Legacy Recordings is releasing a new, deluxe edition of a milestone in Rock’s history; “Bold As Love – The Axis: Bold As Love Sessions [Box Set]“, by the unique THE JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE. Hendrix’s giant-steps second album ‘Axis: Bold As Love’, now is being upgraded with bonus tracks and new cover art, including outtakes, alternative versions, TV and radio appearances.
At the same time in the same studio where the Rolling Stones were making their psychedelic folly, The Jimi Hendrix Experience were sculpting an era classic. His spiralling creative muse on overdrive after Are You Experienced’s May 1967 release at sessions squeezed between onenighters, The Wind Cries Mary and Burning Of The Midnight Lamp had signalled an expansion beyond pyrotechnic blues rock, ‘Axis: Bold As Love’ marked Jimi coming of age in the studio, embracing technology with the micro-perfectionism that drove away producer Chas Chandler.
With engineer Eddie Kramer and Roger Mayer supplying innovative gizmos, Jimi kept one foot grounded in earthly matters on tracks such as startling freak flag flying counterculture anthem If Six Was Nine, getting funky on Little Miss Lover.
Opening with EXP’s alien radio interview flying saucer lift-off before Up From The Skies’ cool Mose Allison shuffle, only magnificently volcanic Spanish Castle Magic, Ain’t No Telling and You’ve Got Me Floating are quintessential Experience. Notwithstanding Noel Redding’s token She’s So Fine and lightweight Wait Until Tomorrow, slowies showed Hendrix’s desire to evolve with liquid guitar starbursts elevating One Rainy Wish, the soaring majesty of Little Wing or evoking Curtis Mayfield’s quiet sensitivity on Castles Made Of Sand. The stratospheric title ballad’s climactic phased finale put the final sugar lump on Hendrix’s first studio masterpiece.
This bells-’n’-whistles upgrade includes mono and stereo versions plus 40 bonus outtakes, alternative versions, TV and radio appearances. Considering the hours of outtakes in circulation, it’s a random tip of the iceberg, including Mr Bad Luck (aka Look Over Yonder), untitled instrumentals, Castles…’ backwards guitar track and energised demos of Little Miss Lover and Ain’t No Telling that highlight Mitch Mitchell’s polyrhythmic jazz genius.
Four incarnations of Burning Of The Midnight Lamp show it originally envisioned for Axis before becoming fourth single that August (when the Dee Time appearance here was broadcast). September’s eight song Swedish radio broadcast that starts by blazing through Sgt. Pepper’s title track is also included.
Thankfully, the disastrous original album cover caused by designers misunderstanding Hendrix’s request for an ‘Indian’ theme and sticking the band’s heads on a Hindu poster is replaced by Jimi’s childhood dragon painting.
“Bold As Love – The Axis Bold As Love Sessions [Box Set]” worth asking the Axis one more time.
Tracklist:
Disc 1 of 4
1. Exp (01:55)
2. Up From The Skies (02:57)
3. Spanish Castle Magic (03:03)
4. Wait Until Tomorrow (03:02)
5. Ain't No Telling (01:48)
6. Little Wing (02:25)
7. If 6 Was 9 (05:34)
8. You Got Me Floatin' (02:48)
9. Castles Made of Sand (02:48)
10. She's So Fine (02:38)
11. One Rainy Wish (03:41)
12. Little Miss Lover (02:21)
13. Bold as Love (04:11)
Disc 2 of 4
1. Exp (Mono Version) (01:12)
2. Up From The Skies (Mono Version) (02:59)
3. Spanish Castle Magic (Mono Version) (03:04)
4. Wait Until Tomorrow (Mono Version) (03:03)
5. Ain't No Telling (Mono Version) (01:48)
6. Little Wing (Mono Version) (02:26)
7. If 6 Was 9 (Mono Version) (05:36)
8. You Got Me Floatin' (Mono Version) (02:39)
9. Castles Made Of Sand (Mono Version) (02:48)
10. She's So Fine (Mono Version) (02:42)
11. One Rainy Wish (Mono Version) (03:43)
12. Little Miss Lover (Mono Version) (02:24)
13. Bold As Love (Mono Version) (04:12)
Disc 3 of 4
1. Mr. Bad Luck (Take 6) (02:57)
2. She's So Fine (Take 4) (02:39)
3. Burning of the Midnight Lamp (Take 30) (03:37)
4. The Stars That Play With Laughing Sam's Dice (Paramount Studios) (04:27)
5. Burning of the Midnight Lamp (Instrumental) (03:38)
6. The Stars That Play With Laughing Sam's Dice (Instrumental) (04:01)
7. Stone Free / Up From The Skies (Demo) (02:17)
8. Up From The Skies (Take 2) (03:45)
9. Ain't No Telling (Demo) (01:48)
10. Ain't No Telling (Take 12) (01:55)
11. Little Miss Lover (Demo) (02:26)
12. One Rainy Wish (Take 1) (03:19)
13. You Got Me Floatin' (Take 1) (03:20)
14. Untitled Guitar Experiment (01:40)
15. Bold as Love (Take 19) (06:24)
16. Castles Made of Sand (Take 16) (02:58)
17. Wait Until Tomorrow (Take 2) (03:46)
18. Spanish Castle Magic (Take 2) (03:06)
19. Little Wing (Take 2) (03:31)
20. Untitled Instrumental #1 (Take 3) (02:46)
21. Burning of the Midnight Lamp (Original Mono Mix) (03:34)
22. The Stars That Play With Laughing Sam's Dice (Original Mono Mix) (04:18)
Disc 4 of 4
1. Little Miss Lover (Alternate Version) (02:29)
2. Spanish Castle Magic (Take 4) (03:23)
3. Wait Until Tomorrow (Take 14) (03:24)
4. Castles Made of Sand (Backwards Guitar) (03:04)
5. One Rainy Wish (Alternate Version) (03:59)
6. Untitled Instrumental #2 (Take 1) (02:21)
7. Burning of the Midnight Lamp (Live at the Dee Time, Lime Grove Studios, London, August 22, 1967) (03:56)
8. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Live in Stockholm, Sweden, September 5, 1967) (02:03)
9. Fire (Live in Stockholm, Sweden, September 5, 1967) (03:12)
10. The Wind Cries Mary (Live in Stockholm, Sweden, September 5, 1967) (03:51)
11. Foxey Lady (Live in Stockholm, Sweden, September 5, 1967) (03:48)
12. Hey Joe (Live in Stockholm, Sweden, September 5, 1967) (04:15)
13. I Don't Live Today (Live in Stockholm, Sweden, September 5, 1967) (04:41)
14. Burning of the Midnight Lamp (Live in Stockholm, Sweden, September 5, 1967) (04:17)
15. Purple Haze (Live in Stockholm, Sweden, September 5, 1967) (05:27)
16. Burning Of The Midnight Lamp (BBC Sessions - Top of the Pops) (04:31)
17. Purple Haze (Hoepla) (04:39)
18. Foxey Lady (Hoepla) (03:20)
Jimi Hendrix – Bold As Love – The Axis: Bold As Love Sessions (2025) Box-Set 4 CD
 |
Thanks