Purple Haze     3:26

Recorded: DeLane Lea Studios, London,
January 11, 1967
Olympic Studios, London, February 3, 7, 8, 1967
Producer: Chas Chandler
Engineer: Dave Siddle [DeLane Lea]
Eddie Kramer [Olympic]

Mixed By Eddie Kramer
NRG Studios, January 9, 2000

Guitar, Vocals: Jimi Hendrix
Bass, Backing Vocals: Noel Redding
Drums, Backing Vocals: Mitch Mitchell

Previously Unreleased Alternate Recording

"Purple Haze" was written December 26, 1966 in the dressing room of the Upper Cut Club, a London nightspot owned by former boxer Phil Walker. "Write the rest of that!" bellowed manager and producer Chas Chandler when he heard Hendrix toying with the song's distinctive hook that Winter afternoon.

Impelled by Chandler to make the song his next single, "Purple Haze" first took form as a demo at London's DeLane Lea Studios in January 1967. One month later, buttressed by the chart success of their debut single "Hey Joe", Chandler now had the financial backing to move the group's recording sessions to the vastly superior Olympic Studios. Once there, Chandler directed the group through a quickly paced session, confident he had all of the necessary ingredients for a timeless single at his disposal; namely a great song and terrific performances from each member. The song's inventive production supplied the final component. The sessions for "Purple Haze" marked the emergence of Chandler, Hendrix, and Olympic engineer Eddie Kramer as a dynamic creative force within the studio control room.

This recording is a variation of the final master. Different guitar parts, as well as lead and backing vocals are evident and an ending for the song had not yet been devised. That work would be completed on the final master when Eddie Kramer recorded various guitar parts from Hendrix at 7 1/2 i.p.s. and played them back at 15 i.p.s. This effort provided the exotic atmosphere Chandler and Hendrix desired as the song faded to a close.

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