How A Coin Flip (on a street famous for something else) Became An Experience

17 Savile Row. Photo Credit: Rock Tour London

Freddy Bienstock was a Swiss born Jewish immigrant to New York City that landed a position as a stock controller at the music publishing house of Chappell & Co. After some time and hard work, he moved his way up the ranks and was eventually promoted to song plugger.

By the 60s, devoted and ambitious, Beinstock realized pop music was a commodity that could be bought, sold and replaced when it got tired. This ephiphany soon propelled him into the orbit of Colonel Tom Parker at which point he devoted all his energies to Elvis Presley.

A self admitted "no fan of rock and roll," that attitude changed as Freddy would vet and collect demos from the legendary Brill Building (where there existed an assembly line churning out hits) and deliver them to Memphis. Eventually, Elvis became so confident in Freddy's ability to pick a hit, it's said he wouldn't consider anything unless it came from Beinstock. In fact, when Presley came upon an old Italian ballad called O Sole Mio, it was Freddy he turned to to have Engllsh lyrics written. That exericse went on to become the Presely hit It's Now Or Never.

Bienstock bought the English company, Belinda Music Publishing and renamed it Carlin in the 1960s taking him to London and culminating in his setting up shop at 17 Savile Row. Set amongst the neighborhood tailors this location was just at the other end of the block from number 3, (that the Fab Four made famous). From this office he worked closely with Cliff Richard, The Kinks, the Move, The Animals and Genesis, just to name a few.

Chaz Chandler, having worked with Freddy during his time with The Animals, called upon his friend for permission to use the rehearsal space housed in Freddy's offices. On 6 October 1966, Chandler and his new protege held auditions to fill the final place in a new band they were forming. They needed a drummer. At the end of the day and after auditioning several possibilities, Chandler, Hendrix and Jimi's then girlfriend, Cathy Etchington, stood in front of that office awaiting a taxi and trying to decide on which guy to choose. Chaz and Jimi both like the same two candidates; Aynsley Dunbar and Mitch Mitchell. Debating over the two and unable to decide, Hendrix suggested they just flip a coin.

As they got in the cab and just before the door closed, Chandler did just that. Mitch Mitchell won the toss and The Jimi Hendrix Experience was formed....in the back of that black cab parked in front of 17 Savile Row.

Hey Joe was released in December of that same year.

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