advertisement


Which Hendrix releases?

JTC

JTC

PFM Villager...
Apart from a best-of, I have an embarrassing Hendrix-shaped hole in my collection.

Recommend me what to buy, Hendrix experts, for best sound quality (though keep it to cd unless the vinyl is sensibly priced). I'm only too aware that some artists have myriad different issues of the same album which often sound very different, so I just want to go straight to the best sounding ones.

Ta.
 
You need (and I do mean need) all the albums released in his lifetime:

Are You Experienced
Axis: Bold As Love
Electric Ladyland
Band Of Gypsies

There are some gems to be found in the later posthumous releases for sure, but the above is the core work and it's all superb.

I've linked to what I'm pretty sure are the current CD issues. The best digital masters are allegedly the very first Polydor issues from the 1980s, but they are rare and rather collectable now, but might be worth checking your local second hand store and most shops haven't clued themselves up on different CD mastering yet (they will, it's the future!).
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
Ta. Will get onto these. I might seek out the vinyl anyway, but in the meantime I'll have a look for those Polydors...
 
Tony L said:
I've linked to what I'm pretty sure are the current CD issues. The best digital masters are allegedly the very first Polydor issues from the 1980s, but they are rare and rather collectable now, but might be worth checking your local second hand store and most shops haven't clued themselves up on different CD mastering yet (they will, it's the future!).
Click to expand...

No, allegedly the best digital masters are the earliest Reprise issues from the USA. I've got them and they certainly sound good. Though some tracks/mixes are only on the Polydor ones.

Tim
 
onlyconnect said:
No, allegedly the best digital masters are the earliest Reprise issues from the USA. I've got them and they certainly sound good. Though some tracks/mixes are only on the Polydor ones.
Click to expand...

Interesting to know. There was always a difference between the UK and US release of Are You Experienced right from first vinyl release; different covers and track listings. I once had the Polydor double CD of Electric Ladyland in the 'fat' case, it sounded excellent, though stupidly followed the original vinyl 'autochanger-compatible' side sequencing (where disc 1 was side A and C, disc 2 was side B and D). Almost makes sense on vinyl (means the album can be stacked on an autochanger and flipped in one movement) but obviously makes no sense whatsoever on CD. Really highlights how asleep at the wheel the major labels can be at times. It did however sound superb, so I suspect it was an unmolested flat-transfer.

For fairly recent vinyl the Music On Vinyl Are You Experienced is very decent, it's served-up as a double album and includes the UK sequencing on the first LP plus the singles and additional tracks, so has all the material and more than the US release too. The Classic Records audiophile cuts of Axis: Bold Of Love (in mono) and Band Of Gypsies are both truly superb (though one side of my copy if BoG is a little eccentric), and I'm not sure what to recommend for Electric Ladyland (I've got a 70s Polydor), though I'd expect the Music On Vinyl copy to be good (certainly flat and quiet, though maybe from a digital master). This Classic Records titles are a few years out of print now (the label went bust), but well worth hunting down if you can find them, the A:BAL in particular is a stunner.
 
Its a toss up between the Polydor and Reprise for sound quality.
Its generally easier to find the Polydor , and prices for these are not over the top .

There are some real gems which could be easily missed by assuming the posthumous releases are not true Hendrix. Ive been there myself.

But the early posthumous releases to me have more of the hendrix style/sound than the later Experience Hendrix 'new' releases.

Voodoo Soup and Blues are just 2 excellent discs.

Cry of Love[on Polydor] is also just so much better than the 'official' First Rays of the New Rising Sun from Exp Hendrix.

Some good reading here ..

http://deadhendrix.blogspot.com/
 
Reissues of Jimi Hendrix on vinyl are plentiful here in the States. I have a number of the Sony Legacy reissues and they're all very good and can be had for very good prices if you look around. The Hendrix estate is releasing tons of his music. I picked up an 8 LP Winterland box set around Christmas time for $38 and the quality and sound is top notch.

There's some upcoming releases of his early albums in mono that look interesting. They're certainly milking his music for all they can get. Check out what's available here and then read up on the Steve Hoffman forum. You can't go too wrong with the Legacy vinyl though, IMO.
 
Dont know about vinyl , but with cd the later releases sound good , until you hear an early Polydor version , then you realise whats missing.

I find all Experience Hendrix cds have ,in varying degrees, limited dynamic range [loudness wars] and are often remasterd so as to completely change and destroy what Jimi was putting across.
 
I think Cry of Love and Rainbow Bridge are far better than his early London hip/ poppy stuff, and are essential Hendrix if you are interested in his guitar and the compositional level he took it to.

mat
 
Tony L said:
You need (and I do mean need) all the albums released in his lifetime:

Are You Experienced
Axis: Bold As Love
Electric Ladyland
Band Of Gypsies

There are some gems to be found in the later posthumous releases for sure, but the above is the core work and it's all superb.

I've linked to what I'm pretty sure are the current CD issues. The best digital masters are allegedly the very first Polydor issues from the 1980s, but they are rare and rather collectable now, but might be worth checking your local second hand store and most shops haven't clued themselves up on different CD mastering yet (they will, it's the future!).
Click to expand...
I'd add the BBC sessions and the recent Live at Winterland box and replace Band of Gypsys with Live at the Filmore - the 2 CD issue of the 2 full concerts from which Band of Gypsys was culled.
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
This thread is going to cost me money, I can tell! The only Hendrix I own is AYE, A:BAL, EL, BoG (all on vinyl) and the posthumous Live At Woodstock 3xLP that came out in the late 90s. I'd always been skeptical of the rest as there's just so much of it and so much looks like cynical cash-ins. Will be good to have a thread to sort the good from the crap.
 
mmaatt said:
I think Cry of Love and Rainbow Bridge are far better than his early London hip/ poppy stuff, and are essential Hendrix if you are interested in his guitar and the compositional level he took it to.

mat
Click to expand...
As mmatt says, they're excellent albums, every bit as good as the Experience ones. (And easier/cheaper to acquire):)
 
foxwelljsly said:
I'd add the BBC sessions and the recent Live at Winterland box and replace Band of Gypsys with Live at the Filmore - the 2 CD issue of the 2 full concerts from which Band of Gypsys was culled.
Click to expand...

Seconded. The Winterland box is very good if a bit repetitive. Good sound as well. The 2CD BoG set (on Experience Hendrix) contains more excellent music from same concerts but i think is different from that contained on the single disk.

Live at Berkeley too is recommended. The BBC box has some interesting performances from the earlier days but the sound balance on many tracks is a bit strange, sorta 'phasey'.
 
For me, Jimi is all about the live recordings. The studio lps are great, but many of the live performances are just.. well...where it's at for me. There are a gazillion live albums/bootlegs etc. If I was to pick a single one to start, it would be the Jimi Hendrix Concerts, which is a collection of tracks from different gigs. Just superb, with excellent sound quality. One of my favourite vinyls.
 
Hi, As an avid Hendrix collector I would recommend Morning Symphony Ideas, some fantastic interplay between Mitch and Jimi, and a very good recording too.

Loose Ends is quite a cool album too. And Baggys Rehearsal Sessions.

Oops forgot to add, Crash Landing!

The list goes on!
 
On a different note, one cash-in job to avoid is "Good Feeling". It's a cheapo label job and easy to spot for what it is. I think I picked it up in a second hand shop for about £2 and took a punt, the best part of 20 years ago. About £2 more than it's worth. Win some lose some, I've got similar Creedence, Steppenwolf, Dekker, etc and they are all well worth having.
 
I'm sorry, but a Hendrix collection without 'Hendrix in the West' is no collection at all...

Hockman, which tracks of the BBC sessions do you find 'phasey', and which issue of the BBC sessions do you have?
 
robs said:
For me, Jimi is all about the live recordings. The studio lps are great, but many of the live performances are just.. well...where it's at for me. There are a gazillion live albums/bootlegs etc. If I was to pick a single one to start, it would be the Jimi Hendrix Concerts, which is a collection of tracks from different gigs. Just superb, with excellent sound quality. One of my favourite vinyls.
Click to expand...

You nearly had me there.. until you said..

One of my favourite vinyls.
Click to expand...

Mull
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top