Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced [Remastered] (CD 2003)

Jimi Hendrix’ original label in the UK was Track, whilst in the States it was Reprise. Which resulted in the first three albums — “Are You Experienced”, “Axis Bold As Love” and “Smash Hits” — having slight variations in the track listing on either side of the Atlantic. They also had different artwork on the album sleeves. Great for fans and collectors at the time. But confusing nowadays, in an era plagued with a plethora of re-releases, remasters and compilations etc.

The main intention of this 17 track remastered CD is to combine the track lists of both the Track and Reprise originals, but there is a little more to it than that, resulting in a somewhat puzzling compilation to the uninitiated. The ‘reviews’ (so called) of the CD which have been read are also confused and misleading. And it hardly helps that the sleeve notes in the otherwise excellent cover booklet with the CD itself offer nothing by way of explanation! In many respects it is also a shame that the original Reprise (US) “Are You Experienced” album cover was chosen for the CD sleeve (thereby adding to the general confusion) — Though it is a great cover, far superior to
the original Track (UK) one.

The original UK vinyl release of Jimi Hendrix’ debut album “Are You Experienced” had the following track list (in original running order) — Foxy Lady, Manic Depression, Red House, Can You See Me, Love Or Confusion, I Don’t Live Today, May This Be Love, Fire, Third Stone From The Sun, Remember, Are You
Experienced. All those songs feature on this Transatlantic compilation — Which is an apposite description I guess. On the original US release, Red House, Can You See Me and Remember were replaced by Purple Haze, Hey Joe and Wind Cries Mary. Those latter three numbers also feature on this compilation. Are you following this??

Hey! Wait a minute! That makes fourteen tracks in total. Where do the other three come from? The answer lies in the track listing of the original “Smash Hits” album released in the UK. The numbers Stone Free, 51st Anniversary and Highway Chile (the original b sides to the UK singles Hey Joe, Purple Haze and Wind Cries Mary respectively) never appeared on any studio album released during Jimi Hendrix’ lifetime — Highway Chile subsequently appeared on “War Heroes”. Those three numbers also feature here. That makes seventeen. Got it now?? (!).

That’s the explanation! Now what about the music? Hendrix fans will already have all this material on various albums. But this is still a great item to add to the collection, featuring as it does all of these numbers remastered by Jimi Hendrix’ master studio mixer and engineer back in the old days, Eddie Kramer. It’s on the Experience Hendrix label too, run by Jimi’s own family, another assurance of authenticity and high quality. For casual Hendrix fans, or newcomers to his music, this is a great introduction to the acknowledged master of the stratocaster, featuring all the numbers laid down during those first few manic months way back in 1967 when the unknown Jimi Hendrix arrived in Britain from the States with his new mentor and manager Chas Chandler and immediately took England by storm.

The original album is ranked Number 15 in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, placed Number 29 in NME’s Greatest Albums of All Time, and is included in Vibe’s 100 Essential Albums of the Tewntieth Century. Enjoy!

Reviewer: MGB0147