On This Day in 1967: Jimi Hendrix Experience Released Their Second Studio Album Featuring Controversial Cover Art
Photo by AnonymousUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
A Landmark Release on December 1, 1967
On December 1, 1967, the Axis: Bold as Love by the The Jimi Hendrix Experience hit record stores in the United Kingdom. The album came just seven months after their debut, and showed how quickly the band was growing and experimenting with sound. With tracks like “Little Wing” and “Spanish Castle Magic,” the record helped build Hendrix’s reputation as a bold innovator in rock, blending blues, psychedelia, and soulful rhythms.
It didn’t take long for listeners to notice the mix of styles. Critics praised the album for its mix of hard rock, rhythm and blues, and jazz — a combination that helped shift what rock music could be. Both in the UK and later in the US, Axis: Bold as Love climbed the album charts, securing a solid place in Hendrix’s discography.
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When Art and Music Clashed: The Cover Controversy
One of the most talked-about aspects of the album wasn’t a song — it was its cover. The image shows Hendrix and his bandmates portrayed as Hindu deities, using artwork by British painter Roger Law based on a photograph from Karl Ferris. The painting was laid over a religious poster and rendered in vivid psychedelic hues.
Hendrix did not approve of the design. He objected strongly, saying the cover was wrong for them. At the time, he explained that the artwork should have reflected his Native American ancestry, not Hindu imagery. His reaction was blunt: “The three of us have nothing to do with what’s on the Axis cover.”
For many, that candid response underlined how little control artists often had over visual presentation. Hendrix accepted the music but rejected the design — a rare move for a rock star in the 1960s.
Impact and Fallout
Over time, the album cover drew more than just fan criticism. Some religious groups took offense at the depiction of sacred Hindu figures. Decades after its release, those concerns resurfaced — leading to Malaysian Home Ministry banning the album in 2014 because of the artwork.
That decision re-opened debates about cultural respect, appropriation, and the limits of artistic expression across global audiences. What began as a creative choice in the 1960s ended up as a much wider controversy more than forty years later.
Why the Dispute Still Matters
The cover controversy surrounding Axis: Bold as Love remains a key example of how art, identity, and interpretation can collide. What might once have been seen as a “psychedelic statement” is now often viewed through a lens of cultural sensitivity and historical context.
By rejecting the design, Hendrix sent a message about personal heritage and artistic honesty — even when that meant pushing back against commercial and aesthetic trends that dominated his era. His stand continues to provoke discussion among fans and critics alike about who gets to tell a story, and how.
