Noel Redding and Mountain

[Defender007]

Recently, it came to my attention that Noel Redding played bass on two Mountain songs. Also, he played on a few songs for Corky Laing's band called Cork. I had read somewhere that Noel and Leslie West didn't get along well, but didn't know that Noel had played on the Mountain album. It appears to be a compilation of the best Mountain songs, with the last two being new songs that Noel played bass on. How long this occurred after Felix Pappalardi's death, I don't know. I'd like more details on what happened and if anyone has anything to add, I'd be interested. This has no direct connection to Hendrix, except that, of course, Hendrix had once mentioned that he would like to have Felix Pappalardi produce an album. The name of the Mountain album--a 2 CD set--is "Over the Top."

Note:

Although I wasn't expecting to, I found the info I was looking for in an interview with Leslie West. I had assumed that he hadn't liked playing with Noel Redding, since I'd read somewhere that he and Noel didn't get along. But that wasn't the case. He said he did like working with Noel, but the fact that Noel lived in Ireland was a problem for them, etc. Also, there was a disagreement between Leslie West and Noel over who wrote one of the songs. It appears that Leslie West also didn't get along with Felix Pappalardi. Felix had sued Leslie, and when Felix got murdered, Leslie West was actually a suspect for a while. Another point of interest is that Leslie jammed with Hendrix a few weeks before his death. Here is the interview. He also talks about the "Over the Top" album quite a a lot.


http://www.pappalardi.com/Goldmine.html

[kdion11]

Recently, it came to my attention that Noel Redding played bass on two Mountain songs. Also, he played on a few songs for Corky Laing's band called Cork. I had read somewhere that Noel and Leslie West didn't get along well, but didn't know that Noel had played on the Mountain album. It appears to be a compilation of the best Mountain songs, with the last two being new songs that Noel played bass on. How long this occurred after Felix Pappalardi's death, I don't know. I'd like more details on what happened and if anyone has anything to add, I'd be interested. This has no direct connection to Hendrix, except that, of course, Hendrix had once mentioned that he would like to have Felix Pappalardi produce an album. The name of the Mountain album--a 2 CD set--is "Over the Top."

Note:

Although I wasn't expecting to, I found the info I was looking for in an interview with Leslie West. I had assumed that he hadn't liked playing with Noel Redding, since I'd read somewhere that he and Noel didn't get along. But that wasn't the case. He said he did like working with Noel, but the fact that Noel lived in Ireland was a problem for them, etc. Also, there was a disagreement between Leslie West and Noel over who wrote one of the songs. It appears that Leslie West also didn't get along with Felix Pappalardi. Felix had sued Leslie, and when Felix got murdered, Leslie West was actually a suspect for a while. Another point of interest is that Leslie jammed with Hendrix a few weeks before his death. Here is the interview. He also talks about the "Over the Top" album quite a a lot.


http://www.pappalardi.com/Goldmine.html

KD: Hey Defender. You're spot on regarding Noel's attitude to and relationship with LW - Noel couldn't stand him. I never heard about the songwriting credit conflict but Noel told me (when I was working with him) he did a few dates or a tour with LW and told me he wouldn't work with him again. LW can apparently be a bit of a prick and has a huge ego. He's a great guitarist, but he's hardly in the same league as Jimi, Jeff Beck, Clapton, Page whoever. Mountain were OK, but they also certainly weren't in the same league as Cream or The Who now were they ? On the other hand I've got to say that I was really blown out by the Who's Next Reissue that has a whole lot of outtakes - one with LW playing live lead guitar with the Who in the record plant on a cover of the Marvin Gaye classic "Baby Don't You Do It" - best thing I've ever heard LW play - beats the crap out of any Mountain IMHO.

[Defender007]

I've now listened to the entire "Over the Top" Mountain album. I have to say Noel really sounded good on bass on those two songs he played on. It reminds me somewhat of what he did playing bass for Randy California under the name Clit McTorious on the Kapt. Kopter and the Fabulous Twirly Birds album.

[kdion11]

I've now listened to the entire "Over the Top" Mountain album. I have to say Noel really sounded good on bass on those two songs he played on. It reminds me somewhat of what he did playing bass for Randy California under the name Clit McTorious on the Kapt. Kopter and the Fabulous Twirly Birds album.

KD: Noel was great ! He always found the pocket, the groove and the tone - of course he was no Jaco Pastorious but of course he never wanted to be. He would have been quite happy just being in the Small Faces or the Kinks, and leaving all the endless viruoso jamming to others thank you very much. Despite MM's (and others !) claims that he was not a "bass player" but just a "bass owner".

[Defender007]

Noel seemed to have an intuitive feel on what to do on bass. I'm not even much of a fan of Fender basses, although I agree that Noel was always able to get a great tone out of a Fender Jazz bass no matter who he was playing for (as well as being able to play in the pocket and find the groove.)

[kdion11]

Noel seemed to have an intuitive feel on what to do on bass. I'm not even much of a fan of Fender basses, although I agree that Noel was always able to get a great tone out of a Fender Jazz bass no matter who he was playing for (as well as being able to play in the pocket and find the groove.)

KD: One of the coolest (and of course folks, there were many!) things about playing with Noel, was that when we played our few JHE covers (he generally was sick of playing them - and just wanted to sing and play other material on rhythm guitar) you'd look over at him, open your ears and close your eyes and there they were - the exact same bass parts you'd heard a thousand times from the JHE records. We only played a handfull with him: Stone Free, Hey Joe, Come On Pt. 1, Can You See Me - we rehearsed a few more too but generally didn't play them. Fire, Red House and a couple of others. He refused to play Little Miss Strange or She's So Fine as he said he "couldn't remember the words..............." hahahahhahahah. We all miss him very much. He wasn't the best virtuoso bass player I've ever played with (who cares about that bullshit ?) but he sure was the coolest guy with the best stories I've ever met or will probably ever meet.

[Defender007]

As for virtuoso bass playing, I do have to say stuff like what Victor Wooten does really bores me. That's just one example. However, it does take skill; if people like it, that's fine. I'm not going to be listening to it, although I'm sure many others are.

I can understand why Noel was tired of all those songs, especially if you take into consideration how many performances they gave in which they played the same songs over and over. What I've found is that once you get tired of songs, you're still tired of them even if it's many years later from when you first played them.

I'm sure Noel had many stories to tell. His book is interesting, but it does offer a lot of business details. I'm sure he could have easily written a second one to add to that first one which offered a lot more anecdotal details. In fact, if I were in your position, it's pretty likely I'd be inclined to write a book about Noel. In my opinion, there are too many generalizations and inaccurate info about him out there. Of course doing something like that would also definitely require spending some time in Ireland. A book like that might not sell much, although it could. Reading books about Hendrix is great and I'll always be interested in something like that. But certainly a book about Noel Redding would be of interest to me, too. My background is in political science and history. In terms of writing about historical figures, it is always a great advantage to have known the subject in person. Much of what is written is not based enough on primary sources. There is far too much speculation and reliance on secondary sources, misconceptions, myths, and generalizations which the public tends to accept as accurate.

[kdion11]

In fact, if I were in your position, it's pretty likely I'd be inclined to write a book about Noel. In my opinion, there are too many generalizations and inaccurate info about him out there. Of course doing something like that would also definitely require spending some time in Ireland. A book like that might not sell much, although it could. Reading books about Hendrix is great and I'll always be interested in something like that. But certainly a book about Noel Redding would be of interest to me, too. My background is in political science and history. In terms of writing about historical figures, it is always a great advantage to have known the subject in person. Much of what is written is not based enough on primary sources. There is far too much speculation and reliance on secondary sources, misconceptions, myths, and generalizations which the public tends to accept as accurate.

KD: Hey Def. Thanks for the kind words. I'm sort of already working on a book, but only a chapter would be on Noel. There's another Chapter about working with Arthur Lee (definitely the scariest dude I've ever met in my life) as well as other chapters on the music biz - but the main scope of the book (if and when it ever gets published) though concerns themes about the Vietnam War and it's aftermath and fall out on families, mental illness and homelessness but then again all of that is an entirely different story and thread that would have no place in a Jimi Hendrix music forum.

As far as Noel specifically goes, I was thinking more in line with a DVD video release, as I have loads of Noel's performance, interview and recording studio footage as well as access to some very good stuff from the BBC that was shot around the time of the Blue Plaque Ceremony - including Noel being interviewed and performing alone, with an acoustic guitar in the empty Brook Street Flat. I was there alone with Noel and the BBC film crew and it was very moving and chilling to say the least.

I also did spend some time in Ireland at Noel's estate and have some footage of that too - Thanks again, KD

[Defender007]

KD: Hey Def. Thanks for the kind words. I'm sort of already working on a book, but only a chapter would be on Noel. There's another Chapter about working with Arthur Lee (definitely the scariest dude I've ever met in my life) as well as other chapters on the music biz - but the main scope of the book (if and when it ever gets published) though concerns themes about the Vietnam War and it's aftermath and fall out on families, mental illness and homelessness but then again all of that is an entirely different story and thread that would have no place in a Jimi Hendrix music forum.

As far as Noel specifically goes, I was thinking more in line with a DVD video release, as I have loads of Noel's performance, interview and recording studio footage as well as access to some very good stuff from the BBC that was shot around the time of the Blue Plaque Ceremony - including Noel being interviewed and performing alone, with an acoustic guitar in the empty Brook Street Flat. I was there alone with Noel and the BBC film crew and it was very moving and chilling to say the least.

I also did spend some time in Ireland at Noel's estate and have some footage of that too - Thanks again, KD

If you devote a chapter to Noel, I suspect it will be a long one if you plan to correct much of the inaccurate info that there is out there. BTW, it's good you got footage of the estate while you could. I doubt that that would be possible now.

[kdion11]

If you devote a chapter to Noel, I suspect it will be a long one if you plan to correct much of the inaccurate info that there is out there. BTW, it's good you got footage of the estate while you could. I doubt that that would be possible now.

KD: Hey Def. The house is still there, but it's been completely remodeled with most of the older (over a hundred years old apparently) buildings on the property demolished. The major rework was done so they could max the sale price when it was sold to complete the haggle over the estate.