David Noel Redding (25 December 1945 – 11 May 2003) was an English rock musician, best known as the bass player for the Jimi Hendrix Experience and guitarist/singer for Fat Mattress.
Following his departure from the Experience in 1969 and the dissolution of Fat Mattress in 1970, Redding formed the short-lived group Road in the United States, which released the self-titled album Road before he re-located to Clonakilty, Ireland, in 1972. There he formed the Noel Redding Band with former Thin Lizzy guitarist Eric Bell, with whom he released two albums. Although by the 1980s Redding had largely removed himself from the music business, he would later perform around his new hometown with wife Carol Appleby.
He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 as a member of the Jimi Hendrix Experience.
Biography
Background
Redding was born at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Folkestone, Kent, to Bromley-born Margaret (née Berggren) and Horace Albert Redding. He grew up on Cliff Road, Seabrook, where his mother ran a guest house, with his Swedish-born grandmother, his brother Anthony, and his sister Vicki. He attended St Leonards Primary school in Hythe, and the Harvey Grammar School in Folkestone. At the age of nine he played violin at school, and then mandolin and guitar. His first public appearances were at the Hythe Youth Club, and at his school.
At 17 Redding became a professional musician and toured clubs in Scotland and Germany with Neil Landon and the Burnettes (formed in late 1962) and the Loving Kind (formed in November 1965). In addition, the Lonely Ones reunited in September 1964, and Redding remained with them a year before taking his leave.
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Upon his arrival in England in September 1966, Jimi Hendrix and his producer/manager Chas Chandler set about finding backing musicians. Although Redding had played guitar up to that point, he switched to bass guitar and became the second member of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, followed shortly by drummer Mitch Mitchell, to form a power trio. With the group, he recorded three landmark albums: Are You Experienced, Axis: Bold as Love, and Electric Ladyland. Redding also wrote and sang lead on two songs, "Little Miss Strange" and "She's So Fine". His playing style was distinguished by the use of a pick, a mid-range "trebly" sound, and in later years the use of fuzz and distortion effects through overdriven Sunn amps. For the bass line in "Red House", Redding was recorded playing on a normal six-string guitar.
By 1969, Hendrix was performing and recording with a number of different musicians. Without consulting Redding, Hendrix announced that he intended to expand the group. Redding responded by quitting the Experience during the American tour on 29 June 1969, and returned to England. However, when Hendrix's attempts to form a new group were unsuccessful, his manager, Michael Jeffery, tried to reunite the Experience in early 1970. The three were interviewed by Rolling Stone magazine to announce the reformation, but ultimately Redding was passed over in favour of bassist Billy Cox, who had performed with Hendrix at Woodstock and on the Band of Gypsys album with Buddy Miles.
Fat Mattress
In 1968, Redding formed the group Fat Mattress with another Kent musician, Neil Landon. The band also included Jim Leverton on bass and keyboards and Eric Dillon on drums. Redding played guitar and vocals, and a key part of the Fat Mattress sound was the vocal harmonies between him, Landon and Leverton. The band initially toured in support of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, requiring Redding to play two full sets each night. He left Fat Mattress after only one album with them, though some of his compositions would appear on their second album.
Later years
Redding soon went on to other projects. While living in Los Angeles, he formed Road, a three-piece in the same psychedelic hard rock vein as the Experience, with Rod Richards (ex-Rare Earth) on guitar and Les Sampson on drums, and Redding switching back to bass. They released one album, Road (1972), with the three members taking turns on lead vocals.
Redding moved to Ireland in 1972. He formed the Noel Redding Band with Eric Bell (from Thin Lizzy), Dave Clarke, Les Sampson, and Robbie Walsh. Despite the band's name, Redding shared songwriting and lead vocal duties equally with Clarke. They released two albums for RCA, three tours of the Netherlands, two tours of England, one tour of Ireland, and a 10-week tour in the US. The band dissolved after a dispute with their management company. Tracks recorded for a third unreleased album were later released as The Missing Album on Mouse Records.