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Valleys of Neptune captures the last recordings of the Jimi Hendrix Experience (© Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS)

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Earlier this week, MusicRadar presented an exclusive track-by-track review of Jimi Hendrix's Valleys Of Neptune, which we're already calling one of 2010's best albums.

Recently we got a chance to sit down and talk with John McDermott, a co-producer of the CD, to discuss the project's evolution, where Jimi Hendrix was at artistically when the tracks were recorded and how Valleys Of Neptune figures in the late guitarist's legacy.

And make no mistake: when it comes to all things Hendrix, McDermott is the man. He's written four books on the artist, serves as the catalogue director for the Hendrix estate and is one of the organizers of the Experience Hendrix Tour. You think you know Jimi? This guy knows Jimi!

Valleys Of Neptune is such a refreshing listen. It's intimate; it's not overly fussed over; and it certainly sounds as though Jimi was having a good time recording the tracks.

"That's the thing: it's real. These aren't sketchy demos or anything like that. It's a real record. And as you said, he was having a good time in the studio. More than anything, Jimi loved creating. The recording studio was his refuge. Even more than the concert stage, it's where he could be himself.

"Making music was what Jimi was all about. When he made some money, he didn't buy fancy houses; he didn't buy himself a Graceland - he bought a recording studio. That speaks volumes about the kind of guy he was."

The record reflects a very pivotal time for him artistically. He had just put out Electric Ladyland and he was starting to experiment with outside musicians. He was evolving.

"Making music was what Jimi was all about. When he made some money, he didn't buy fancy houses; he didn't buy himself a Graceland - he bought a recording studio."

"That's right. The context of when these recordings were made is quite important. Prior to when he hooked up with Chas Chandler, he didn't have the opportunity to record; he didn't have the finances; he wasn't signed to a label.

"Unlike The Beatles or Bob Dylan, however, after he had success, he was more of a free agent. He could hire an Eddie Kramer. He could book The Record Plant and record all night long if he wanted to.

"That was the difference between him and a lot of artists. That's not to say that The Beatles and Dylan couldn't explore their artistry, because obviously they could. But Jimi got that chance very early on in his career."

A few of these cuts mark the last times that Noel Redding recorded with Jimi. What were the problems between the two of them?

"It's very interesting. The chemistry Jimi had with Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding was undeniable. Those were three musicians who intuitively knew how to play together. Not a lot of people could play on the same level as Jimi. Many have tried: there are jams that exist where Jimi was playing with other musicians, and it's clear those guy were just not up to the task. The only people who could truly give Jimi the kind of support and give-and-take that he needed were Mitch Mitchell, Noel Redding, and later on, Buddy Miles and Billy Cox."

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