Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision, a new film from Experience Hendrix LLC, is due to open at The Quad in New York City on August 9. A global rollout will follow, distributed by Abramorama.
The documentary chronicles the building of what became the first ever artist-owned commercial recording studio, in the heart of Manhattan – although Hendrix had originally envisioned Electric Lady as a nightclub and jam space.
“Jimi loved jamming at The Generation nightclub in the Village and when it went bankrupt, he and [manager] Mike Jeffery purchased it with a view to making it a place for him and his friends to relax and possibly record their jams on an 8-track tape machine in the corner,” explains Hendrix’s engineer and long-time collaborator Eddie Kramer, a key contributor to the documentary.
“I knew at once that a club would be disastrous. I remember saying something like ‘You guys must be out your #$%^&ing minds! Do you have any idea of what Jimi spends in studio time in a year?’ Let’s build the best studio in the world for him so when he walks in, he can relax and record whenever he wants.
“The club idea was scratched, and Electric Lady Studios was born. By June of the next year [1970] Studio A was completed and after a few test sessions Jimi came in to record in his studio. Man, was he proud of it. He loved the way it sounded and its vibe. We recorded many tracks for a new album over the next four months, which became The Cry Of Love. The legacy of what Jimi wanted endures to this day: a place where one could create without being interrupted. Every artist who comes to Electric Lady Studios feels the spirit of Jimi Hendrix, a spirit that helps them create their own music!”
Among the many artists who have subsequently used Electric Lady Studios are Stevie Wonder, John Lennon, David Bowie, U2, Prince, Lana Del Rey, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, D’Angelo, The Clash, Chic, Taylor Swift and AC/DC.
The documentary is directed by Hendrix biographer John McDermott, who also helmed 2022’s Music, Money, Madness: Jimi Hendrix Live In Maui. It features interviews with Steve Winwood (who joined Hendrix on the first night of recording at the new studio), The Cry Of Love bassist Billy Cox and original Electric Lady staff members, plus never-before-seen footage and photos, as well as track breakdowns of “Freedom”, “Angel” and “Dolly Dagger” by Eddie Kramer.