Album: Axis: Bold As Love
Artist: The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Born: Seattle
Released: December 1967
Genre: Psychedelic Rock
Influenced: Black Sabbath, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Prince, De La Soul
On the back of this LP is some copy that simply states, "Jimi Hendrix writes his own music and almost sings it, he also plays guitar." As understatements go, that's quite impressive. Picking a favourite Hendrix album is not an easy task; the UK release in May '67 of Are You Experienced omits Hey Joe, Purple Haze and Wind Cries Mary, while the '68 follow-up to Axis, Electric Ladyland, is the most ambitious of the three but also the least coherent. Axis is the only Hendrix album that I listen to regularly from start to finish; like the best psychedelic music, it has the power to transport. With so few of his most famous songs (like most people of my generation, my introduction to Hendrix was a greatest hits CD), Axis is also Jimi's most intimate and personal record. Spanish Castle Magic, despite the psychedelic-sounding lyrics, is actually Hendrix singing about his high school days in Seattle and is tinged with nostalgia. Hendrix had to come to London to find his fame and this songs acts as a brief pause for reflection on his heady ascent to rock god status. With Little Wing, Hendrix also showed he could write mellow, tender love songs and still integrate his virtuoso guitar work.
Though both sides of the LP are weakened by silly or thin-sounding opening tracks, this is more than offset by two brilliant closers, If 6 Was 9 and Bold As Love, both psychedelic masterpieces. My first introduction to If 6 Was 9 was watching Easy Rider, the film to watch about the rise & fall of the American counterculture movement set against a magnificent soundtrack. Another point to make about Axis is that it showcases the wide variety of Hendrix's guitar playing; the jazzy Up In The Skies, the hard rock of Wait Until Tomorrow, the stoner rock of One Rainy Wish and the dreamy and sublime, Castles Made Of Sand. Alluding to his Native American heritage, Castles Made Of Sand shows off Hendrix's maturity as a songwriter and a strong Dylan influence, oblique and poetic. When all is said & done, it's probably my favourite Hendrix song; I'd take it over all his more bombastic stuff. Finally, I should mention the backing group (Redding's song She's So Fine makes the band sound like that other power-trio of the era, Cream, but Redding and Mitchell's main contribution was to contain and focus Hendrix's flair), the production (superb on this album) and the cover (apparently Hendrix didn't approve, finding it disrespectful). Harnessing the electric guitar like nobody else in history, Hendrix really let his "freak flag" fly on Axis and it's my favourite testament to his genius.
Artist: The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Born: Seattle
Released: December 1967
Genre: Psychedelic Rock
Influenced: Black Sabbath, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Prince, De La Soul
On the back of this LP is some copy that simply states, "Jimi Hendrix writes his own music and almost sings it, he also plays guitar." As understatements go, that's quite impressive. Picking a favourite Hendrix album is not an easy task; the UK release in May '67 of Are You Experienced omits Hey Joe, Purple Haze and Wind Cries Mary, while the '68 follow-up to Axis, Electric Ladyland, is the most ambitious of the three but also the least coherent. Axis is the only Hendrix album that I listen to regularly from start to finish; like the best psychedelic music, it has the power to transport. With so few of his most famous songs (like most people of my generation, my introduction to Hendrix was a greatest hits CD), Axis is also Jimi's most intimate and personal record. Spanish Castle Magic, despite the psychedelic-sounding lyrics, is actually Hendrix singing about his high school days in Seattle and is tinged with nostalgia. Hendrix had to come to London to find his fame and this songs acts as a brief pause for reflection on his heady ascent to rock god status. With Little Wing, Hendrix also showed he could write mellow, tender love songs and still integrate his virtuoso guitar work.
Though both sides of the LP are weakened by silly or thin-sounding opening tracks, this is more than offset by two brilliant closers, If 6 Was 9 and Bold As Love, both psychedelic masterpieces. My first introduction to If 6 Was 9 was watching Easy Rider, the film to watch about the rise & fall of the American counterculture movement set against a magnificent soundtrack. Another point to make about Axis is that it showcases the wide variety of Hendrix's guitar playing; the jazzy Up In The Skies, the hard rock of Wait Until Tomorrow, the stoner rock of One Rainy Wish and the dreamy and sublime, Castles Made Of Sand. Alluding to his Native American heritage, Castles Made Of Sand shows off Hendrix's maturity as a songwriter and a strong Dylan influence, oblique and poetic. When all is said & done, it's probably my favourite Hendrix song; I'd take it over all his more bombastic stuff. Finally, I should mention the backing group (Redding's song She's So Fine makes the band sound like that other power-trio of the era, Cream, but Redding and Mitchell's main contribution was to contain and focus Hendrix's flair), the production (superb on this album) and the cover (apparently Hendrix didn't approve, finding it disrespectful). Harnessing the electric guitar like nobody else in history, Hendrix really let his "freak flag" fly on Axis and it's my favourite testament to his genius.
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