The bands are always searching for an ideal band lineup to guarantee their success. Supergroups are generally composed of a band of musicians assembled from already successful acts. Thus, the supergroups are mainly formed to create something bigger than their members’ previous bands. Some achieved that goal while some others reached the lowest points of their members’ careers.
Artists look for ways to join their forces with the other ones they think can form a powerful union. While some found a way to get together, the history of music also saw legendary musicians almost coming together but failing for various reasons. One of these exciting ideas came from Jimi Hendrix, who planned to form a supergroup with the Beatles’ Paul McCartney. However, things didn’t go as expected.
Why Didn’t Jimi Hendrix Have A Supergroup With Paul McCartney?
Jimi Hendrix and Miles Davis met and became friends shortly before the former’s death. They began jamming and sharing ideas about music. The two also planned to record together, yet their wish to collaborate never came true. They even had some names in their minds, including the Beatles icon Paul McCartney, to include in their supergroup as the bassist.
As the story goes, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, and jazz drummer Tony Williams came together and settled on inviting Paul McCartney to record with them. In 1969, the three sent a telegram to the Beatles’ Apple Records, hoping that McCartney would accept their invitation and enter the studio with them. Later on, they started to wait for the bassist’s answer.
According to Rolling Stone, the telegram they sent to the Beatles’ Apple Records follows:
“We are recording and LP together this weekend in New York. How about coming in to play bass stop call, Alvan Douglas, at 212-5812212. Peace, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, Tony Williams.”
The Beatles’ assistant Peter Brown responded to the telegram the next day and informed them that Paul McCartney was on vacation and wouldn’t be back for two weeks. It is still unknown whether the invitation reached McCartney. It was certainly bad timing for the bassist since he was dealing with many issues in his professional life in the meantime.
However, had he known about it, he wouldn’t probably have missed that opportunity to participate in such a great collaboration. Thus, Jimi Hendrix’s plan to form a supergroup with Paul McCartney failed due to a communication problem. There is no doubt that it would have been one of the most incredible supergroups in rock history.
