Born in Folkestone, Kent, England, he was selected by Chas Chandler to join Hendrix's band in 1966, and left in 1969. Although he appeared in other bands before and after Hendrix's death, he never achieved a similar level of success, and retired to Clonakilty Cork in Ireland in 1972.
At nine, Noel played violin at school and then mandolin at about 12 and guitar at 14 years old. His first public appearances were at the Hythe Youth Club then at Harvey Grammar School where he was a student due to take his GCEs.
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, with Derek Knight on vocals, Trevor Sutton on drums?, Noel Redding on lead guitar and John Andrews on bass. First recordings: Some Other Guy; Money; Talking About You; Anna.
The Loving Kind: 1966 with Pete (Kircher) Carter (drums); Jim Leverton (bass); and Derek Knight (vocals).
At 17 Noel went professional and toured 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 Jimi's bassist.
Noel went on to form Fat Mattress with another Kent musician Neil Landon (the former Burnettes-singer) on vocals, Jim Leverton from Dover and Eric Dillon, the drummer, from Swindon.
While living in Los Angeles. Noel joined Road, a heavy metal outfit. They released one album, Road (1972).
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 the Netherlands, two tours of England, one tour of Ireland and a 10-week tour in America. The band dissolved after a dispute with their management company.
In his book Are You Experienced? (co-authored with Carol Appleby) and publicly he spoke 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 the bass guitar he used during that time.
Noel Redding recorded and toured sporadically through the years, occasionally doing session work on other artists' albums. He performed with the rock band Phish in 1993.
He died at his home in Ireland at the age of 57.
she's so fine
Noel Redding Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So the hippies think she's in with time, time
Her hair glistens like robins on a deck
Branches attack me from her neck
She's so fine
She's so very very fine
The rain from a tree sokes into her mind, mind
Morning sign sounds just like a lock
All these signs are always a stock
She' s so fine
She's so very very fine
When I veer I get so near
But so far far far away
Listen to me today
We united just beside a leaf
The ground was hard underneath, her her
She's so fine
The lyrics to Noel Redding's song "She's So Fine" offer a poetic and somewhat abstract description of a woman who is the object of the singer's affection. The opening line, "She walks with a bell clock round her neck / So the hippies think she's in with time, time," suggests that the woman is trendy and aware of the cultural zeitgeist. The singer admires her appearance, noting that her hair glistens like robins on a deck and that she seems surrounded by a natural beauty that envelops him. The reference to branches attacking him from her neck is metaphorical, perhaps alluding to a sense of being trapped or strangled by his infatuation.
The chorus, "She's so fine / She's so very very fine," is a simple repetition that emphasizes the singer's attraction to the woman. The verses continue to depict various natural phenomena, such as the sun and rain sinking in or soaking into her, and the sound of the morning sign resembling a lock. These descriptions suggest that the woman has a magnetic and mystical quality that draws in the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
She walks with a bell clock round her neck
The bell clock around her neck makes the hippies think that she is always on time.
So the hippies think she's in with time, time
The hippies believe that since she carries a clock, she must be aware of the passing of time like they are.
Her hair glistens like robins on a deck
Her hair is very shiny and looks like robins sitting on a deck.
Branches attack me from her neck
Her hair is so long and intertwined that it looks like branches growing on her neck, which is both intriguing and overwhelming.
The sun from a cloud sinks into her eyes
When the sun comes out from behind a cloud, it reflects off her eyes and makes them sparkle.
The rain from a tree sokes into her mind, mind
When it rains, it seems to affect her emotionally and she puts a lot of thought into it.
Morning sign sounds just like a lock
The sounds of the morning are very distinct and clear, like the sound of a lock clicking.
All these signs are always a stock
All of these sensations that she experiences are very common and are always present in her life.
When I veer I get so near
When he tries to get close to her, he almost succeeds, but not quite.
But so far far far away
He cannot achieve his goal of getting close to her no matter how hard he tries.
Listen to me today
He wants her to listen to him, even if it is just for today.
We united just beside a leaf
They were close to each other, just beside a leaf, as if they were together in a secret spot.
The ground was hard underneath, her her
The ground where they stood was tough and firm, like her personality.
She's so fine
She is very attractive and desirable.
She's so very very fine
She is extremely attractive and desirable, beyond what words can express.
Writer(s): Noel David Redding
Contributed by Molly J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.