In this episode, we go there and back again with a very precious club in the 1960s.
1968. A hippy club sees new and established artists performing in a small crowded space. David Bowie, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Captain Beefheart, Jefferson Airplane, The Byrds and T Rex are among the artists gracing the small basement stage at the Middle Earth Club.
Learn more about this story’s themes with these links:
Pooterland has some playbills from the club. Facebook also has some photographs of the club.
David Bowie is performing as a political mime artist at the Middle Earth Club in 1968, and working towards his first alter-ego Ziggy Stardust.
If you want to delve deeper into this subject, you could try here:
Check out Bowie’s painted tear. Bowiewonderworld has information about Bowie’s mime ‘Jetsun and the Eagle’.
Jimi Hendrix blows everyone’s socks off performing at Middle Earth in 1968.
If you like this story and want more information, here are some suggested links:
The Independent has an article about singers trashing their guitars. YouTube has film of Hendrix playing ‘Wild Thing’ in 1967. Music Radar has more of Terry Reid’s interview on the teeth-endangering effect of Hendrix’s guitar-playing.
