On the heels of Hendrix delivering the completed Band Of Gypsys release to Capitol Records on February 25, 1970, the label quickly jumped into the mastering stage for the record, ensuring its speedy delivery to store shelves.

Hearing news that Kathy Etchingham had just married, Jimi calls her in London to confirm the account. “I hadn’t heard from Jimi for a while and apparently he was having problems,” explained Etchingham in her book Through Gypsy Eyes (Victor Gallancz, 1998). “He had a disastrous gig at Madison Square Gardens and walked off-stage. Around this time someone must have told him about me getting married to Ray. [Jimi] rang to find out if it was true.”

Jimi flies to London where he meets Kathy Etchingham and tries to convince her to leave her new husband and move back to New York, where Jimi assures her, “everything will be all right, all those people I was hanging out with have gone.” With Ray now living with Kathy at her Brook Street flat, Kathy helped get Jimi checked in at the Londonberry Hotel (Park Lane, W1).

While in London, Jimi heads to The Revolution where he attends a performance by Rubber Duck.

Island Studios, London
Studio Recording

Jimi was recruited by Stephen Stills to lend guitar to his upcoming debut solo release, Stephen Stills (Atlantic Records, 1970). Jimi added lead guitar to the track “Old Times, Good Times” and also recorded some additional tracks with Stills that remain unreleased.