Frank Mastropolo’s new book, Fillmore East: The Venue That Changed Rock Music Forever looks back on the legendary, short-lived New York City venue
Promoter Bill Graham presented the cream of rock royalty at the historic theater in the East Village. Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, Janis Joplin, The Who, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Led Zeppelin, Elton John and many other stars performed there. (Bestclassicband)
As Relix reports, Mastropolo—a journalist, photographer and former ABC News 20/20 producer—interviewed over 90 musicians and former crew members for an oral history that compiles over 200 performance photos, posters, letters, buttons, contracts and other pieces of memorabilia—many of which were previous unpublished. Jack Casady, Dave Davies, Jorma Kaukonen, Robert Lamm, John Lodge, Nils Lofgren, Dave Mason, Roger McGuinn and Steve Miller are among the 19 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees who contributed to the project. (Several of their reflections from the new volume accompany the images presented in this section.)
And it was not just rock. Says the announcement, “Graham revolutionized the rock concert industry with shows that featured the giants of jazz, blues, soul, R&B, and folk music. Backed by a state-of-the-art sound system and the psychedelic imagery of the Joshua Light Show, performers at Fillmore East electrified fans and recorded many of the best-loved live albums in rock history. And ticket prices never topped $5.50.”
JANIS JOPLIN ON FILLMORE EAST’S OPENING NIGHT, MARCH 8, 1968
Journalist and photographer Frank Mastropolo interviewed more than 90 of Fillmore East’s musicians and crewmembers to write Fillmore East: The Venue That Changed Rock History. Jack Casady, Dave Davies, Jorma Kaukonen, Robert Lamm, John Lodge, Nils Lofgren, Dave Mason, Roger McGuinn and Steve Miller are among the 19 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees who contributed to the book.
The oral history features 200 performance photos, posters, letters, buttons, contracts and memorabilia, many never before published. The book includes a foreword by Joshua White, founder of the Joshua Light Show.
Before it became the Fillmore East, it was called the Village Theater,” says Doane Perry of Jethro Tull. “I went to see The Who. Daltrey was throwing his mic around like a lasso and everything was getting destroyed. And John Entwistle was just quietly standing there immobile, playing the bass. However, Pete was getting increasingly bugged by this girl in the front— there was no visible security whatsoever—and she kept climbing up on the stage right in front of Pete. After about the third time, Pete took his Gibson SG hollow-body and bopped her over the head with it.”
JOHN LENNON AND YOKO ONO SURPRISE JAM WITH FRANK ZAPPA AND THE MOTHERS, JUNE 6, 1971
ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND
“I was playing with the Allman Brothers at the same time I was playing with Johnny Winter,” says Bobby Caldwell, who drummed for Johnny Winter. “The Allman Brothers’ live album was the home run. One of the nights we let the Allmans close instead of us being the headliner. I don’t think it mattered—nobody cared. And I remember not walking out of the Fillmore East until about five in the morning on a couple of those nights. It was really grueling—even if you’re a kid.”
