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now *this* is a rig (Noel Redding content)
- Thread starter chuck3
- Start date
I'm not really clear on all the "less is more" talk when describing Noel's playing. I mean he certainly sounds like he's bouncing all over the neck and sure is making that rhythm section sound full on the songs that are memorized in my head. Maybe I'm hearing Jimi playing other than lead too?
My Dad and Grandpa both played clarinet, we also all share the same name so I guess it was pretty much planned for me, but not forcefully or in a bad way or anything. I'm glad it was....started the "musical journey", and I did get pretty good at it through high school (2nd chair).
My Dad had a rule.....we could play any sports we wanted or persue other stuff but we had to learn an instrument first. The idea being, your knees will probably go bad by age 30 from playing football, but you can
enjoy getting together and playing music with people your whole
life.....I'm glad he had that rule. I was doing bar gigs with the family band by age 13....still enjoy it...always will.
So I've kept quiet about Noel, but here's my thoughts:
Sorry, but I can't think of anyone who could listen to "Crosstown Traffic" or "Come On" and call Noel a shabby bassist. Was he the best ever? Certainly not. But in a time when uncredited studio musicians ran rampant in rock and roll, Noel actually cut the parts on the records, and they could have easily gotten someone else if Jimi was dissatisfied. He played what the songs needed, and he did it very well. And his bass playing was solid and together live as well. Being at the right place at the right time with cool hair by itself doesn't get you the gig. I'm sure Jimi had plenty of bass players who were there at the right place and time, had cool hair, and sucked that he could have chosen from.
Sorry, but I can't think of anyone who could listen to "Crosstown Traffic" or "Come On" and call Noel a shabby bassist. Was he the best ever? Certainly not. But in a time when uncredited studio musicians ran rampant in rock and roll, Noel actually cut the parts on the records, and they could have easily gotten someone else if Jimi was dissatisfied. He played what the songs needed, and he did it very well. And his bass playing was solid and together live as well. Being at the right place at the right time with cool hair by itself doesn't get you the gig. I'm sure Jimi had plenty of bass players who were there at the right place and time, had cool hair, and sucked that he could have chosen from.
Lets keep in mind that the electric bass guitar was not even 20 yrs old when rock and r&b was in its prime. You HAD to be a musician and you HAD to be good to land the gig that Noel did, end of story.
Your Dad's rule was a good one. Scientists keep coming up with studies that conclude that music education at an early age helps with brain development and pays off later in life. Benefits extend from hand eye coordination to the ability to deal with complex problems.
What better gift to give to a kid.
All these years growing up me and my friends listened to Hendrix and marveled at how good the music is, none of us ever said, "You know what, though? That bass player sucks."
First I've heard of it was here on TB, the source of all light and knowledge, apparently...
During that time, '67-'70, there were two primary wars going on. Keep in mind that these wars were in the minds of the listeners, not the actual bands.
War One: Beatles vs Stones
War Two: JH Exp vs Cream
We're concerned with War Two..the who's better than whom bs.
Jimi vs Clapton
Mitch vs Ginger
Noel vs Jack
That's sort of what people with nothing better to do were arguing about. Who's "better," Hendrix or Clapton?, Mitch or Ginger?...
It's obvious that in those kinds of debates/bs sessions/arguments that no one is going to say Noel was better than Jack. Noel wasn't perceived as a superstar/exceptional/prodigious musician like the other five were. Noel had no cred. But gd it, he was there, he did it, and that's all there is to it. He was out of his league in an accomplished/respected musician sense compared to the rest. But, he joined the JH Exp and STARTED playing bass. That right there speaks volumes. I've read where Jimi liked Noel, but wasn't crazy about his bass playing; and loved Mitch's drumming, but wasn't too crazy about Mitch.
The old "Paul's better than Bill on bass." Well, maybe, maybe not. They both did very well at playing bass to the music they were playing.
Who in his right mind is going to say Willie Dixon sucked as a bass player? Was he flashy? Far from it, he KNEW BETTER.
It's easy to put down Noel's bass playing, but there's also the question of would someone "better" have made the song sound better. And once again, I'll point out Jack Casady's minimalist approach on the slow Voodoo Child.
In this particular case, TB shouldn't be blamed. The same issue exists elsewhere. But you're going to have for or against wherever you go.
War Two is not "who's better," it's *who's got the bigger rig*! Stick with the thread topic.
p.s. Great point about Willie Dixon.
Here is another example of Jack Casady playing bass for Hendrix (besides Voodoo Chile which everyone is already familiar with.) Noel Redding played bass on all the other songs at Winterland.
Does it really matter- he on the recordings, TV shows, bootlegs and all over YT as the bass player for JH. Can't say that about you or me no matter what our resumes say. ANyone that played in the 60's and 70s rocks.
Can't say that about the 80, 90, 00, 10 so much smoke and mirrors out there now no one knows what to believe. Get your Protools out and everything is good!
And doesn't that just say it all? A man with little to now experience on the bass was chosen to back Mr. Hendrix? Speaks to his abilities, doesn't it? And it's not as if the man had never picked up an instrument in his life. He'd played guitar for a number of years before switching over to bass. Hmmm, what other bass players did that? Oh, Berry Oakley, Jack Casady, Macca, to name a few, yet they aren't consistently attacked in the same manner Noel is. Now, I'm not saying Noel was nearly as virtuosic as those players, but making the argument that just because he was not an experienced bass player first is just silly. That said though, I respect your opinion to not enjoy his bass playing. Just don't come into a thread praising him to trash him. That's just asking for trouble.
Oh, don't feel bad for all of us. Some of us know what it's like to stand in front of a wall of speakers and amps. I'm 20, and here's my default big rig:
And what I'm currently experimenting with:
Wouldn't be a rig without that coiled cord
Rock on brother.
They're still doing it today. Johnny Marr with Dinosaur Jr. The stacks weren't enough so they added the amp on the chair out front. 
Chair? How tacky for a pro-level recording band to use a chair as an amp stand! Why not just use a milk crate?
Is it possible that the guitarist with the blonde hair to the left of the drummer has any shred of hearing left?
