Who was the better bass player?

flareaga · #1 07-02-2007, 10:44 PM

Noel Redding or Billy Cox for Jimi Hendrix? When the "Experience" wasn't together, Jimi played with Cox, and then when they reunited, Noel Redding came back after a while but was soon fired and Cox was hired again. I don't know if this was because Cox was the better player or because Redding just got on his nerves.

But, yeah, who was the better bass player? Any Jimi fans out there know the definitive answer? I know Redding was actually a guitar player given a bass...buy yeah I'm just wondering what you guys think. I don't know enough Hendrix tunes to make a choice myself.

sonicvi · #2 07-02-2007, 10:57 PM

but, yeah, what difference does it make?

John Wentzien · #3 07-02-2007, 11:02 PM

Cox had a better groove in my opinion.

alfredpunkjazz · #4 07-02-2007, 11:04 PM

I like both, Eventhough I agree with Cox having a more intense groove.

ibnzneksrul · #5 07-02-2007, 11:10 PM

Redding was a better musician (IMO). Cox was one of Jimi's old Army buddies, so Jimi had a certain loyalty to him. I saw Hendrix with Cox on bass and Miles on drums (pre Band of Gypsies), a little raw at the time, but a pretty solid improvisational foundation for Jimi's guitar playing.

Zappstorius · #6 07-02-2007, 11:15 PM

Didn't Redding play on all of the big hits? I thought Noel complimented Jimi's playing great. That's a very weird question actually...who was better? Technically? Creatively?

flareaga · #7 07-02-2007, 11:20 PM

I guess just all around. It's true it doesn't matter, but it makes for a good conversation piece...

afinalfantasy · #8 07-02-2007, 11:42 PM

Redding, but Cox is great as well

deaf pea · #9 07-02-2007, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zappstorius

Didn't Redding play on all of the big hits?

IIRC, Jimi played bass on several of the "hits" . . .

GlennW · #10 07-03-2007, 12:46 AM

Hendrix didn't really have many hits in America. He sold albums, not 45s. I think his biggest single was "All Along the Watchtower", which only made it to the Top 20. The album Axis was #1 in England for weeks, maybe months.

Jimi liked Noel, but didn't care for his playing. He liked Mitch's drumming, but didn't care much for Mitch.

Billy vs Noel? No contest, but keep in mind Noel started playing bass when the JH EXP formed, and at the time playing bass to that would be a challenge for an experienced bassist.

ibnzneksrul · #11 07-03-2007, 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deaf pea

IIRC, Jimi played bass on several of the "hits" . . .

Watchtower being one.

jerry · #12 07-03-2007, 01:08 AM

It's all a matter of taste, but for me Cox played and grooved like a bass player........so Cox.

Sean S · #13 07-03-2007, 01:57 AM

this came from this months bassplayer mag, didn't it? now everyone's a Hendrix bass expert

Sneckumhaw · #14 07-03-2007, 02:15 AM

Redding by just a hair- but I'm the kind of guy who digs Mike Rutherford over Larry Graham, so that should devalue my opinion in most of the talkbass community's eyes.

GlennW · #15 07-03-2007, 02:32 AM

Jimi was a better bass player than either one of them.

knarleybass · #16 07-03-2007, 02:33 AM

My guess, and this is only a guess, is that Cox was a better bass player than Redding, but I have a feeling that Hendrix also liked having Cox around a lot more than Redding.

GM60466 · #17 07-03-2007, 05:09 AM

Noel Redding was right for what Jimi was doing at the time. Billy fit well in BOG . Who was better? Jack Casady when Jimi played Berkley.

gm

cowsgomoo · #18 07-03-2007, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flareaga

Noel Redding or Billy Cox for Jimi Hendrix? When the "Experience" wasn't together, Jimi played with Cox, and then when they reunited, Noel Redding came back after a while but was soon fired and Cox was hired again. I don't know if this was because Cox was the better player or because Redding just got on his nerves.

But, yeah, who was the better bass player? Any Jimi fans out there know the definitive answer? I know Redding was actually a guitar player given a bass...buy yeah I'm just wondering what you guys think. I don't know enough Hendrix tunes to make a choice myself.

I never rated either of em particularly highly... from that era there are a dozen other bass players i'd rather listen to

nysbob · #19 07-03-2007, 07:38 AM

Redding (to his credit) understood the gig and did terrific job.

Billy Cox was much more of a bassist though, IMO. Most of that later posthumously released stuff (Dolly Dagger, EZ Ryder, New Rising Sun, etc) that had Billy & Mitch on it had some really smokin' rythm tracks. Billy was a strong fingerstyle player.

bassist15 · #20 07-03-2007, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlennW

Jimi liked Noel, but didn't care for his playing. He liked Mitch's drumming, but didn't care much for Mitch.

There is no truth to that acually. Jimi didnt really like Noel's playing or care for him at all. Noel played guitar before entering Hendrix's band and was always jealous of Hendrix. He often complained about long recording hours hence Hendrix picking up the bass and reocrding over half of Electric Ladyland. Now Hendrix and Mitch Mitchell were really the best of friends. Their styles were a perfect compliment to each other and no matter what band Hendrix was gonna have he was going to have Mitch. (Mitch was out of the country playing with a band when Band of Gypsys was formed.)

Now Noel vs. Billy . I really think there is no comparison. They both played with Hendrix at different periods musically. Noel and Billy both had huge help from basslines from Hendrix. Noel's style was more about pushing the song along while Billy was just groovin'. If you've ever listened to Hendrix playing bass on Electric Ladyland he played a style that combined both. No winner , they are all great.