Axis: Bold as Love [Vinyl] [Original recording, Original recording reissued]

Jimi Hendrix | Format: Vinyl

Product Details

• Vinyl (October 28, 2008)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording, Original recording reissued
• Label: Boss Entertainment
• ASIN: B00004WN62
• Also Available in: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #196,326 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. EXP

2. Up from the Skies

3. Spanish Castle Magic

4. Wait Until Tomorrow

5. Ain't No Telling

6. Little Wing

7. If 6 Was 9

8. You Got Me Floatin'

9. Castles Made of Sand

10. She's so Fine

11. One Rainy Wish

12. Little Miss Lover

13. Bold as Love

Editorial Reviews

JIMI HENDRIX Axis: Bold As Love (2008 US 13-track LP pressed on 180gram Vinyl issued as part of the Back To Black 60th Anniversary series. Deluxe gatefold picture sleeve with 8-page booklet and deletion score through barcode housed ina stickered resealable PVC outer)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jimi's best album - in mono and on vinyl, October 14, 2000

By 

Steve Marshall "Steve" (St. Louis, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Axis: Bold as Love [Vinyl] (Vinyl)

When Classic Records releases a new title on vinyl, it's always special. But when that title is the mono version of Jim Hendrix's classic Axis Bold as Love, it's an event. Original mono pressings of this album (if you can find them) go for as much as $2000. Several of the songs are noticeably different than the stereo versions most of us know and love. In general, the 180g vinyl pressing has considerably more bass than its CD counterpart, although the sound on the CD is clearer in several places. The album was mastered from the original mono masters by Eddie Kramer--the original engineer on the sessions. Let's talk about the specifics...

"EXP" is almost 40 seconds shorter on the vinyl, and the vocals by `Paul Caruso' are louder. The difference on the stereo version is extended feedback at the end. "Spanish Castle Magic" and "Wait Until Tomorrow" boast a much better low end than the CD. On the latter tune, the first note is too loud on CD. The volume is corrected on the LP, but the song fades up to full volume, as opposed to maintaining a consistent level throughout the track. One of the other problems with the CD is audible tape hiss. The false ending on "Ain't No Telling" is louder on the CD. The vinyl is much warmer on "Little Wing" and the end solo is more up front.

"If 6 Was 9" doesn't have near as much high end as the CD, and the bass is slightly muddy. Although the song's highs are much brighter on the CD, it also has considerable tape hiss that isn't heard on the vinyl. "You Got Me Floatin'" is missing the intro on the LP. "Castles Made of Sand" has a cleaner intro on the CD; the vinyl is slightly muddy in comparison, but features a different vocal performance. "One Rainy Wish" has much more bass on LP and a slightly different ending. The title track, "Bold as Love" is the one instance where the CD is superior. Without the channel panning, the song is clearly missing something.

The burning question here is: which one sounds better? It really depends on your personal preferences. The analog aficionados will no doubt pick the vinyl. It's much warmer than the CD and the bass will literally shake the room. Digi-fans will be more than happy with the sound on the CD (even if they need to crank up the bass a bit), and the booklet is excellent. It's a shame that it's not included in the vinyl pressing. On a positive note, the vinyl is on the Track label, plus when you consider that the mono version has been out of print ever since the original pressing hit the stores, this is the perfect addition for the Hendrix collectors out there. The choice is yours.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The definitive version of Axis, December 11, 2008

By 

J. P. Flanagan "Paradise Books and Records" (Honolulu, Hawaii USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Axis: Bold as Love [Vinyl] (Vinyl)

Some of the reviews here are for different versions of this LP. The stereo LP I'm reviewing is the absolute best version of Axis available. It's on Amazon here: [...]
It's listed as a Label: Boss Entertainment release, LP Record (October 28, 2008) but is more accurately the Back To Black 60th Vinyl Anniversary pressing on heavyweight 180 gram vinyl in all original packaging. All Analog Pressing. (The 60th anniversary this series commemorates is Universal Records 60th anniversary).
I used to think the 200gr mono version LP was great, and it is, but this is the definitive version of Axis. Absolute perfection! Nice quiet vinyl, thick, heavy, flat, just a terrific reproduction. I've never heard a better version of Axis, and I've got many different CD & LP pressings.
Do not hesitate, get this now! You won't regret it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a special release!, August 16, 2000

By 

MCM (Sacramento, California USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Axis: Bold as Love [Vinyl] (Vinyl)

All of the other reviews before this one were for the CD version. Let's be clear: This LP release is the MONO version of Axis: Bold As Love. It is pressed on 180 grams of virgin vinyl by Classic Records, an audiophile specialist label.

This release is nothing short of fantastic! The LP was mastered from the original MONO master tapes. If you wanted to buy an original mono LP of this, it would set you back around $1,500! No kidding! The mono edition was never again released until now. The mixes are completely different from the stereo release.

Jimi's original engineer, Eddie Kramer, oversaw this release and cut the record from the original full track Mono tapes played back on a special full-track Mono head specifically made for this reissue.

I just bought my copy from Amazon and you should, too, to support vinyl! The sound is full and open, just as Jimi (probably) would have wanted it!