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Rating: 
Summary: One of the best books on Hendrix
Review: As always, when dealing with books on legendary people like Hendrix, you're better off with something written by someone who was actually *there*. And Noel Redding certainly was there.Certainly one of the best books I've read on Hendrix.
Rating: 
Summary: Essential Perspective
Review: I picked this up as soon as it was released in the US (which I thought was '92 but Amazon lists as '96). The lasting impression from the first read was all about the bitterness and misfortune Noel Redding had endured during and after his tenure with the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Since that first read, I've occasionally used it as a reference, but only for the occasional spot-check. After reading the new and exceptional Jimi Hendrix: Musician by Keith Shadwick, I knew it was time to give this and other core Hendrix books a fresh look. I'm glad I did. The nearly continuous bitterness, which I found stifling on the first go round did not irritate as much during this re-read. Thus I managed to get past that aspect and see more of the less obvious side of the book. This really is essential reading for those wanting to know more about Jimi and his music. Noel was a dependable diary-keeper during his Experience days and thus has helped immensely to solidify the fact base for the groups lifetime. One one hand, you could argue that given the impressive record of substance abuse, how reliable are diary notes of the perpetually wasted and hung over but the answer is: more than historical comments made by those that weren't there. And therein lies the true value of this book: Noel was there. Although he may have had concerns about his treatment that added to the already mountainous stress endured by an overworked band, his perspectives, like those of Mitch and Jimi, have helped to frame the picture - to put the dirt on the soles of the work shoes as it were. So the bottom line is that I encourage anyone interested in the real Jimi Hendrix story to read this book (and others as well). Sure, there is bias, but so what? Everyone is entitled to their opinion, especially the people that were THERE. Rest in peace, Noel.
Rating:
Summary: Essential Perspective
Review: I picked this up as soon as it was released in the US (which I thought was '92 but Amazon lists as '96). The lasting impression from the first read was all about the bitterness and misfortune Noel Redding had endured during and after his tenure with the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Since that first read, I've occasionally used it as a reference, but only for the occasional spot-check. After reading the new and exceptional Jimi Hendrix: Musician by Keith Shadwick, I knew it was time to give this and other core Hendrix books a fresh look. I'm glad I did. The nearly continuous bitterness, which I found stifling on the first go round did not irritate as much during this re-read. Thus I managed to get past that aspect and see more of the less obvious side of the book. This really is essential reading for those wanting to know more about Jimi and his music. Noel was a dependable diary-keeper during his Experience days and thus has helped immensely to solidify the fact base for the groups lifetime. One one hand, you could argue that given the impressive record of substance abuse, how reliable are diary notes of the perpetually wasted and hung over but the answer is: more than historical comments made by those that weren't there. And therein lies the true value of this book: Noel was there. Although he may have had concerns about his treatment that added to the already mountainous stress endured by an overworked band, his perspectives, like those of Mitch and Jimi, have helped to frame the picture - to put the dirt on the soles of the work shoes as it were. So the bottom line is that I encourage anyone interested in the real Jimi Hendrix story to read this book (and others as well). Sure, there is bias, but so what? Everyone is entitled to their opinion, especially the people that were THERE. Rest in peace, Noel.
Rating:
Summary: Noel wants his money.
Review: On the album covers, to the left of Jimi The Space Mystic was a cocky, brash, sneering John "Mitch" Mitchell. To his right was a seemingly chronically dour individual whose facial expression seemed to convey that life was just a bit too much to bear at times. He was/is the former bassist, co-guitarist,sometime songwriting collaborator of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and now author, Noel Redding. This book was farmed around since 1990 under the working title, "Standing Next To A Mountain", and was co-written by his late wife, Carol Appleby, from Noel's meticulously maintained diaries. As it turns out, this isn't a Hendrix book, per se -- just over half of the book is devoted to Hendrix, and then only from Noel's perspective; why he left the Electric Ladyland sessions, for instance. The rest of the book is about how Mr. Redding, a struggling young musician from Kent, England, responded to an ad in the music trades and accidentally stumbled headlong, a la Kilgore Trout, into fame, "fortune" and a three year Mother Of All Experiences as sideman to the legendary Jimi Hendrix. His departure from the group led to its ultimate disbanding, and was equally accidental and inauspicious, albeit inevitable. The story really begins following Redding's departure from the Experience. Believing that his former association with Hendrix afforded him the cache and star power to strike out on his own as a musician, Redding undertook certain projects with varying degrees of failure. Then began The Big Slide. Redding details life after the Experience with sometimes startling frankness and introspection. Near destitute around the time of Hendrix' death in 1970, he set about legally challenging the estate for back royalties due to him. Since his death 29 years ago, according to Redding, the Hendrix estate has amassed some $200,000,000, yet contracts signed by him seem to have inured to the benefit of the intricate web of lawyers, handlers, producers and off-shore interests, and currently, the Hendrix family. There are some interesting tidbits about Jimi that haven't already been covered by the numerous Hendrix bios in circulation. For example, Redding claims that the smash-up that landed Jimi in a Scandanavian jail in 1968 was a result of his rebuff of a sexual advance from Hendrix(?). Also, he seems to indicate that Hendrix was something of a heroin junkie, a charge that has been vehemently denied by others in his circle. He says there was no racial animous among the members of the Experience, but claims that drummer Mitch Mitchell treated him as though he were a low-class hick. Redding neglects to mention that he used to call Jimi "the coon from America". Overall, a very compelling, disturbing story told with unflinching honesty. He speaks of Hendrix with equal measures of awe, disgust, anger, love, hate and reverence -- sometimes in the same sentence. Other than an annoying tendency to use "it's" instead of "its" where appropriate, a damned good read (although the business parts do tend to be a bit tedious). Recommended to Electric Man and Woman alike.
Rating:
Summary: Noel wants his money.
Review: On the album covers, to the left of Jimi The Space Mystic was a cocky, brash, sneering John "Mitch" Mitchell. To his right was a seemingly chronically dour individual whose facial expression seemed to convey that life was just a bit too much to bear at times. He was/is the former bassist, co-guitarist,sometime songwriting collaborator of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and now author, Noel Redding. This book was farmed around since 1990 under the working title, "Standing Next To A Mountain", and was co-written by his late wife, Carol Appleby, from Noel's meticulously maintained diaries. As it turns out, this isn't a Hendrix book, per se -- just over half of the book is devoted to Hendrix, and then only from Noel's perspective; why he left the Electric Ladyland sessions, for instance. The rest of the book is about how Mr. Redding, a struggling young musician from Kent, England, responded to an ad in the music trades and accidentally stumbled headlong, a la Kilgore Trout, into fame, "fortune" and a three year Mother Of All Experiences as sideman to the legendary Jimi Hendrix. His departure from the group led to its ultimate disbanding, and was equally accidental and inauspicious, albeit inevitable. The story really begins following Redding's departure from the Experience. Believing that his former association with Hendrix afforded him the cache and star power to strike out on his own as a musician, Redding undertook certain projects with varying degrees of failure. Then began The Big Slide. Redding details life after the Experience with sometimes startling frankness and introspection. Near destitute around the time of Hendrix' death in 1970, he set about legally challenging the estate for back royalties due to him. Since his death 29 years ago, according to Redding, the Hendrix estate has amassed some $200,000,000, yet contracts signed by him seem to have inured to the benefit of the intricate web of lawyers, handlers, producers and off-shore interests, and currently, the Hendrix family. There are some interesting tidbits about Jimi that haven't already been covered by the numerous Hendrix bios in circulation. For example, Redding claims that the smash-up that landed Jimi in a Scandanavian jail in 1968 was a result of his rebuff of a sexual advance from Hendrix(?). Also, he seems to indicate that Hendrix was something of a heroin junkie, a charge that has been vehemently denied by others in his circle. He says there was no racial animous among the members of the Experience, but claims that drummer Mitch Mitchell treated him as though he were a low-class hick. Redding neglects to mention that he used to call Jimi "the coon from America". Overall, a very compelling, disturbing story told with unflinching honesty. He speaks of Hendrix with equal measures of awe, disgust, anger, love, hate and reverence -- sometimes in the same sentence. Other than an annoying tendency to use "it's" instead of "its" where appropriate, a damned good read (although the business parts do tend to be a bit tedious). Recommended to Electric Man and Woman alike.
Rating:
Summary: Noel wants his money.
Review: On the album covers, to the left of Jimi The Space Mystic was a cocky, brash, sneering John "Mitch" Mitchell. To his right was a seemingly chronically dour individual whose facial expression seemed to convey that life was just a bit too much to bear at times. He was/is the former bassist, co-guitarist,sometime songwriting collaborator of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and now author, Noel Redding. This book was farmed around since 1990 under the working title, "Standing Next To A Mountain", and was co-written by his late wife, Carol Appleby, from Noel's meticulously maintained diaries. As it turns out, this isn't a Hendrix book, per se -- just over half of the book is devoted to Hendrix, and then only from Noel's perspective; why he left the Electric Ladyland sessions, for instance. The rest of the book is about how Mr. Redding, a struggling young musician from Kent, England, responded to an ad in the music trades and accidentally stumbled headlong, a la Kilgore Trout, into fame, "fortune" and a three year Mother Of All Experiences as sideman to the legendary Jimi Hendrix. His departure from the group led to its ultimate disbanding, and was equally accidental and inauspicious, albeit inevitable. The story really begins following Redding's departure from the Experience. Believing that his former association with Hendrix afforded him the cache and star power to strike out on his own as a musician, Redding undertook certain projects with varying degrees of failure. Then began The Big Slide. Redding details life after the Experience with sometimes startling frankness and introspection. Near destitute around the time of Hendrix' death in 1970, he set about legally challenging the estate for back royalties due to him. Since his death 29 years ago, according to Redding, the Hendrix estate has amassed some $200,000,000, yet contracts signed by him seem to have inured to the benefit of the intricate web of lawyers, handlers, producers and off-shore interests, and currently, the Hendrix family. There are some interesting tidbits about Jimi that haven't already been covered by the numerous Hendrix bios in circulation. For example, Redding claims that the smash-up that landed Jimi in a Scandanavian jail in 1968 was a result of his rebuff of a sexual advance from Hendrix(?). Also, he seems to indicate that Hendrix was something of a heroin junkie, a charge that has been vehemently denied by others in his circle. He says there was no racial animous among the members of the Experience, but claims that drummer Mitch Mitchell treated him as though he were a low-class hick. Redding neglects to mention that he used to call Jimi "the coon from America". Overall, a very compelling, disturbing story told with unflinching honesty. He speaks of Hendrix with equal measures of awe, disgust, anger, love, hate and reverence -- sometimes in the same sentence. Other than an annoying tendency to use "it's" instead of "its" where appropriate, a damned good read (although the business parts do tend to be a bit tedious). Recommended to Electric Man and Woman alike.
Rating: 
Summary: Good book but pages are Blank
Review: The following pages are blank: 91-92 106-107 98-99 94-95 lots of picture pages are blank also. I had to return the book for this reason. Otherwise this book was a good inside view of the music business and the experience.
Rating:
Summary: A Realistic View of the Music Industry
Review: This book focuses on what happened inside the Experience, musically and financially in a way that a non-member of the group could not know. Noel is at times obsessed with past injustices, but to not present it all in this manner would make it seem like "whining". There is good advice to musicians, even today, of things to be careful of: drugs, contracts, agents, etc. I bought this at the same time as Mitch Mitchell's book. Mitch's book had better pictures, and certainly gave a glimpse of the time with Jimi after Noel left, but I liked this one just as well. I wish Noel the best, and now I'm going to order a CD or two, and hope he sees some royalty from that!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Bloody awful!
Review: ZERO STARS.
This book is absolutely pathetic! I have read a lot of books in my near 17 years, and this one takes the cake as the worst. I'd rather read a Baby-Sitters' Club or Steinbeck novel! All Noel Redding does throughout this entire terribly written book is complain about money. "We did drugs backstage. Then we went and played for 2 hours to a lousy audience. I played my heart out and all I got was $100 for it." When I read this, I was looking foreward to what it was like to be friends with Jimi Hendrix. I don't need a two-page list of drugs you guys took! I don't care to hear about your "corkscrew" experience with the Plaster Casters! And frankly, I could do without the pages and pages and chapters and chapters of money problems! I read this farce of a book at age 14 on a 13 hour road trip to Idaho and back (I live in California). "Are You Experienced?" took almost the entire trip--13 hours to Idaho, the entire week there, and the trip back--to read. I'm a pretty quick reader, but "AYE" was so boring, rambling, and depressing that it took me forever to read. Meanwhile, I read my favourite book (Anne Frank's diary) in just a few hours!
Noel Redding complains about not having money, not getting paid enough...At least 75% of the book is about money and overly detailed "stories" of what happened in the court room while settling some business. Here's a hint. Don't have money? Get a job! He expects that because he wrote 2 lousy songs for the Jimi Hendrix Experience, he needs to be supported by everyone else. He didn't have any disabilities or reasons not to work. He was perfectly capable of getting a job, but no! He complains about how his house was falling apart and he had to walk barefooted in town, yet talks about all the drugs and alcohol he drank/took. Take your head out of your ass and secure a career before sitting around writing a sleazy tell-all novel complaining about how the whole world owes you a favour!
One good thing came out of this book: Torn out pages make good kindling for the fire place.
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