Hendrix and the Doors Favorite NYC Nightclub - The Scene

The Scene became famous for many sensational moments in the history of Rock Music as the place where Hendrix and the Doors shaped the music of the Sixties in numerous inspired jam sessions.

It was the brainchild of the dashing idiosyncratic Steve Paul, who was 23 when it opened in 1964.

The club was a cavernous 5000 square foot brick-walled basement of cellar rooms and passageways, located at 301 West 46th Street in New York’s Theater District.

Initially it was a coffee house for actors, musicians and theater workers from Broadway and the growing hippie community.

At this time the only musician in the club was a resident pianist.

Stephen Paul began his career as a publicist for the famed Peppermint Lounge in New York City.   He had a talent for spotting the next big thing in rock music and made his mark on the music scene by being a savvy judge of musical talent.

More than anything The Scene was Mr Paul’s personal vision.   “A childhood dream come untrue” in his typical odd phrase.

In 1966 they shifted the focus to musical acts, which was quite popular as the Youngbloods, the Lovin’ Spoonful, and Blood Sweat and Tears with Al Kooper played some of their earliest gigs there.

BB King played there for two nights and Jimi Hendrix sat in both nights.

Hendrix liked the place and often played long into the night, after most customers had been ushered out and Paul locked the doors.   “Hendrix would completely let himself go” said Johnny Winter.

Jimi found the Scene club irresistible.  Fans did not hassle you there.   It was dark and intimate almost labyrinthine, yet you could go there and party or play and just sit alone and drink.

The first New York performances of the Jimi Hendrix Experience were at the Scene on June 3rd and 4th 1967.

Other acts that followed included  Pink Floyd, Traffic, Fleetwood Mac, Jeff Beck, Led Zeppelin, Ten Years After, the Velvet Underground,  the Lovin Spoonful, the Turtles, the Chambers Brothers, the Young Rascals, Johnny Winter, Stephen Stills and Steppenwolf.

The Doors played for 3 weeks, their first East Coast appearance, becoming the largest draw in the history of the club. Jim Morrison said “I like to hang around Steve Paul and listen to him rap, he’s funny”.

The Scene became a watering hole for the late night superstar, giving over its small stamp-sized stage to after hour jams and visiting dignitaries.

Sammy Davis Jr or Liza Minnelli would burst into an impromptu song or Richard Pryor would tell jokes.

The Scene attracted swarms of jet-setters, Broadway dancers, bikers and Manhattan’s money elite.

It was a refuge for performers, stage hands and artists alike.   Tennessee Williams would often drop by and the place became popular with Andy Warhol and those associated with him including Edie Sedgwick.

Much of the 1970 documentary “Groupies” had been shot at the Scene.

The club closed on July 12th 1969 after Steve Paul’s refusal to pay protection money to the New York mafia.   This resulted from fights being started at the club placing his liquor license in jeopardy.