Recording for the Experience’s third and final studio album, Electric

Recording for the Experience’s third and final studio album, Electric Ladyland , began as early as December 20, 1967, at Olympic Studios. Several songs were attempted; however, in April 1968, the Experience, with Chandler as producer and engineers Eddie Kramer and Gary Kellgren , moved the sessions to the newly opened Record Plant Studios in New York. As the sessions progressed, Chandler became increasingly frustrated with Hendrix’s perfectionism and his demands for repeated takes. Hendrix also allowed numerous friends and guests to join them in the studio, which contributed to a chaotic and crowded environment in the control room and led Chandler to sever his professional relationship with Hendrix. Redding later recalled: “There were tons of people in the studio; you couldn’t move. It was a party, not a session.” Redding, who had formed his own band in mid-1968, Fat Mattress , found it increasingly difficult to fulfill his commitments with the Experience, so Hendrix played many of the bass parts on Electric Ladyland . The album’s cover stated that it was “produced and directed by Jimi Hendrix”. During the Electric Ladyland recording sessions, Hendrix began experimenting with other combinations of musicians, including Jefferson Airplane’s Jack Casady and Traffic’s Steve Winwood , who played bass and organ, respectively, on the 15-minute slow-blues jam, ” Voodoo Chile “. During the album’s production, Hendrix appeared at an impromptu jam with B.B. King, Al Kooper , and Elvin Bishop . Electric Ladyland was released on October 25, and by mid-November it had reached number one in the US, spending two weeks at the top spot. The double LP was Hendrix’s most commercially successful release and his only number one album. It peaked at number six in the UK, spending 12 weeks on the chart. Electric Ladyland included Hendrix’s cover of a Bob Dylan song, ” All Along the Watchtower “, which became Hendrix’s highest-selling single and his only US top 40 hit, peaking at number 20; the single reached number five in the UK. ” Burning of the Midnight Lamp “, his first recorded song to feature a wah-wah pedal , was added to the album. It was originally released as his fourth single in the UK in August 1967 and reached number 18 on the charts.