Clonakilty pub to unveil never before released Redding & Hendrix photos

Photographs of rock musician Noel Redding — never before released — opening for Jimi Hendrix in a US concert in the 1960s have been donated to a West Cork pub.

The pictures, by US photographer Nate Naismith, were taken at a concert in Seattle in May 1969 of Redding playing with his newly-formed band Fat Mattress. Later that night the bassist also played with the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

The photographs will be displayed in Clonakilty pub De Barra’s from this Thursday as part of a series of events marking the anniversary of Noel Redding’s death 11 years ago.

Redding had lived in the greater Clonakilty area for nearly three decades.

“This is the first time these photographs have seen the light of day,” said Ray Blackwell, manager of De Barra’s. He received the photographs as a gift from the photographer some months ago after he gave two US tourists and visitors to his pub some memorabilia of Redding.

In return, Nate Naismith scanned the pictures from the original negatives and emailed them to him two months ago.

The celebrations begin with an evening in De Barra’s planned in conjunction with Duchas Clonakilty Heritage, featuring a lecture and film footage of Redding by San Francisco film-maker Keith Dion.

Friday brings a performance by The B-Positives while, on Saturday, Jeff Ward and Friends will perform in the bar.

Ward recorded, played with and produced many of Redding’s latter recordings.

On Sunday, the pub will play host to The Noel Redding Tribute Band.

* www.debarra.ie