now *this* is a rig (Noel Redding content)

[beans-on-toast]

With the notable exceptions above, it is true that a lot of bass players did start out on something else until they found their calling. In the early 60's, I don't know of anyone in my circle who started out on bass other than people who took it up in a music program. Back then someone who had a bass was rare and in demand. To some extent, if you want to work today, play bass.

Macca stated out on guitar. Jaco was a drummer. Didn't Jack Bruce played the cello? John Paul Jones played piano. A lot of bass players were musicians first who played multiple instruments. I think that this can help a bass player appreciate what is needed in the low end.

I started out as a kid playing the bed springs.

[JimmyM]

I started out on drums, then guitar, trumpet, keys, tuba and flute before going to electric bass. I had a friend who was gigging a lot on bass, and what he told me sort of echoes something David just said..."Drummers are a dime a dozen, and guitarists slightly more. But a good bassist or keyboardist can always find work." I sucked on keys, so bass was elected

[will33]

I've no issue with Noel's playing, I've played along with him on many a Hendrix tune learning to play bass. A good bass player does what is needed to make the song go. Oftentimes this means NOT sticking as many notes as you can in a given space, etc.

With respect to bassists transitioning from other instruments....my firat instrument (other than voice) was the clarinet at age 11. A year later, I took a grand total of 5 lessons on a Precision Bass. I already grasped the keys, basic theory, etc. from clarinet so in 5 lessons I had learned what positions were what keys/notes, etc. and had gotten down the basic major, minor, pentatonic, blues scales. I've always had a quick ear and in no time it seemed, I could listen to a song and play it. I'm a natural bass ainger and the bass part is what I automatically hear in my head. So my teacher (a phenominal jazz guitarist) says, "well, unless you want to play jazz, that's about it"......should've taken him up on the jazz. I took guitar lessons for 2 full years after that, but never got that great at it....just didn't come naturally like the bass did. So yes, I've played other instruments, and still do from time to time, it's fun...but...I am undountedly a bass player. It's just what I naturally hear....to the poimt I don't mind at all listening to crappy radios that don't have any bass....my brain is already playing that part anyway.


Anyone else experience this?.....it's kinda weird in a way...

[beans-on-toast]

In many cases I think that the bass is what makes the song. The vocals are probably what's most important to many. The bass is what I gravitate to when I listen to music. I'll listen to a song repeatedly and concentrate on different nuances each time, even over periods of many years, and never get tired of hearing, studying, and most importantly, enjoying it.

[chuck3]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

I started out on drums, then guitar, trumpet, keys, tuba and flute before going to electric bass. I had a friend who was gigging a lot on bass, and what he told me sort of echoes something David just said..."Drummers are a dime a dozen, and guitarists slightly more. But a good bassist or keyboardist can always find work." I sucked on keys, so bass was elected

similar ... started out with the obligatory piano lessons, singing in the church choir and then playing drums in the grade school band. Along came guitar and so I took that up and did well with it. Meanwhile, listening to Ray Brown and Paul McCartney and James Jamerson and Scott LeFaro ... when the chance to play bass came along in my early teens, that was that.

[chuck3]

that said ... play on brother

[GlennW]

I liked it when Noel bent the bass string at one of the stops in Can You See Me. I think that's what it was...seems like Jimi said a happy "yeah" iirc.

Or that might have been Come On Pt1...maybe both.

[Vince Klortho]

Originally Posted by chuck3

that said ... play on brother

That picture right there illustrates "the look" Chas was after for The Experience. White boys with fros.

[Rocker949]

Originally Posted by Sartori

Hell yes, I say.


Also, Redding sounds great on the Live at Winterland CD. So I don't know what people are talking about saying he's not good.

Great point. I'd like to repeat it: for anyone saying Noel Redding couldn't play, then what about the Winterland concert? He sounds pretty good there, actually. As someone has pointed out on another thread, sometimes it's hard to find good Hendrix concerts, but Winterland is a good one. It's a 4CD set. There's a lot to listen to. What I'm thinking, though, is that some of the people saying Noel couldn't play may not have even heard Winterland. It does cost $40, so it's understandable if it might not be found in too many homes. But it was well worth the 40 bucks to me.

Noel did have experience before he auditioned for Hendrix and Chas Chandler. He had played for years in various parts of Europe. He had honed his skills on stage just like any musician has to do to get any good. Of course, he was totally unknown, but that's not the point. The point is he wasn't just a rank amateur who had walked off the street.

So, when Noel did audition, Jimi saw his hair and that settled it. That was 1966. They played concerts all over the world from that point until mid-1969. And Hendrix kept Noel as bassist during all that time because he liked Noel's hair so much? That doesn't make a lot of sense. Maybe there were some other factors besides the hair.

Chas Chandler had asked Noel if he could play bass at the audition. Obviously, he had gone there because there was an opening for guitarist for the "New" Animals. But that position got filled. Chas and Jimi wanted him to try playing bass. Noel told them he couldn't play bass, but that he would give it a go, as he put it.

As someone has already pointed out on this thread, Jimi Hendrix wasn't bothered by the fact that Noel Redding played guitar. In fact, as Sean Egan points out in "Jimi Hendrix and the Making of Are You Experienced," that actually worked out well. All Jimi had to do was show or tell Noel the chords to a song. He usually learned that very quickly, then played the song on bass. Jimi Hendrix didn't have an anti-guitar attitude. He also told Noel he liked it when he played chords on bass. In many of the live performances, you'll hear Noel doing this kind of thing from time to time. Once again, Egan's book is a good source for this kind of thing, although there are other good sources, too.

Speaking of sources, using Mitch Mitchell as a source can be problematic. He did say some positive things about Noel, like the statement about Noel being the timekeeper of the band. He made statements about Noel being a competent guitarist and bassist. But as the years progressed, the relationship between Noel and Mitch was not very good. In fact, Mitch didn't get along with quite a lot of people during the last part of his life. Nevertheless, things like this are pretty common with bands, so I see no need to make an issue of it. I love Mitch Mitchell's drumming, though.

Another thing which often gets overlooked is that Noel would likely have played with Jimi again if Jimi hadn't died. Billy Cox had had a bad drug experience in Europe and had already flown back to America. Noel was called to ask if he could finish the tour. (Noel was actually in the U.S. at that time.) He agreed. But before he could make the travel plans, Jimi Hendrix died.

I'm getting more interested in the People, Hell, and Angels album which is about to come out. It will be soon. On that one, it will just be Billy Cox playing (as far as I know.) Happy listening to anyone who thinks you might be interested in this CD.

[Vince Klortho]

Originally Posted by Rocker949

So, when Noel did audition, Jimi saw his hair and that settled it. That was 1966. They played concerts all over the world from that point until mid-1969. And Hendrix kept Noel as bassist during all that time because he liked Noel's hair so much? That doesn't make a lot of sense. Maybe there were some other factors besides the hair.

No, it doesn't make a lot of sense but that's not what I wrote.

As you wrote yourself, Noel couldn't even play the bass when he joined the band. He got the job because of his hair and he kept it because he learned to play pretty well and the band sounded good together. If he hadn't have picked it up so well I am certain they would have found someone else.

[Rocker949]

Originally Posted by Vince Klortho

No, it doesn't make a lot of sense but that's not what I wrote.

As you wrote yourself, Noel couldn't even play the bass when he joined the band. He got the job because of his hair and he kept it because he learned to play pretty well and the band sounded good together. If he hadn't have picked it up so well I am certain they would have found someone else.

I wasn't responding to your post. When I posted my post, I had not seen what you had said. Sorry about the confusion which, of course, is due to sheer coincidence. You'll notice that I was quoting Sartori and that's who I was responding to, beginning with the Winterland point.

[Vince Klortho]

No worries. I think we ended up writing basically the same thing and we seem to agree that Noel was pretty good.

[Rocker949]

Originally Posted by Vince Klortho

No worries. I think we ended up writing basically the same thing and we seem to agree that Noel was pretty good.

I agree. I am actually liking this thread quite a lot and have learned a number of things, too.

[GlennW]

I'm pretty sure I read (remember books?) that Noel was around because he was there to auditioning as a guitarist, maybe for the Animals. Chas, ex-Animal bassist, asked him to try playing bass with Jimi. Jimi dug his hair, and was impressed he remembered the chords to Hey Joe, and so it went.

99.99% sure Jimi was murdered, but we'll never "know." 100% sure Noel didn't do it.

For a good live Hendrix check out Berkeley May 30, 1970 (Billy on bass).

[Rocker949]

I talked about Noel auditioning for the new line up of the Animals in my post. They played several songs, not just "Hey Joe." At one point, in the days which followed, they even considered letting Noel be the rhythm guitarist. Ultimately, though, they decided they liked the three-piece band idea and Noel would stay on bass. They tried several drummers, had trouble deciding who to choose, and Mitch Mitchell got the position with a flip of the coin. Within weeks they got important gigs lined up, or at least what we look back now and consider important gigs.

I agree about the Berkeley show with Billy Cox being great. Some fantastic music, IMO.

[makohund]

Originally Posted by chuck3

similar ... started out with the obligatory piano lessons, singing in the church choir and then playing drums in the grade school band. Along came guitar and so I took that up and did well with it. Meanwhile, listening to Ray Brown and Paul McCartney and James Jamerson and Scott LeFaro ... when the chance to play bass came along in my early teens, that was that.

I played trombone. Dabbled with guitar on the side, but didn't do much with it. (Probably played more bass and melody lines on it than I ever spent strumming chords.)

Then school jazz band held auditions for bass. I could already read bass clef, and was familiar enough plucking notes on a stringed instrument. Jumped at it... came in & practiced a bit with their basses a few times beforehand. Felt good, much better to me than the little skinny stringed thing. Got the part.

I've been primarily a bassist ever since.

And I dig Redding, don't care if someone else at the time woulda been "better" (whatever), or if he got the gig for his hair, or came from guitar. I like the songs he played on, and what he chose to play on them. An example of "less can be more".

[spiritbass]

Originally Posted by will33

With respect to bassists transitioning from other instruments....my firat instrument (other than voice) was the clarinet at age 11. A year later, I took a grand total of 5 lessons on a Precision Bass. I already grasped the keys, basic theory, etc. from clarinet so in 5 lessons I had learned what positions were what keys/notes, etc. and had gotten down the basic major, minor, pentatonic, blues scales. I've always had a quick ear and in no time it seemed, I could listen to a song and play it. I'm a natural bass ainger and the bass part is what I automatically hear in my head. So my teacher (a phenominal jazz guitarist) says, "well, unless you want to play jazz, that's about it"......should've taken him up on the jazz. I took guitar lessons for 2 full years after that, but never got that great at it....just didn't come naturally like the bass did. So yes, I've played other instruments, and still do from time to time, it's fun...but...I am undountedly a bass player. It's just what I naturally hear....to the poimt I don't mind at all listening to crappy radios that don't have any bass....my brain is already playing that part anyway.


Anyone else experience this?.....it's kinda weird in a way...

Interesting parallels, will33. My first instrument was also clarinet @ whatever age I was in 7th grade. I gave it a go because my family didn't have a money tree in the back yard and my aunt already owned one. I stuck with it long enough to learn some theory but I was drawn to the bass cleff. Trombone > baritone horn > "Fender Bass" was my progression. Well that was what the sheet music called it. It was a cheapo I traded a trombone for, but it was good enough to learn on. I loved everything about the bass guitar. It was the only 'cool' instrument I aspired to play. I too was playing the bass parts in my head to music heard over cheap "transistor radios" (hey - transistors were cutting edge back then!).

[Handyman]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Who DIDN'T play guitar before they switched to bass in the 60's?

Folks who played double bass before bass guitar? You certainly aren't going to find many folks who picked it up as their first instrument back then.

[Lowbrow]

Felix and the art of vertical stacking.

[chadds]

Originally Posted by Handyman

Folks who played double bass before bass guitar? You certainly aren't going to find many folks who picked it up as their first instrument back then.

Me.