Noel Redding - unsung hero?

[Yonni]

I was feeling a bit frustrated in my last lesson so my teacher said “Do you like Hendrix?” And we rocked out for the rest of the lesson.

He thinks Redding is a bit of an unsung hero. I’ve never really thought about it but I haven’t really listened to Hendrix for about 25 years. So, do you agree and which tracks best show off his skills?

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

voodoo child gets my vote. Love his live tone, mid 60's jazz with fuzz

 

[dougjwray]

voodoo child gets my vote. Love his live tone, mid 60's jazz with fuzz

OK, but if you're talking about "Voodoo Chile" on "Electric Ladyland", rather than "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)", from later on the same album, it's Jack Casady rather than Noel Redding. Redding did play on "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)."

OP: IMO, Noel Redding did a great job of transitioning from a guitarist to a bassist when he joined the Experience. He gets criticized here for lacking chops, or something, (and he didn't have Billy Cox's funkiness), but he held it down for Jimi and Mitch like a true bassist. His playing on "Third Stone from the Sun", for example, is absolutely solid and appropriate.

 

[Michedelic]

Go here....
Hendrix's bass players: Noel Redding and Billy Cox:
...before it becomes redundant. As for me, Noel Redding was never a “bass player”, but a guitarist who played bass, and won the right time, right place lottery of 1966. Sure, he might have been hindered in the studio by his parts being dictated to him, but what I’ve heard in all those live recordings, during ‘solo’ spots, was meandering slop. Hendrix himself was more interesting on the instrument, “Watchtower” being a perfect example, and after he had a couple of years of having opportunities to jam with the likes of Jack Casady, Harvey Brooks, and others, was keen to loose Redding.

 

[Yonni]

Interesting, I didn’t know he was a guitarist.

 

[dougjwray]

Yes, the story goes that when Chas Chandler, bassist for the Animals and the person who brought Hendrix to England, held the auditions, Noel Redding showed up, mistakenly thinking they were looking for a guitarist for the Animals. He switched to bass in order to join the Experience (presumably after hearing Hendrix play). Hendrix said that he liked Redding's hairstyle.

 

[Michedelic]

Interesting, I didn’t know he was a guitarist.

He went back to being a guitarist in a side project/band, Fat Mattress, toward the end of his time with Hendrix.

Yes, the story goes that when Chas Chandler, bassist for the Animals and the person who brought Hendrix to England, held the auditions, Noel Redding showed up, mistakenly thinking they were looking for a guitarist for the Animals. He switched to bass in order to join the Experience (presumably after hearing Hendrix play). Hendrix said that he liked Redding's hairstyle.

Not exactly. As per firsthand accounts and multiple biographies, Redding arrived at an audition for a new, revamped version of The Animals, only to find that the guitar slots had been filled. Chandler, who had been bassist for the original organ-driven lineup of the band, had dropped by to check on how things were going, took the still-available Redding aside and inquired if Noel would take up bass for Chas’ new project, backing up this new, totally unknown and unproven American soul guitarist that Chandler had discovered on his final Animals US tour by way of a tip from Keith Richards’ then-girlfriend. Mitchell subsequently got the drum position by winning a coin toss with Aynsley Dunbar, who still didn’t do too badly with his career. I don’t think that any of them had an idea of how huge and influential Hendrix would become, Chandler just saw the potential. But the hair thing is what sealed the deal with Jimi. One thing that is not necessarily proven, a bit of conjecture, is that Chandler is actually heard on the first single, “Hey Joe”, having recorded over Redding’s not quite right parts.

 

[jellymax]

Rock bass was in its infancy. Many used guitar amps. So crappy tone was very
Common. Redding played like a guitar player with a bass. and used a pic.
Wonder what Hendrix would sound
Like with Jack Bruce and, say, Denny Carmassi...

 

[AboutSweetSue]

I’d put him in the same category as Rick Danko. Both are extremely competent and creative, and they aren’t mentioned much. But, when they are....usually there is nothing but words of respect.

 

[bassbrad]

Noel Redding was The Jimi Hendrix Experience bass player, all of those recordings are of historic significance and cannot be denied. What ever is thought of his skills, the various stories of how he got the gig, the fact that he was a guitar player before and after the gig are irrelevant. Nearly every bass player back then started out as a bass player, Paul McCartney, Greg Lake for example, all the virtuoso bass players had gigs and were not going to take a chance on some unknown skinny American. But Noel Redding, Chas Chandler and Mitch Mitchell did and we are all the richer for it!

 

[Yonni]

On reflection, I think what my teacher was saying is that there were two other very “busy” musicians in the band with all the fills and thrills. Noel gave the music a sense of cohesion within the chaos. Not spectacular, but not dull either. A solid bass player role.

 

[Watchootognbout]

What else did he do besides play with Hendix?
That's all I hear about him.

 

[Stan_da_man]

He was the right player for Hendrix. Imagine someone sticking to root notes on those recordings.

 

[AboutSweetSue]

Maybe this thread shows that he IS unsung.

 

[dougjwray]

On reflection, I think what my teacher was saying is that there were two other very “busy” musicians in the band with all the fills and thrills. Noel gave the music a sense of cohesion within the chaos. Not spectacular, but not dull either. A solid bass player role.

Exactly!

 

[Stay Gold]

What else did he do besides play with Hendix?
That's all I hear about him.

I recall reading that Redding had a band called Mattress, but I've never heard it. YouTube time, maybe.

 

[Michedelic]

I recall reading that Redding had a band called Mattress, but I've never heard it. YouTube time, maybe.

He went back to being a guitarist in a side project/band, Fat Mattress, toward the end of his time with Hendrix.



Not exactly. As per firsthand accounts and multiple biographies, Redding arrived at an audition for a new, revamped version of The Animals, only to find that the guitar slots had been filled. Chandler, who had been bassist for the original organ-driven lineup of the band, had dropped by to check on how things were going, took the still-available Redding aside and inquired if Noel would take up bass for Chas’ new project, backing up this new, totally unknown and unproven American soul guitarist that Chandler had discovered on his final Animals US tour by way of a tip from Keith Richards’ then-girlfriend. Mitchell subsequently got the drum position by winning a coin toss with Aynsley Dunbar, who still didn’t do too badly with his career. I don’t think that any of them had an idea of how huge and influential Hendrix would become, Chandler just saw the potential. But the hair thing is what sealed the deal with Jimi. One thing that is not necessarily proven, a bit of conjecture, is that Chandler is actually heard on the first single, “Hey Joe”, having recorded over Redding’s not quite right parts.

 

[pht2356]

Interesting, I didn’t know he was a guitarist.

He was an extremely talented guitarist and with just about any other other band(without hendrix) he would never have been playing bass

 

[dramatwist]

He did the job. The work stands as it is. Sold a b***load of records. You decide.

 

[Stay Gold]

Michedelic: Missed that, man. Apologies. Thanks for bringing your post to my attention. Very interesting history.