Jimi Plays Monterey 37 years old

It's no exaggeration to say this might be the most intense and groundbreaking 45-minute performance in the history of rock. Jimi Hendrix's debut American set at 1967's Monterey Pop Festival is generally considered one of the most radical and legendary live shows ever. Virtually unknown to American audiences at the time, even though he was already an established entity in the UK, Hendrix and his two-piece Experience explode on stage, ripping through blues classics "Rock Me Baby" and Howlin' Wolf's "Killing Floor," interpreting and electrifying Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone," debuting songs from his yet-to-be-released first album and closing with the now historic sacrificing/burning of his guitar during an unhinged version of "Wild Thing" that even its writer Chip Taylor would never have imagined. Hendrix uses feedback and distortion to enhance the songs in whisper-to-scream intensity, blazing territory that had not been previously explored with as much soul-frazzled power.

Credits

George Harrison as Himself (archive footage)

John Lennon as Himself (archive footage)

Ringo Starr as Himself (archive footage)

Paul McCartney as Himself (archive footage)

Mick Jagger as Himself (archive footage)

John Phillips as Himself

Jimi Plays Monterey Cast

Name	Character
George Harrison He was 43, 58 years old when he died	as Himself (archive footage)
John Lennon He was 46, 40 years old when he died	as Himself (archive footage)
Ringo Starr He was 46, now 84 years old	as Himself (archive footage)
Paul McCartney He was 44, now 82 years old	as Himself (archive footage)
Mick Jagger He was 43, now 81 years old	as Himself (archive footage)
John Phillips He was 51, 59 years old when he died	as Himself
Janis Joplin She was 43, 27 years old when she died	as Herself (archive footage)
Jimi Hendrix He was 43, 27 years old when he died	as Himself
Brian Jones He was 44, 27 years old when he died	as Himself (archive footage)
Noel Redding He was 40, 57 years old when he died	as Himself
Denny Dent He was 38, 55 years old when he died	as Street Painter
Mitch Mitchell He was 39, 61 years old when he died	as Himself
Charles Shaar Murray He was 35, now 73 years old	as Himself - Commentary

Jimi Plays Monterey Crew

Name	Department
Albert Maysles as Cinematography. He was 59 (88) years old when He died	Crew
Chris Hegedus as Director. She was 34 (now 72) years old	Directing
Chris Hegedus as Editor. She was 34 (now 72) years old	Editing
Frazer Pennebaker as Executive Producer.	Production
Nick Doob as Cinematography.	Crew
Alan Douglas as Editor. He was 55 (82) years old when He died	Editing
Alan Douglas as Producer. He was 55 (82) years old when He died	Production
Barry Feinstein as Cinematography. He was 55 (80) years old when He died	Crew
Roger Murphy as Cinematography. He was 289 (80) years old when He died	Crew
Nicholas T. Proferes as Cinematography.	Crew
David Dawkins as Editor.	Editing

Jimi Plays Monterey (37 years)

Release day: Friday, October 16, 1987
Runtime: 50 minutes