Noel Redding Net Worth

What was Noel Redding’s Net Worth?

Noel Redding was an English musician who had a net worth of $2 million at the time of his death.

Noel Redding was an English rock musician best known as the original bassist for “The Jimi Hendrix Experience,” one of the most revolutionary bands of the 1960s. Though trained as a guitarist, Redding was recruited in 1966 to play bass alongside Jimi Hendrix and drummer Mitch Mitchell, forming a trio that would permanently alter the landscape of rock music. With his steady, unembellished bass lines, Redding provided a grounding counterbalance to Hendrix’s explosive guitar work and Mitchell’s jazz-influenced drumming.

During his three years with the Experience, Redding played on the landmark albums “Are You Experienced?,” “Axis: Bold as Love,” and “Electric Ladyland,” recordings that remain pillars of psychedelic rock. While Hendrix’s virtuosity dominated headlines, Redding’s solid, disciplined playing was a crucial structural element in the band’s sound. He departed the group in 1969, frustrated with internal tensions and Hendrix’s increasingly erratic direction.

After leaving the Experience, Redding formed his own bands, including Fat Mattress and the Noel Redding Band, and continued touring for decades. He also authored a candid memoir detailing his time with Hendrix and spent years disputing what he believed were unfair royalty arrangements. Redding died in 2003 at age 57, leaving behind a legacy closely tied to one of rock’s most celebrated collaborations.

Early Life

Noel David Redding was born on December 25, 1945, in England. He grew up with aspirations of becoming a guitarist and was influenced by the emerging British rock and R&B scenes of the early 1960s. By his late teens, he was playing professionally and building a reputation as a capable musician within London’s competitive club circuit.

In 1966, Redding auditioned for what was then the New Animals, the reformed version of The Animals. Instead of landing that role, he caught the attention of bassist-turned-manager Chas Chandler, who had recently discovered an American guitarist named Jimi Hendrix performing in New York. Chandler was assembling a backing band for Hendrix in London and offered Redding the job, not as a guitarist, but as a bassist.

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The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Redding joined Hendrix and drummer Mitch Mitchell to form The Jimi Hendrix Experience in 1966. Though he had limited experience on bass, Redding adapted quickly, developing a straightforward style that emphasized groove and stability.

The band’s debut album, Are You Experienced?, became an instant classic upon its release in 1967. Featuring tracks like “Hey Joe” and “Purple Haze,” the record showcased Hendrix’s boundary-pushing guitar techniques while relying on Redding’s consistent bass foundation.

The Experience followed with Axis: Bold as Love and Electric Ladyland, both widely regarded as masterpieces. Redding’s role in the band was often understated, but his steady playing allowed Hendrix to experiment freely with tone, feedback, and extended improvisation. Visually, Redding also fit the band’s aesthetic, sporting a distinctive look that complemented Hendrix’s flamboyant stage presence.

By 1969, tensions within the group had grown. Redding became increasingly dissatisfied with the band’s direction and Hendrix’s leadership style. He left the Experience that year, shortly before Hendrix disbanded the group and later formed Band of Gypsys. Critics and historians have frequently argued that Hendrix’s most cohesive and groundbreaking work occurred during the Experience era.

Solo Career and Later Years

After leaving the Experience, Redding formed the band Fat Mattress, which released two albums in the late 1960s. He later launched the Noel Redding Band, also producing two albums in the early 1970s. Neither project achieved significant commercial success, though Redding maintained a loyal following and continued to tour internationally.

In 1991, he published his memoir, “Are You Experienced?: The Inside Story of the Jimi Hendrix Experience,” offering his perspective on the band’s meteoric rise and internal conflicts. In the book and in interviews, Redding expressed frustration over what he claimed were unfair royalty arrangements dating back to the early 1970s. He maintained that he had sold his royalty rights under unfavorable terms and spent years seeking what he believed to be his rightful share.

Redding later settled in Ireland, where he lived for many years. On May 12, 2003, he was found dead at his home in Clonakilty at age 57. The cause of death was not immediately disclosed.