Jimi Hendrix "Electric Ladyland" Nude Cover Near Mint

$

123

This rare copy of Jimi Hendrix's Electric Ladyland 2 disc album, Polydor Records (red label), has been in my possession since 1979. I bought it from a fellow GI while stationed in Germany. It has only been played once by the original owner; I knew I wanted to keep it so I never played it. I am moving to England so I am divesting myself of all my worldly possessions, piece by piece. The cover has been stored in a protective plastic sleeve for over 30 years and is in excellent condition, with almost no wear lines from the album or on the edges. The pictures above are taken from the album itself. It will be shipped with a specialty album mounting box included. The album is in pristine condition has absolutely no scratches on the vinyl. I took the album to a specialty record collection store recently to have it assessed and the album was rated at near mint condition.

Electric Ladyland was first released in the US in October 1968 and became a massive hit; it was Hendrix's only #1 album. The UK edition reached #5 upon its October release amid considerable controversy. The album's intended artwork did not reach the UK in time to press the album and Track Records had its own art department, which produced a cover depicting of several nude women lounging in front of a black background. so that cover was issued in its place. A letter Hendrix wrote to Reprise described exactly what he wanted for the cover, but it was mostly ignored. He expressly asked for a colour photo by Linda Eastman of the group sitting with children on a sculpture from Alice in Wonderland in Central Park, NY even drawing a picture of it for reference. The company instead used a blurred red & yellow photo of his head, taken by Karl Ferris, while the Allan Douglas' re-master CD issue features the U.S. version by Ferris, which has since become the official worldwide cover of Electric Ladyland. This original disc was pressed in England by Polydor Records (red label). 

The company Experience Hendrix, which owns the rights to the album and most of Hendrix's catalogue, has stated that the original UK nudes cover will not be used any longer, since Hendrix himself did not like it; nonetheless Hendrix's own choice, the Eastman photo, is still ignored. A dispute nearly happened with the album's title. In the final stages of production, a studio technician renamed the album "Electric Landlady". The album was almost released under this official title until Hendrix noticed the error, which upset him considerably. Kirsty MacColl later used this alternate title for an album of her own.

In 2005 Q magazine readers voted Electric Ladyland the 38th greatest album of all time; in 2003 the TV network VH1 placed it at number 72. In 2003, Rolling Stone declared it the 54th greatest album of all time. The album is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Jimi Hendrix (vocals, guitar, bass); Noel Redding (vocals, bass); Mitch Mitchell (vocals, drums). Additional personnel: Chris Wood (flute); Freddie Smith (tenor saxophone); Al Kooper (piano); Mike Finnigan, Steve Winwood (organ); Jack Casady (bass); Buddy Miles (drums); Larry Faucette (congas).