Today’s Blimp Time-Hop: Jimi’s Last Interview, Animated

48 years ago today, we lost a legend that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame refers to as “arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music”. Jimi Hendrix left a message on his manager’s answering machine the night before the morning of his death saying, “I need help bad, man.”  He died of asphyxiation on the morning of September 18, 1970. There are plenty of conspiracy theories surrounding his death from suicide to murder. Whatever the truth may be, it is a tragedy that such an amazing creative soul had to go at such an early age.

Here’s Jimi’s last interview. It was done in September of 1970 the week before his death. The audio is brilliantly accompanied by heady animation from the folks at Blank On Blank.

Blank On Blank is a multimedia nonprofit that takes rare unheard interviews with cultural icons and brings them to life in cartoons. This takes theater of the mind to the next level. We don’t just see a cartoon version of a legend answering questions, they take us right inside their heads with images of their thoughts and dreams.

And yup, Jimi did make it to Maine once. Our good friend Danny Caron (Oak) was the drummer in the opening band that night. He told us that Hendrix patted him on the back as they came off stage after their set and complimented his timekeeping skills. OMFG!! Right? Thanks for that precious memory DC!

Here's the setlist from that historic night.