Noel Redding

Noel Redding 是一位英国摇滚音乐人，最著名的是作为 Jimi Hendrix Experience 的贝斯手以及 Fat Mattress 的吉他手兼主唱。他参与了所有三张经典录音室专辑的演奏：『Are You Experienced』（1967年）、『Axis: Bold as Love』（1967年）和『Electric Ladyland』（1968年）。1969年离开乐队后，他组建了 Fat Mattress，然后是 Road，后来与 Thin Lizzy 前吉他手 Eric Bell 组建了 Noel Redding Band。他晚年在爱尔兰的 Clonakilty 生活，偶尔在当地演出。Redding 于1992年作为 Jimi Hendrix Experience 成员入选摇滚名人堂。[编辑]

Noel Redding 在英格兰肯特郡的沿海城镇 Folkestone 长大。他的父亲在铁路上工作，母亲是家庭主妇；他有一个兄弟。音乐很早就通过20世纪50年代的英国 skiffle 和摇滚乐热潮进入他的生活。他小时候学习吉他，十几岁时在业余乐队中演奏，在当地场馆和青年俱乐部表演流行歌曲的翻唱。离开学校后，他搬到伦敦全职追求音乐，在首都的各种团体中演奏。他的重大突破发生在1966年9月，当时 Animals 前贝斯手、美国吉他手 Jimi Hendrix 新上任的经纪人 Chas Chandler 邀请 Redding 参加试镜。Chandler 需要一位贝斯手加入 Hendrix 的新乐队。Redding 原本是吉他手，但接受了转弹贝斯的条件。他接受了，并与鼓手 Mitch Mitchell 组成了三人乐队 Jimi Hendrix Experience。[编辑]

Redding 在 Jimi Hendrix Experience 的任期跨越了三年和三张里程碑式的专辑。乐队的首张专辑『Are You Experienced』在英国排名第二，在美国排名第五，由《Hey Joe》和《Purple Haze》等单曲推动。他们于1967年在蒙特雷流行音乐节演出，这场定义职业生涯的演出向美国观众介绍了 Hendrix。『Axis: Bold as Love』于1967年12月发行，『Electric Ladyland』于1968年10月发行。Redding 为后者贡献了歌曲《Little Miss Strange》，这是他唯一独力创作的 Experience 专辑歌曲。随着 Hendrix 施加更多创作控制，紧张局势加剧，Redding 于1969年6月离开乐队。他早在1968年就组建了副项目 Fat Mattress，发行了两张专辑：『Fat Mattress』（1969年）和『Fat Mattress II』（1970年）。Fat Mattress 解散后，他移居美国并组建了乐队 Road，于1972年发行了一张同名专辑。同年，他搬到爱尔兰的 Clonakilty，与 Eric Bell 组建了 Noel Redding Band。他们发行了『Clonakilty Cowboys』（1975年）和『Blowin』（1976年）。到20世纪80年代，Redding 已基本退出音乐行业，尽管他偶尔与妻子 Carol 在当地酒吧演出。他于1992年作为 Jimi Hendrix Experience 成员入选摇滚名人堂。[编辑]

Redding 常被铭记为 Jimi Hendrix Experience 中安静、稳定的基石，被 Hendrix 的精湛技艺和 Mitchell 的爆炸性鼓技所掩盖。他的公众形象是一个谦逊、勤奋的音乐人，从不追求聚光灯。他偏爱20世纪60年代的摩登时尚：长发、鬓角、天鹅绒夹克和喇叭裤。在经典摇滚乐迷中，他因在标志性录音中扎实的贝斯线条而受到尊敬。粉丝文化小众，集中在讨论稀有现场录音和 bootleg 的论坛上。没有正式的粉丝名称。他在媒体中常被描绘为乐队中的“安静者”。[编辑]

Noel Redding is currently evaluated by iFANN but holds no placement in the published Global Top 1,000 rankings or any Top-100 scope list. While his name resonates deeply within rock history circles, he does not appear on the current scope lists that track the world's most famous personalities. The vast majority of those who seek out his story identify simply as fans of The Jimi Hendrix Experience rather than followers of a distinct Redding movement. Unlike the devoted subcultures surrounding other icons, there is no formal name for his supporters, though a dedicated niche of enthusiasts gathers on forums and social media groups to dissect his post-Experience work with Fat Mattress. These communities often engage in gentle rituals, such as contrasting his baritone vocals on tracks like "Bleeding Heart" with Hendrix's psychedelic intensity, treating his musical contributions as a beloved insider secret. The cultural narrative surrounding him is built on three enduring legends: the serendipitous switch from guitar to bass that landed him in the band, the nuanced reality of his departure due to artistic frustration rather than a dramatic fight, and the tragic confirmation of his financial struggles revealed in recent court proceedings. In late April 2026, a High Court ruling in London solidified the long-held belief that the bandmates were systematically undercompensated, rejecting claims against Sony Music Entertainment regarding performer rights. This legal defeat cemented the modern understanding of Redding as a foundational talent whose legacy was overshadowed by the very success he helped create.[编辑]

Originally a guitarist who never considered himself a true bassist, Redding played guitar at home despite his tenure as the Experience's bassist. He co-wrote "Little Miss Strange," his only solo writing credit on a Jimi Hendrix Experience album, and favored a distinctive Rickenbacker 4001 throughout his time with the group. After leaving the band, he briefly auditioned for the Jeff Beck Group but was not selected. His autobiography, Are You Experienced, offers a candid account of the Hendrix years, and he is buried in Clonakilty, County Cork, Ireland. He was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005 posthumously, while the Experience received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1994. A widely retold story among fans concerns his accidental entry into the band; originally auditioning for a band that would become The Animals, he ended up playing bass because he had the instrument when the group needed one. Another persistent legend involves his departure following a show in Denver in June 1969, where folklore exaggerates a physical altercation, though the truth centers on his disillusionment with the band's direction. Recent court cases have validated the narrative that he and Mitch Mitchell lived in relative poverty despite their fame, a fact confirmed in hearings during December 2025.[编辑]

Redding 的父亲是一名铁路员工，母亲是家庭主妇。他有一个兄弟，名字未广泛公开。他在20世纪60年代末与第一任妻子 Susanne 结婚；他们在70年代初离婚，没有孩子。70年代中期，他搬到了爱尔兰的 Clonakilty 后，与 Carol Appleby 结婚。Carol 是他余生的伴侣，并与他一起在当地演出。他们没有孩子。Redding 在 Clonakilty 拥有一处住所，在那里住了30多年直到去世。他于2003年5月11日在家中因与肝功能衰竭相关的自然原因去世，加上多年酗酒。他享年57岁。[编辑]

雷丁最常与吉米·亨德里克斯、米奇·米切尔以及查斯·钱德勒联系在一起，这些人都来自他在“体验”乐队的时期。后来他与埃里克·贝尔在“诺埃尔·雷丁乐队”中合作。他的妻子卡罗尔·阿普尔比是他晚年的音乐合作伙伴。[编辑]

雷丁的第一段婚姻是与苏珊娜在1960年代末结婚；他们在1970年代初离婚，没有孩子。1972年搬到爱尔兰克洛纳基尔蒂后，他遇到了卡罗尔·阿普尔比。他们在1970年代中期结婚，并一直在一起直到他去世。卡罗尔与他一起在当地演出，并在2003年他去世时陪伴在他身边。截至去世时，他与卡罗尔·阿普尔比结婚。没有其他已知的重要关系。[编辑]

Noel Redding spent his final years living in the United States after a lifetime that included stints in England and Spain, residing in Los Angeles where he was found dead on May 11, 2003. He was 57 when his body was discovered at his home, though specific details regarding the exact medical cause of death were not immediately detailed in the immediate obituary coverage from major publications like Billboard and The New York Times. While initial reports confirmed the discovery of his body and his age, the circumstances surrounding his final days were described by family and friends as involving struggles with substance abuse and alcoholism, yet no official police investigation or legal ruling on the manner of death has been made publicly available in standard biographical records.

Public reaction to Redding's passing included tributes from peers and institutions acknowledging his foundational role in the Jimi Hendrix Experience, often citing him as an underrated bass player who helped define the band's sound. Social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, have continued to host memorial posts on the anniversary of his birth and death, celebrating him as an underrated and underappreciated bass player. The funeral or memorial service for Noel Redding was held privately, with details regarding the specific date, location, or attendees never made public. The privacy of the family suggests a low-profile handling of the final arrangements, consistent with the wishes of many musicians who prefer to keep such matters out of the spotlight.

Posthumously, his estate has seen releases of archival material and ongoing legal disputes regarding his intellectual property, including a significant lawsuit filed in 2021 against Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited which concluded with a 2026 High Court ruling upholding the validity of original contracts signed during his lifetime. In April 2026, the London High Court, presided over by Mr. Justice Edwin Johnson, ruled decisively in favor of Sony Music, dismissing the claims that Redding and Mitch Mitchell were entitled to additional shares of income generated from classic recordings. This ruling effectively settled the dispute, denying the estates their claim for additional royalties while confirming that the original agreements covered the rights to the recordings without reservation.[编辑]

iFANN currently estimates Noel Redding's estate value at $4 Million. As of 2026, this figure reflects the ongoing income generated from the Jimi Hendrix Experience catalog, including album sales, streaming revenue, and licensing deals. Following Redding's departure from the band and the subsequent death of Hendrix, legal disputes resulted in a 1974 settlement where Redding signed away many rights for a lump sum between $200,000 and $300,000 alongside reduced ongoing royalties. Posthumously, the estate continues to earn from catalog sales, documentary licensing such as Jimi: All Is by My Side, and the use of Redding's image. His autobiography generated modest income, and his primary asset remained his home in Clonakilty, Ireland. The estate is managed by Carol Appleby Redding until her passing, after which it will be handled by family members.[编辑]

雷丁于1992年作为吉米·亨德里克斯体验乐队的成员入选摇滚名人堂。他没有获得其他重要的个人奖项。[编辑]