Page 52 - Classic Rock (February 2020)

In January 1970, Jimi Hendrix pulled the plug on stardom to chase
a funkier, freer direction with his Band Of Gypsys. In the trio’s brief

existence, they helped redefine the nature of the rock gig.

Words: Bill DeMain

I n his last ever interview, in September 1970, half of them still unfinished and untitled. And
Hendrix himself, dressed down in a blue silk shirt
Jimi Hendrix said: “I have this little saying:
and bell-bottomed jeans, cut a surprisingly
‘When things get too heavy, just call me
helium – the lightest known gas to man.’”
understated figure on stage, eyes closed, digging
Eight months earlier, in that spirit, Jimi
had begun the decade with four New Year deep for fiery licks. His Stratocaster remained
cradled against his hip, never once flying behind
performances at New York’s Fillmore East with his his head or through his legs.
newly formed trio Band Of “I don’t want to be a clown
Gypsys, the ‘helium’ vehicle any more,” Jimi famously
which he assumed carried told Rolling Stone in late ’69.
him away from what he “I don’t want to be “I don’t want to be
called the “ego-tripping” a rock’n’roll star… a rock’n’roll star.” A month
dead end he’d reached with later, he said: “I consider
the Experience, and into I consider myself myself first and foremost
uncharted territory. a musician. My initial success
In a true ‘’Scuse me while first and foremost was a step in the right
I kiss the sky’ moment, a musician.” direction, but it was only
everything about Hendrix a step. A couple of years ago,
seemed up in the air. His Jimi Hendrix in 1969 all I wanted was to be heard;
former bandmates, ‘Let me in’ was the thing. Now
drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding, I’m trying to figure out the wisest way to be heard.”
two white English guys, were replaced by black Engineer Eddie Kramer, who mixed the 1970
Americans Buddy Miles and Billy Cox. Out went album Band Of Gypsys, said: “When Jimi did
the three-minute hits, in came hard funk jams that concerts he was in the embarrassing position of:
expanded to eight minutes or more. The set-list ‘I don’t really want to get down on my knees and
ignored proven favourites in favour of unheard spray lighter fluid on my guitar and put the guitar
songs such as Machine Gun and Who Knows, at least behind my back and play with my teeth, and GETTY

52 CLASSICROCKMAGAZINE.COM