Who is playing the bass on Jimmi Hendrix's VOODOO CHILD? And your favorite bassline?

de la mocha · #1 10-04-2005, 12:30 PM

I can't stop listening to this song! I haven't heard this song since I started playing bass! I don't have the album credits that can tell me who is playing!

This is my theme song to my life!!!! Of course Jimmi absolutely murders this song with his insane playing, but the bass player is keeping up with him!

Also, what is your favorite bass line, from what song?

Lyle Caldwell · #2 10-04-2005, 01:19 PM

Aside from the Band of Gypsies stuff, Jimi did most of the studio bass on Axis and Electric Ladyland (right handed bass flipped upside down without moving the strings - yikes he was good). Not sure who did what on Experienced (where they had to track live to save time).

MikeyFingers · #3 10-04-2005, 01:39 PM

I though it was Billy Cox, I didn't know Jimi did the studio stuff. I konw on the live Woodstock version, Cox plays it great and keeps up with Jimi for 13 mind-melting minutes. Trust me, anyone who doesn't have the Woodstock album, GET IT!!

Alan Vorse · #4 10-04-2005, 01:42 PM

Wasn't Voodoo Chile actually Jack Casady?

Futurebass · #5 10-04-2005, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harmolodic

Wasn't Voodoo Chile actually Jack Casady?

Think so, yes.

Vysous · #6 10-04-2005, 02:58 PM

I have just looked into Electric Ladyland booklet...
It seems to be Noel Redding...
Noel says in booklet that they recorded that "Voodoo Thing" whole day, playing it again and again.... Jack Cassady played on Voodoo CHILE, not on Voodoo CHILD (slight return)... Voodoo Chile is looong blues jam also with Steve Winwood on organ (it's also recorded on Electric Ladyland)... But I think that original version of Voodoo Child's bassline is recorded by Noel Redding...

jerry · #7 10-04-2005, 03:19 PM

It was Noel Redding! The only song on Ladyland that Hendrix played bass on was All Along The Watchtower...I think

sethlow3 · #8 10-04-2005, 03:31 PM

You are right my friend, it was Noel Redding. Noel wasn't all that great as a bassist IMHO. He was mainly a guitarist, and was a solid bass player. The only thing that raised my eyebrows was "fire" and "have you ever been". According to an interview, Jimi only picked him because of his big curly haired afro. I even had a chat with Mitch Mitchell (before Noel died) and he called him a prick. Apparantly, Noel felt Jimi was mean to him, becuase Jimi would storm into his room and try to steal his ladies or drugs constantly.

I digress....
Honestly the best bass work of Hendrix's stuff IMO is the Billy Cox/band of gypsies era. The best album of that time is "First Rays of the New Rising Sun". Billy is amazing on that album! South Saturn Delta was also a good one. The "Band of Gypsies" album is very short but shows a little bit of what Billy can do.

Billy Cox lives in Nashville and when I got his autograph he pointed to " South Saturn Delta" album and said "We smoked a LOT on that one!!!" Whether he meant weed or music I dont' know.

jerry · #9 10-04-2005, 03:49 PM

I definitely liked Billy Cox's grooves over Noel grooves! Billy was a bassplayer, Mitch prefered Billy's playing too! Noel wanted more writing credits....kinda like Andy Summer and Stewart Copland wanting more credit with the Police, it wasn't going to happen.

JimK · #10 10-05-2005, 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sethlow3

According to an interview, Jimi only picked him because of his big curly haired afro.

Kinda reminds me of that Brady Bunch episode when they only wanted Greg 'cause he 'fit the Johnny Bravo suit'.
...and I thought it was Chas Chandler that picked/hired Noel Redding(who was actually trying to audition as a guitarist for The Animals). Mayeb I'm just splitting hairs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sethlow3

Honestly the best bass work of Hendrix's stuff IMO is the Billy Cox/band of gypsies era. The best album of that time is "First Rays of the New Rising Sun". Billy is amazing on that album!

Agree...I like Cox over Redding with either Mitchell's more open/free style & Miles' more groove/backbeat style.

Alan Vorse · #11 10-05-2005, 12:11 PM

I also prefer Billy Cox, but Noel's pseudo jazz line on "If 6 was 9" is a great bass-line.

anyonefortennis · #12 10-05-2005, 06:32 PM

Billy Cox and Buddy Miles where the real deal with Hendrix. The so called Band of Gypsies with the live recroding of the same name is by far my fav Hendrix album.

Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell were average at best, it just sounds great because, well, they played with Hendrix.

Like it was stated before Redding was a converted guitar player and Mitch was a poor knock off of the upcoming generation of hard hitting british drummers like Ginger Baker, Keith Moon and of course, John Bonham.

All of this is just my opinion, taste is a very subjective thing.

jerry · #13 10-05-2005, 06:37 PM

Band Of Gypsys was my favorite too, but I also dug Mitch Mitchell's rock with jazz influence style.

Lyle Caldwell · #14 10-05-2005, 09:45 PM

Billy was on the Band of Gypsies/Woodstock recordings.

Noel is on some of the Experience tracks. Jimi did a LOT of the studio bass, even though Noel had the credit on the sleeve.

Futurebass · #15 10-06-2005, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harmolodic

I also prefer Billy Cox, but Noel's pseudo jazz line on "If 6 was 9" is a great bass-line.

Cox may be a better bassist, but Redding had the honor of playing on Hendrix' best albums (which were the first three).

Alan Vorse · #16 10-06-2005, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anyonefortennis

Billy Cox and Buddy Miles where the real deal with Hendrix. The so called Band of Gypsies with the live recroding of the same name is by far my fav Hendrix album.

Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell were average at best, it just sounds great because, well, they played with Hendrix.

Like it was stated before Redding was a converted guitar player and Mitch was a poor knock off of the upcoming generation of hard hitting british drummers like Ginger Baker, Keith Moon and of course, John Bonham.

All of this is just my opinion, taste is a very subjective thing.

I think Mitch Mitchell is one of the unsung heroes of rock drumming. I would like to offer into evidence "Manic Depression" "Third Stone From the Sun" "Fire" "If 6 was 9". Buddy Miles had a cement mixer RnB groove style that should not be ignored, but Mitchell was like a rock version of Elvin Jones. Like you sais though, it's subjective opinions.

dougjwray · #17 10-06-2005, 09:27 AM

Okay, getting back to the original question, Jack Casady played on "Voodoo Chile" ("The night I was born, the moon turned a fire red", etc.) and Noel Redding played on "Voodoo Child, Slight Return" ("Well, I stand up next to a mountain", etc.) (both on "Electric Ladyland"). Hendrix played bass on several other songs on that album, including "Long Hot Summer Night", "Gypsy Eyes", "Have You Ever Been to Electric Ladyland" "1983" and "All Along the Watchtower." (Just listen-- if it's funky bass, it's Hendrix!)
There have been so many live versions of "Voodoo Child, Slight Return" released that it's hard to sort it all out, but if a version was recorded after 1968, I believe, you're hearing Billy Cox on bass. That would include Woodstock, Berkeley, Isle of Wight.
And I agree, Billy Cox was better than Noel, although Noel was solid enough, IMO. He played parts which held down the fort while Hendrix and Mitchell got rhythmically wild.
Mitch Mitchell was a great drummer. I have to point out, though,that he didn't predate Baker or Moon... Baker was the oldest and most experienced of those three guys, but they all "arrived" within the same brief period, roughly 1964-1966. Bonham came a bit later. Mitchell and Baker both started as jazz drummers and Bonham as an R&B drummer. Moon was simply a crazy genius.
Just to add my own $.02, the Experience and Band of Gypsys were both astounding in their own ways, but my personal favorite Hendrix album among those released during his lifetime is "Band of Gypsys."

FunkKing · #18 10-06-2005, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anyonefortennis

Mitch was a poor knock off of the upcoming generation of hard hitting british drummers like Ginger Baker, Keith Moon and of course, John Bonham.

A 'poor knock off'? I prefer him to Ginger Baker AND Keith Moon. And he and Bonham had completely different styles. Bonham was a hard-hitting power drummer, whereas Mitchell subscribed to the more flowing Elvin Jones style of drumming.

There's no way Mitch was ever 'average'. Check his playing on the Woodstock version of 'Fire' or the Isle of Wight version of 'Machine Gun'.

Blueszilla · #19 10-06-2005, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sethlow3

The "Band of Gypsies" album is very short but shows a little bit of what Billy can do.

Billy Cox lives in Nashville and when I got his autograph he pointed to " South Saturn Delta" album and said "We smoked a LOT on that one!!!" Whether he meant weed or music I dont' know.

I agree that Billy is monster, and, IMHO, way underrated.

I had also heard that he didn't drink, smoke or use drugs. Anyone confirm? Doesn't matter to me overall though, he's still awesome.

Future, I also respectfully disagree about what was 'best'. We missed out on what would have been his best. I thought his ideas got better and better.

dougjwray · #20 10-06-2005, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blueszilla

I agree that Billy is monster, and, IMHO, way underrated.

I had also heard that he didn't drink, smoke or use drugs. Anyone confirm? Doesn't matter to me overall though, he's still awesome.

According to legend, he freaked out big time at the Isle of Wight because someone slipped him some acid without him knowing. (Not a good idea.) I think he was incapacitated, had to fly home to the states, or something. It makes me think that he normally abstained. Having said all that, I'd feel more comfortable having him address the issue personally. Billy? Are you out there reading this?

In the early '70s, I was lucky enough to see him play a show with Charlie Daniels, of all people, and he was indeed a monster. Lots of bounce and "bomp!"