JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE - The Unreleased BBC Sessions (Flac)

Listening recently to the Experience Hendrix release 'BBC sessions' I was curious to see what had been left off the 2-disc compilation.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded seven radio sessions for the BBC. Not all were available in high quality sound and the majority of the official release is compiled from the 2nd, 3rd and 4th to 7th sessions along with various 'Top of the Pops' and other television performances.

Session one and four were excluded because they were only available on lo-fi recordings. Since the official release in 1998, an upgrade has been made available from a tape found at a yard sale. 

This short post includes that first session and the remaining recordings for television, that are in decent quality plus a few extras, including a thirty-minute interview with Jimi, talking about his plans for the future, only a week before his tragic death. 

Jimi Hendrix Experience - The Unreleased BBC Sessions  

Sourced from a Prof. Stoned compilation (2025)

01. Hey Joe

Recorded: Lime Grove Studios, Shepherd's Bush, London UK; Wednesday 18 January 1967 at 19:00

Broadcast: BBC One TV 'Top of the Pops', Thursday 19 January 1967 19:30 to 20:00

Source: off-air recording

Note: again, a full band live performance with the Breakaways, and also the last time the program allowed it. This fan recording from the initial airing has not circulated before and is a substantial upgrade to the existing source (generously provided by The Johnny Kidd Fanclub). Announcement by Alan Freeman.

01. 'high time'

02. Hey Joe

03. 'cut loose again'

04. Rock Me Baby {incomplete}

Recorded: BBC Broadcasting House, Studio S2, London, UK; Monday 30 January 1967

Broadcast: BBC Radio 'Pop North'; 9 February 1967 

Source: off-air recording

Note: The first radio session. The band also recorded Foxy Lady as the third song. Announcement by Ray Moore. This has been mastered from a different tape transfer, which has not circulated before (generously provided by The Johnny Kidd Fanclub). Thanks to Roger Morse who discovered this tape at a yard sale and shared it with the world.

01. Purple Haze

Recorded: Lime Grove Studios, Shepherd's Bush, London UK; Thursday 30 March 1967

Broadcast live: BBC One TV 'Top of the Pops'

Source: off-air recording

Note: This fan recording from the 20-4-1967 re-broadcast has not circulated before and is an amazing upgrade to the existing source (generously provided by The Johnny Kidd Fanclub). Again, the band spent all day at the studio rehearsing and waiting for their moment between 19:30 and 20:00. Two versions with backing track of the studio version and live vocals were performed on this day. The version here was aired live on 30 March and the other was recorded later that night for the purpose of being broadcast on next week's show (no recording of that is known to exist).

01. 'midnight oil'

02. Burning Of The Midnight Lamp

Recorded: BBC TV Studio @ Studio A, Manchester UK; Tuesday 22 August 1967 between 18:25 and 19:03

Broadcast live: BBC One TV 'Dee Time'

Presenter: Simon Dee

Source: off-air recording

Note: backing track of the studio version with live vocals. Rehearsals between 15:00 and 16:00.

01. 'The House That Jill Built'

02. Burning Of The Midnight Lamp 

Recorded: Lime Grove Studios, Shepherd's Bush, London UK; Thursday 24 August 1967

Broadcast live: BBC One TV 'Top of the Pops'

Presenter: Pete Murray

Source: off-air recording

Note: backing track of the studio version with live vocals. The House that Jack Built by Alan Price Set is being played by mistake, causing Hendrix to remark that he doesn't know the words. Another version of BOTL was recorded later in the evening between 20:15 and 21:30 for transmission two weeks later, but no recording of that is available.

01. Purple Haze

Recorded: BBC Television Centre, Shepherd's Bush, London UK; Saturday 16 December 1967

Broadcast: BBC One TV 'Top of the Pops' Monday 25 December 1967

Source: off-air recording

Note: backing track of the studio version with live vocals. Last TOTP live appearance and also the one that survives with the best sound. Completely new to circulation and once again generously provided by The Johnny Kidd Fanclub. Announcement of the JHE by Alan Freeman.

01. Wild Thing

02. 'Jimi interview'

Recorded: Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts USA, Friday March 15 1968

Broadcast: BBC1 TV 'Omnibus: All My Loving'; Sunday 03 November 1968 at 10:40PM

Source: tape 

Note: a semi-professional mono soundboard, recorded by BBC crew. About 3 minutes of WT appear in the movie, heavily edited and with various unrelated sound effects added. This is the complete version with improved sound. The interview section is taken straight from the movie soundtrack. 

 

01. Interview with Jimi 

by Keith Altham - Sep 11, 1970.

Jimi's last interview, just 21 seconds of it were aired posthumously on "Scene and Heard" on 20 Sept 1970; this is the complete tape with best sound)

LINK

Note  this post makes no claims to be complete as I have selected the best quality sounding tracks. Missing is the first Top of the Pops appearance in December 1966 and as previously mentioned, the fourth session is excluded, also two May 1967 Top of the Pops appearances of 'Purple Haze' and 'The Wind Cries Mary' - both tracks are poor distorted recordings. 

Check out the official Experience Hendrix BBC Sessions which is an excellent 2CD package with a 24-page booklet including notes on the track recordings and some brilliant photos of the band. Alternatively if you can't find a copy have a look at the blog by Prof. Stoned.