This day in 1966: Former Animals bassist Chas Chandler goes to see Jimi Hendrix play at Cafe Wha? in New York’s Greenwich Village. 

At the time Hendrix was performing under the name “Jimmy James”. In September, Chandler convinced James to accompany him to Britain, which was made possible with the help of Michael Jeffery, who suggested that he revert to his actual name, and later suggested naming the band the Jimi Hendrix Experience. In Britain, Chandler recruited bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell as the other members of the Experience. His enthusiasm fueled Hendrix during the early days, but halfway through the recording of his third album in 1968, Electric Ladyland, much had changed within the band’s framework.

Chandler was a key figure in Hendrix’s rise to critical and commercial success. Chandler provided the young musician with living accommodations and financed the Experience’s first single “Hey Joe”, before they had a recording contract. He was also instrumental in introducing Hendrix to Eric Clapton. It was through this introduction that Hendrix was given the opportunity to play with Clapton and Cream on stage. It was Chandler’s idea for Hendrix to set his guitar on fire, which made national news when this idea was used at a concert at the Finsbury Park Astoria Theatre and subsequently at the Monterey Pop festival. Hendrix’s sound engineer Eddie Kramer later recalled that Chandler was very hands-on with the first two Hendrix albums, adding that “he was his mentor and I think it was very necessary.”

By 1968, Chandler had become fed up with the recording sessions for Hendrix’s album Electric Ladyland, claiming they were self-indulgent. He left management services in the hands of Jeffery during the following year. Chandler then managed and produced the British rock band Slade for 12 years, during which they achieved six number one chart hits in the UK.