Recording for Electric Ladyland initially began in July of 1967 at several different studios. With Hendrix’s popularity skyrocketing, there was no shortage of people coming along for the ride, whether it be on the road or in the studio. It was a surefire way to burn out a band. The band had to record album tracks in between gigs because of their frenetic tour schedule that did not allow for any downtime. As you can imagine, life with Hendrix was nothing short of chaotic. His dedication was akin to that of a gym rat who constantly works on his game on the basketball court. Electric Ladyland, The Jimi Hendrix ExperienceĢ.What often goes overlooked when referring to Electric Ladyland is Hendrix’s intense work ethic in the studio. It was Hendrix’s first and only Number One album.ġ. Five weeks later, it hit the summit, with Are You Experienced? still in the top 10 after 65 weeks on the chart. Jimi had a great love for Dylan’s material and he wanted to make sure he got it right.”Įlectric Ladyland was released in October 1968. Says Kramer, “It started off as a fairly simple song, but by the time we were done it was recorded in 16-track and mixed a half-dozen times. When Hendrix heard Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower” in early 1968, he knew he had to record it. Material written by some of Hendrix’s peers was also included. That was the case when Hendrix cut “Voodoo Chile.” Says Kramer, “That back and forth musical conversation between Jimi and Steve Winwood was spine-tingling” Often these hangers-on would be a distraction, but other times, they added to the sessions. Usually he would return in the wee hours of the morning with several others in tow, and work until the sun came up. Hendrix would often break the sessions to go catch some live music in local clubs. We mixed it straight through without stopping as if we were performing the song live.” The track ran nearly 14 minutes. “When Jimi and I mixed ‘1983,’ that was a performance in itself. When Hendrix was able to get a stretch of time in the studio, the results were often mind-boggling. “He was trying to establish himself as a producer, but he had to keep interrupting the recording to go out on the road and make money.” “He was definitely frustrated ” says Kramer. Hendrix had block-booked the Record Plant at a cost of $60,000. Yet while Hendrix was in the midst of his studio experimentation, he was forced to hit the road. “The more tracks that became available, the more complex the songs became,” Kramer says. “‘Crosstown Traffic’ and ‘All Along the Watchtower’ were recorded on four-track, but then eventually dubbed over, so Jimi had more tracks to play with,” says Kramer. Later Hendrix moved to the Record Plant in New York, which had one of the few 12-track machines in the U.S. The initial sessions were recorded on four-track at Olympic Studios in London. Hendrix had opted to produce the album himself, instead of relying on Chandler, who walked out of the sessions early on. “ On Electric Ladyland Jimi was able to stretch out, expand and bring other musicians in,” says Eddie Kramer, who engineered the album. Hendrix had earned a place next to Eric Clapton as one of rock’s premiere guitarists. Axis: Bold as Love, released in January 1968, peaked at number three. The group’s first album, Are You Experienced?, released in May 1967, reached number five. The trio was dubbed the Jimi Hendrix Experience. A year later, Chas Chandler of the Animals introduced him to bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell. By 1965, he formed his own band, Jimmy James and the Blues Flames. Hendrix began his career in the early ’60s as a session guitarist with the Isley Brothers. To prove his point, he would need a double album to express his musical vision. Hendrix had grown tired of being known for onstage antics like burning his guitars. In December 1967, Jimi Hendrix began work on his most ambitious album to date. Track listing: … And the Gods Made Love / Have You Ever Been (to Electric Ladyland) / Crosstown Traffic / Voodoo Chile / Little Miss Strange /Long Hot Summer Night / Come On (Let the Good Times Roll) / Gypsy Eyes / Burning of the Midnight Lamp / Rainy Day, Dream Away / 1983…(A Merman I Should Turn to Be) / Moon, Turn the Tides … gently gently away / Still Raining, Still Dreaming / House Burning Down / All Along the Watchtower / Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)