The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Axis: Bold as Love, Vinyl LP Mono, 180 gram

$

19

The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Axis: Bold as Love, Mono, 180g, Track Record 612 003, released 1967, 1996, 2000?

Experience Hendrix, L.L.C., under exclusive license to Classic Records, Inc.

This album contains two paper inner sleeves for the single record.  One sleeve is plain white, the other is printed with a picture of Jimi Hendrix on one side and with text on the other side.  Both sleeves are in excellent condition.  The sleeves and the record are contained in a gatefold record cover.

This record is from my personal collection.

Tracklist
Side 1

  ?   1. "EXP"
  ?   2. "Up From The Skies"
  ?   3. "Spanish Castle Magic"
  ?   4. "Wait Until Tomorrow"
  ?   5. "Ain't No Telling"
  ?   6. "Little Wing"
  ?   7. "If 6 Was 9"

Side 2

  ?   1. "You Got Me Floatin'"
  ?   2. "Castles Made Of Sand"
  ?   3. "She's So Fine"
  ?   4. "One Rainy Wish"
  ?   5. "Little Miss Lover"
  ?   6. "Bold As Love"

Produced by Chas Chandler

Engineer: Eddie Kramer

Art Direction: Ed Thrasher

Cover Designed by David King & Roger Law

Remastering Supervision by Janie Hendrix, Eddie Kramer & John McDermott for Experience Hendrix L.L.C.

Back To Mono!

For those Jimi Hendrix fans who collect his many albums, an original mono copy of Axis: Bold As Love remains the coin of the realm.  Both the Track [this one] and Reprise editions are prized by collectors who have seen asking prices skyrocket over the last few years.

Mono versions of both Are You Experienced and Axis: Bold as Love are significant because they are not only difficult to find in premium condition but they also feature discrete mixes made specifically for mono release.  Measuring the subtle differences between mono and stereo mixes is almost solely the province of the most dedicated Hendrix devotee, but there are clear differences between the two versions.

For those fans intrigued by those elusive mono mixes, Experience Hendrix and Classic Records have teamed to bring Jimi’s fans a special mono edition which will provide the music without requiring a mortgage to afford it!

Classic Records’ commitment to vinyl and high fidelity is well known among audiophiles.  This project, however, presented an unusual challenge, issuing a mono edition of one of the most heralded stereo albums of all time.  As a result, Mike Hobson, Classic’s CEO, established a new mastering protocol for this special edition.  Hobson requested that Eddie Kramer work with noted mastering engineer Bernie Grundman.  Grundman has earned a world class reputation by placing his stamp on such legendary rock and R&B releases as Steely Dan’s Aja and Michael Jackson’s Thriller.  More recently, he has remastered many of the acclaimed archival mono and stereo vinyl releases issued by Classic Records.

For the Axis: Bold As Love session, Grundman’s Los Angeles mastering facility was specially equipped with a Studer tape machine outfitted with a full track mono head block.  In addition, instead of utilizing the tape machine’s more contemporary Studer electronics, Grundman refitted the machine with vintage Ampex 350 tube electronics.  These technical alterations provided the closest possible approximation of the original 1957 Track Records mono mastering process.  Grundman’s all analog mono mastering process made a distinct impression on Eddie Kramer, who, with Hendrix and Chas Chandler, had created the original mono mixes more than thirty years before.  “The entire cutting amplifier chain is tube and boy does it sound good,” remarked Kramer.  “There is tremendous punch to the sound.”

Prior to the mastering session, Kramer had not heard the Axis mono mixes since 1967.  “I was bemused, bewildered, and pleasantly surprised at the dynamic changes that were made as a result of doing a separate series of mono mixes,” Kramer explained.  “Many of the mix perspectives were changed from the stereo mixes we had done to accommodate a more singular oriented direction.”  Listening to the playback of the original master tapes, these subtle differences were readily apparent.  “EXP” lost much of its galactic power as the circular effects created for the stereo master were effectively canceled in mono.  Other songs such as “Spanish Castle Magic” and “Ain’t No Telling” placed Jimi’s vocal more forward in the mix.  Perhaps the most unique track was “Little Wing”.  What the hell was I doing,” laughed Kramer as he heard the playback for the first time.  “Jimi’s guitar and vocals were much drier while the drum reverb was considerably more present.  It was all experimentation.  Mind you, the entire (mono) album was all mixed in one day!”

This Experience Hendrix/Classic Records special mono edition features the original gatefold sleeve artwork (thanks to Jim Henke & The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame).  Pressed on 180 gram premium vinyl to insure the best possible quality, we hope these mono mixes provide Jimi’s fans with yet another piece of the Hendrix puzzle.  “I am sure the fans are going to get a big kick out of this mono LP,” expressed Kramer.  “Hopefully it sounds better than the original.  I know that we can put more dynamic range on the new vinyl as compared to the old.  In particular, this version will have more bottom end and be more hi-fi sounding even in mono.”

            John McDermott