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 1: nothing else. That devil ship was still there, and Jimmy 209 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:26,040 Speaker 1: let it loose. Jimmy's guitar slung left hand, the neck 210 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:29,000 Speaker 1: heavy in his right hand created like a baby. It's 211 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:31,760 Speaker 1: all he had now. His left hand ran across the 212 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:34,360 Speaker 1: strings like guitarror, fell out of tune, and his right 213 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:36,520 Speaker 1: hand jumped up to the tuners and brought it up 214 00:12:36,559 --> 00:12:40,640 Speaker 1: back to the right pitch. His guitar, his voice, and 215 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:43,599 Speaker 1: his hands. It mimicked his every move, Jimmy's riffing on 216 00:12:43,640 --> 00:12:47,280 Speaker 1: the melody, hollering here hooting there, his guitar shadowing every shout, 217 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:51,880 Speaker 1: Buddy and Billy, maintaining that insistent band, Jimmy detonating all 218 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:57,360 Speaker 1: over it, rockets, red glare, the bombs bursting in air, 219 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:00,840 Speaker 1: and Jimmy snapped his left foot on the top of 220 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:03,480 Speaker 1: his wall wall pedal, bringing it to life. That left 221 00:13:03,520 --> 00:13:06,400 Speaker 1: handed mojo ricocheted down his leg and something erupted on 222 00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:09,680 Speaker 1: the stage floor. Dust from the stage billowed into the air, 223 00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:13,760 Speaker 1: hung thick, and the crowd at the film or stuck 224 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:16,760 Speaker 1: their hands out, stuck their hands through that thick stage dust, 225 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:20,360 Speaker 1: grabbed that chunk there, caressed that piece there. The ceiling 226 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:23,480 Speaker 1: of the joint started its descent, squashed down over the heads. 227 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:26,400 Speaker 1: The stage dust hung, and the whole place was ripe 228 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:29,520 Speaker 1: with the stuff. Jimmy's guitar was hot to the touch, 229 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:32,240 Speaker 1: his teeth gritting and grinding with each press of his 230 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:35,160 Speaker 1: boot to the pedal. The stage lights turned, his strat's 231 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:38,640 Speaker 1: wooden neck, beat red, his shoulders and arms deep orange. 232 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:41,599 Speaker 1: But he testified with a rapturous oh and then the 233 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:45,520 Speaker 1: soulful ah straight into the mob as Mike. The crowd 234 00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:49,120 Speaker 1: was now his church, a hot church, an electric church, 235 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:53,160 Speaker 1: a church ranked with sweat, stage dust and psyched out soul, 236 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:58,400 Speaker 1: a church in a red house over yonder. Jimmy's playing 237 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:02,160 Speaker 1: on those nights was deep, swampy, a sex laced arm 238 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:06,439 Speaker 1: b trip, big juicy rifts, melodic non sequiturs, steeped in 239 00:14:06,520 --> 00:14:11,400 Speaker 1: American soul, way way down to earth, funky raw pieces 240 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:13,920 Speaker 1: pulled from the parts he played on the Chitpland Circuit 241 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:17,400 Speaker 1: years before. A little Isaa Brothers here, a little Curtis 242 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:20,080 Speaker 1: night there a splash of Little Richard, a dash of 243 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:24,120 Speaker 1: Like Turner. The liquid light show projected onto the stage 244 00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:26,920 Speaker 1: by the Joshua Light Show only increased the far out 245 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:29,920 Speaker 1: feel of the room. The sounds became the colors, and 246 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:32,880 Speaker 1: the colors became the sounds, and everything swirled together in 247 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:35,480 Speaker 1: an audio visual trip that was fitting for the close 248 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:39,480 Speaker 1: of the decade. Los Angeles Times called it muddy Waters 249 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:42,960 Speaker 1: on barbiturates and acid, and they weren't wrong. The new 250 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:46,280 Speaker 1: Jimmy Hendricks was the blues. It was the blackest music 251 00:14:46,360 --> 00:14:50,200 Speaker 1: he ever made, and Buddies fitted shirt popped open to 252 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:54,320 Speaker 1: mid torso level. His chest was sweaty. The trio DeCamp 253 00:14:54,360 --> 00:14:56,960 Speaker 1: backstage as Bill Graham was put in his place by 254 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:00,080 Speaker 1: the band's triumphant leader. The shows were in the in 255 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:03,000 Speaker 1: and soon they'd be packaged into a live LP simply 256 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:07,320 Speaker 1: titled Band of Gypsy's. Capitol Records released the album as 257 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:10,960 Speaker 1: quickly as they could in late March of seventy, just 258 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 1: months after the performances. It did well in the US 259 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:17,760 Speaker 1: upon release, remaining on the charts for over a year 260 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:21,880 Speaker 1: and becoming Jimmy's best selling American albums since The Experiences debut. 261 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:25,200 Speaker 1: Buddy sang just as much as Jimmy on the record, 262 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 1: and therein lies the rub, the seemingly perfect combination of players. 263 00:15:30,200 --> 00:15:33,480 Speaker 1: This seemingly perfect next step for Jimmy, as he navigated 264 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 1: the waters of artistic discovery, was tanked by ego. Buddy 265 00:15:38,120 --> 00:15:40,840 Speaker 1: Miles saw a band of Gypsies as a partnership, a 266 00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:44,200 Speaker 1: shared spotlight. There was no front man, they were all 267 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:47,120 Speaker 1: front man. Jimmy, on the other hand, saw Buddy as 268 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 1: his drummer, a great drummer, no doubt, but nonetheless a drummer, 269 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:53,760 Speaker 1: one who worked for Jimmy. The artist's name on the 270 00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:56,200 Speaker 1: Band of Gypsies LP, after all, was none other than 271 00:15:56,280 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 1: Jimmy Hendricks. Billy Cox, meanwhile, stood by silent. He staged right, 272 00:16:01,280 --> 00:16:05,320 Speaker 1: deepening the pocket handkerchief tied around his forehead, his bass 273 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 1: strengths anchoring the group, deep and true. He had no 274 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:11,680 Speaker 1: reason to rock the boat. He saw Buddy's folly and 275 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:14,320 Speaker 1: called him out. You have to pay homage to Caesar. 276 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 1: He set render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, 277 00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:23,960 Speaker 1: no doubt, this was Jimmy stage, his empire, his experience. 278 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:28,360 Speaker 1: Everyone else was just along for the ride. Buddy's well 279 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:31,920 Speaker 1: groomed ego couldn't handle it. He wanted that stage, wanted 280 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:35,040 Speaker 1: to be Jimmy's equal. Over the next few weeks, Buddy 281 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:38,200 Speaker 1: and Jimmy would but heads disagree, second guests make up. 282 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:42,960 Speaker 1: A month later, none of that would matter. Jimmy would 283 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:46,160 Speaker 1: be on the floor, head in his hands. The audience 284 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 1: left hanging, questioning everything, the worst show of his career, 285 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:54,560 Speaker 1: reeling from two tabs of bad acid, searching for answers. 286 00:16:55,920 --> 00:17:00,720 Speaker 1: We'll be right back after this, word word word. As 287 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:03,800 Speaker 1: far as Jimmy Hendricks could tell, the audience was still there. 288 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:07,320 Speaker 1: He held his hands tight against his face and peeped 289 00:17:07,359 --> 00:17:10,399 Speaker 1: out through a few cracks in between his fingers. He 290 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:12,920 Speaker 1: was hoping they were gone, but they were all there, 291 00:17:13,520 --> 00:17:17,280 Speaker 1: standing there, staring at him, he thought. As far as 292 00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:19,639 Speaker 1: he could tell, he couldn't be sure. Ship Was this 293 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:22,520 Speaker 1: even real? Were they real? Where his fingers real? Was 294 00:17:22,560 --> 00:17:26,000 Speaker 1: he really there? Was he really Jimmy Andris? The Jimmy Andris. 295 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:31,200 Speaker 1: He was fuzzy, and his head was fuzzy, his tongue 296 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:34,879 Speaker 1: a big wet bathroom matt, his eyes punctured with steak knives. 297 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:37,879 Speaker 1: He shook his head and the fuzz le strips of 298 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:40,960 Speaker 1: carpet that had been torn lengthwise and then blown hot 299 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:44,600 Speaker 1: with a hair dryer kicked around between his ears. He 300 00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:47,359 Speaker 1: had hoped the crowd would at least be anticipating something, 301 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:49,720 Speaker 1: perhaps for him to get up off the floor, pick 302 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:52,359 Speaker 1: his guitar up and start playing again. But they were 303 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:55,800 Speaker 1: turning on him. Their eyes were glowing red. He saw 304 00:17:55,840 --> 00:17:59,440 Speaker 1: them growing fangs, each of them transforming before his very eyes, 305 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:02,399 Speaker 1: would likely kill him, or eat him, or kill him 306 00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:06,119 Speaker 1: and then eat him. Jesus, had he really said that 307 00:18:06,119 --> 00:18:09,120 Speaker 1: ship about Earth and space? Did you say that into 308 00:18:09,160 --> 00:18:12,120 Speaker 1: the microphone and then sit down on the floor, crisscross 309 00:18:12,200 --> 00:18:15,960 Speaker 1: apple sauce head in his hands? Why the funk were 310 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:19,280 Speaker 1: his hands away? Why was he crying? Were those bats again? 311 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:24,680 Speaker 1: More bats here inside? That's what happens, was earth Fox 312 00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 1: with space? Never forget that, that's what happens. No wonder 313 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:33,440 Speaker 1: the crowd wanted him dead, The words echoed in his head. 314 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:36,840 Speaker 1: Somewhere among the fuzz. It was starting to expand, like 315 00:18:36,880 --> 00:18:39,280 Speaker 1: one of those dinosaurs sponge animal things that you put 316 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:41,360 Speaker 1: a few drops of water on and it blows up 317 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:44,720 Speaker 1: to four times its size. What did that even mean? 318 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:47,840 Speaker 1: When earth Fox with Space Maybe he hadn't said that 319 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:50,240 Speaker 1: at all, Maybe he hadn't stopped. The second song of 320 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:53,680 Speaker 1: the set, Short blubbered some drug addult hogwashing into the mic, 321 00:18:53,760 --> 00:18:57,200 Speaker 1: and then sat down and started to cry on stage 322 00:18:57,400 --> 00:19:01,159 Speaker 1: in front of thousands of people. What ship he was crying? 323 00:19:01,240 --> 00:19:04,159 Speaker 1: He must have said it. The band had opened with 324 00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:08,160 Speaker 1: who Knows, and then someone screamed a request for Foxy Lady, 325 00:19:08,720 --> 00:19:12,520 Speaker 1: she's over there, Jimmy applied in the yellow underwear stand 326 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:16,480 Speaker 1: and dirt Love. Sitting there on the stage, he started 327 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:20,159 Speaker 1: to rock back and forth. Cameras were rolling nearby. He 328 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:23,040 Speaker 1: heard them first and then saw them, one on the 329 00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:25,320 Speaker 1: edge of the stage, another at the head of the crowd. 330 00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 1: That he could hear the celluloid rolling to the chamber 331 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:33,960 Speaker 1: twenty four frames a second. What wo wow? How he 332 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:35,680 Speaker 1: could hear it over the hum of his stacks of 333 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:39,680 Speaker 1: martial amplifiers. He had no idea. Okay, then what did 334 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:42,680 Speaker 1: he knew? He was at Madison Square Garden. He knew 335 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:45,679 Speaker 1: that it was January, Yeah, the end of January, January 336 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:48,960 Speaker 1: something or other. Nineteen seventy. Nixon was president, the Vietnam 337 00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:52,680 Speaker 1: War was raging on. When Buddy Miles was talking into 338 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:56,439 Speaker 1: his microphone to the audience, apologizing for the delay, and 339 00:19:56,480 --> 00:19:58,640 Speaker 1: they were gonna get the ship together, he promised, don't 340 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:02,160 Speaker 1: nobody go nowhere. But he was always talking, always getting 341 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:07,600 Speaker 1: a leg up, always taking control. The fuzz and Jimmy's 342 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:10,280 Speaker 1: head took over and Jimmy couldn't go on. He could 343 00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:12,840 Speaker 1: feel it sprouting out of his ears. He was tickling 344 00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:16,000 Speaker 1: his nose hairs. Everyone would see this fuzz pop out 345 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:18,840 Speaker 1: of his face and then what it would be over Jack, 346 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:22,680 Speaker 1: That's what Jimmy jumped up from the stage floor, left 347 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:26,440 Speaker 1: the strat upside down, feeding back the crowd, waiting, Billy 348 00:20:26,520 --> 00:20:30,920 Speaker 1: Cox waiting. Buddy Miles was still talking backstage. Jimmy collapsed 349 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:33,359 Speaker 1: on a couch, kept his hands tight on his face. 350 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:36,919 Speaker 1: The lights, Jesus Christ, the lights and the noise. He 351 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:40,600 Speaker 1: could still see the crowd, could still hear Buddy rapping somewhat. 352 00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:45,400 Speaker 1: Make it all stop. Johnny Winter was hanging around backstage. 353 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:48,840 Speaker 1: His long white hair is so translucent and so unbelievable 354 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:50,880 Speaker 1: that Jimmy couldn't bring himself to look at him through 355 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:53,840 Speaker 1: his fingers. You look like you saw a ghost, Jimmy, 356 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 1: That's what Johnny said. Ship Man, You look like a ghost. 357 00:20:58,160 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 1: You're the ghost, motherfucker, Jimmy thought to himself, this bleached 358 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:04,119 Speaker 1: white haired, pale asshole telling Jimmy he was the one 359 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:07,920 Speaker 1: who looked ghostly. Buddy Miles sister was there. It's too 360 00:21:08,040 --> 00:21:10,359 Speaker 1: Jimmy had seen her earlier before the show, when he 361 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:13,080 Speaker 1: got a pep talk from his manager Michael Jeffrey. A 362 00:21:13,119 --> 00:21:16,480 Speaker 1: couple of tabs of LSD, and Jimmy and Jeffrey quickly 363 00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:19,840 Speaker 1: become drug buddies soon after Chaz had split, Jeffrey letting 364 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:23,520 Speaker 1: his hair down at least in opportune moments. Jimmy noted 365 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:26,560 Speaker 1: that Jeffrey didn't actually drop the acid backstage when Jimmy 366 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:29,719 Speaker 1: was given his dose, but Buddy and his sister had 367 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:33,240 Speaker 1: watched as Jeffrey slipped Jimmy some Milesy purple and Jimmy 368 00:21:33,240 --> 00:21:37,280 Speaker 1: didn't look too please, but Michael Jeffrey insisted gestured impatiently 369 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:40,119 Speaker 1: at Jimmy to place him on his tongue down the hatch. 370 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:45,360 Speaker 1: Now backstage, Jeffrey was in Buddy's face. The trips over. 371 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:49,040 Speaker 1: Jeffrey yell, you're done, pack your ship. Michael Jeffrey had 372 00:21:49,040 --> 00:21:51,159 Speaker 1: been wanting to say those words to Buddy Miles for 373 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:53,920 Speaker 1: at least a month. Now you're fired. Get off of 374 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 1: my cloud, Buddy was bad news for Jimmy and Jeffrey's eyes. 375 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:01,280 Speaker 1: He was on his cloud. He had to get off, 376 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:05,440 Speaker 1: and this was the perfect opportunity. Obviously, Jimmy wasn't able 377 00:22:05,480 --> 00:22:08,119 Speaker 1: to work with a diva like Buddy Miles. Jeffrey would argue, 378 00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:11,520 Speaker 1: Just look at him sitting crisscross apple sauce on the stage. 379 00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:14,919 Speaker 1: If Madison Square guarded his head in his hands, crying 380 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:17,720 Speaker 1: his eyes out. The Band of Gypsies have been playing 381 00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:19,800 Speaker 1: shows for less than a month, and this is what 382 00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:22,520 Speaker 1: it had come to. Jimmy Hendricks played a song and 383 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:24,359 Speaker 1: a half to an eager crowd and then throw in 384 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:27,840 Speaker 1: the towel. So fun Buddy Miles and Funck the band 385 00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:33,040 Speaker 1: of Gypsy's. Jeffrey had already called No Redding and Mitch Mitchell. 386 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:36,720 Speaker 1: They were ready on a moment's notice to rejoin Jimmy 387 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 1: and if Michael Jeffrey got his way, the Jimmie Hendrix 388 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:43,480 Speaker 1: experience ride again. And the experience was Jimmy's cash cat, 389 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:46,480 Speaker 1: so it was Jeffrey's cash cap. The experience was where 390 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:49,560 Speaker 1: the action was. The band of Gypsy's for Jeffrey, it 391 00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:52,280 Speaker 1: had too much funk, too much soul, catered too much 392 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:54,560 Speaker 1: to the black audience that wanted Jimmy for their own. 393 00:22:56,320 --> 00:23:00,560 Speaker 1: January nine seventy Jimmy Hendricks tripping down a bad rabbit hole, 394 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:04,040 Speaker 1: Buddy Miles trying to take control, Michael Jeffrey trying to 395 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:08,480 Speaker 1: reignite the experience an epic internal ship show. The band 396 00:23:08,480 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 1: of Gypsies collapsed because Jimmy Hendricks collapsed on some bad acid. 397 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:16,480 Speaker 1: Did his manager dose him in some Machiavelian psychedelic power 398 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:19,160 Speaker 1: player to bust up his band. It's hard to say, 399 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:23,280 Speaker 1: but regardless, Michael Jeffrey used the situation to his advantage. 400 00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:26,000 Speaker 1: He told Buddy Miles and Billy Cox the funk off 401 00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:28,119 Speaker 1: back to wherever the hell they came from, and seized 402 00:23:28,119 --> 00:23:34,639 Speaker 1: control of Jimmy's career. The Gypsies were jettisoned, The Experience 403 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:37,359 Speaker 1: were waiting in the wings. Caesar was on a bad trip, 404 00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:40,760 Speaker 1: Rome was burning, and Michael Jeffrey couldn't have been happier 405 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:44,680 Speaker 1: Watch it burn. Used the wreckage to your advantage. Michael 406 00:23:44,720 --> 00:23:49,400 Speaker 1: Jeffrey had experienced in such things literally back in when 407 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:51,960 Speaker 1: he was just starting out. The embers were still hot, 408 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 1: as was the cash in his pocket from the insurance 409 00:23:54,359 --> 00:23:57,560 Speaker 1: payout he received after two of his Newcastle clubs burned down. 410 00:23:58,119 --> 00:24:00,480 Speaker 1: No matter, the bread would set him up nicely in 411 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:04,840 Speaker 1: his future endeavors. From Michael Jeffrey. It was a fortuitous disaster, 412 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:08,080 Speaker 1: if there ever was one, kind of like the Bandagypsy's 413 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:29,960 Speaker 1: meltdown at Madison Square Garden. Eric Burden saw the smoke 414 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:32,240 Speaker 1: as he cut through the alley over near Gray Street. 415 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:37,160 Speaker 1: The site was unexpected. The smoke was billowing from the basement. 416 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:42,520 Speaker 1: It seemed fantastical, unreal. It billowed and sat stubbornly in 417 00:24:42,520 --> 00:24:45,240 Speaker 1: the cold November air. A lead balloon in the middle 418 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:48,840 Speaker 1: of Newcastle upon time, big gray plumes, A great day 419 00:24:48,880 --> 00:24:51,560 Speaker 1: off a gray street. It was an afternoon he'd not 420 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:55,919 Speaker 1: soon forget. He could smell the fire, that burnt wood, 421 00:24:55,960 --> 00:24:59,880 Speaker 1: that melted plastic, the steel hot and resistant, the sma 422 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:03,440 Speaker 1: holdering roof. It smelled differently than the cigarette he was smoking. 423 00:25:03,920 --> 00:25:07,359 Speaker 1: Cigarette was comforting, a sweet, lingering odor he could smell 424 00:25:07,359 --> 00:25:09,960 Speaker 1: on the ends of his fingers. His heart rate would 425 00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:12,320 Speaker 1: go down as soon as it hit his nose. But 426 00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 1: the smell, the smell mingled with the smoke from his cigarette, 427 00:25:16,040 --> 00:25:20,919 Speaker 1: but overpowered it made itself known something was being destroyed. 428 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:25,440 Speaker 1: He knew the place, the Marimba coffee bar, Italian food 429 00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:29,000 Speaker 1: by Dave, private jazz club by night upstairs, the El 430 00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:32,879 Speaker 1: Toro Club. They specialized in American music, jazz and R 431 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:35,159 Speaker 1: and B, just like the down Beat club in the 432 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:38,560 Speaker 1: Old Schoolhouse in Carlos Square, where Eric was a regular 433 00:25:39,040 --> 00:25:41,120 Speaker 1: hit places to be for a kid or a young 434 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:46,359 Speaker 1: adult kicking around Newcastle. Eric stood dumbfounded for a moment 435 00:25:46,359 --> 00:25:49,560 Speaker 1: before he realized what was really happening. The Marimba and 436 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:52,080 Speaker 1: the El Toro were burning, and then he saw the 437 00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:55,400 Speaker 1: flames shooting from the building's windows, licking the cold November air. 438 00:25:56,680 --> 00:25:59,720 Speaker 1: Eric Burden was a twenty year old Newcastle native, lower 439 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:03,000 Speaker 1: work class, incidental music lover, out for a walk and 440 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:05,240 Speaker 1: a smoke, and what the hell was he going to do? 441 00:26:08,359 --> 00:26:11,560 Speaker 1: Within minutes, the Newcastle fire crew hustled down Gray Street 442 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:14,480 Speaker 1: the long hose and aimed it at the building engulfed 443 00:26:14,520 --> 00:26:17,680 Speaker 1: in flame. They shot water at the basement, They shot 444 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:20,600 Speaker 1: it at the roof. Groups of no use. The clubs 445 00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:24,240 Speaker 1: were gone. The Marimba, the El Toro and the downbea'd 446 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:28,760 Speaker 1: all had one thing in common, Michael Jeffrey. He owned 447 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:31,480 Speaker 1: all three clubs and was quickly making a name for 448 00:26:31,560 --> 00:26:34,479 Speaker 1: himself and Newcastle as the guy who provided much needed 449 00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:39,520 Speaker 1: entertainment for the younger crowd. Jeffrey's previous nightlife venture, the 450 00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:42,640 Speaker 1: University Jazz Club, wasn't so much of a cash cow 451 00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:45,760 Speaker 1: for the university as it was for Jeffrey. He could 452 00:26:45,800 --> 00:26:51,879 Speaker 1: funnel that cash like nobody's business. It was Cliff Richard 453 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:55,199 Speaker 1: and Lonnie Donegan were charting in the UK. American blues 454 00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:57,320 Speaker 1: and jazz were about to give way to the Golden 455 00:26:57,320 --> 00:27:01,600 Speaker 1: Age of rock and roll an unprecedented British invasion. Jeffrey 456 00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:05,960 Speaker 1: endeavored to build the tiny Empire Blaze sweeps Newcastle Street 457 00:27:06,080 --> 00:27:09,120 Speaker 1: Rex clubs. Read the headline of the Newcastle Evening Chronicle 458 00:27:09,800 --> 00:27:12,600 Speaker 1: the papers report on the investigation of the fire, which 459 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:15,520 Speaker 1: concluded that it had started in the basement fault the 460 00:27:15,520 --> 00:27:19,919 Speaker 1: electrical wiring. Eric Burden called bullshit on that one. He 461 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:23,560 Speaker 1: had a unique point of view. His father, a local electrician, 462 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:26,720 Speaker 1: had recently wired the basement of the building. Nothing was 463 00:27:26,760 --> 00:27:29,359 Speaker 1: wrong with the wiring, nothing was faulty, nothing was going 464 00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:31,800 Speaker 1: to catch fire. The basement was up to code. It 465 00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:35,679 Speaker 1: was copasetic. Something smelled funny and it wasn't just a smoke. 466 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:40,840 Speaker 1: Jeffrey took the huge insurance settlement from the fire and 467 00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:43,600 Speaker 1: used it to fund his latest venue, Club Ago Go, 468 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:46,880 Speaker 1: a bigger and better club, a move to get Newcastle 469 00:27:46,920 --> 00:27:50,240 Speaker 1: on the map. Jeffrey pushed his thick, black framed glasses 470 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:52,359 Speaker 1: up to the top of his nose and buckled down. 471 00:27:52,720 --> 00:27:56,199 Speaker 1: Refused to admit gil, refused to back down, refused to 472 00:27:56,200 --> 00:27:59,440 Speaker 1: look back. He pushed those glasses hard, squashed them right 473 00:27:59,480 --> 00:28:01,480 Speaker 1: up to his know has met his forehead and moved 474 00:28:01,480 --> 00:28:04,680 Speaker 1: the funk on. The British invasion hit and the Club 475 00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:06,560 Speaker 1: of Go Go hosted a who's who of up and 476 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:10,040 Speaker 1: coming bands, The Rolling Stones, the Who, the Yardbirds, the 477 00:28:10,119 --> 00:28:14,280 Speaker 1: Jimmy Hendrix Experience. A year after the fire, Eric Burden 478 00:28:14,320 --> 00:28:17,000 Speaker 1: would form The Animals, and they would find their dedicated 479 00:28:17,040 --> 00:28:20,640 Speaker 1: manager in the form of a local club owner, Michael Jeffrey. 480 00:28:22,720 --> 00:28:26,399 Speaker 1: Jeffrey wasn't necessarily carrying on with little scrutiny. He was 481 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:29,040 Speaker 1: busted by Newcastle cops for a legal possession of a 482 00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:33,240 Speaker 1: cult forty five and nine six one in nineteen sixty three, 483 00:28:33,320 --> 00:28:35,919 Speaker 1: Jeffrey and the club went under the microscope for illegal 484 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:38,320 Speaker 1: gambling at the Club of Go Go, and they lost 485 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:41,200 Speaker 1: their license to serve late night drinks because they weren't 486 00:28:41,240 --> 00:28:44,600 Speaker 1: serving food as well, which was the law. Playing and simple, 487 00:28:45,160 --> 00:28:47,400 Speaker 1: Jeffrey's Downbeat Club was in the hot seat when it 488 00:28:47,440 --> 00:28:50,000 Speaker 1: was discovered the teenagers as young as fourteen years old 489 00:28:50,040 --> 00:28:52,760 Speaker 1: were crashing on the club's floor after late night concerts 490 00:28:52,840 --> 00:28:55,960 Speaker 1: ended around three am. But none of this was gonna 491 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:59,720 Speaker 1: stop Michael Jeffrey. Not a fire not an illegally possessed firearm, 492 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:02,880 Speaker 1: not a legal gambling, not late night drinking. Jeffrey did 493 00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:05,560 Speaker 1: things his way, made plenty of enemies along the way, 494 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:09,320 Speaker 1: and simply pressed on shoot first and ask questions later. 495 00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:15,200 Speaker 1: Actually shoot first and fuck the questions. There wasn't anything 496 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:17,160 Speaker 1: that was going to stand between him and whatever it 497 00:29:17,280 --> 00:29:21,080 Speaker 1: was that he was going to do. Open a club, 498 00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:25,240 Speaker 1: build a scene, score here, score there, nurture artists, whatever 499 00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:28,640 Speaker 1: the goal, whatever the crisis, it didn't matter. Michael Jeffrey 500 00:29:28,640 --> 00:29:31,840 Speaker 1: would sit down, remain calm, push his glasses up to 501 00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:34,600 Speaker 1: the top of his nose, and get ship done. Focus. 502 00:29:35,360 --> 00:29:38,160 Speaker 1: The Newcastle clubs and the animals were just warm ups 503 00:29:38,160 --> 00:29:42,320 Speaker 1: for Jeffrey's biggest act. After co managing Jimmie Hendricks with 504 00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:45,520 Speaker 1: Chas Chandler for years, it was clear that Jeffrey had 505 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:49,280 Speaker 1: a jockey for first place. Cut Chaz loose and take control. 506 00:29:49,920 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 1: Jimmie Hendricks would be the realization of his talents, his shrewdness, 507 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:57,560 Speaker 1: his mysterious shureness, say quad. After all, Jeffrey could do 508 00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:01,400 Speaker 1: just about anything, shrewd, scrappy, see we do, a multitasker 509 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:03,920 Speaker 1: of the highest order who could take care of business, 510 00:30:03,920 --> 00:30:07,280 Speaker 1: no matter how dangerous. And there were so many stories 511 00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:11,880 Speaker 1: that circulated about Jeffrey, some utterly fantastically. The stories were 512 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:14,000 Speaker 1: so insane that it was hard to tell what was 513 00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:16,760 Speaker 1: real and what wasn't. Almost as if some of the 514 00:30:16,800 --> 00:30:19,480 Speaker 1: stories were out there to make Jeffreys seem more impenetrable 515 00:30:19,520 --> 00:30:22,840 Speaker 1: and dominating than he actually was. Maybe he was just 516 00:30:22,920 --> 00:30:26,040 Speaker 1: a man behind a curtain. And there was a time 517 00:30:26,040 --> 00:30:28,360 Speaker 1: he fended off the violent drunks at the club. At 518 00:30:28,360 --> 00:30:30,480 Speaker 1: the time he sent goons from one of the rival 519 00:30:30,520 --> 00:30:34,600 Speaker 1: clubs packing. And then it was that time he thought 520 00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:37,480 Speaker 1: he had met his match when eight guys came after 521 00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:43,080 Speaker 1: him and one of them had an acts I'm Jake 522 00:30:43,120 --> 00:31:00,719 Speaker 1: Brennan and this is the twenty seven Clubs. The twenty 523 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:03,840 Speaker 1: seven Club is scored and co written by me Jake Brennan. 524 00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:07,240 Speaker 1: Zeth Lundi is the lead writer, editor, and co producer. 525 00:31:07,720 --> 00:31:10,360 Speaker 1: The twenty seven Club is mixed and engineered by Sean 526 00:31:10,480 --> 00:31:13,840 Speaker 1: Kalen and Matt Bowden, both of whom lent their considerable 527 00:31:13,960 --> 00:31:16,600 Speaker 1: music talent to the scoring of this series, as well 528 00:31:17,080 --> 00:31:20,920 Speaker 1: additional music and score elements by Ryan Spreaker. The twenty 529 00:31:20,920 --> 00:31:23,520 Speaker 1: seven Club is produced by myself for Double Elvis and 530 00:31:23,640 --> 00:31:27,400 Speaker 1: partnership with I Heart Radio. Sources for this episode are 531 00:31:27,440 --> 00:31:30,160 Speaker 1: available at Double Elvis dot com on the twenty seven 532 00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:33,760 Speaker 1: Club series page. The twenty seven Club is released weekly 533 00:31:33,920 --> 00:31:38,120 Speaker 1: every Thursday. Season one features twelve episodes on Jimmy hendricks 534 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:41,200 Speaker 1: In Season two will feature twelve episodes on Jim Morrison. 535 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:43,520 Speaker 1: If you like what you here, please be sure to 536 00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:46,280 Speaker 1: subscribe to The twenty seven Club on Apple podcast, the 537 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:49,280 Speaker 1: I Heart Radio app, or wherever you get your podcasts, 538 00:31:49,560 --> 00:31:51,320 Speaker 1: and if you'd like to win a free twenty seven 539 00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:54,840 Speaker 1: Club poster designed by the man himself, Nate Gonzalez, then 540 00:31:54,880 --> 00:31:57,680 Speaker 1: leave a review for twenty seven Club on Apple podcasts 541 00:31:57,840 --> 00:32:01,560 Speaker 1: or hashtag Subscribe to twenty seven Club on social media 542 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:04,720 Speaker 1: and we'll pick two winners each week and announce them 543 00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:08,280 Speaker 1: on the Double Elvis Instagram page that's at Double Elvis. 544 00:32:08,520 --> 00:32:10,040 Speaker 1: You're gonna want to give you that a fall up, 545 00:32:10,520 --> 00:32:12,360 Speaker 1: So get out there and please spread the word about 546 00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:15,680 Speaker 1: the club. As always, you can find me blabbing about 547 00:32:15,720 --> 00:32:19,040 Speaker 1: other crazy rock stars on my other podcast, Disgraceland, and 548 00:32:19,080 --> 00:32:21,520 Speaker 1: you can talk to me per usual on Instagram and 549 00:32:21,560 --> 00:32:25,240 Speaker 1: Twitter at this Graceland pod. One way or another. I 550 00:32:25,240 --> 00:32:35,600 Speaker 1: hope to be talking to you soon. Until then, what's up, 551 00:32:35,680 --> 00:32:36,320 Speaker 1: Fear is