Jimi Hendrix Experience – The Banned ‘Electric Ladyland’ Cover
Rock and roll has a long history of controversial album covers. These abominations are often conceived by record labels and forced upon musicians. One famous example of art gone wrong is the British pressing of Electric Ladyland.
The Jimi Hendrix Experience was signed to Track Records in the UK. Attempting to build a buzz through controversy, the label photographed nineteen naked women and spread the photo across the outer gatefold. The band was not consulted and Electric Ladyland was shipped to retailers with the nude photograph.
A handful of shops banned the record. Many stores sold the album with the gatefold turned inside out. The anticipated windfall of free press failed to materialize.
The general consensus was that the cover was tasteless. Hendrix agreed. He distanced himself from the photo in interviews and proclaimed disdain for the gatefold.
To prevent a similar fiasco in the states, Hendrix contacted Reprise Records with his vision for the U.S. pressing of Electric Ladyland. Jimi gathered a selection of band photographs and personally sketched a collage with detailed instructions on arranging pictures across the cover.
Reprise Records completely disregarded Jimi’s concept. Many of the photographs do appear INSIDE the gatefold. However, for the outer cover, Reprise went with the now iconic red and yellow photo of Jimi that we know and love.
