Keighley Actor and Filmmaker Shares Experience Amidst LA Fires
Mickey Thompson reflects on the devastation of the recent LA fires while on a trip for his film project
Keighley, California, LA Fires, Mickey Thompson, Jimi Hendrix, Lemmy
California: Mickey Thompson was in California for a trade visit when the fires broke out, causing chaos and heartbreak. It was a tough time, and he felt the weight of it all.
“Everything during the trip was overshadowed by the horrible series of events,” he shared. Those images and experiences? They’re etched in his mind forever.
Just before the fires hit, Mickey was in Pacific Palisades, capturing footage for his YouTube channel. Then, just days later, he found himself in downtown LA, surrounded by ash falling like snow.
“It was absolutely shocking, and truly tragic for so many people, businesses, and animals,” he said. Flying home, he saw the flames still raging across the hills. It was heartbreaking.
Mickey had also planned to attend the Palm Springs International Film Festival. “The festival was superb,” he said, enjoying the industry events at The Hilton Palm Springs.
He attended several meet-ups and panels, finding them very worthwhile. This trip was also part of his prep for a film about the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s visit to the area 60 years ago.
The working title? Lemmy Hendrix. “It’s a historical fact that Ian Kilmister, aka Lemmy from Motörhead, was a guitar tech for the Jimi Hendrix Experience in 1967,” Mickey explained.
What’s less known is whether he worked the Yorkshire shows in Hull, Leeds, and Ilkley, where a legendary gig happened on March 12, 1967. Mickey is using creative license to suggest Lemmy was there.
He’s been diving deep into research and even got permission to film at Ilkley’s Midland pub in March, marking the 58th anniversary of that gig.
“Lemmy Hendrix is now protected under UK and international non-disclosure agreements,” he added. Mickey also got a boost for his production after applying for support from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
“I was surprised they’d never had an application from the creative industries before,” he said. He encourages anyone creating content to look into this funding available in West and North Yorkshire.