Noel Redding Folkestone's Own -

Noel Redding died Sunday May 11 2003 at his home in Ireland at the age of 57.

In Folkestone and throughout Kent, Noel will be particularly missed by his old friends from his earlier days who have kept up the stories and mystique of the skinny kid from the Marsh who really "made it".

During my time in the music business it seems that everyone knew him, with his fuzzy hairdo pale complexion and quiet personality. Those that didn't know him would pretend they did, his name synonymous with success (Folkestone Style) but I suppose the person who knew him better than anyone else over the past few years his girlfriend, who said in the press " “Noel was an extremely gentle and gracious soul. He had a kind of chivalry and nobility about him and he was kind to everyone bar none, people and animals alike."

Noel, famous as the Bass player for the Jimi Hendrix Experience between 1966 to 1969 had a varied and torturous career in the music business.

At 9 Noel, played the violin at school, and then mandolin at about 12 and guitar at fourteen years old. His first public appearances were at Hythe Youth Club then at Harvey Grammar School where he was a student due to take his GCE's.

Starting in Hythe as a young skinny teenager his first local bands were
The Strangers: with John"Andy" Andrews (Bass)
The Lonely Ones: 1961 - John Andrews ( Bass) - Bob Hiscocks ( Rhythm guitar) - Mick Wibley ( Drums) - Pete Kircher ( Vocals and in'63 drums) The Lonely Ones made (45 EP vinyl, private record)at the Hayton Manor Studio in Stanford Kent in 1963.
Derek Knight on vocals, Trevor Sutton on Drums?, Noel Redding on Lead Guitar and John Andrews on Bass .
Ttacks: Some Other Guy - Money - Talking About You - Anna

The Loving Kind: 1966 with Pete Carter Drums - Jim Leverton Bass - Derek Knight Vocals

At 17 Noel had gone professional and on touring in Scotland and Germany, in the clubs with The Burnettes and The Loving Kind.

Noel was the first person to join the Experience and that was by accident. He had gone to audition on guitar with Eric Burdon of The Animals and got the job as Jimmy's Bass Player. The rest is History.

After the split of the band Noel and Jimmy remained friends. Noel went on to form - Fat Mattress with another Kent musician Neil Landon on vocals , Jimmy Leverton from Dover and Eric Dillon, the drummer, from Swindon.

Whilst living in Los Angeles. Noel joined "Road" a Heavy Metal outfit. They released one Album : Road (1972) Kama Sutra

Noel moved to Ireland in 1972

He formed The" Noel Redding Band" with Eric Bell from Thin Lizzy, Dave Clark and Les Samson. They did two albums for RCA, three tours of Holland, two tours of England, one tour of Ireland and a ten week tour in America. This Ending in tears after a dispute with their management company .

During the last 30 years, Noel has been living in a large house in West Cork . He put the property up for sale in 2002 so he and partner Deborah McNaughton could move to a smaller place in the country. Living on the rental of a cottage on the property and royalties from music he wrote with other artists he has also supplemented his income for the last 17 years playing weekly at a local pub. Regular drummer with this band was Les Sampson from Ashford who also moved to Cork some years ago.

Noel has featured in many recordings over the years including

In his book and publicly he has spoken openly about his disappointment in his being cut off from the profits of the continued sale of the Hendrix recordings. He was forced to sign away his royalties in 1974. and later had to sell bass guitar he used during that time.

Book: Are You Experienced? (Redding/Appelby)Fourth Estate Books

A statement was released by "Experience Hendrix!, the family enterprise which manages the Hendrix estate, it said, "We at Experience Hendrix mourn the loss of Noel Redding. His contributions to the Jimi Hendrix Experience shall never be forgotten. Our prayers go out to his family and friends during this difficult time."