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A 1968 Pre Woodstock
Michael Lang Production
The Miami Pop Festival with Jimi Hendrix Frank Zappa
Blue Cheer John Lee Hooker Collectible Concert Photos
This Story Is From Issue #87 of Jimpress
magazine
Jimi in Miami
Ken Davidoff gets told off!
It’s 18 May 1968 and Ken Davidoff is a young man learning a trade in his father’s photography business when Jimi Hendrix comes to town. What’s a young man to do? We’ll let Ken tell you in his own words. I got my first camera when I was eight years old and I started taking pictures for my father’s studio when I was about sixteen years old. So, he threw me to the wolves quite early. I was only taught one way to take pictures, my dad gave me this 3.5 Rolli which is a much bigger camera than you see today, the negative is two and a quarter square (about 5.7cm square) as opposed to the double postage size you would see of a 35mm negative. My dad showed me how to use this camera. Mostly it was with a flash, even in the daytime we would use a flash as a fill, to take pictures of people because it was mostly people pictures we were taking in Palm Beach. I wanted to branch out a little bit and I graduated High School in 1966 so you can imagine I was only two years into my photography career when Jimi Hendrix played a concert in Miami that I absolutely had to go to. I went down with some of my friends and I had my 35.5 Rolli, this was way before I learned anything about photography of concerts at night with available light. When you are taking pictures with a 35.5 Rolli you’re limited to the number of pictures you can take by the number of frames on a roll, which is twelve. You can only carry around so many rolls and I was only eighteen years old at the time, maybe even a little younger. I had some black and white film and some colour film but it wasn’t a lot. Had to be very selective with my photography, maybe that made my pictures a little bit better because I had to wait for the moment. In the daytime I did quite a bit of photography but I knew I had to save something for the night. When Jimi came on at night I was only about ten feet from the stage and I was really lucky because back then the Palm Beach Sheriff’s Department issued a media pass and that media pass was like gold, it got me anywhere and everywhere. I was backstage at the concert, not more than ten feet away. Jimi came on stage and the first picture I did was a full length shot and you have to understand, this is not just a dinky flash like you would see on a 35mm camera that’s built in or something like that; the head on this Honeywell flash was probably about four or five inches in diameter and it’s powered by a 510 volt battery that you have to wear on a strap and carry on your shoulder. It weighs a ton. The first picture, BAM!, the flash goes off and I don’t think anything of it, it’s the only way I knew \how to take pictures of concerts at night, I was pretty new at this. In the second picture I moved in for a close up and you can see the flat bed that they were using for a stage and that sort of got in my way because on a twin lens reflex you have to look down into the camera, it was a close-up picture of Jimi and I was only about five or six feet away. BAM! That flash goes off and as soon as that second flash went off I got this evil eye from the guy behind the microphone and he walked up to the microphone again and he looked right at me, I was very close, and he looks at me and he says, in a very slurred voice, “There’ll be no more flash photography” and that sort of shut things down. I was still able to stay there and enjoy the concert but that was the end of my night. I didn’t know what else to do about it so I just stopped taking pictures, if I’d have known…a few years later I figured it out. So, that was the night that Jimi Hendrix gave me what for, shut me down, told me to shut up and sit down, put my camera away. Nothing else I could do about it.
Nevertheless Ken shot some of
the most amazing shots of Jimi that day in Hallandale, not the least of which is
this issue’s cover shot
which shows
Linda Eastman (later to become McCartney, of course) welcoming Jimi and Mitch as
they arrive at the festival scene by helicopter.
Comments From The
Artist That Were There
Here is What
Eric Albronda ( Blue Cheer Original Drummer and Producer) has to share with us
about what happened around and during The 1968 Miami Pop Festival May 18th
1968:
1. What concerts did you do before Miami Pop
1?
Eric Albronda :
MIAMI WAS ABOUT 3/4 THE WAY THROUGH BLUE CHEERS FIRST NATIONAL TOUR
WHICH LASTED A GRUELING NINE MONTHS ---
PREVIOUS TO THIS GIG WE HAD PLAYED THE FILLMORE AUDITORIUM AND AVALON
BALLROOMS IN SAN FRANCISCO , GIGS IN PORTLAND AND SEATTLE AND LOS
ANGELES , DENVER , CHICAGO AND NEW YORK TWICE AD PITTSBURGH AND
DETROIT AND BOSTON AND ORLANDO AND MANY MIDWEST GIGS IN AND AROUND
CHICAGO AS OUR RECORD COMPANY WAS IN CHICAGO, MERCURY RECORDS
RELEASED ON THE PHILLIPS LABEL,
2. How long had Summertime Blues Been Out ?
Eric Albronda:
SUMMERTIME BLUES HAD BEEN OUT SINCE FEBRUARY 1968, IT WAS RELEASED IN
THE WINTER , WOLFMAN JACK BROKE THE RECORD AS WELL AS TONY PIG ON SAN
FRANCISCO'S RADIO STATION KYA IN SAN FRANCISCO, TONY PLAYED DOCTOR
PLEASE , ONE OF THE HEAVIEST DOPE SONGS I KNOW OF FOR THE COMPLETE 12
PLUS MINUTES AT 5:00 PM IN THE AFTERNOON, THIS WAS A STRAIGHT TOP 40
STATION AND HE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY FIRED FOR DOING THIS BUT HE DID NOT
CARE AS HE WANTED TO GO TO WORK AT KMPX , A NEW FM FORMAT RADIO
STATION IN SAN-FRANCISCO WHICH LATER BECME THE PROTOTYPE OF FM MUSIC
STATIONS AT THE TIME.
3. Was that the beginning of the general public getting to know you?
Eric
Albronda :
AT THE TIME OF BLUE CHEERS RELEASE OF SUMMERTIME BLUES THEY HAD ABOUT
50,000 ADVANCE ORDERS BECAUSE THEY HAD PLAYED LIVE EXTENSIVELY IN SAN
FRANCISCO, AND LOS ANGELES AND MOST OF THE WEST COAST , INCLUDING THE
OPENING OF THE DENVER DOG WITH JANIS JOPLIN AS AN ASIDE JANIS LIVED
WITH US IN NEVOTO CALIFORNIA FOR A SPELL AS SHE WAS IN LOVE WITH PAUL
WHALEY THE DRUMMER OF BLUE CHEER----
4. Do you get to do any other gigs with Jimi Hendrix ? Describe the
experience of being on the same bill as
JEH.
Eric Albronda :
WE HAD SEVERAL ENCOUNTERS WITH JIMI AND BAND ----FIRST WOULD HAVE
BEEN THE GIG AT THE SHRINE AUDITORIUM IN LOS ANGELES ON THE BILL WAS
ALSO THE ELECTRIC FLAG WITH MICHAEL BROOMFIELD ---OF PARTICULAR NOTE
WAS THAT JIMI AND NOEL AND MITCH CAME OUT OF THEIR DRESSING ROOM AND
SAT JUST OFF STAGE AND LISTENED TO THE ENTIRE BLUE CHEER SET AND WERE
VISIBLY MOVED AT THE PERFORMANCE ---I WAS STANDING NOT TWO FEET
BEHIND THEM THE ENTIRE TIME ---THE SECOND TIME WOULD HAVE BEEN WHILE
RECORDING AT THE RECORD PLANT IN NEW YORK WITH EDDY CRAMER AS
ENGINEER BOTH BANDS WERE RECORDING ALBUMS AT THE TIME AND EDDY WOULD
PLAY US THE HENDRIX TAPES JUST AS THEY WERE DONE SO WE HERD THE
ENTIRE AXIS , BOLD AS LOVE ALBUM BEFORE IT WAS MIXED AND RELEASED ----
ALSO WE WERE STAYING AT THE SAME HOTEL WHICH WAS THE LINCOLN SQUARE
MOTER INN IN NEW YORK CITY WE CROSSED PATHS SEVERAL TIMES IN THE
LOBBY OF THE HOTEL.
HENDRIX WAS NOT ONE TO SOCIALIZE MUCH, HOWEVER NOEL REDDING BECAME
FRIENDS ---THEN NATURALLY AT THE MIAMI POP FESTIVAL WE HUNG OUT WITH
ALL OF THE MUSICIANS FROM THE SHOW AND LINDA EASTMAN---ALSO IN LOVE
WITH PAUL WHALEY AT THE TIME AND WENT ON THE ROAD WITH US IN THE
MIDWEST IN OUR BUS FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS BEFORE WE SENT HER TO LOS
ANGELES INTO THE GRASP OF PAUL MCCARTNEY WHO HAD BEEN PURSUING HER AT
THE TIME.
5. Was Blue Cheer slated to Play the 2nd day
which got rained out?
Eric Albronda :
YES WE
WERE SCHEDULED AND BY THE WAY THE PROMOTER REFUSED TO PAY ANY
OF THE BANDS IN A MOST RUDE MANNER , NOT TO BE FORGOTTEN BUT THE
SPECIFICS WILL BE LEFT
OUT FOR FEAR OF LEGAL ACTION
6. Did
the band get the chance to do the jam at the Castaways Bar with
Zappa, and Jimi?
Eric Albronda :
WE WERE ALL THERE WHEN THAT WAS GOING ON BECAUSE THE PROMOTER HAD
AN
ENTIRE WING OF THE CASTAWAYS BLOCKED OFF FROM THE PUBLIC ,
PHOTOGRAPHERS AND THE POLICE --A BIG ROOM WHERE WE ALL HUNG OUT AND
SOCIALIZED AND JAMMED -
I DO NOT RECALL BLUE CHEER ACTUALLY PLAYING IN A JAM BUT THAT IS NOT
SURPRISING AS MOST MUSICIANS WERE INTIMIDATED BY THEM AND NOT LIKELY
TO ASK THEM TO PLAY----
7. What was your Impression of The South Florida
area, did they
give you
guys any problems being
LONG HAIRED FREAKS!
Eric
Albronda:
AS I SAID WE WERE COMPLETELY ISOLATED FROM THE PUBLIC AND FELT SAFE
---THEY DID NOT WANT ANY INCIDENTS AS YOU DESCRIBED TAKING PLACE --I
DID MAKE A CAB EXCURSION OUT TO THE MIDDLE OF NO PLACE TO PROCURE
SOIME SMOKE WHICH WAS SOME OF THE BEST I EVER HAD-- COLUMBIAN GOLD ,
AND PANAMA RED ----NOEL REDDING CAME INTO MY HOTEL ROOM AND ASKE IF
HE COULD ROLL ONE AND I NATURALLY SAID YES ---HE PROCEEDED TO ROLL
THE ENTIRE LID IN ONE JOYNT AS ONLY THE ENGLISH COULD DO WITH ABOUT
10 PAPERS AND COMPLETE WITH A FILTER AT THE END ---JUST TOO FUNNY AND
OH SO GOOD .
8. I would like to get a idea of exactly what
your role was with the band at the time of the festival.
Eric
Albronda:
MY JOB WAS TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING EXCEPT ACTUALLY PLAYING
THE MUSIC --I WOULD JAM WITH THEM A LOT ON DRUMS AS THAT WAS MY
INSTRUMENT AND THEY SEEMED TO WELCOME THE CHANGE IN STYLE WHICH I
OFFERED ---
9. I would like to know what Eric Albronda has been doing lately, and briefly for the last 40 years.
Are you still involved in the Blue Cheer ?
Eric Albronda:
YES I AM STILL INVOLVED WITH BLUE CHEER AS TRY AS
I MIGHT SOMETIMES
IT IS NOW PART OF MY SOUL AND I WILL ALWAYS BE PART OF THE BAND ---
THEY NOW MOSTLY PLAY IN EUROPE AND AT FESTIVALS BUT I AM IN PHONE
CONTACT WITH DICKIE A LOT OF THE TIME ----THEY HAVE ASKED ME TO HELP
THEM PRODUCE SOME OF THEIR MUSIC HOWEVER THEY CANNOT PAY ME WHAT I
WOULD REQUIRE AND I ALSO HAVE A LIFE ----I WILL GO INTO THE RECORDING
STUDIO ON OCCASION ABOUT EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS TO DO ONE PROJECT OR
ANOTHER AS CAN BE SEEN AT THE FOLLOWING :
http://www.bluecheer.us/archive/ericalbronda.htm
MY GOOD FRIEND GEORGE MICHALSKI WAS THE MUSIC DIRECTOR FOR THE NASH
BRIDGES TV SHOWS AS HE IS TIGHT FRIENDS WITH THE ACTOR DON JOHNSON
SO WE WOULD GO INTO THE STUDIO AND RECORD BITS AND PIECES FOR THE
SHOW --THAT WAS GREAT FUN----I ALSO HAVE A BUSINESS OF RETAIL
CLOTHING WHICH I IMPORT FROM INDONESIA, NEPAL, ECUADOR AND NEW
ZEALAND --MOSTLY I DO CRAFT FAIRS IN CALIFORNIA AND OREGON----WEB
SITE FOR BUSINESS: http://www.vickibrennerent.com/
FOLLOWING IS A STATEMENT OF THE TIME OF THE MIAMI POP FESTIVAL-
AS A CO FOUNDER OF THE BAND BLUE CHEER I ALWAYS FELT THAT THERE WAS A
TRUE MUSIC RENAISSANCE AT THE TIME AND MANY OF THE ESTABLISHED
BOUNDARIES IN MUSIC WERE BROKEN AND NEW AND EXCITING MUSIC CAME OUT
OF THAT ERA.
BLUE CHEER HAS BEEN DUBBED AS THE ORIGINATORS OF HEAVY METAL MUSIC
AND I BELIEVE THIS IS TRUE.
NEEDLESS TO SAY THE MIAMI POP FESTIVAL WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST EVENTS
EVER AND I FEEL SO LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN PART OF THAT EVENT . RUBBING
ELBOWS WITH HENDRIX, ZAPPA , JOHN LEE HOOKER , LINDA EASTMAN ( NOT
ELBOWS IN HER CASE), AND THE REST WAS MOST ASSUREDLY THE MOST
EXCITING TIME OF MY MUSIC LIFE.
ERIC ALBRONDA
More Stories and History Coming
