Noel Redding

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Redding's tenure with the Experience began in September 1966 when producer Chas Chandler recruited him. Although Redding had played guitar previously, he switched instruments to become the third member of the group, joining after drummer Mitch Mitchell had already been recruited. His playing was defined by a pick and a trebly mid-range tone, evolving to include fuzz and distortion effects through Sunn amps in later years. A notable technical detail occurred during the recording of 'Red House' for Smash Hits, where Jimi Hendrix played the bass line on a normal six-string guitar, not Redding. Beyond his rhythmic duties, he contributed creatively by writing and singing lead vocals on two tracks: 'Little Miss Strange' and 'She's So Fine'. By 1969, tensions rose as Hendrix began performing with other musicians without consulting him. Redding quit during the American tour on 29 June 1969, returning to England. Although manager Michael Jeffery attempted a reunion in early 1970, Rolling Stone interviews revealed Redding was ultimately passed over for Billy Cox.

In Their Own Story

In 1968, while still with the Experience, Redding formed Fat Mattress with Kent musician Neil Landon, featuring Jim Leverton on bass and Eric Dillon on drums. The band became known for vocal harmonies between Redding, Landon, and Leverton. They toured in support of the Experience, forcing Redding to play two full sets each night. He left after one album but saw some of his compositions appear on their second release. Following the dissolution of Fat Mattress in 1970 and a brief stint with the short-lived US group Road (releasing the self-titled album Road), Redding relocated to Clonakilty, Ireland, in 1972. There, he formed the Noel Redding Band with former Thin Lizzy guitarist Eric Bell. Despite the band's name, songwriting and lead vocals were shared equally with Dave Clarke. They released two albums for RCA, completed three tours of the Netherlands, two of England, one of Ireland, and a 10-week US tour before disbanding over a management dispute.

Reader's Guide

Redding's later career involved significant personal and professional shifts. In his book Are You Experienced?, co-authored with wife Carol Appleby, he revealed signing away royalties in 1974 for a one-off payment of $100,000 after being told no more Experience material would be released. He sold his original Experience bass to a collector in 1980 but tracked him down years later so Fender could inspect it; this led to the 1997 release of the Noel Redding Signature Jazz bass, based on his 1965 model, with a limited edition of 1000 units. In 1990, he and Appleby survived a car crash in Glounthaune that left her brain dead; she passed four days later after he made the decision to withdraw life support. He continued performing with Keith Dion's band '3:05 AM' across the US, releasing albums like West Cork Tuning. His final performance occurred at De Barras pub in Clonakilty with local musicians including Eric Bell and Les Sampson.

Did You Know?

• For the bass line on 'Red House' (Smash Hits version), Jimi Hendrix played on a normal six-string guitar instead of a bass.
• In 1974, Redding signed away his royalties for a one-off payment of $100,000 after being told there would be no further releases of Experience material.
• His signature Fender Jazz Bass was based on the 1965 model he used with the Experience, which he had sold to a collector years prior.
• Redding's song 'Dance' is sometimes noted for its riff, but 'Ezy Rider' was developed from a riff by Hendrix himself, with no widely-known evidence that Redding's 'Dance' was the source.
• Redding died on 11 May 2003, just three weeks after the death of his mother.