The space on West 8th St in Greenwich Village was available. What started out as an experimental nightclub became a world-class recording studio that still bears the trademark of its creator. In 1968, Electric Lady Studios was on the cusp of a revolution.
Jimi Hendrix was at the height of his success and instigated a move into the New York club scene. He had recorded his most commercial (and what would turn out to be his last) LP, Electric Ladyland at a variety of studios. He was seeking sonic perfection to interpret the music in his head. The new documentary Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision chronicles the craziness of the creation of his personal recording workspace.
Those who were there—those who are still alive—reminisce about their time with Hendrix and his quixotic quest. Testimonials by John Storyk (architect), Eddie Kramer (recording engineer), and Shimon Ron (chief technical engineer) are augmented by studio president Jim Marron’s nuts-and-bolts talk about liquor licenses and club curfews.
For fans, there are interviews with Hendrix himself, plus footage of him in concert. The remaining members of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Billy Cox and Mitch Mitchell (Hendrix and Noel Redding both died in 1969), check in, as does rocker Steve Winwood. For audio nerds, there's Eddie Kramer at the console, showing off his back-lit slide faders and isolating vocal tracks. Anecdotes abound, like Stevie Wonder's polite meticulousness and the simultaneous recording of music in one studio while an audiobook version of The Joy of Sex goes on in the other. Plus the tale of flooding when the crew hit a tributary of the Minetta Creek, halting construction.
The film's music is all by Hendrix (including "Freedom," "Angel," and "Dolly Dagger"). It is part of a release that features raw takes and archival tracks in a multi-disk set by the same name.
Electric Lady Studios wasn't just a convenience for its star and owner but a viable business known for unparalleled quality, which continues to this day. Besides vintage acts like Carly Simon and Lena Horne, current clients include Clairo, Zach Bryan, and Sabrina Carpenter.
Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision is a trip down a trippy memory lane that fills in much information about an enduring rock icon.
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Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision. Directed by John McDermott. 2024. From Experience Hendrix and Abramorama. In theaters and VOD. 90 minutes.