July 26, 2006 17:00

Unreleased Jimi Hendrix song uncovered

And it's up for sale

A never-released song that Jimi Hendrix recorded 40 years ago is to be sold at auction in New York.

Ocean Tomo LLC, a merchant bank that specializes in intellectual property, told Reuters the song, ‘Station Break’ , was recorded during a session early in the guitar legend’s career, a year before he moved to London and found massive fame.

A spokesperson for Ocean Tomo said that for unknown reasons the song was never released, unlike others from the 1966 session in New York, such as ‘Kato’s Special’, ‘Flying On Instruments’ and ‘No Such Animal’.

‘Station Break’ was composed by Hendrix and Jerry Simon, president of RSVP Music, with whom Hendrix signed a publishing contract in 1966. The tape was found in a closet by Simon’s wife.

The copyright and original reel-to-reel recording will be sold at an auction in New York on October 26, with the successful bidder getting the reel-to-reel and the right to digitally remaster the recording. Half of the proceeds from any royalties will go to the Hendrix estate.

Jimi’s sister Janie Hendrix, the president and chief executive of Experience Hendrix which owns and administers the rights to his recordings, told Reuters: "We have acquired most of these but there are still a few stragglers. I did not know about this one.

“We will have to have discussions about this as there could be copyright issues."