new Hendrix release coming soon...

Listening to 'Valley of Neptunes' as I type this and I have to say this is an amazing album, I am sure if Hendrix had lived these songs, at least in this form would never have seen the light of the day, but it is amazing how strong the quality of the songs and takes are and they where considered cast offs by the great man himself.

I don't think any of them were cast-offs, just "works in progress". Hendrix wrote by recording EVERY jam, some songs he worked on for over a year or more, you can hear all kinds of stylistic changes in these tunes as they become fully formed. It's one of the most fascinating aspects of having all this stuff reissued, you get to "sit in" with Hendrix and experience a bit of the creative process involved.

Half of the tracks on Valleys of Neptune were recorded in 2 days (Feb 16th & 17th, 1969), more material from the Olympic sessions was released in the Experience box set. Hendrix was at an absolute peak during this year, his level of creativity was staggering.

The very next day, Feb 18th, Hendrix started a 2-night engagement at The Royal Albert Hall. Those concerts have attained mythical status over the ensuing decades and the last time I heard, they are next on the release schedule for the Hendrix estate.

That Royal Albert Hall concert is definitely on scheduled to be released some time this year, and maybe cast off was not proper word, but 99% of artists would have been satisfied with some of the takes that they managed in short span of time, where Hendrix was still considering this songs work in progress.

The older I get the more I amazed at the talent of Hendrix especially how he was able to accomplish so much in so little time.

I wish they'd make a box set of all the instrumentals he did.

Akeldama wrote:

I wish they'd make a box set of all the instrumentals he did.

Yeah, there are tons. I've ripped all my Hendrix into the computer and I have a really long instrumental playlist that I keep adding to as I collect more stuff.