A hidden audio gem from 1967 will hit the auction block at Ewbank’s in Surrey on May 22. This three-minute chat with Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd’s Richard Wright could fetch £17,000 for its full set of items.
John Altman, who shot to fame as “Nasty” Nick Cotton in EastEnders, caught this slice of music history as a teen at Central Hall, Chatham, on December 1, 1967. “We arrived early at Chatham, Central Hall, and helped the roadies carry in the gear. The stage door closed, and there we were locked in with all these rock stars,” said Altman to .
He skipped school to help the roadies and meet the rock stars. Now, he wants to share the interview with others.
The tape catches Hendrix musing about his short run with The Monkees. His words cut straight to the point: “It wasn’t the kids who didn’t like us, it was the parents, you know, they’d complain and all this mess.” In the recording, Rick Wright also praises the audience at a previous Bristol gig.
This treasure trove includes ink on paper from Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters and Syd Barrett, plus The Who’s marks. A signed Fleetwood Mac ticket sits among prized albums from David Bowie and Turnstyle.
This chat took place during a wild three weeks when Hendrix blazed through Britain. The tour bus rolled with Pink Floyd, The Move, Amen Corner, The Nice, The Outer Limits, and Eire Apparent in tow.
The world waits to hear these sounds for the first time. Altman puts it simply: “I thought it would be nice to share the joy of an amazing interview that no one else in the world would otherwise have the chance to hear.”
