Collectors Music Reviews

The Other Side Of Axis – Axis Bold As Love Outtakes (Godfatherecords G.R. 520) 

Axis: Bold As Love sessions, Olympic Studios, London, 1967 

(76:24) Source: Sotheby’s auction tapes (Auctioned at Sotheby’s on December 22, 1981) 

A brief history of the Sotheby’s Auction Tapes: Jimi’s former girlfriend, Kathy Etchingham, put eight reels of tape up for auction at Sotheby’s in London on December 22, 1981. These tapes were of Jimi’s performances at some of the BBC sessions, assorted jams, and “Axis: Bold As Love” rough mixes. The tape sold for 1500 Pounds to American Bob Terry. Bob Terry reported the following songs were on the tapes: Radio One, Spanish Castle Magic, Day Tripper, Get Myself Together(Hear My Train A Comin’), Golden Rose(One Rainy Wish), Call Out My Window(Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window), Wait Until Tomorrow, Castles Made Of Sand, Little One(two versions with Brian Jones), See You Tomorrow(Ain’t No Telling), two instrumentals(Jazz Jimi Jazz & South Saturn Delta), Fucking Around(Have You Ever Been To Electric Ladyland), Playing Over James Brown, Bold As Love, Up From The Skies(two versions), EXP. Other songs have been booted as Sotheby tapes, but are from other sources. (taken from the book Jimi Hendrix: Experience The Music by Belmo and Steve Lovelace) 

There have been at least three silver boots containing material from these tapes. Sotheby Auction Tapes (Midnight Beat MBCD 010) has some of these tracks packaged with other material not related to these tapes. Sotheby’s Reels (Gold Standard Tom-800) runs at the incorrect speed and is also mixed with unrelated tracks while Sotheby’s Private Reels (JHR 003/004) contains most of this material but is a 2CD set with quite a few of the tracks duplicated. 

The Other Side Of Axis from Godfather is an excellent sounding release which has trimmed off the BBC sessions and offer only the rough alternate mixes from the Axis: Bold As Love sessions. Certainly a wise choice since the BBC material has since been officially released in perfect quality. 

1. Jazz Jimi Jazz – An almost 13 minute up tempo jam with a real free form structure that breaks down at around the eight minute mark before changing gears. 

2. Electric Ladyland (blues) – Jimi plays about a minute and a half of the familiar melody before turning into a jam. This cuts off abruptly like the tape ran out.

3. She’s So Fine – Alternate lead vocal from Noel Redding, also his songwriting contribution to the Axis LP.

4. Castles Made Of Sand – Alternate mix. This is some of Jimi’s best playing during these sessions.

5. Spanish Castle Magic (instrumental) – A stripped down version with no vocal or overdubs. Great to be able to hear the rhythm tracks exposed like this.

6. South Saturn Delta – An early mix from before the overdubs and horns were added. Classic Mitch Mitchell in this one.

7. Electric Ladyland (drums) – A different run through than track two with the drums very up front in the mix and no bass.

8. Wait Until Tomorrow – Alternate mix, no fade out.

9. Ain’t No Telling – Alternate mix.

10. Little One (take 1) – Instrumental track reported to have Brian Jones on sitar.

11. Little One (take 2) – A second instrumental take that has a slide guitar in place of the lead guitar featured in take 1.

12. Golden Rose – An early mix of what would be re-titled One Rainy Wish for the album.

13. Bold As Love – A raw mix without the overdubs and phasing effects that made this track one of the highlights of the album. This version has a different vocal track.

14. EXP – Alternate mix.

15. Up From The Skies – Alternate mix. 

Bonus Tracks: Jimi Hendrix & Love – The Blue Thumb Acetate 

Recorded on 8-track at Studio One (aka Studio A), Olympic Sound Studios, Barnes, London, UK – March 17, 1970

16. The Everlasting First (take 16) – A song written by Arthur Lee with lead guitar from Jimi.

17. Easy Rider (take 1) – Jimi trying out new material. A loose attempt at Ezy Rider that breaks down after only a minute where Jimi says “let’s just take this once then we’ll take a break”.

18. Easy Rider (take2) – A slower take than the previous. Jimi is heard saying “How does it go, I forget how it went” before it begins. At only 1:30, this one doesn’t last much longer than the first.

19. Loon – Loose instrumental jam with some interesting playing lasting about 10 minutes. 

Once again Godfather fill out their release with bonus tracks further adding to the appeal of The Other Side Of Axis. The bonus tracks sound really good and according to Stuart’s comments, may be the first time on silver disc for these tracks. This comes packaged in a very colorful tri-fold cardboard sleeve including a very nice informative insert for the Jimi Hendrix & Love tracks.

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