Turn On It, Tune Out, Drop In

Less than a month after Hendrix played a free concert on the slopes of Mt. Haleakela, effectively wrapping principal photography for Rainbow Bridge, the flamboyant rock virtuoso accidentally self-immortalized on a deadly cocktail of red wine and barbiturates, choking on his own vomit in a London flat on September 18, 1970. Within days of Hendrix's death, Mike Hynson, former '60s teen surf prodigy turned indie film producer, got the call from Warner Brothers Studios demanding immediate return of all original footage of Hendrix shot to date. With the lawyers circling, Hynson knew he had to move fast or lose Rainbow Bridge forever. Warner had not only funded the film - a rambling cinematic "happening" loosely based around a spiritual surfing quest - but they also controlled most of Hendrix's music slated for the film's soundtrack. Hynson returned the canned footage. However, unbeknownst to the Warner suits, Hynson and director Chuck Wein had stashed a working print of Rainbow Bridge for safety. ...~from SurferMag