Steve Vai Says Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Bold as Love’ Had a ‘Huge Impact’

In the fifth episode of UCR’s Bold as Love Recalled and Celebrated video series, Steve Vai notes that Jimi Hendrix and Axis: Bold as Love took him down a crucial path as an artist. The album was a monumental discovery for him personally and made a big impression, “like a monolith appearing.”

“One of the things that was so extraordinary about that record was in the playing,” he explains in the exclusive video below, praising Jimi’s improvisation and chordal techniques. “That’s how I was inspired to kick off learning how to navigate the neck with chords that sound like music.”

Released barely six months after the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s May 1967 debut Are You Experienced, Axis: Bold as Love showcased more sophisticated songwriting and musical performances on tracks such as “Little Wing” and “Castles Made of Sand.”

Watch Steve Vai Discuss Jimi Hendrix’s Approach on ‘Axis: Bold as Love’

‘Axis: Bold as Love’ Goes in a Lot of ‘Different Directions’

“If you listen to a song like ‘Spanish Castle Magic,’ it’s got such a heavy riff and cool guitar playing fuzz tone, and then all the other things that are on the record go in all these other different directions,” Dweezil Zappa marvels. “You get to ‘Bold as Love,’ and you hear the backwards things throughout the record, and that’s what came out.”

Watch Dweezil Zappa Talk About ‘Spanish Castle Magic’ and ‘Axis: Bold as Love’

“When Axis: Bold as Love came out and I heard ‘Little Wing,’ you know, Eric Clapton got obsessed with it, and rightfully so,” Dion remembers. “But the beauty of his playing and singing, it’s so complete.”

Watch Dion Discuss Jimi Hendrix’s Playing and Singing on ‘Axis: Bold as Love’

Jimi Hendrix Faced a Tough Task With ‘Axis: Bold as Love’ and Made it Look Easy

“As everybody suspects, following up a great first album, it’s always difficult to make a second one,” ZZ Top legend Billy F. Gibbons adds. “And yet, I got to say, Axis: Bold as Love coming down the line, treated the fans and friends and followers to some of the best stuff that Jimi did throughout [his] career.”

Watch Billy F. Gibbons Discuss Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Axis: Bold as Love’

Eric Johnson Says Hendrix Displayed a Lot of Growth on His Second Studio Album

Guitar hero Eric Johnson was blown away by how far Jimi had come on his sophomore effort and praises the audible growth Hendrix displayed on Axis: Bold as Love.

“Are You Experienced was a great contribution to just outrageous guitar playing,” Johnson details. “I think Axis came along – which came out really relatively very quickly after Are You Experienced – [and] it immediately had a bit of a departure to it, it was more about songs and lyrics and melodies. In fact, there are certain songs on Axis where there are not even guitar solos. The prominent guitar stuff, a lot of it is just this great rhythm stuff.”

Read More: When Jimi Hendrix Went Out There on ‘Axis: Bold As Love’

Watch Eric Johnson Talk About Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Axis: Bold as Love’

Jimi Hendrix Experience’s ‘Bold as Love’ Box Set Arrives Nov. 7

The 5LP / 4CD + Blu-ray Axis: Bold as Love box set arrives in stores on Nov. 7, and includes 40 alternative versions, unreleased studio takes, demos, live tracks and television performances from the era, 28 of which have never been unearthed before.