show. And then he died. I’m
I’m like, ‘I’ve got this gig coming
like, ‘Ok, that’s not going to stop up in the Village.’ I was actually
me.’ And this is my 50th year!
playing for free.
I’m trying to talk out loud so
So you started playing his music he can hear and he turned my
while he was still alive?
way. He looked at me and said,
Oh yeah. Matter of fact in No-
“Oh really? What songs are you
vember 1968 - just after the
doing?” I said, “I’m going to do
Electric Ladyland album - is
Purple Haze, Fire…” and then
when I formally did it. We were he put his hand out to stop me
all sitting on the steps of the Per- from talking and he said, “When
forming Arts. Buddy Miles and
you do you, I’ll come and see
Jimi were there with a couple of you play.” That was the most
members of the fan club. I tried profound thing anybody’s ever
to impress him. I was 14 or 15.
said to me.
NJ STAGE - ISSUE 51
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