May 1967

On May 1, Reprise Records issues the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s debut single in the U.S. During a series of interviews, Jimi addresses the racism he experienced during the Walker Brothers tour and the egregious minstrel-derived images conservative British journalists apply to him. Jet magazine, America’s “Weekly Negro News Magazine,” begins covering Jimi’s success abroad. In studio sessions, the Experience record “She’s So Fine,” “Taking Care of Business,” “Look Over Yonder,” “If 6 Was 9,” and portions of “Burning of the Midnight Lamp.” At the Saville, the band plays a triumphant set to a star-studded audience. Mid-month, Track Records releases Are You Experienced, the most revolutionary album in rock history, to rave reviews. The band spends the second half of the month on a European tour that takes them to West Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. Despite the chart-climbing record releases, intensive press coverage, and ever-expanding audiences, Jimi, Mitch, and Noel can barely survive on the small stipend they’re being paid, which leads them to a showdown with management at month’s end.