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Seattle-born guitar genius Jimi Hendrix died 40 years ago this September. Valleys of Neptune is the latest in the avalanche of unreleased Hendrix material that followed that premature demise.

Apart from “Axis: Bold As Love” outtake “Mr Bad Luck” (a prototype Look Over Yonder), the dozen songs herein are studio recorded tracks laid down after 1968’s Electric Ladyland, but before Hendrix began work proper on “First Rays of the New Rising Sun.” Most feature the original Jimi Hendrix Experience, two have Billy Cox in place of Noel Redding on bass, one features Hendrix and other musicians.

This, though, is not some kind of great lost missing link album. Several of the tracks, like the cover of Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love” and Elmore James’ “Bleeding Heart”, and a trio of rehashed Experience favourites, were done as studio warm-ups or rehearsals for forthcoming concerts. Even the conventional studio tracks mostly feel as cold and flat as rehearsals, rather than layered and nuanced in the manner of LP cuts. Additionally, the fact that these 12 tracks have a running time of an hour is a bad sign. That Hendrix was always best when he combined virtuosity with brevity is demonstrated by the flaccid eight-minute version herein of “Red House”, which can’t hold a candle to the taut, classic Are You Experienced original.

The core of the album is four tracks previously unreleased in any format. It’s an underwhelming quartet. “Lullaby for the Summer” starts out interesting courtesy of an exciting riff, but it soon disappointingly dawns that there are no vocals, while Hendrix’s solo is caterwauling. “Ships Passing Through the Night” is okay, but essentially just an identikit 12-bar blues with above-average guitar passages. The title-track is dreamlike and slick, but possessed of the type of rather aimless melody line that afflicted Hendrix’s work in later years. “Crying Blue Rain” is, unlike anything else here, poised and rich. However, it has no vocals, peters sloppily out and (like “Mr Bad Luck”) is rendered historically worthless by additional bass and drum recording done in 1987.

The fact that this climax comprises the closest thing to a substantial recording on the album is an indictment of a release that one suspects would not have made the stores had the Hendrix estate not wished to offer a bone to new label Sony following the end of their distribution deal with Universal.

Sample the tracks below:

Review by the BBC’s Sean Egan
BBC Online

An iconic red suede jacket worn by Elvis Presley in the 1950s is one of 578 items featured in an online Rock ‘N’ Roll auction from GOTTA HAVE IT® Collectibles .

The auction features original 45s, movie posters, rare photographs, handwritten lyric sheets, signed memorabilia, and jewellery and clothing worn by some of the greats of popular music, including Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, James Brown and many more.

Here’s some of the most interesting items on offer.

Elvis Presley - red suede jacket

This jacket was purchased at the famous Lansky Brothers store in Memphis. There are numerous candid photos of him wearing it, and it was also worn for official RCA publicity shots. Elvis is seen wearing it on the covers of the single releases Playing for Keeps/Too Much, Jailhouse Rock/Treat Me Nice and I Got Stung/One Night.

The jacket comes with a letter of provenance from hairdresser Homer Gilleland.

Minimum Bid: $10,000
Estimate: $20,000-30,000

Click here to view the lot

Elvis Presley - black leather boots from “Loving You”

These boots were worn by Elvis in his second film “Loving You”, which was made by Paramount Pictures in 1957.The boots were worn throughout the movie and Elvis’ name is stamped in them, as well as the Paramount men’s wardrobe department stamp.Minimum Bid: $5,000.00 Estimate: $6,000-8,000

Click here to view the lot

Michael Jackson - stage worn shirt and pants

This light blue beaded shirt and white pants with rhinestones were worn by Michael Jackson on stage during the 1984 “Victory Tour,” which was the largest and final North American concert tour ever performed by The Jacksons.

The outfit was worn on opening night of the Dodger Stadium performances in Los Angeles, California on November 30, 1984.

This is just one of many Michael Jackson lots in the rock ‘n’ roll auction.

Click here to view the lot

Minimum Bid: $30,000
Estimate: $35,000-40,000

Michael Jackson - “Billie Jean” handwritten lyrics

“Billie Jean” is one of the greatest songs of the 1980s and certainly one of Michael Jackson’s finest performances. Here we have six pages of handwritten lyrics by Michael Jackson.

Minimum Bid: $30,000
Estimate: $35,000-40,000

Click here to view the lot

The Beatles - “Hard Days Night” signed album

“Hard Days Night” album covers signed by all four Beatles are hard to come by. This one is in good condition. The price does strike me as a little extreme though.

Minimum Bid: $30,000
Estimate: $40,000-50,000

Click here to view the lot

Bob Dylan - “My Back Page” handwritten lyrics

These are Bob Dylan’s handwritten working lyrics to “My Back Page” and “Ballad in Plain D.” Both songs appeared on Dylan’s 1964 album “Another Side of Bob Dylan.” The first three verses of “Ballad in Plain D” appear on the reverse of the sheet.

Minimum Bid: $50,000
Estimate: $50,000-75,000

Click here to view the lot

Guitar greats signed guitar

This is one of the coolest items in the auction, if not the most valuable. Ten guitar greats have signed this Epiphone guitar, including Chuck Berry, Jeff Beck, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Bo Diddley, Les Paul, Otis Rush and Steve Winwood.

Minimum Bid: $2,000
Estimate: $2,100-2,300

Click here to view the lot

The online auction runs until Wednesday March 10, 9pm EST.

Click here to view the complete catalogue

Kinks rocker, Ray Davies, has announced that Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi will be among the guests on a forthcoming album of duets.

Davies told NJ.com that the duets album will revisit Kinks classics and that the Springsteen and Bon Jovi collaborations were recorded last month. Springsteen will feature on “Better Things” and Bon Jovi on “Celluloid Heroes.”

The possibility of a Kinks reunion was also addressed and Davies hinted that it might be on the cards, depending on his brother’s health status. Dave Davies had a stroke six years ago.

Ray Davies launches an acoustic tour at the Borgata in Atlantic City tonight (Friday, 26 February). The show will feature some hidden gems, alongside new tracks from his last few solo albums, the classics and some unplayed tracks. Davies will be joined onstage by his guitarist, Bill Shanley. There is also a UK/Ireland tour scheduled for May.

Ray Davies 2010 tour dates

Neil Young won his first-ever Grammy and Springsteen won his 20th at the 52nd annual Grammy Awards ceremony tonight (31 January). The biggest winner was Beyonce who took away a record six Grammys, including song of the year for “Single Ladies.”

Young won the Grammy for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package for ‘Neil Young Archives Vol. 1 (1963-1972),’ and he shared the award with his co-art directors Gary Burden and Jenice Heo.

Gary Burden, Jenice Heo and Neil Young accept the Grammy

Young was also nominated for best solo rock vocal performance, but lost out to Bruce Springsteen, who won for “Working on a Dream.” The other nominees for best solo rock vocal performance were Bob Dylan for “Beyond Here Lies Nothin’, John Fogerty for “Change In The Weather” and Prince for “Dreamer.”

Springsteen has now received 20 Grammy awards and has been honoured at the last eight ceremonies. His first Grammy was best male rock vocal performance for “Dancing in the Dark” in 1985. “Working on a Dream” is the title track of Springsteen’s latest album and has become a popular song in concert.

Bruce Springsteen - “Working on a Dream”

Not suprisingly, this year’s ceremony also saw Michael Jackson honoured with a lifetime achievement award, which was accepted by his children Prince Michael and Paris Jackson. This was preceded by a performance of Jackson’s “Earth Song,” with a recording of Jackson accompanied by live performances from Celine Dion, Usher, Carrie Underwood, Smokey Robinson and Jennifer Hudson.

Record of the year went to Kings Of Leon for “Use Somebody.”