Do you remember seeing Jimi Hendrix at the Astoria in Oldham?
Date published: 27 November 2017
Richard Houghton, a music historian, is asking for help from fans of legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix who may have witnessed his appearance at the Astoria in Oldham on 22 January 1967.
Mr Houghton, who has written books on a number of groups, including The Beatles and the Rolling Stones, is now researching a book on Jimi Hendrix, trying to tell his story in the words of people who saw him live.
He said: “Had he lived, Jimi Hendrix would have turned 75 in November 2017.
“Tragically he died in 1970 but his music lives on thanks to some of the great songs he left us, including ‘Purple Haze’ and ‘Voodoo Chile’.
“What Jimi is most famous for are his on-stage antics with the guitar - playing it with his teeth, smashing it up and setting it on fire.
“Before his first ever hit Jimi performed at the Astoria Ballroom in Oldham on 22 January 1967 and I would love to hear from anyone who was there.
“This was a chance to see a fabulous guitarist in intimate surroundings because, by the end of his short career, he was playing big festivals like Woodstock and the Isle of Wight to hundreds of thousands of people.”
Mr Houghton can be reached via:
Jimi Hendrix - I Was There is scheduled for publication summer 2018.
