RARE JIMI HENDRIX PUPPET COVER Band Of Gypsys POLYDOR Australia 2406002 LP

$

35

​Offered for sale is a collectible first Australian pressing of Jimi Hendrix - Band of Gypsys, released on the red Polydor label (Catalog No. 2406 002) and manufactured in Australia by Phonogram Pty. Limited. This copy features the classic red Polydor labels with authentic Australian machine-stamped matrix numbers in the deadwax.

• ​Catalog Number: 2406 002

• ​Matrix / Runout (Side A): 2406002-1 (alongside machine-stamped MX runout identifiers)

• ​Matrix / Runout (Side B): 2406002-2 (alongside machine-stamped MX runout identifiers)

• ​Pressing Origin: Made in Australia (First Pressing)

​Condition Grading

• ​Vinyl (VG++/EX): Graded conservatively, this record is in excellent condition with minimal signs of handling and plays excellent with light surface noise on intros.

• ​Sleeve (VG+): A very nice example of this Australian pressing overall, exhibiting some light creasing, lightly bumped corners, and minor light chipping along the edges, but remaining clean, intact, and structurally sound.

​A fantastic, highly sought-after international pressing for any serious Hendrix collection. Shipped securely with the record housed safely outside the sleeve in a protective outer bag using a rigid cardboard mailer.

• Released locally in 1970 on the red Polydor label (Catalog No. 2406 002), distributed by Phonogram Pty. Limited.

• ​It notably featured the infamous alternative "Puppet" cover art (mirroring the initial UK Track release), which featured handcrafted dolls of Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Brian Jones, and British DJ John Peel rather than the standard live photography used for the US Capitol release.

• ​Lacquers for this pressing were cut locally at Artarmon (ARC) utilizing the standard "MX" stamp system, and unlike some contemporaneous UK pressings, the Australian issue was cut at a strong standard level that highlighted raw performance details like the opening banter on "Machine Gun".

​Reception and Charting

• ​Capturing Jimi Hendrix's historic New Year's Eve 1969–1970 performances at the Fillmore East with bassist Billy Cox and drummer Buddy Miles, the album introduced a potent fusion of heavy blues-rock, raw funk, and extended psychedelic jamming that served as a core foundation for the 1970s funk-rock movement.

• ​Globally, the album was a commercial triumph upon its spring 1970 release, rapidly climbing into the Top 10 on both the US Billboard 200 and the UK official album charts, alongside strong international performance.

• ​Critically, the album received mixed-to-fascinated contemporary reviews due to its sharp departure from the traditional sound of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, though tracks like the anti-war epic "Machine Gun" have since been universally reevaluated by historians and fans as among the greatest guitar performances ever recorded.