This label was set up at the instigation of Ed Chalpin (who was acting as curator for the Mike Jeffery Estate – see Radioactive page).
Chalpin was doing all this in an attempt to draw fire from Experience Hendrix over the issue of rights to Jimi’s music (and to make some money on the side). He was in league with of all people John Hillman, the solicitor who had initially set up Yameta with his partner Sir Guy Henderson back in the mid-60s as an off-shore entity in order to avoid losing money (generated by The Animals, The Jimi Hendrix Experience,…) to the severe U.K. tax system. Hillman’s angle was that Yameta still had the rights to Jimi’s music! All rubbish of course.
Some of the following albums also appeared on the Cadiz (Sony) label in Germany and on Phantom in the States.
THE RAINBOW BRIDGE CONCERT ♥♥♥
Released 2002 (Purple Haze Records)
CD 1 “The Early Show”– Lover Man/Hey Baby/In From The Storm/Message To Love/Foxy Lady/Hear My Train A Comin/Voodoo Child (Slight return)/Fire/Purple Haze
CD 2 “The Late Show” – Dolly Dagger/Instrumental/Ezy Ryder/Red House/Freedom/Jam Back At The House/Land Of The New Rising Sun
If you have seen the dreadful “Rainbow Bridge” film you will know that the only real interest in the document is the last sequence featuring Jimi’s gig on the slopes of the volcano Haleakala on the Island of Maui, Hawaii (30 July 1970). Rainbow Bridge was the name of a meditation centre on the island I think. A famous bootleg (“Last American Concert”*) featuring some of these recordings was treasured by the lucky few who managed to get hold of it. Many bootleg releases have featured recordings from the two sets performed on the day.
During the recording, there were some technical problems and Mitch Mitchell had to later overdub his drum parts for the film soundtrack. Of those improved tracks, “Hey Baby/In From The Storm” appeared on the MCA 4 CD Box Set and “Foxy Lady” has been included on the MCA compilation called “Voodoo Child”. This Purple Haze Records release features the tracks that were retouched for the film and is completed by the original tapes (with the drums and Jimi’s vocals being rather muffled). On some tracks, Mitch’s drums are practically inaudible, with only his snare to heard and vibrating from the amp noise.
The first set is delivered like a real gig whereas the second is more of a loose jam for the most part. I beleive it is the most complete presentation of the show so far. The “Hey Baby” from the first set is complete, thanks to patched-in audience tape. On some numbers, only Mitch’s snare drum can be heard behind Jimi and Billy.
Even though the sound is not top notch here, this is a valuable record of 1970 Jimi, finding him enthusiastic and on form. The sound quality in fact varies, “Purple Haze” comes across very well for example. Great versions of “Hear My Train” and “Voodoo Child” here. For “Fire”, Jimi slips in riffs from “Outside Woman Blues”/”Sunshine Of Your Love”. Between “Dolly Dagger” and “Ezy Ryder”, there is a nice improvisation around “Villanova Junction Blues”, similar to the one on “Live At Woodstock” but Jimi takes it a bit further with some flamenco at the end. The brief “Jam Back At The House” (“Beginning”), goes into some of “Straight Ahead”. The last track is a jam which begins as “Hey Baby” before going into the riffs of “Midnight Lightning” and “Race With The Devil”, the original of which was a big hit in 1968 by the group Gun. Unfortunately, the first track “Lover Man” skips alarmingly just at the end of the guitar break.
This album was also released on two seperate vinyls, one for “The Early Show”, the other for “The Late Show”, even as picture discs also.
*These weren’t the very last American shows, the band played two days later at Honolulu International Centre on the island of Ouah.
THE COVER
A flamboyant abstract illustration (by Steg who does all Purple Haze covers). Source images seem to be the “Rainbow Bridge” cover and a Santa Clara 1970 photo. A great illustration – 8/10
> In 2008, the Mike Jeffery estate put out a more complete version of these recordings as “Complete Rainbow Bridge” on the Rock Of Ages Label.
> In 2020, Experience Hendrix finally released the restored live recording and all the surviving footage of the Maui performances as Live In Maui (Sony Legacy), thus rendering this and the Rock Of Ages release rendundant (except for keen collectors).
AXIS OUTTAKES ♥½
Released 1969 (Track)
Released 2003 (Purple Haze)
CD1 – Spanish Castle Magic,Little Wing, You’ve Got Me Floating, She’s So Fine (Redding), Little Miss Lover, Bold As Love, Takin’ Care Of No Business, South Saturn Delta, Cat Talkin’ To Me, The Stars That Play With Laughing Sam’s Dice, Takin’ Care Of No Business
CD2 – Dream (Redding), Dance (Redding/Mitchell), Little One (Take 1), Little One (Take 2), Driving South (Robert Petway), Jazz Jimi Jazz, Tax Free (Hanson/Karlsson), Somewhere, Cherokee Mist (not by Hendrix), Three Little Bears
As the title attests, these are “outtakes” so don’t expect highly finished productions here. This is audio archeology for the hardened fan as we get the chance to hear work-in-progress, around the time “Axis” was being put together. Sound quality is mostly poor and there are only really one or two interesting moments in there.
“Spanish Castle Magic” – A ridiculous choice as the opener as the sound quality is very muffled. Apart from that it doesn’t sound that much different to the master.
“Little Wing” – Identical to the version presented on the MCA box set.
“You Got Me Floating” – Drums are practically inexistant but the track doesn’t differ much from the master apart from the inferior sound quality.
“She’s So Fine” – An earlier version of the song with different vocal track from Noel and it is without the falsetto backing vocals.
“Little Miss Lover” – Alternate vocal and guitar from Jimi (with the wolf whistle opening), before the song fades out quickly (this track had previously appeared on Univibes’ “Calling Long Distance”).
“Bold As Love” – A nice raw vocal on this but a more rudimentary arrangement. Too fast and muffled.
“Takin’ Care Of No Business” – The first is identical to the box set version (apart from some opening chat which has been patched in). The second version features Chas Chandler’s 1987* brass overdubs, which one can presume were intended at the initial recording stage. They work perfectly. Nice work Chas.
“South Saturn Delta” – A disposable and tedious early take with good sound but without the brass section that Jimi later added (see the album of the same name). It goes on and on with the basic riff, without any soloing.
“Cat Talkin’ To Me” – Good sound quality again and this is a sketch of a song with Mitch providing the voice (1987 overdub again). He sings, or rather speaks as an alien observing Earth (like with Jimi’s mutterings on “Third Stone From The Sun”). Mitch had been a T.V. child actor in his youth, notably as the schoolboy “Jennings”.
“Stars That Play…” differs little from the master except that it’s a muffled mix.
The second CD is really made up of bonus material, the tracks being recorded after the completion of “Axis”.
“Dream” – this brief Redding song is pure sixties psychedelia (very Beatles inspired). It appeared also on the official Noel Redding tribute “The Experience Sessions”.
“Dance” – A vocal by Mitch Mitchell ! Songwriter credits go to Redding/Mitchell and this has a basic riff that Jimi would later incorporate into “Ezy Ryder” !
“Little One (Takes 1&2)” – Guest star here is Dave Mason of Traffic (and not Brian Jones as often reported) on sitar and slide guitar. These are instrumental outtakes of the Noel Redding song “There Ain’t Nothing Wrong” (as the 2003 “Experience Sessions” revealed – see Posthumous Studio releases 2000+). Take 2 puts the spotlight more on Mason as only Jimi’s rhythm track is present.
“Driving South” – Jimi unfortunately seems to have guitar trouble and drops out for most of the track ! When he comes back in, the band briefly go into a ragged “Sgt. Peppers” before grinding to a halt.
“Jazz Jimi Jazz” – Perhaps the most interesting track here. It perhaps dates from June 1968 and features Buddy Miles on drums.
“Tax Free” and “Somewhere” – Rough mixes of the familiar masters with minor differences, but sometimes with overdubs that were buried or effaced for the “final” master. “Tax Free” has the original drums (and cowbell) by Mitch before he overdubbed a new drum track in 1971.
“Cherokee Mist” – It isn’t that at all ! It’s a studio version of … “God Save The Queen” of all things ! I thought it was a bit dodgy and I later discovered, on the official Hendrix site, that it was in fact the work of an imposter (Hendrix biographer David Henderson I think) who managed to sell it to Alan Douglas ! He later confessed that it was a fake. Purple Haze Records, I imagine, weren’t aware of this.
Three Little Bears” – Older fans know this from “War Heroes” (and more recently the “Merry Xmas” maxi) but here it goes into a long relaxed jam improvisation, incorporating a little of “South Saturn Delta” and a coda similar to “Little Wing”. The original Kramer edit was better.
*Tapes had been found at Olympic Studios so Chas called in The Experience rhythm section to complete or enhance the recordings. These and further recordings circulated as the bootleg “Studio Haze” and some tracks turned up in 2010 on the official “Valleys Of Neptune” album.
THE COVER
A good illustration which echoes the “Axis” cover, with Cherokee Jim resplendent in a Native American head-dress – 9/10
STOCKHOLM CONCERT ♥♥♥
Released 2004 (Purple Haze)
CD1 – Killing Floor (Burnett), Spanish Castle Magic, Fire, Hey Joe (Roberts), Voodoo Child (Slight Return), Red House, Sunshine Of Your Love (Bruce, Brown,Clapton)
CD2 – I Don’t Live Today, Spanish Castle Magic, Hey Joe (Roberts), Voodoo Child (Slight Return), Sunshine Of Your Love (Bruce, Brown,Clapton), Red House (Jimi Hendrix), Fire, Purple Haze, Star Spangled Banner (Francis Scott Key)
In December 68 the band had finished an American tour at Chicago (after the famous Winterland concerts of the previous October). During the month of January 69, after the legendary Lulu Show TV appearance, they embarked on a 14 date tour of Europe and this is the second date of their schedule. This is at the Konserthuset, Stockholm, 9th January 1969 (two shows). The shows were professionally recorded but here there is too much treble and Noel’s bass is too strong. It could do with a remix.
Jimi had sound problems on the night and was not in a good mood during the first set and he put in a rather lacklustre performance. It sounds more like a soundcheck, as Jimi just goes through the motions with little enthusiasm. The set just drags along with only “Red House” retaining relative interest. Jimi got so fed up with the eqiuipment on “Voodoo Child” that he quit the stage, leaving Mitch and Noel to solo on until his return. The band later ran out of time and quit the stage in a huff. This was the last time that The Experience played “Killing Floor” (Jimi revived the song at Gothenburg and Fehmarn Island during the 1970 European tour).
Noel confessed in an interview later that the band were in a fowl mood because they had no drugs. They had been drinking schnapps before the shows which made Jimi moody (as alcohol usually did according to Noel). After the shoddy first show, Noel nipped out into the streets to find some drugs to perk them all up. He found what he was looking for and the mood certainly picks up for the second set but the band are still not totally together. Interesting versions of “Hey Joe” and “Voodoo Child” which has a good improvised ending before the band rip into “Sunshine Of Your Love” with gusto. However it soon drops into dreary bass and drum solos. Jimi often switched to a Gibson (Flying V or Les Paul) for “Red House”, but here one can appreciate the biting tone of his white Gibson SG. Unfortunately it is far from one of his best versions of the song. The set then plods on with little excitement and a final and dreadfully dull “Star Spangled Banner”. This was early in the tour of course and the band evidently weren’t yet back on form. A pity that all the equipment was in place for such a disappointing evening. There of course some good guitar moments along the way so it remains an interesting Hendrix document for hard core fans.
The setlist on this tour was somewhat modifed and three days later at Hamburg, the band opened their set with “Are You Experienced” and “Johnny B. Goode” and went on to regularly include “Come On”. Ahead lay the brilliant Albert Hall concert in February, before the band flew to the States, for a tour which led to their eventual demise at Denver in June.
One can hear other dates from this brief tour on the official site – see Links.
The first show was video taped but unfortunately the camera crew packed up and left before the second show! That video can be found quite easily and some of it is featured on the video/DVDs “Experience” and “Band Of Gypsys” (see Film section).
THE COVER
Jimi plays and the atmosphere explodes into burning fire. Nice one Steg – 9/10
NO MORE A ROLLING STONE ♥♥♥♥
Released 2004 (Purple Haze)
CD1 – LIVE AT THE MONTEREY POP FESTIVAL ’67
Killin’ Floor (Chester Burnett), Foxy Lady, Like A Rolling Stone (Bob Dylan), Rock Me Baby (B.B.King & Joe Josea), Hey Joe (Williams Roberts), Can You See Me, The Wind Cries Mary, Purple Haze, Wild Thing (Chip Taylor)
CD2 – LIVE IN STOCKHOLM ’67
Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Lennon & McCartney), Fire, The Wind Cries Mary, Foxy Lady, Hey Joe (William Roberts), I Don’t Live Today, Burning Of The Midnight Lamp, Purple Haze
A very cheeky release by Purple Haze of the officially deleted Monterey* and Stockholm (“Stages 67”) recordings. Haven’t heard this version of these tapes, so I can’t assess the sound quality. A nice idea to club together these two contrasting 1967 live sets, Stockholm quite measured and precise, Monterey in total abandon.
*The Monterey set is of course available officially as “Live At Monterey”.
THE COVER
Steg captures the visual and sonic excitement of the Seattle Flash (I made that up remember) – 10/10
ARE YOU EXPERIENCED AND MORE ♥♥♥♥♥
Released 2004 (Purple Haze)
CD1 – ARE YOU EXPERIENCED (version)
Foxy Lady, Manic Depression, Red House (Version 2), Can You See Me (Version 2), Love Or Confusion, I Don’t Live Today, May This Be Love, Fire, 3rd Stone From The Sun, Remember, Are You Experienced.
CD2 – THE ARE YOU EXPERIENCED SESSIONS
1-2. Manic Depression, 3. Red House (Version 1- raw vocal), 4-8. Can You See Me, 9-13. I Don’t Live Today, 14-18. Fire,19-24. Remember
A daring release from Purple Haze and quite a good idea to put out the first album by The Experience without the addition of the singles and B-sides for once. Unfortunately for maniacs like me though, the same error has been made here as on the 1992 Alan Douglas re-release: “Red House” and “Can You See Me” are featured in their second release versions (initially only on the US “Smash Hits”), and not the original “Are You Experienced” versions! Perhaps the Douglas remasters were used?. Okay, “Red House” (version 1) is on the second CD in its raw form and “Can You See Me (2)” differs very little from the first released version, but this set is really aimed at true fans so it’s a shame that more care wasn’t taken in the compiling. The original mono mix might also have been a better idea.
The bonus CD of outtakes is of obvious interest to collectors. The sound quality is excellent (unlike many of the “Axis Outtakes” already released by Purple Haze). Most recordings lack vocals as the band work to lay down mainly rhythm tracks. Many takes fall apart or cut out, but just about every sequence ends with a complete version carrying vocal and guitar overdubs.
That “Red House”, as I said, is in fact the original raw take of the version that went on to the first U.K. album. At the beginning, you can hear Chas say “Hey Jimi, do you want try that thing you were doing at the flat this afternoon ?”(Jimi and Chas were sharing a flat at the time*). At the end of that historic blues you could hear Jimi say “How’s that one ?” and on this disc (like on the original mono “Are You Experienced”) we hear Chas reply “Great, I think we should put that on …”! This particular recording is without the slight vocal echo that Chas added to the album track.
The second instrumental “Manic Depression” has a nice raw guitar solo and wild ending. The last “Can You See Me” is a nearly finished “Version 2”. The vocal-less track 12, “I Don’t Live Today”, is a nice raw cut with some great guitar. The following “I Don’t Live Today” features a double tracked vocal (unlike the single vocal track on “AYE”) and is close to the finished master. “Fire” goes on and on with a rudimentary sound until we hear a nice complete instrumental version. Finally, six takes of “Remember” which end again with a near finished version, featuring the actual abrupt ending rather than the album’s fade out.
Big error in the sleeve notes which confuses “In From The Storm” with “I Don’t Live Today”!
*In the early days of The Experience, Jimi lived with Chas and his wife in their London flat. In one interview, Chas remembered that Jimi was practically never without his guitar. He’d cook with it on, even go to the loo with it, because he liked the sound in there ! Practice makes perfect.
THE COVER
A nice re-looking of the first album and that is a different shot of Jimi. Inside, there is a jovial black and white portrait of the band from an initial photo session for the album cover, that Jimi liked (but Chas rejected). – 8/10
AM I BLUE ♥♥
Released 2004 (Purple Haze)
CD 1 – Lord I Sing The Blues For You And Me, Country Blues, Villanova Junction Blues, Stray Blues
CD 2 – Voodoo Chile, Three Little Bears / South Saturn Delta, Once I Had A Woman, Cherokee Mist/In From The Storm/Valleys Of Neptune, Hear My Train A Comin’ (Berkeley)
Yet another Purple Haze release for 2004 and this appeared in the shops at the same time as the announcement of Dagger’s “Hear My Music” (see Posthumous Studio Releases – 2000+).
Many familiar studio outtakes here, some of which, unfortunately for Purple Haze, were compiled only a few months earlier on the “Villanova Junction” album on the (unofficial) Burning Airlines label (link at top of Unofficial Releases page).
It’s annoying that “3 Little Bears” is included on this release as it has already appeared on “Axis Outtakes” on this label. Difficult to understand why it turns up here again. It was on “Villanova Junction” as well.
Other tracks we have had before: we know “Country Blues” of course from the MCA box and “Martin Scorsese Presents” (and a host of bootlegs), but here the track is much longer as we hear it go into riffs from “Astro Man”. The track finally fades out as Jimi goes into “Hey Baby”. That “Cherokee Mist” is the same as the MCA Box version but here it eventually breaks down before the band go into a basic rhythmic run through of “Valleys Of Neptune” (which I know with poorer sound on the “Acoustic Jams” bootleg).
Three other tracks, “Voodoo Chile”, “Once I Had A Woman” and “Hear My Train A Comin’ (Berkeley) are on the official “:Blues” compilation.
So apart from all those duplications, what else is there to offer? There is the great opener, “Lord I Sing The Blues For You And Me”, which is an interesting blues jam (September 6, 1969) with Jimi backed by Larry Lee, Mitch and Billy. It cuts in with Jimi working out on what sounds like his Gibson SG, then after about 3 minutes he lets Lee take a solo (for 40 seconds) before he comes back in brilliantly. He also puts in a brief but powerful vocal. I know this from the “Drone Blues” and “Diamonds In The Dust” bootlegs (listed as “Crying Blue Rain” on the latter). The jam is listed as simply “Blues For You And Me” in the Ultimate Hendrix book (McDermott/Kramer/Cox) which informs us that Alan Douglas had pencilled it in for an abandoned blues compilation to be titled “Multicolored Blues” (it ended up as “:Blues”) and he had also considered including it on the “Nine To The Universe” L.P. in the early 80s.
The great “Villanova Junction Blues” (as detailed in the review of the album on my Burning Airlines page) appeared soon after on the Dagger Records jam album “Burning Desire” but chopped up into three tracks.
Finally, “Stray Blues” (a.k.a. “Dancing Blues”, “Winter Blues”, “Hollywood/Duet Jam” and “Devil Blues”!) is a diving blues jam. In his book, Noel Redding says that he is the second guitarist on the track!
Apart from the fact that so many tracks here have already been seen before (and the unfortunate inclusion of “Three Little Bears” again) this is a collection of very good jams with excellent sound quality.
THE COVER
An original treatment, very nice – 8/10
AN EVENING WITH THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE ♥♥♥♥♥
Released 2005 (Purple Haze)
CD1 – Hear My Train A Comin’ (Afternoon Sound Check), Room Full Of Mirrors (Afternoon Sound Check), Bleeding Heart (Afternoon Sound Check), Concert Intro, Lover Man, Stone Free, Hear My Train A Comin’, I Don’t Live Today, Red House, Foxy Lady
CD2 – Sunshine Of Your Love, Bleeding Heart, Fire, Little Wing, Voodoo Chile (Slight Return), Room Full Of Mirrors, Purple Haze, Wild Thing, Star Spangled Banner
Experience Hendrix had been too slow to serve up quality live recordings of The Jimi Hendrix Experience (nothing in fact at this point in time, apart from tracks on the MCA box and the mail order only Dagger releases). Purple Haze Records came up with the goods again with this very neat presentation of the Royal Albert Hall ’69 gig. This superb concert, perhaps the best ever recording of the band in action, has never received a fully satisfying treatment but at last someone has got it right.
This is of course The Experience during their final months where Jimi had stopped prancing around on stage (apart from the odd posture here and there) adopting a more concentrated approach to live performances. His playing is spot on apart from a couple of little lapses (sound system and tuning problems) near the end where he perhaps reluctantly became the “Wild Man” again, for the good of the occaision (the band’s UK farewell).
Extracts of these recordings have been released on many albums since the early seventies, beginning with Ember’s “Experience – Film Soundtrack” and Polydor’s “Hendrix In The West” right up to Charly’s “The Last Experience” of 2002. The latter in fact had already offered the complete gig for the first time but was ruined by too many weak bonus tracks.
On this release the bonuses are three fabulous afternoon soundchecks that I had never come across before. The brilliant version of “Hear My Train” clocks in at nine minutes and on the four minute “Room Full Of Mirrors”, Jimi goes into a brief rap about his relationship with his half-brother Leon (11 days earlier in New York he had sung a similar lyric during a jam with Larry Young, now known as “It’s Too Bad” on the MCA box and “Martin Scorcese” blues compilation). Finally we are treated to another staggering rendition of “Bleeding Heart” and although the band stop after around four minutes, it’s almost as good as the concert version.
Then we get the entire concert in all its glory. I quickly compared it to “The Last Experience” and the sound here appears to be a little more upfront (Noels buzzing bass is perhaps a little too strong). The sleeve says that this is the first time all the inter-song chat has been released but there are fade outs after some songs. One little thing I did notice is that “Bleeding Heart” is missing one of the two opening blurts that are on some releases (the original “Experience” and my French CD on Versailles for example). How’s that for attention to detail!
There is some truly amazing music on this album. Relations within the band might have been strained at the time but here, the guys rise to the occasion, their playing meticulous and controlled and though the atmosphere is a little stilted (compared to earlier gigs), and the fact that it is unofficial, it wins the title as perhaps the best ever Hendrix live album.
Tracks seen before on “Experience – (Motion Picture Soundtrack)”, “More Experience”, “Hendrix In The West”, “The Jimi Hendrix Concerts”, “Albert Hall Experience”, “The Last Experience”, the MCA box set plus a multitude of other releases on various labels (see Live Releases 2000 section for details).
THE COVER
A montage of a Monterey photo merging into the walls of the Albert Hall. It looks a little like the other Purple Haze release “No More A Rolling Stone” but not as well realized. The inner illustrations are nicer – 3/10
WINTERLAND NIGHT ♥♥
Released 2005 (Purple Haze)
CD1 – Fire, Manic Depression, Sunshine Of Your Love, Spanish Castle Magic, Are You Experienced, Voodoo Chile, Like A Rolling Stone
CD2 – Red House, Killing Floor, Tax Free, Foxy Lady, Hey Joe, Purple Haze, Wild Thing
Featuring the songs from the long deleted “Live At Winterland” (and “Live At Winterland +3”), this is one hell of a double CD. The tracks are of course culled from all three nights (6 sets), so “Winterland Nights” might have been a better title.
This was put out by Purple Haze despite the lawsuit from Experience Hendrix over the “Stockholm Concert” release.
THE COVER
Again, that looks like a Monterey photo, but what a great cover – 9/10
TRUTH AND EMOTION ♥♥♥
Released 2005 (Purple Haze)
CD1 – Outtakes 1969/1970
Hey Baby (New Rising Sun), Izabella, Stepping Stone, Message To Love, Night Bird Flying, Freedom, Drifter’s Escape, Drifting, Pali Gap, Earth Blues, Blue Suede Shoes Jam
CD2 – The Jimi Hendrix Experience live at the International Sports Arena, San Diego, California, May 24, 1969
Fire, Hey Joe, Spanish Castle Magic/Drum Solo/Sunshine of Your Love/Spanish Castle Magic, Red House, I Don’t Live Today (not listed on the CD back), Foxy Lady, Purple Haze, Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)
Disc 1 is yet another collection of alternate mixes from the later years and this makes an awkward pairing with the Experience’s San Diego concert. Purple Haze usually do a better job with their compiling. Anyway here is a run down of the tracks:
Hey Baby (New Rising Sun) – This is in fact the “New Rising Sun” that was on “Voodoo Soup”. Shorter than the version on Burning Airlines’ “Villanova Junction”.
Izabella – This is also on Radioactive’s “Outtakes Vol 2” but has a better sound hear. A pretty good rough mix of the Band Of Gypsys version.
Stepping Stone – Again, a B.O.G.s rough mix
Message To Love – Seems identical to the MCA Box version
Night Bird Flying – Rough mix, less finished than the MCA Box version
Freedom – Rough mix of what we know from “Cry Of Love”/”First Rays”
Drifter’s Escape – Interesting. Unlike the “South Saturn Delta” version and the one on Radiactives “Outtakes Vol 3”, this is my favourite mix of the song which was previously on “Loose Ends” !
Drifting – This is great, I even prefer it to the finished master. The vocal track retains a slight studio echo, the vibraphone is not as up-front and Mitch’s drum are not as over-done. Love it.
Pali Gap – This comes in abruptly like on “Voodoo Soup” and is less polished than the “Rainbow Bridge”/”South Saturn Delta” version. The sparser production enables one to listen more easily to the different guitar tracks (which are stunning).
Earth Blues – Rough mix which fades out after a couple of minutes !
Blue Suede Shoes Jam – This is really a sort of bonus as it doesn’t really fit in with the flow of other tracks. An extract of this jam was previously seen on “Loose Ends” back in the seventies. Here, we don’t get Jimi explaining the drum pattern to Miles and the track begins with his Elvis Presley impersonation. Then we understand why the track faded out on “Loose Ends” as the band (of Gypsys) soon break down after two minutes but Jimi immediately keeps it running with improvisation, inspiring the others (plus a harmonica player) to carry on. Miles kicks into his metronome mode and things chug along for a few minutes, with some lovely guitar along the way. Vocals come back before Jimi takes off into space and then puts in some improvised vocals (“blue suede blues” about being busted). The band jam on, until the track fades out at 11.33. A nice surprise.
CD2 takes us to San Diego on the 1969 US tour. Extracts of this concert (it is May 24 and not May 25 as it is erroneously annotated on the MCA 2000 box) were previously seen in the nineties on “Stages”. That release had a very clear but rather over-separated sound. This release has a fuzzier texture and sounds more like a very good mono soundboard source, so it does give a better impression of what it sounded like in the hall that night.
Even though it is not listed on the back, “I Don’t Live Today” is on there and we also have “Foxy Lady” (absent from “Stages”) which is great, with Jimi really letting rip with a superb solo. (evidently Alan Douglas wasn’t keen on “Foxy Lady”, he also left it off “Lifelines IV – The LA Forum Concert”!).
Like with the LA Forum concert, this gig is hindered by a rather rowdy crowd, even making Jimi lose pace a little on “Voodoo Child”. He is out of tune on “Hey Joe” also. Still, there is some great music in there, for example the superb version of “Red House” which had been cherry-picked for “Hendrix In The West” back in the seventies and was included later on the 2000 box set (along with the “Purple Haze” here).
THE COVER
A superb kaleidoscope collage of Jimi, one of the best there has ever been. Didn’t need typo really – 9/10
AXIS BOLDER THAN LOVE ♥♥♥♥♥
Released October 2005 (Purple Haze)
CD1 – AXIS: BOLD AS LOVE EXP, Up From The Skies, Spanish Castle Magic, Wait Until Tomorrow, Ain’t No Telling, Little Wing, If Six Was Nine, You’ve Got Me Floating, Castles Made Of Sand, She’s So Fine (Redding), One Rainy Wish, Little Miss Lover, Bold As Love.
CD2 – The Jimi Hendrix Experience Live At Musicorama, L’Olympia Paris 29th January 1968
Killin’ Floor / Catfish Blues / Foxy Lady / Drivin’ South / The Wind Cries Mary / Fire / Little Wing / Red House / Purple Haze
It had seemed that Purple Haze had disappeared. After the legal wrangles, their web site vanished. Then presto! This double CD cropped up on web purchase sites all over the place. I think they would have liked to do an “Axis: Bold As Love & More” like they did with “Are You Experienced” but because they have already exhausted the outtakes on their disappointing “Axis Outtakes” of 2003, the idea here I suppose is to illustrate where were The Experience at, in early 1968 (on stage with a new album in the shops). “Axis” was released for Christmas 67 and here they are on January 29th 1968 in Paris. The first CD is simply the “Axis: Bold As Love” album ! By the look of it, this was a last ditch sneer at Experience Hendrix as in 2004, when the lawsuits began, Purple Haze had counter attacked insisting that Experience Hendrix withdraw “Axis Bold As Love” from the market, claiming that they had no rights to issue it !
The second CD is the excellent concert that we already know from “Stages 68”, and the Radioactive/Alchemy unofficial releases but here in a different order (the actual order on the night ?).
THE COVER
Love it. But hang on, that is one of my favourite photos of Jimi and also a favourite of the Hendrix Estate. They used it for the logo of Experience Hendrix !! Purple Haze sure had balls. – 9/10
ELECTRIC LADYLAND & BEYOND ♥♥
Released March 2006 (Purple Haze)
CD 1 – Elecric Ladyland (the Alan Douglas version ?)
CD2 – ‘Voodoo Chile’, ‘Crosstown Traffic’, ‘Rainy Day, Dream Away’ / ‘Still Raining, Still Dreaming’, ‘Gypsy Eyes’, ‘House Burning Down’, ‘Voodoo Chile’ (Slight Return) Sessions and ‘Voodoo Chile’ (Slight Return).
Incredibly, after the lawsuit and all the noise, Purple Haze were still alive and kicking! Out came this double CD along the lines of what they have already put out with “Are You Experienced & More” and “Axis Bolder Than Love”. This time it’s the original “Ladyland” album with a CD of bonus outtakes.
Of special interest sur CD2 is the more complete version of “Rainy Day”/”Still Raining”, complete with the loose jam which preceeded the recording that we hear on the final album.
THE COVER
As usual from Purple Haze, a very nice cover. Jimi peers at us from the other side. Classy job – 9/10