Jimi Hendrix Experience – Live At Monterey

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Universal Music
Produced by Lou Adler, John Phillips, John McDermott & Janie Hendrix

After Woodstock ’69 this is probably the most (in)famous Jimi Hendrix Experience gig of their short-lived career, mostly down to the guitar burning finale during Wild Thing by their World renowned frontman and namesake, the late Jimi Hendrix.

The footage of this show, all that exists, has been subject to a new transfer from the original 16mm film, re-edited and for the first time put back in it’s original order. A lick of paint in the shape of a neat animated menu featuring the iconic pose of Jimi kneeling by his flaming guitar, and you’ve got the final word on one of the most historic concerts of all time. This was the night the Jimi Hendrix Experience arrived, and just three years later it would all be over for good.

At the suggestion of Paul McCartney producer and festival co-found Lou Adler invited the Jimi Hendrix Experience to be part of the first Monterey Pop Festival, alongside acts like Otis Redding, Who and The Animals, Jefferson Airplane and Buffalo Springfield. Hendrix was already big in England and Europe, but had yet to crack America. This concert went some way to founding his iconic status in his home nation.

Following a rather timid and clearly unrehearsed introduction from Brian Jones (Rolling Stones) Jimi tears through classics like Killing Floor, Hey Joe and Purple Haze with all the improvisation, extreme skill, and spontaneous strange-noise-making he’s now known for. But at the time this was entirely new territory for the majority of the audience; some of the stunned faces are priceless. It’s very interesting to see how Jimi changes from appearing rather shy, not really knowing what to say, when he’s at the mic between songs, to the extrovert performer everyone loves as soon as he starts to play.

The show was filmed with six cameras, but not everything was filmed with all six. Some songs were only captured by three or four of the cameras while the others were being repositioned or film was being changed. One song, Can You See Me, wasn’t filmed at all. Some of the cameras were better than others, but mostly the footage is excellent for 1967.

For the first time some of the unused camera angles are made available in a bonus feature called “A Second Look”, where it’s possible to switch between different cameras for some of the songs from the show. A nice gimmick once, but you’re unlikely to view it again. You’ve then got two brand new documentaries. The first, “American Landing”, charts the band’s journey from obscurity, through their European successes, up to the Monterey performance via interviews with band mates Mitch Mitchell (drums) and Noel Redding (bass), manager Chas Chandler and even Jimi himself. The second, “Music, Love & Flowers”, looks exclusively at the Monterey Pop Festival with Lou Adler. Again, these are unlikely to warrant a second viewing, but long-time fans will likely be interested to see them, even if “American Landing” doesn’t tell them anything they didn’t already know.

The most attractive of the bonus features is two songs from a never-before-released live recording in Chelmsford, England on February 25, 1967. The two songs, Stone Free and Like A Rolling Stone are the earliest known video recordings of the band to exist. The footage is black and white, and very clear, but the sound leaves a lot to be desired. Nevertheless they are a vital addition to the Hendrix fan’s collection.

The CD doesn’t fare so well. Given the age of the recording, the sound is OK, but not stellar, and without the visual spectacle of the DVD it just sounds like a somewhat average Hendrix soundboard recording. Listening to Jimi Hendrix play live, and watching Jimi Hendrix play live are two very different, and totally incomparable things. Collectors will of course buy both, but any less devoted Hendrix fans should certainly get the DVD and, if a live album is desired, get the Woodstock one.

“ a vital addition ”

Tracklist: Intro / Killing Floor / Foxey Lady / Like A Rolling Stone / Rock Me Baby / Hey Joe / Can You See Me / Wind Cries Mary / Purple Haze / Wild Thing
DVD Bonus Features: American Landing / A Second Look / Music, Love And Flowers: The Monterey Pop Festival / Chelmsford 25/2/67: Stone Free / Like A Rolling Stone
CD tracklist identical to main concert on DVD

Photo(s): Chuck Boyd

Written by Andy Lye
More: Live DVDs, Rock, Jimi Hendrix Experience