Welcome to Dagger Records!
If you're a Hendrix fan and you've never seen one of our releases
before, sit back and check out what make us different than just your
typical record label ...
So, you've been collecting Jimi Hendrix recordings for as long as
you can remember. Core catalog releases such as Are You Experienced,
Axis: Bold As Love, Electric Ladyland, and Band Of Gypsys
are old hat for you. You have worn out your old, out-of-print vinyl copies of
Rainbow Bridge and Hendrix: In The West and rejoiced in the
revelations provided by recent releases like Live At The Fillmore East,
BBC Sessions, and the new Jimi Hendrix Experience box set.
You've owned every album or video commercially available yet you still want
more. We understand.
Jimi Hendrix devotees rank among the hardiest and most faithful in all of
rock n' roll. Our proud ranks have survived so many disappointments
throughout the years. From Get That Feeling to Jimi Hendrix At His Best to
Crash Landing to Voodoo Soup, far too many of us have
raced home from the record store, albums under our sleeve, eager to
discover something new about our hero, only to realize we had once
again been had.
So, what's next?
If you are a true aficionado of Hendrix, your collection has probably
been augmented over the years by underground, unauthorized bootleg
recordings. No matter what form -- vinyl, cassette, CD-R, and now
a myriad a digital formats like MP3, WMA, APE, SHN and a host of others
-- these haphazard compilations of random studio outtakes, television
and radio performances, interviews, and amatuer audience recordings of
concerts have helped fans fill in the gaps left by Jimi's authorized
albums.
The underground market for Jimi Hendrix recordings is rife with
expensive, poorly annotated bootlegs. These haphazard compilations are
often poor quality and too frequently deliver far less than they
advertise.
To service Jimi's fans, we have created Dagger Records, a unique label
established to release `bootleg' recordings which further detail Jimi's
illustrious legacy. Unlike Experience Hendrix, the MCA Records
distributed home of such classic albums as Are You Experienced and
Electric Ladyland, releases by Dagger Records will feature
inspired performances and revealing home and studio recordings which
may or may not meet the technical criteria and high sonic standards
Hendrix himself established over the course of his short but spectacular
career.
The formation of Dagger Records was not intended to eradicate the
underground bootleg market or replace the labyrinth network of tape
traders across the globe. Instead, through Dagger Records, Experience
Hendrix, L.L.C. and MCA Records plan to service the healthy demand for
Jimi's music with informative `bootleg' releases which are properly
annotated, complete with photos and reasonable sonic quality. "Prior to
our getting the rights to Jimi's music back, I used to see a lot of
bootleg albums in stores and I too was probably one of the victims of
high prices and shabby product," explains Janie Hendrix. "It really made
no sense [considering] that we have a whole vault full of Jimi Hendrix
material. Obviously not all of the material is of the commercial quality
that MCA would require, so we approached Zach Horowitz (President,
Universal Music Group) with this concept and here we are today."
Explaining that not all fans are satisfied with owning the commercial
releases, Janie Hendrix adds, "Die hard fans wanted to get anything and
everything on tape of Jimi. Dagger Records gives us one way of fulfilling
those requests. It also allows us to help fans not be gouged by bootleg
prices."
All Dagger Records will not only be priced lower than typical bootleg
prices, they will also be beneath standard retail charges. Single disc
releases are priced at $15.00 while double CD sets are just $20.00.
"I think it will be a refreshing change," states Janie Hendrix.
"Fans won't be paying those exorbitant prices. We still will be
doing beautiful booklets describing what exactly is happening in
the recording. Despite the limitations of each recording, we have
tried to make each the highest quality we can. Eddie Kramer is
involved in the recording studio and the mastering is done by
George Marino at Sterling Sound.
In addition to the low prices and high quality, Dagger Records also
delivers authenticity ... something unauthorized bootlegs can not offer.
Janie Hendrix explains. "Part of the whole dream behind Dagger is to
give the fans something they want ... new insights into Jimi's legacy."
November 23, 2004 marks Dagger Records eagerly anticipated seventh release
Hear My Music which joins its six predecessors
Jimi Hendrix Experience: Paris 1967/San Francisco 1968
Jimi Hendrix: The Baggy's Rehearsal
Sessions;The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Live In Ottawa;
The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Live At The Oakland Coliseum;
The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Live At Clark University; and
Morning Symphony Ideas. While geared at the consumate Hendrix
consumer the Dagger Records collection has become a hearty addition to even
the most casual of fans.
The release of Hear My Music also marks a new chapter in the Dagger Records
bootleg series as we've unleashed the two most recent titles--Hear My Music
and Jimi Hendrix Experience: Paris 1967/San Francisco 1968 on 180gram,
audiophile-grade vinyl releases, each title done in distinct colors as opposed
to traditional black vinyl.
We hope you enjoy our latest endeavours and don't miss out future releases from the
Dagger Records family.
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