Axis: Bold As Love - Late 1960ies German Polydor label 13-track LP Reissue

Scarce late 1960ies German Polydor label reissue of Jimi Hendrix Experience' 2nd album originally released in 1967 and labelled "...the refinement of white noise into psychedelia..." and "...the finest Voodoo album that any rock group has produced to date." by Rolling Stones' Jim Miller*.

Vinyl has black and white printed generic red labels - with top black 'half album' logo above company name in large white font and STEREO in mid-size black lettering. Labels has white rimtext and mid-labels boxed GEMA to the left of center hole and likewise white encircled ST and 33 to the right above catalogue number and side indicator.

The "Deutsche Grammophon Hamburg" rimtext suggest a German Polydor release from late 1967 through 1969. The very first late 1967 pressings contained a white box stating "Stereo, also playable mono". By mid-1968, the factory dropped the mono mention entirely because dedicated mono record players were rapidly disappearing from the consumer market, leaving only the clean "Stereo" indicator.

For those into the machine stamped matrix information:
Side 1: 1 ℗ 1967 M7 ♢V K 00 184110 = 2 A 239000 = 2 A
Side 2: 2 ℗ 1967 M7 ♢V S 00 184110 = 2 B 239000 (xed out) X2XBX 239000 = 2 B
(K and S are rotated 90 ° to the left)

The "M7" Lacquer Stamp suggest that the metal parts used to press this copy were created in December 1967 (M = December, 7 = 1967). 

The first German pressing from late 1967 only had the catalog number 184110 stamped into the matrix. Shortly after, Polydor/Phonogram updated its European inventory system and assigned the album a new catalog number: 239000. The deadwax features both numbers stamped simultaneously (184110 = 2 A 239000 = 2 A) suggesting that this copy was pressed right during that late-60s transition window.

Taking the label and matrix specifics into consideration this is within all probability a copy from 1968-69. 

Vinyl is housed in an outer laminated gatefold picture cover featuring the 'Printed in Germany · Imprimé en Allemagne by Gerhard Kaiser GmbH, Essen' and 'Manufactured by Deutsche Grammophon, Hamburg' texts.

Condition: Exc (Vinyl and labels)/Exc (Cover):
Vinyl is beautifully lustrous - has a very light degree of superficial and inaudible scuffing - is othwerwise near mint - is overall graded excellent/close to near mint. Side 2 label has a little scattered, but entirely superficial spindletraces - looks like a handful or two - Side 2 has almost none - graded Near Mint and Close to Near Mint/Excellent. Cover has only very minor corner softenings - very slightly rubbed to lower and opening corners - is otherwise a very clean cover - perfect inner spread - graded overall Close to Near Mint/Excellent.

Tracklisting:

Side 1:
1. EXP
2. Up From The Skies
3. Spanish Castle Magic
4. Wait Until Tomorrow
5. Ain't No Telling
6. Little Wing
7. If Six Was Nine

Side 2:
1. You've Got Me Floating
2. Castles Made Of Sand
3. She's So Fine (Noel Redding)
4. One Rainy Wish
5. Little Miss Lover
6. Bold As Love

All tracks written and composed by Jimi Hendrix except where noted

Recorded May - June, October 1967 at Olympic Studios, London

Credits:

The Jimi Hendrix Experience:
Vocals, Guitar - Jimi Hendrix
Bass guitar - Noel Redding
Drums - Mitch Mitchell

Additional Musicians:
Gary Leeds - foot stamping on "If 6 Was 9"
Graham Nash - foot stamping on "If 6 Was 9"
Trevor Burton - backing vocals on "You Got Me Floatin'"
Roy Wood - backing vocals on "You Got Me Floatin'"

Technical credits:
Chas Chandler -Production
Eddie Kramer- Chief Engineer
George Chkiantz, Andy Johns and Terry Brown - Engineers

Artwork:
David King & Roger Law - cover Illustration - painted heads based on a Karl Ferris group portrait
Paul Martin - Insert Design
Donald Silverstein - Inner Spread Photography

*Rolling Stones Review, Jim Miller, April 6, 1968