The aborted 1/70 BOG show at MSG is one if the strangest chapters in Jimi history. Exactly what went down is shrouded in mystery. All we know for certain is Jimi's condition was dubious and after two songs he refused to continue closing the BOG.

Buddy Miles claimed Mike Jeffery slipped Jimi bad LSD in an effort to embarrass him so he would reform the JHE. Buddy: "my sister and I saw Jeffery slip Jimi two tabs of LSD, and I personally saw Jimi take them. He looked so scared." Jeffery hiring a film crew to document the performance casts doubt on the story. In any event it was obvious things were not well. Johnny Winter was backstage and recalled: "when I saw him it gave me chills. It was the most horrible thing I'd ever seen. He came in with his entourage and it was like he was already dead."

After the second song Jimi cryptically announced "that's what happens when earth fu*ks with space" and refused to continue. Some reports have Jimi sitting on stage with his head in his hands crying. Jeffrey went backstage and fired Buddy on the spot. Billy Cox went home to Nashville.

This isn't your normal rock star shows up too loaded to do the gig though. Listening to the tape it's clear Jimi is not himself but there is some inspired playing during Who Knows. His voice is strange and distant giving everything an strange vibe, even his standard intro to the audience is ominous. Hard to describe other than it has "the spook". Earth Blues is more or less a train wreck though with Jimi distracted and forgetting the words. Footage shows Jimi hunched over in obvious pain. Perhaps the result of poorly manufactured dose of LSD?

Complete recording of show:

Short clip of performance:

Bad trip.

Not even gonna click play.

I'm a huge Jimi fan and never knew of this mess!

He sounded great first like 10 minutes.. but as it went on he sounded so distant and confused , his playing is still top notch but yes... he was off here.

By this time Mike Jeffrey had really sunk his claws into Jimi. He wanted to control him and his decisions.

Jeffrey knew Jimi was worth a lot to him (finance wise) messed up or even dead.

what id give to have seen this man jam ..

They talk a a little about this gig on the Band of Gypsys DVD.

Heard about this when it happened.
Sad state of affairs for sure.

Fortunately, i've got a much happier memory of...

[img:$uid]http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b59/jbodine/Hendrix%20II/518693.jpg[/img:$uid]

...Jimi Hendrix and Madison Square Garden.

The only annoyance for me was the rotating stage.
It also involved Buddy Miles but in his own band.





This would have been my second time seeing him perform live.


Music for adventurous listeners

tA

Tribal Records

[Edited 12/24/11 11:41am]