2022 is upon us but you won't be hearing any "new year, new me" jargon here, the only new we're concerned with is new Jimi in 2022. Last year was a pretty quiet year from EH after dropping some pretty impressive and long awaited sets in the two previous years with Groovy Children and Maui. Last year saw just the release of the 1967 Paris Olympia show on vinyl for Record Store Day Black Friday in November. That release had been previously released on CD from Dagger records in 2003 bundled with a San Francisco show from 1968. It was released on vinyl at that time as well as again in 2009 as part of the Paris Ottawa 67/68 box. Neither of those versions included Catfish Blues or The Wind Cries Mary, but those two tracks had seen previous release on CD and Vinyl through the Purple Box. So in essence there was nothing new about the 2021 release of Paris 67 on either format, however, the show had been out of print on vinyl and was fairly expensive to acquire and it did compile the most complete official version to date, so it stands as a worthwhile release, but still 2021 was a pretty slow year on the Hendrix front. This leaves a lot of potential for 2022. Like last year copyright consideration is no longer a factor on Hendrix related material, so there is nothing necessarily pushing one release to the forefront over another. While the exact details of EH contract with Sony are unknown, it's speculated there is likely at least couple years left, which could preclude a release of all the top tiered material as no doubt EH will be interested in inking another long term deal with Sony in the future. Besides that there is nothing specifically favouring one release or another. Back in 2011 Janie promised we would see Black Gold by the end of the decade, that ship has sailed, and while the screening of RAH in 2019 brought great excitement two years on there has been no further news or development. Here are a few of the possible candidates for release in no particular order: 1) Royal Albert Hall 1969 - Clearly this is something that at some point they intend to release, but who can blame long suffering fans from becoming jaded. Despite containing one of Jimi's finer performances and being some of the best footage of him, this one has languished in a legal quagmire for years. It's surprise 2019 screening of a rough cut brought about hope that the parties were on good terms and a release may have been imminent, but with no news arriving since it now seems likely the single 2019 screening was more a copyright move than a preview for the fans. I think everyone involved would love to see this one done right and with the greatest care. For live Hendrix this one could be the last true grail that could have wider appeal beyond just the hardcore Hendrix fans. One major hold up remains that Goldstein has always wanted a theatrical release. If this still is a sticking point, the continued issues surrounding a global pandemic could easily see this pushed back on the release schedule. It's possible EH could do an audio only release if the film is too entangled, but probably unlikely as I imagine it would make the most sense for their advertising campaign to try and double dip all at once with the film and the audio as many fans I'm sure would go for both formats, especially if the video is incomplete as it was at the screening. The RAH show is additionally alluring because in addition to the show on the 24th, rehearsals earlier in the day were recorded as was another show at the same venue on the 18th. So there is plenty of material to choose from, and the potential for a large boxset of some sort is feasible. 2) 1970 Recording Sessions - It is well known Hendrix spent a great deal of time, jamming, writing and crafting his songs in the studio usually with tapes rolling. By 1970 he even had his own studio with which to do this in and a favourable touring schedule allowing him to have access to studio time far more than in the past. Even though we are over 50 years since his passing much of this material remains unreleased including a fair amount of material from the final months of Jimi's life. After ignoring the early posthumous releases during their tenure at the helm of Hendrix legacy, EH surprisingly reissued both Cry of Love and Rainbow Bridge in 2014. Both those albums saw their 50th anniversary pass unmarked, however 2022 will be the 25th anniversary of one of EH's first releases "First Rays of the New Rising Sun" which was EH's attempt to collect much of that material into a double album format. As such they may opt to revisit and expand upon that release with a large anniversary set which could be an opportunity to include some of the unreleased studio material from that time frame. Of course there is enough of that material on it's own to fill out a standalone release without linking it to First Rays. 3) Reissues - Most of the Hendrix catalog has been reissued in the last decade. First Rays and South Saturn Delta will both celebrate 25th anniversaries this year and both have not seen a reissue in over 10 years. However both remain fairly easy to track down so would most likely need something additional to help shift units if they were reissued. In addition the album War Heroes will see it's 50th anniversary this year and has never been reissued by EH so it could be a possible candidate that would likely be welcomed by fans, especially if given the same excellent treatment Cry of Love and Rainbow Bridge received in 2014. 4) Dagger Releases - Dagger records saw basically an annual release between it's 1998 inception through 2009. Then between 2010-2016 only a single title (live in Cologne) saw release. In the past five years however Dagger has suddenly reemerged as a viable outlet for Hendrix material. 2017 saw George's Club 1965/66, 2018 had the Hollywood Bowl show on the ELL 50th set, 2020 had a second PPX installment and 2021 saw the Paris 1967 show reissued. Because of the recent revival and the fact EH has done some promotional videos for Dagger in the last couple years a Dagger release or reissue seems a strong possibility. The beauty of Dagger records is that as a bootleg label, pretty much anything can see release through it. From high quality studio outtakes and jams to demos and rehearsals and live shows that don't meet the quality standards of the more mainstream releases. This leaves many, many possible avenues should EH want to release some new material through the Dagger label. In addition to new material many Dagger titles were either never released on vinyl or have become prohibitively expensive on vinyl which make them perfect candidates for a records store day release. The past two years EH has utilized Dagger just for that purpose with RSD Black Friday releases. There are still about half a dozen Dagger releases that were never released officially on vinyl, mostly live performances. 5) Berkeley 1970 - A set of shows that have been a huge part of the Hendrix cannon since shortly after the man died. The Berkeley shows were filmed and in the void caused by Hendrix death quickly became one of the first posthumous releases as the footage was quickly cut into a film and shown in theaters about a year after Hendrix's death. Because of it's long standing appreciation by fans as well as the fact it documents two phenomenal shows, the Berkeley material has long been sought after by fans. EH has released several versions of the film, the last of which from 2012 added additional footage. It isn't known for sure how much extra footage exists, but because of the high profile of these gigs anything extra that turns up will likely warrant a reissue of the film. As for the audio, both shows were professionally recorded along with the soundcheck. The 2nd show was released by EH back in 2003, but the first show and soundcheck have only seen portions released among compilations over the years. The first set of course could see an outright standalone release. But there is probably enough material here unreleased to justify a larger Berkeley themed box set to put all this material together for the first time, particularly if the film is flushed out and included as well. 6) Black Gold - Black Gold has long been considered a grail among Hendrix fans. Basically these were song ideas Hendrix was forming, but never got to complete due to his death. This is not to be confused with the 1970 material he was working on in the studio as these tracks are unique and apparently never got passed demo form. Janie has made it clear she does consider this to be a releasable item and on West Coast Seattle Boy the song Suddenly November Morning closed out that box set, to date it is the only song from this material to be released at all. The album has such mythology because unlike many other things on this list, it was never released in any capacity, not even on bootleg. The material contained within has never been heard by even the most ardent Hendrix fans. So naturally under those circumstances the tape is going to generate quite a bit of it's own mythology. About a decade ago it seemed as if Black Gold may be coming soon, but since the release of Suddenly November Morning, EH has said very little else about the tape. It's unclear if the material will be deemed of sufficient quality to justify a stand alone release or if it will be tied into some other release. Most likely it will be released together as opposed to parceled out as a release with a significant amount of unheard material will likely draw far more attention than a single track released here or there. For the Hendrix fan who has "heard it all" this release remains the holiest of grails. 7) Euro 1969 Tour - It sees little fanfare, but the 1969 Euro tour leading up to RAH had a number of shows filmed/recorded. Audio and video of one of the Stockholm shows does circulate unofficially. This material could be considered for a potential release, but because it isn't exactly Hendrix's best show if it were released it would most likely be combined with something else. The other footage was filmed near the end of the tour and were trial runs for the RAH filming. Basically five sets of music were filmed, with a larger crew being present for the final gig in Berlin. In 2015 Eddie Kramer stated that some of the next projects they would be working on would be film related as there was still quite a bit of Hendrix film unreleased. Since then the only film related project released has been Maui. The 1969 Euro films as it stands represent the most comprehensibly covered period of Hendrix's career especially when considering the two RAH shows. No other period has so much professional film of entire Hendrix concerts in such a short time span. The fact none of it has seen release and that all but the 24th gig at RAH have not even seen snippets turn up in documentaries is fairly mind blowing. It is not sure how EH plans to utilize this material, but there is an absolute wealth of film and audio available to them from the winter of 1969 gathering dust. 8) 1969 USA Shows - What is it with EH and the 1969 Experience? All the quality professional material they have on film and audio and what they've given us in full is an audience recording from Cologne on Dagger? With the US spring tour they have professional recordings from LA, San Diego and Newport, plus the Newport jam. But like with 1969 much of this material has been released bit by bit and scattered across several other releases. San Diego has seen the most officially released with EH's expanded In The West release leaning heavily on San Diego material. There remains some top notch performances here though and ones that deserve to be highlighted in better fashion then has been done. Both San Diego and LA were (mostly) released by the Douglas administration, but they were on long out of print CD sets and have been largely unavailable for a quarter century. San Diego has been mostly released by EH, and Newport is a weaker gig, so in my opinion the best way to handle this would be a box set that includes LA as the main draw and then allows San Diego to be released in full and whatever they chose to do with the Newport material. Film exists for Newport as well as San Jose, perhaps that could be included in the box, or maybe on a 1969 Experience DVD with some of the Euro footage. The Experience may have been falling apart during these shows, but the added tension really lends to some ferocious playing and the band really stretches out on some of this material. 9) Large Compilation Box - EH likes bigger boxsets. We've seen it with the Purple Box, West Coast Seattle Boy, Winterland, ELL 50th and Groovy Children. These sets provide a sensible way to get a wide range of material out there that either doesn't fit elsewhere, is a preview for upcoming releases or can provide an in depth look at a period in Jimi's career. Because of their versatility they can be a suitable platform for any and all Hendrix material becoming a melting pot between studio and live, high quality and lofi rarities, completed tracks and demo like sketches. With so much unreleased Hendrix material it is likely we will again see one of these kind of catch all boxes either focusing on a certain period or a career spanning retrospective. 10) ELL Outtakes - Everyone was pretty disappointed by what was included, and moreso what was not included on the ELL 50th box set. It stands to reason that would've been the perfect outlet for 1968 Hendrix studio material and outtakes. The fact much was held back makes you think there must be some other plan for it. How that may materialize is anybody's guess, but the material still exists, as does the demand to hear it from official sources, so it seems a matter of time before this is addressed in someway. Those are just ten higher profile options I think are reasonably likely, thankfully there is a great deal of other options that could be pursued as well. There are many more live shows that have potential for release from higher quality material like Stockholm 67 and Randall's Island to bootleg like material like Copenhagen and Dallas. There are hundreds of hours of studio outtakes and jams still sitting on the shelves and there is always potential for a real surprise or two in the mix. EH can be unpredictable, but they do seem to favour releases in the spring and fall as well as supporting Record Store Day in some capacity, lately trending more towards the Black Friday event. After a pretty slow year last year, it's possible this year could see multiple releases. If a spring date is happening it's likely we will hear about it in the next six weeks or so. So what is everyone hoping for? What do you think we have no chance of seeing? Did you enjoy Paris 67? Do you have complaints and grievances? This thread is for any and all thought on what could, should or may never be in the world of Jimi Hendrix for 2022.
You could’ve reposted last year’s and it would’ve been just fine, but nice adjustments. Like the idea of the reissues, but too many SSD tracks are available elsewhere. However, much as I’d love WH, don’t see that in the cards either. Think the catch all box may be the most likely option this year.
Think you pretty much covered it as to possible releases. Perhaps EH has something we don't know about like the Honolulu '70 show Billy Cox was raving about in the Maui doc.
After Maui I decided to boycott all Hendrix releases until Royal Albert Hall comes out. One persons consumer protest and if that means I never buy another Hendrix release I have plenty already to listen to.
I am intrigued by the comments he made about that show. Obviously he felt it was notably better than the Maui show he most likely had heard as part of that process. Seems unlikely he would be that high on the Honolulu show based solely off the partial audience recording we have, but maybe he just had particularly fond nenories of it. Certainly I'd love for there to be a better and complete recording of Honolulu especially if it was such a great show.
As Adam 777 pointed out there is a goldmine of unreleased concerts from 1969 in the vaults, and as I've said many times across many threads this is one of my favourite period of Jimi's live shows. They could release two box-sets, one of Europe .69, and one of U.S. '69, without using the Albert Hall gigs, and hard core fans would be happy.
There is a huge difference it what I'd like to see, and what I'll likely see. Albert Hall - Both complete shows with highlights from the soundcheck. Sweden 1969, both sets with Bluray of the pro-shot footage. Not the most exciting shows, but would make a nice Dagger package. Crash Landing/War Heroes/Midnight Lightning/Nine to the Universe from masters in a box set. All four would fit on 2cd's nicely. Why let the bootleggers get all the profit from these? I know the history of the Douglas-era dubious edits, but many of us grew up with these releases. They might as be available, similar to Rainbow Bridge and Cry of Love. What we will likely get? Some colored vinyl and 1LP edits of some already released material. Pass on both.
I’d double WH up with Loose Ends, but not mix it in with the Douglas albums. But good idea on the original versions of those songs, thing is the originals of 92TU would take up a disc on its own.
I'd like to see Nine to the Universe on CD. A deluxe edition with the unedited tracks would be great, call it Ten to the Universe. Or maybe it could even go to Eleven.
This was just posted on IMWAN: IMWAN • [2022-03-25] "Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision" 3CD/1BD box set (Experience Hendrix/Legacy) Which has an active link on Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NF5SN78/?tag=imwan-20 Seems to be a summary of his recordings from Electric Lady Studios. Not sure how much is unreleased Track Listing: Disc: 1 1 Ezy Ryder 2 Valleys of Neptune 3 Straight Ahead 4 Drifter's Escape 5 Astro Man 6 Astro Man 7 Drifting 8 Night Bird Flying 9 Farther Up the Road 10 The Long Medley: Astro Man / Beginnings / Hey Baby (New Rising Sun) / Midnight Lightning (Keep On Groovin') / Freedom Disc: 2 1 Earth Blues 2 Dolly Dagger 3 Angel 4 Beginnings 5 Lover Man 6 Tune X / Just Came In 7 Heaven Has No Sorrow 8 Freedom 9 Valleys of Neptune 10 Come Down Hard On Me 11 Dolly Dagger 12 Messing Around 13 Tune X / Just Came In 14 Drifting 15 Freedom 16 Belly Button Window Disc: 3 1 Dolly Dagger 2 Night Bird Flying 3 Freedom 4 Midnight Lightning / Beginnings 5 Straight Ahead 6 In From the Storm 7 Bolero / Hey Baby (New Rising Sun) 8 Drifter's Escape 9 Astro Man 10 Bleeding Heart 11 Drifting 12 Room Full of Mirrors 13 Angel Disc: 4 1 Freedom 2 Freedom 3 Valleys of Neptune 4 Valleys of Neptune 5 Ezy Ryder 6 Ezy Ryder 7 Angel 8 Angel 9 Izabella 10 Izabella 11 Lover Man 12 Lover Man 13 Night Bird Flying 14 Night Bird Flying 15 My Friend 16 My Friend 17 Dolly Dagger 18 Dolly Dagger 19 Slow Poli Gap 20 Slow Poli Gap 21 Straight Ahead 22 Straight Ahead 23 Drifting 24 Drifting 25 Beginnings 26 Beginnings 27 Stepping Stone 28 Stepping Stone 29 Hey Baby (New Rising Sun) 30 Hey Baby (New Rising Sun) 31 Earth Blues 32 Earth Blues 33 In From the Storm 34 In From the Storm 35 Room Full of Mirrors 36 Room Full of Mirrors 37 Astro Man 38 Astro Man 39 Belly Button Window 40 Belly Button Window
A 1970 collection is long overdue. It is too early to tell how much will consist of the often recycled Cry of Love/Rainbow Bridge/First Rays mixes. This is finally an opportunity to present Hendrix mixes and alternates, but it is unclear what the end product will look like.
Oh my God they were listening to us!....and they left off Hear My Train.... And of course, when is it coming out...March...during LENT! Edit: So I'll save it until Easter, preordered!
Damn it EH! After correctly predicting the releases in 2019 and 2020 this was my pick for last year, so I was wrong by a few months! Wow well they wasted no time in 2022 getting some stuff online, could be a very exciting year in the Hendrix world!
The long medley...Could that be that like 26 minute uninterrupted jam from I think July 1970 people have clamoured for in the past?
A tiny bit of what I can make out from the zoomed (and now blurry) packshot: Valleys Of Neptune - Electric Lady Studios New York - "After a night of ? jamming, Jimi and Steve Winwood huddled in Studio A to work out 'Valleys Of Neptune'. Jimi had ? well over a year ? this promising new original. Following a brief ?, he and Winwood began a ? soulful (?). Jimi was on guitar while Winwood played ? piano. Winwood's Rhythm Ace...not just simple accompaniment ? but his attitude as well. This was not a formal attempt to capture a finished master. It was, however, a ? example of what Electric Lady offered Jimi - a fully equipped..." That's all I got. I wonder what circumstances prompted that memo from Kramer that's included? "As of late I am noticing much to my alarm, lateness for sessions. I will not tolerate any excuse for being here minimum 1/2 hr (?). If mixing or if recording ?, for set up time prior to your session. We all know the rules we have to adhere to at the studio. I expect to see a remarked changed within the next week. P.S. Otherwise, some heads will roll - EKK". It's nice that we're finally getting "Farther (On) Up The Road", a 1970 "Midnight Lightning (full band I assume)" and an attempt at "Heaven Has No Sorry". I'm thinking they had to Frankenstein a cohesive version of that one, unless it's something that hasn't circulated before.
As many releases in the past (beginning with Cry Of Love in 1971) this release is planned close to the date of my birthday anniversary. Must be genuine
