THE YEAR: 1968
THE CONTROVERSY: The double-disc Electric Ladyland — featuring such guitar-rock staples “Crosstown Traffic,” “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” and a searing cover of Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower” — was the third and last album from The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Jimi Hendrix himself had a definite concept of what he wanted on the cover: a picture of the band surrounded by children (taken by the future Linda McCartney, whose photos are featured inside). The labels had different ideas: Reprise, in the U.S., used a blurry picture of the rock star taken by Karl Ferris; Track, in the U.K., opted for a photo of 19 naked women sitting against a black backdrop.
WHAT HAPPENED AFTERWARDS: The U.K. version, released a month after the album went on sale in the States, generated a bit of controversy, but never to the degree that caused the labels to recall or remove inventory. The Hendrix estate has stated that the U.S. album, with the Ferris pic, should be considered the “official” version.
PHOTOS: Photo Jam with Jimi Hendrix