Slade
Encyclopedia
Slade are an English
rock
band
from Wolverhampton
, who rose to prominence during the glam rock
era of the early 1970s. With 17 consecutive Top 20 hits and six number ones, the British Hit Singles & Albums names them as the most successful British group of the 1970s based on sales of singles. They were the first act to have three singles
enter at number one, and all six of the band's chart-toppers
were penned
by Noddy Holder
and Jim Lea
. Total UK sales stand at 6,520,171, and their best selling single, "Merry Xmas Everybody
", has sold in excess of one million copies.
Following an unsuccessful move to the states in 1975, the band's popularity waned but was unexpectedly revived in 1980 when they were last minute replacements for Ozzy Osbourne
at the Reading Rock Festival
. The band later acknowledged this to have been one of the highlights of their career. The original line up split in 1992 but the band reformed the following year as Slade II. The band has continued, in various guises, to the present day.
A number of artists have cited Slade as an influence, including: Kiss
, Mötley Crüe
, Quiet Riot
, Poison
, Def Leppard
, Oasis
, Cheap Trick
, Twisted Sister
, The Runaways
and Girlschool
.
The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Music tells of Holder's powerful vocals
, guitarist Dave Hill
's equally arresting dress sense and the deliberate misspelling
of their song titles for which they became well known.
area of the West Midlands
: Both the drummer Don Powell
, and bass guitarist Jim Lea were born and raised in Wolverhampton
, lead vocalist Noddy Holder was born and raised in the nearby town of Walsall
; and although lead guitarist Dave Hill was born in Devon
he moved to Wolverhampton while still a child. Writings by and about Slade frequently mention The Trumpet public house
in Bilston
as a band meeting place, especially in their early days. Slade have released over thirty albums, three of which reached number 1 in the UK Albums Chart
. The band spent a total of 531 weeks in the UK charts during their career and have notched up a total of 23 top 30 UK hits to date.
The group dominated the UK charts during the early 1970s, out-performing chart rivals, such as Wizzard
, Sweet
, T. Rex
, Suzi Quatro
, Mud
, Smokie
, Gary Glitter
, Roxy Music
and David Bowie
. The band achieved twelve Top 5 hit singles in the UK between 1971 and 1974, three of which went straight to number one. Of the seventeen Top 20 hits between 1971 and 1976, six made number one, three reached number two and two peaked at number three. No other UK act of the period enjoyed such consistency in the UK Top 40 and this feat was the closest any group had come to matching The Beatles
' twenty two Top 10 records in a single decade (1960s). Slade sold more singles in the UK than any other group of the 1970s. In 1973 alone, "Merry Xmas Everybody" sold over one million copies globally, obtaining gold disc
status. They toured Europe
in 1973 and the US in 1974.
The band moved to the States in the mid-1970s, in an attempt to break into the American market and although this was largely unsuccessful, they left their mark on a number of US bands who have since cited Slade as an influence. During the late 1970s, the band returned to the UK following years of commercial failure both at home and abroad. Slade's career was unexpectedly revived when the band were asked to perform at the 1980 Reading Festival when Ozzy Osbourne
pulled out at the last minute. For the next two years, the band produced material tailored towards the heavy metal scene and by 1984, they finally cracked the American market with the hits "Run Runaway" and "My Oh My." This newfound success did not last long, however, and despite a top 25 UK hit in the early '90s the band split shortly after in 1992.
and guitarist Dave Hill
were part of a midland based group called The Vendors. Regulars on the club circuit, they had also recorded a privately-pressed four track EP. At the time, Noddy Holder
was playing guitar and contributing to vocals in Steve Brett & The Mavericks. Signed to Columbia Records, the band released three singles in 1965. After listening to American blues artists such as Sonny Boy Williamson II
, John Lee Hooker
and Howlin' Wolf
, The Vendors decided on a change of direction and name. As the 'N Betweens they gained greater recognition and began to get supporting gigs with acts such as The Hollies
, The Yardbirds
, Georgie Fame
and Spencer Davis
.
The Mavericks and The 'N Betweens were on their way to separate gigs in Germany when they met on a ferry in 1965. Powell and Hill asked Holder if he would be interested in joining The 'N Betweens but Holder declined. Later, back in their home town of Wolverhampton
, the musicians met again and this time Holder agreed to join the group. Jim Lea
, whose musical background and strong bass guitar skills were considered an asset, had already been recruited. Lea, who also played the piano and guitar, had been in the Staffordshire Youth Orchestra and had gained first class honours in a London music-school practical exam.
By 1966, this new version of The 'N Betweens had recorded a promo single of the Otis Redding
track, "Security," and a self-penned song, "Evil Witchman," released on Highland Records
. A further single, "You Better Run" was released on Columbia Records and produced by Kim Fowley
. This last single was reported by Powell to have topped the regional midland charts although it failed to make any national impact. Between 1966 and 1967, the band's performance centred around the R&B
and Tamla Motown styles, while Noddy's flair for showmanship began to give the band a focus. During 1967, the band recorded the track "Delighted to See You" which remained unreleased until 1994, where it featured on the various artists compilation Psychedelia at Abbey Road. Although the group did not record again for roughly two years, they built up a respectable reputation on the live circuit.
A local promoter, Roger Allen spotted the group in 1969 and alerted the head of A&R at Philips Records
, Jack Baverstock. The group spent a week in the Philips studio at Stanhope Place recording an album, after which Baverstock offered to sign the group to Fontana Records
if they changed their name and obtained London-based management. The band were initially hesitant because of the reputation gained as The 'N Betweens' but eventually agreed to Ambrose Slade, a name inspired by Baverstock's secretary, who had named her handbag Ambrose and her shoes Slade. Baverstock also found the group an agent, John Gunnel, who had previously worked with the entertainment entrepreneur Robert Stigwood
.
The band's debut album Beginnings, released in mid-1969, was a commercial failure as was the instrumental single "Genesis" and follow up single "Wild Winds Are Blowing". However while the album was being recorded, the band were visited by Gunnel and his business partner, Animals'
bassist, Chas Chandler
. Chandler was impressed with what he heard in the studio, and after seeing the band live the following day, offered to manage them. As Chandler had previous managerial experience with Jimi Hendrix
, the band accepted.
Chandler was not pleased with the debut album and thought the band would benefit from writing their own material and a change of image. The band adopted a skinhead
look as an attempt to gain publicity from what was a newsworthy youth fashion trend but unfortunately, this also added an unwelcome association with football hooliganism
. In 1970, the band shortened their name to Slade and released a new single, a cover of Shape of Things to Come
which despite a performance on United Kingdom music show Top of the Pops
, failed to chart.
Chandler moved Slade to Polydor Records
, believing a higher profile label would boost sales. The instrumental "Genesis" from the band's debut album, had lyrics added and was released as "Know Who You Are," but again, the single failed to make any impression on the UK chart as did the album Play It Loud
, released in late 1970 and produced by Chandler himself. Later though, the album would be retrospectively well received by fans and critics.
Chandler had been managing the band for almost two years without success when he suggested releasing a version of the Bobby Marchan
song, "Get Down and Get With It
", originally performed by Little Richard
. Slade still enjoyed a good reputation as a live act and the song had been used in their performances for many years. Always popular, the song's lyrics demanded audience participation and it was hoped that the feeling of a live gig would be projected into the studio recording. The song was released in mid-1971, and by August the single had entered the top 20 in the United Kingdom
, peaking at number 16.
The band members grew their hair long and allied themselves to the glam rock
movement of the early 70s. Hill's memorable stage costumes also became notable during this period. Chandler now demanded the band write a follow-up single themselves which led to Lea and Holder writing Coz I Luv You
. The song was written in just half an hour and started a writing partnership which would continue throughout Slade's career. Upon hearing the track played to him acoustically, a pleased Chandler predicted the song would make number one. While recording, the band felt the song's sound to be too soft and so clapping was added. The song's misspelled title also became a trademark for Slade while causing a furore among British school teachers. The attendant appearance on BBC
Television's Top of the Pops
brought Slade to a wider audience as well as pushing "Coz I Luv You" to number one in the UK charts. In November 1971, NME
reported that Slade had turned down a multi-million dollar campaign, including a television series and a heavily promoted tour of the US. "But", commented Holder, "acceptance would have meant the cancellation of many commitments here - and the last thing we want to do is to mess around [with] the people who have put us where we are".
A second single entitled "Look Wot You Dun
", was released at the start of 1972, peaking at number four and a live album was released in March. The album Slade Alive!
proved to be successful, spending 52 weeks in the UK Album charts, peaking at number two. It also did well abroad, topping the Australian charts and giving the band their first chart entry in America. The album was recorded over three nights at a newly built studio in Piccadilly
in front of 300 fan-club members. Today the album is regarded as one of the finest live albums ever made.
Two months later, the band released "Take Me Bak 'Ome
". The single became Slade's second UK number one and charted in a number of other countries, including America where it reached number 97 in the Billboard singles chart
. Slade achieved their third number one when "Mama Weer All Crazee Now
" was released later that year, pushing the band towards greater recognition. The song became a popular live number and is today, one of Slade's more recognised singles.
The album Slayed?
was released in November 1972, peaking at number one both in the UK and Australia
, where it relegated Slade Alive to the second spot; and reaching number 69 in America. Both Slade Alive! and Slayed? are widely considered to be two of the finest albums of the Glam Rock era. The final single of 1972, "Gudbuy T' Jane", was released shortly after, peaking at number two in the UK being kept from the top spot by Chuck Berry's
single "My Ding-A-Ling
". The single was a big worldwide hit but only managed to reach number 68 in the American Billboard Chart.
In early 1973, "Cum On Feel the Noize
" was released and went straight to number one, the first time a single had done so since The Beatles
' "Get Back
" in 1969. Another worldwide hit for Slade, the single again failed to impress in America where it made number 98. The follow-up single "Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me", again went straight to number one but reports were later made that the song was recorded as a joke and was not intended for release. Slade quickly disowned it and have not performed it live since.
A car crash in Wolverhampton on 4 July 1973 left Powell in a coma and his 20 year old girlfriend, Angela Morris, dead. The band's future was left in the balance as Slade refused to continue without their drummer although Lea's brother, Frank, covered Powell's position at the Isle of Wight Festival
to avoid disappointing Slade fans. Powell, who'd suffered breaks to both ankles and five ribs, successfully recovered after surgery and was able to rejoin the band ten weeks later in New York
, where they recorded "Merry Xmas Everybody
" – in the middle of an August heatwave. Powell still suffers with acute short-term memory loss and sensory problems as a result of the accident. The band's hit single "Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me" was never performed on Top of the Pops because the producers of the show would not allow Slade to perform as a three piece band. A promotional video with dancers was shown instead.
Whilst Powell was recovering, and in an attempt to keep up momentum, the band released a compilation album Sladest
, which topped the UK and Australian charts in the first week of its release. A new single, "My Friend Stan
", was also released. It marked a change from previous records, being more piano based and sounding more like a novelty song
. During the recording sessions, Powell who was walking with the aid of a stick, had to be lifted up to his drum kit. The single was successful, peaking at number two in the UK and number one in Ireland
.
The Christmas-themed song "Merry Xmas Everybody
" was Slade's last single of 1973 and became the band's last ever number one in the UK. Based on melodies from discarded songs written six years previous, it became Slade's best-selling single ever, selling two and a half a million copies in the UK that year alone. The song has remained popular and has been released many times since, charting on a number of occasions. It was around this time that one of the band's singles managed to survive six continuous months in the Polish charts.
The band began to experiment with different musical styles, moving away from their usual successful rock anthems. Following the success of "My Friend Stan", Slade released the album Old, New, Borrowed and Blue
, in February 1974 which went to number one in the UK. Re-titled "Stomp Your Hands, Clap Your Feet", the album was another disappointment in the US, failing to break into the top 100. The following month saw a new single released. "Everyday
" was a piano led ballad which made number three in the UK charts. The next single, "The Bangin' Man" saw a return to a more guitar-based sound, again reaching the number three position.
s before settling on Slade in Flame
, a gritty tale of the rise and fall of a fictional 1960s group called Flame, the story was based on true music business events involving Slade and various other groups of the time. "Far Far Away
", a track from the film was released, reaching number two in the UK and topping the chart in Norway. Noddy Holder has cited the single as his favourite Slade song.
The soundtrack album
was released in late November. Despite a positive reception from the critics, the disappointing chart position of number six was seen by some as an indication of the band's decline in popularity. The film, released in January 1975, received a somewhat mixed reception. It was thought that its bleak, sour atmosphere confused Slade fans who were used to Slade delivering a good time. Directed by Richard Loncraine
, the film featured Tom Conti
in his first major role.
The number 15 position of the film's main theme song, "How Does It Feel", was seen as further proof of the band's decline. The ballad, featuring brass instruments and flute, was at the time thought to be too far from the fan's expectations. Noel Gallagher
of the British band Oasis
however has claimed the track to be, "one of the best songs written, in the history of pop, ever". The follow-up in May "Thanks for the Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam)
" faired slightly better, peaking at number seven in the UK and doing well in a number of other European countries. The single became Slade's last top 10 hit of the 1970s.
, ZZ Top
and Black Sabbath
, only returning to the UK for TV performances of new singles. The live performances were generally successful although not all cities took to the band.
Between tours Holder and Lea began writing for a new album which was heavily influenced by American artists and aimed at an American audience. The group booked themselves in to New York's Record Plant Studios
in mid-1975 to record the album Nobody's Fools
. Featuring backing vocals from Tasha Thomas
, it contained elements of soul
, country
and funk
music.
The first two singles from the new album, "In For a Penny" and "Let's Call It Quits
" were released in November 1975 and January 1976 respectively, both made number 11 in the UK charts although the latter made no impression outside of the UK. The album, released in March 1976, failed to make any impact in America and was also a disappointment in the UK where it peaked at number 14 for a total of only four weeks before dropping out of the charts completely. The final track from the album was the title track "Nobody's Fool
". Released in April, it failed to chart at all, the first to do so since the band's rise to fame in 1971. Fans within the UK accused the band of 'selling out' and forgetting about their fan base at home.
the new popular style of rock; and that they were largely forgotten and out of fashion. Chandler decided not renew the band's contract with Polydor Records
, instead signing them to his own record label Barn Records.
The band's first release with Barn Records was the single "Gypsy Roadhog
", in January 1977. The track was performed on the children's show Blue Peter
but complaints arose due to drug references and the record was subsequently banned by the BBC
. This in turn led to the single stalling at number 48 in the charts The title of the subsequent album was taken from a piece of graffiti seen in London
and made reference to the band's current position in the public eye; Whatever Happened to Slade was released in March and ironically, failed to make any chart appearance in the UK. Chandler was reportedly disappointed in the material that Holder and Lea were writing, claiming the album was not commercial enough but despite its lack of mainstream success, the album was met with critical praise and support from the English punk movement of the time. Since their return to the UK, the band continued to tour but mainly in smaller venues such as universities and clubs. The spring tour had shown that Slade could no longer fill large venues.
"Burning in the Heat of Love", released a month later, was also banned for the suggestive lyrics and failed to chart as a result. In October the band released an amalgamation of two Arthur Crudup songs, entitled "My Baby Left Me But That's Alright Mama
" as a tribute to the recent death of Elvis Presley
. The single proved to be a moderate success, peaking at number 32 in the UK. Slade was unable keep momentum for the next single "Give Us a Goal
", released in March 1978. Based on English football chants, it was intended to appeal to fans of the sport but failed to make any impact whatsoever.
In late 1978, the band released "Rock n' Roll Bolero" featuring the electric violin, not used on a single since the band's 1971 hit "Coz I Luv You". The single failed to chart in any country. As the band were still a respected live act, and because the 1972 album Slade Alive!
had been so successful, the group decided to release another live album. Slade Alive, Vol. 2
consisted of performances recorded during the 1976 Autumn tour of America and the 1977 Spring tour of the UK. The album was however another failure, making no impression in the UK charts.
In 1979, the band released a further three singles: "Ginny, Ginny
", "Sign of the Times" and a cover of the party track "Okey Cokey". All failed to chart. The Slade newsletter of the time announced that "Ginny, Ginny" had made the top 200 in the UK but not the official top 100. In October 1979, the band released a new studio album Return to Base...., the first album not to have Chandler as producer. Disagreements between Lea and Chandler, centring around Lea's desire to produce Slade's material, had been brewing since the recording of Whatever Happened to Slade in 1977. Lea no longer believed in Chandler and as a result, Chandler offered to sever his association with the band. Slade not wishing to be rid of Chandler entirely, asked him to stay on as their manager, which Chandler agreed to do. The album was a failure in the UK but the following year it topped both the Telemoustique chart and the official album chart in Belgium. Released exclusively in Belgium, the album's version of Chuck Berry
's "I'm a Rocker" also made number 1.
Slade's recent failures and lack of airplay, led Lea to wonder if their material would be better received if recorded by another band. In late 1979, Lea formed 'The Dummies' as a side project, with his brother Frank and wife Louise. The group released three singles which received plenty of radio airplay but sales suffered from distribution problems. In February 1980, following the death of Bon Scott
, Holder was approached by rock band AC/DC
with a view to becoming their new vocalist. Holder turned the position down, despite Slade's current situation. In mid-1980, Slade released their first extended play
titled "Six of the Best
" which featured three tracks from the Return to Base.... album and three brand new rock tracks. Even though it was being sold for a lower than usual price of £1.49, it still failed to sell enough to make a chart appearance. As a result, the band stopped working together and Hill started driving couples to their wedding
s in his own Rolls-Royce, just to make money to provide for his family.
, during his Blizzard of Ozz
tour, was due to play the Reading Festival in August 1980. However, Osbourne cancelled at short notice leaving the organisers searching for a last minute replacement. Slade were suggested but Hill, still demoralised, had effectively left the band and initially refused when asked by the other band members. Eventually Chandler convinced Hill to play what should have been a farewell performance in front of 65,000 rock fans, instead of disbanding and disappearing without a trace. To Hill's astonishment, the band stole the show and quickly became darlings of the music press. Highlights of their performance were broadcast on BBC Radio 1's
Friday Rock Show
Reading special. Afterwards, the band signed to Cheapskate Records, owned by Lea and his brother Frank, which gave the band more control of their material and products.
The band's newfound success led to a hurriedly released extended play the following month. "Live at Reading
", reached number 44, the band's first chart action in the UK since 1977. Another extended play followed in November, titled "Xmas Ear Bender
" which peaked at number 70. Polydor Records also saw an opportunity to capitalise on the band's new success and released the compilation Slade Smashes!
at the beginning of November. The album was given plenty of promotion and spent 15 weeks in the UK charts, peaking at number 21. The album was certified UK Gold in December, having by then sold over 200,000 copies.
Keen to keep momentum with their new fans, the band set out to write a song with hit potential. The idea for the new track came after a performance in Amsterdam
at the Paradiso
Club. An enthusiastic audience who would not go home were overheard chanting by Lea, who was downstairs in the dressing room. Realising the potential of the chant, the song "We'll Bring the House Down
" was written and released in January 1981. Aimed at the new audience which consisted of mainly heavy metal
fans, it showed Slade's heavier rock sound. The single hit the number 10 spot in the UK, becoming Slade's first top ten hit since 1976. In March, an album consisting of four new tracks and six tracks from the previous album Return to Base.... was released. Also called We'll Bring the House Down
it peaked at number 25.
"Wheels Ain't Coming Down", which originally appeared as the opening track on the album Return to Base...., was released in March 1981 and reached number 60 in the UK. Although not a hit, it served to keep Slade in the public eye while they were writing new material and planning a European tour. Slade's success at the 1980 Reading festival was helping them fill larger venues and led them to be asked about a return in 1981. The band refused however as they thought they would not be able to better the 1980 performance and a second performance so soon would be a disappointment.
In May, the band released "Knuckle Sandwich Nancy". Although eagerly wanted as a single by the band, Chandler was not entirely convinced and thus it was half-heartedly released and failed to chart. The band blamed Chandler for the failure and began to manage themselves. Chandler sold his share of Cheapskate Records and negotiated a favourable deal for the band with RCA Records
The new deal meant that Slade's records would get worldwide release except in the USA and Canada. UK singles would still be released under the Cheapskate label but with RCA pressing and distributing the records.
The band's first full release on the RCA label was the European hit single "Lock Up Your Daughters
" in late 1981. The track continued to follow a more heavy metal
sound and made number 29 in the UK. The album Till Deaf Do Us Part followed in November 1981 and peaked at number 68. It remains Slade's most metal-directed and heaviest sounding album to date. An article in NME
shortly after release, claimed Slade were in trouble over the album cover which featured an 'offensive' picture of a nail piercing an ear drum, and that many dealers were refusing to stock it. It was later changed on the CD reissue to a picture of the band in flames. In December, RCA released "Merry Xmas Everybody
" for the first time since its initial outing. This time however it only managed to get to number 32.
By early 1982, the band had released a new single from the "Till Deaf Do Us Part" album. "Ruby Red
". Although a gatefold
release with two extra live tracks, it only managed to reach 51 in the charts. The opening track from the album, "Rock and Roll Preacher
" was released exclusively in Germany in April. The first Slade single to have a 12" single
version, it peaked at number 49. The song also became Slade's new show opener. In November, the band released a new single, "(And Now the Waltz) C'est La Vie
", which was aimed directly at the Christmas
market. It only made number 50 in the UK but was a hit in Poland
where it reached number two. The band's version of the party track "Okey Cokey" was also re-released that year but failed to make an impact, much like the original release in 1979. Lastly, "Merry Xmas Everybody
" was again re-released, this time only managing to get to number 67. December saw the release of Slade's third and final live album, "Slade on Stage
" which peaked at number 58 in the UK and received a positive response from critics. Lea continued working on solo projects throughout despite the upturn in Slade's fortunes.
had higher expectations and sent the band away to write songs to be considered for release in 1983. The band came back with two possible singles, "My Oh My
" and "Run Runaway
". A raw demo of Holder singing "My Oh My" over Lea's piano, was received with particular enthusiasm by RCA. The label was delighted with both the tracks and hired outside producer John Punter
to work with the band to record them. This was the first time the band had another producer since Chandler. Punter's methods differed to those Slade were used to, in that the band recorded their parts separately. This method eventually met with the band's approval. The power ballad "My Oh My" was released in November 1983, where it slowly climbed the charts and by December Slade found themselves competing for the Christmas number one spot. The single peaked at number 2 behind acapella group The Flying Pickets
with their cover of Yazoo's
"Only You
". The single was a huge success across Europe and topped the charts in Norway
and Sweden
. "Merry Xmas Everybody
", again re-released, made number 20 that year.
The album The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome
, co-produced by Lea and Punter was also released in December but despite the strength of "My Oh My", had only made number 74 by the end of the year. In order to try and push the album further up the charts, January 1984 saw the release of "Run Runaway", a celtic-flavoured rock-jig featuring the return of Lea's fiddle. The single peaked at number seven in the UK and was also successful in a number of other European countries.
the tactic of releasing a second single appeared to work and "The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome" eventually reached number 49 in the UK. The album was far more successful in Sweden and Norway however, where it peaked at number 1 and number 2 respectively. By the end of 1983, the band had finished what would prove to be their final UK tour.
In late 1983, Holder joined Lea in record production, producing among other things, Girlschool
's cover of the T-Rex song "20th Century Boy
" and the album "Play Dirty
" which featured two Slade tracks "Burning in the Heat of Love" and "High and Dry". Towards the end of the year, American glam metal
band Quiet Riot
released a cover version of "Cum On Feel the Noize
" on CBS Records
. It became a huge hit, peaking at number five in the Billboard charts and helping their debut album "Metal Health
" to the top, selling seven million copies on the way. As a result, Slade's original was re-released in the UK but disappointingly it only reached number 98. The success of a Slade track in the US charts prompted CBS to sign Slade to their label and in mid 1984, released the single "Run Runaway. The single eventually peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a total of 17 weeks; and topped the American mainstream rock chart. It was Slade's first and only top 20 hit in the States. Its success, it has been suggested, was partly due to the accompanying music video which was filmed at Eastnor Castle
in Ledbury
, Herefordshire
, England and was heavily shown on the MTV
music channel. In August 1984, "My Oh My" was released as a follow-up, it peaked at number 37 for a total of 11 weeks, again with the help of a heavily-rotated music video on MTV. Quiet Riot meanwhile released another Slade song, "Mama Weer All Crazee Now
", which peaked at number 51.
"The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome" was reworked with a couple of alternative tracks and different artwork, and was released in North America as Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply
The album was a success, getting to number 33 in the US and number 26 in Canada
. The final single from the album was "Slam the Hammer Down
" which peaked at number 92. A tour with Ozzy Osbourne
was cancelled after a couple of warm up gigs, when Lea collapsed in the dressing room after a performance. He was later diagnosed with Hepatitis C
. The band returned to the UK and did not tour again, mainly due to differences within the band and problems in Holder's private life.
, which peaked at number 89, and during the autumn a full European tour was announced to promote the album. Tickets began selling before the band had confirmed that the tour would actually take place and shortly after it had to be cancelled because Holder, who was facing a divorce from his first wife, was unwilling to do it. In late 1984, a new single, similar in style to "My Oh My
" was released in the UK. Entitled "All Join Hands
" , the song made number 15 in the charts and thus became Slade's very last top 20 single. "Merry Xmas Everybody
" was also re-released, peaking at number 47 in the UK.
At the beginning of 1985, Slade released the single "7 Year Bitch
" which stalled at number 60 in the UK when it was banned for the lyrical content and title. The band protested that there had been no reaction to Elton John
's "The Bitch Is Back
" which was a hit record. The single did make number 39 in German charts however. A following single was released in March entitled "Myzsterious Mizster Jones
". The single marked a return for Slade's trademark of spelling titles incorrectly, which had not been done since the 1973 hit "Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me". Despite being a radio friendly track, the single only peaked at number 50 in the UK. Neither "7 Year Bitch" nor "Myzsterious Mizster Jones" were released in America but the single "Little Sheila
" was, where it reached number 86 in the Billboard charts and number 13 in the American mainstream rock chart. It was also released in Canada, where it got to number 50, and Germany .
Rogues Gallery, an album heavy on synthesizer
was released in the UK during March, and in America during May. Reported to be one of the band's most polished productions, it was expected that all the tracks would become hit singles. Unable to retain their new-found American audience or rekindled British following, the album failed to live up to expectations and the band largely faded from sight once more. In the UK, the album reached number 60, whilst in America it only made number 132. The album was a big hit in Norway however, peaking at number 5. It also charted in other European countries. Tour dates in the UK to support the album were announced and tickets actually went on sale. Once again, Holder was unwilling to tour and the dates were shelved.
In November, the band released a party album called Crackers - The Christmas Party Album which peaked at number 34 and was certified UK Gold later that month. Repackaged on several occasions under various names such as The Party Album and Slade's Crazee Christmas; it contained re-recorded Slade hits and songs that had been successful for other artists. Amazed at what Bob Geldof
had achieved with Live Aid
, Holder penned the lyrics to "Do You Believe in Miracles" which was also released in November. The single's earnings went to charity but it only peaked at number 54 in the UK. The final release of the year was another re-release of "Merry Xmas Everybody" which peaked at number 48 in the UK.
In 1986 two new Slade tracks, "We Won't Give In" and "Wild Wild Party", were used for the British film "Knights and Emeralds". That same year, the rock band The Redbeards From Texas released a cover of the 1972 Slade hit, Gudbuy T'Jane and in late 1986; "Okey Cokey" was re-released for the second time but failed to chart, whilst "Merry Xmas Everybody" was once again re-released, peaking at number 71. 1986 also saw Slade's first official fan convention at the Finsbury Leisure Centre, Old Street, London.
To avoid becoming a 'Christmas' hit band, Slade did not release the single "Still the Same
" in December 1986 but left it until February 1987. The single was not a hit however reaching only number 73 in the UK, leaving RCA wondering whether it might have been a better idea to release it at Christmas. Released in April, "That's What Friends Are For
" suffered a similar fate, peaking at number 95. Slade's final studio album, You Boyz Make Big Noize
, was released a week later. It was produced by Roy Thomas Baker
, Lea and Punter. Like Rogues Gallery, it featured a large amount of synthesizer. The album was poorly promoted with no accompanying tour or music videos and spent just one week in the UK chart, peaking at number 98. Like much of Slade's later material, it faired better in Norway where it got to number 12.
Following the album's failure, RCA agreed to let Slade return to their own Cheapskate Records label, although RCA still continued distributing. A new single, also called "You Boyz Make Big Noize
" was released in August. Influenced by the Beastie Boys
musical style, it lacked the synthesizer sound of the album. It was another commercial failure, just creeping into the top 100 at number 94. The single did not feature on the European version of the album but became the title track for the American version which was also released in August. The album was not successful in America, neither were the singles, "We Won't Give In" and "Ooh La La in L.A." despite the latter receiving a fair amount of radio play in the city of Los Angeles
. The band's 1987 official fan convention was held at The Royal Standard Convention, Walthamstow, London.
In 1988, Slade released a cover of the Chris Montez
song "Let's Dance
"; a re-mix of the track from Crackers - The Christmas Party Album. The band held their third official fan club convention at Drummonds Convention, King's Cross, London. In late 1989, after what was initially supposed to be an 18 month break, Holder announced plans for a new album. Due to be released in 1990, the album never materialised, and subsequently neither did the tour which would have followed had the album been a success. 1989 saw "Merry Xmas Everybody
" make another new chart appearance, this time reaching number 99.
In 1989, Hill formed his own group Blessings in Disguise with Holder, Ex-Wizzard
keyboard player, Bill Hunt, Craig Fenney and Bob Lamb. During the year, Lea released his own version of Slade's "We'll Bring the House Down
" under the name The Clout. At the end of 1990, "Merry Xmas Everybody
" was again re-released and peaked at number 93.
"Johnny B. Goode
" which turned out to be their last live performance. In that same year, Lea produced the single "Where Have All the Good Girls Gone", for The Crybabys, which was not a success. Later, Polydor Records
contacted Slade about a new compilation album
. It was hoped that Slade would promote it by releasing two brand new singles and, if successful, would record a new studio album. The first single, "Radio Wall of Sound
", written by Lea and originally intended for a solo project, was released in October. The compilation album, Wall of Hits
was released the following month, along with a video compilation under the same name
. Both the single and the album were moderately successful reaching number 21 and number 34 respectively. The album later went certified UK Silver and in an attempt to promote it further, a second single, "Universe
" was released in December. Despite a number of TV performances, the single failed to reach the top 100 and as a result, Polydor withdrew the idea for a new album.
By 1992, Holder had become weary of the constant touring and effectively managing the day to day running of the band. He left after 25 years with the band, to explore other career paths. Believing Holder to be an integral member of Slade, Lea also effectively retired from the band, preferring to work alone in the studio. Powell entered the antique business but Hill decided to remain in music and form a new band.
Slade were reunited for two events during 1996, the funeral of long time Slade manager Chas Chandler
and an episode of the television show This Is Your Life
which featured Holder as the subject.
During 1997, a new Slade compilation, Feel the Noize - Greatest Hits
reached number 19 in the UK while the following year, a remix of "Merry Xmas Everybody
", released under the name Slade Vs. Flush, made number 30. In 2000, a compilation entitled The Genesis of Slade was released which contained rare and some previously unreleased material from The Vendors, Steve Brett & The Mavericks and The 'N Betweens. 2000 also saw Holder awarded an MBE for his services to music and his voice was famously recorded for lift announcements at the Walsall New Art Gallery
.
In 2002, Slade II shortened their name to Slade and re-released their album Keep on Rockin' with a handful of new tracks included, retitled Cum on Let's Party. The band also released two new singles titled "Some Exercise" and "Take Me Home". Both singles were released in Belgium through Virgin Records
. An American compilation was also released titled Get Yer Boots On: The Best of Slade.
In 2005, original singer for Slade II, Steve Whalley left the band and was replaced by Mal McNulty who has sung for the band since. In November 2005, Polydor released a new Slade compilation The Very Best of Slade
which featured two discs with included the majority of Slade singles for the first time on a compilation. The compilation was a moderate success, peaking at number 39. A DVD
was also released for the first time featuring a collection of Slade videos and promos.
From 2006 to 2007, music label Salvo remastered and released all of Slade's catalogue including, a four disc anthology set entitled The Slade Box (Anthology 1969–1991) and a package of all live albums in one Slade Alive! - The Live Anthology
. The remastered series also included the release of a new compilation called simply, B-Sides which featured all of the band's b-sides.
In late 2006, UK chart rules changed to allow downloads of old singles eligible to chart which allowed "Merry Xmas Everybody" to return annually to the chart. "Merry Xmas Everyvbody" peaked at number 20 in the UK in 2007, number 32 in 2008, number 35 in 2009 and number 51 in 2011.
In 2009, a new compilation was released, Live at the BBC
. It featured songs recorded for BBC sessions between 1969 to 1972, Radio 1
jingles recorded in 1973 and 1974, and on the second disc, songs recorded live at the Paris Theatre
, London, in August 1972. In November 2009, Universal Music released a new compilation entitled "Merry Xmas Everybody: Party Hits
" which peaked at number 151 in the UK.
At the beginning of 2011, Classic Rock
magazine gave ten predictions for the year. Number seven featured the statement "Slade get back together one last time, and do a farewell show." In 2011, Salvo released a remastered version of Sladest which included a previously unreleased studio version of the live track “Hear Me Calling”.
, John Lee Hooker
and Howlin' Wolf
but then became interested in the work of Little Richard
. Later they were to draw artistic influence from contemporary rock acts including The Beatles
, Chuck Berry
, Joe Brown
, Cream
, The Kinks
, Wilson Pickett
, Otis Redding
, The Rolling Stones
, Rufus Thomas
, The Who
, The Pretty Things
, and Screaming Lord Sutch
. Chas Chandler
's connections with The Animals
and Jimi Hendrix
also had an influence.
The 1969 album Beginnings, released under the name Ambrose Slade, featured many musical influences with covers of songs by Steppenwolf
, Ted Nugent
, Frank Zappa
, The Moody Blues
, The Beatles
and Marvin Gaye
. The album contained elements of psychedelic rock and classic 1960s rock. Play It Loud
(1970), was also influenced by 1960s classic rock but also showed leanings towards a harder rock sound. Their 1972 live album
, Slade Alive!
, featured cover versions of songs by Ten Years After
, The Lovin' Spoonful
, Bobby Marchan
and Steppenwolf
and although the album contained strong elements of classic rock it also hinted at the glam rock sound to come.
The 1971 single "Coz I Luv You
" was inspired by the styles of Django Reinhardt
and Stephan Grapelli. Slayed?
(1972) merged glam rock with classic rock, and whilst the 1974 album, Old New Borrowed and Blue, continued in this vein, it also featured pop-rock, rock ballads and novelty tracks. The next album was the 1974 soundtrack Slade in Flame
which saw a return to 1960s classic rock, in order to fit with the theme of the film. The single from the album, "Far Far Away
" had a acoustic rock sound, whereas the following single "How Does It Feel?
" featured the use of brass and woodwind instruments.
In 1975 while residing in the States, Slade was influenced by Southern boogie rock bands and as a result, Nobody's Fools
featured a wide mixture of styles including soul, country, rock, funk, folk and blues. The album also featured some soulful female backing vocalists. After the band returned to the UK in 1977, they began to merge their American influences with a classic, hard rock. The resulting sound, in turn, became an influence to American grunge artists. Return to Base.... (1979) featured elements of classic rock, acoustic rock, rock ballads, ambient rock and rock and roll. Two albums, released in 1981; We'll Bring the House Down
and Till Deaf Do Us Part adopted a hard rock and heavy metal sound, as a result of the band's revival amongst heavy metal fans, following their success at the Reading Festival.
The 1983 album The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome
featured a change in musical direction, with a more commercial-friendly rock sound, mixed with hard rock and glam metal influences. Many of the tracks followed a motor racing theme. One single from the album, "My Oh My
" followed a power ballad sound, whilst the next single, "Run Runaway
" was reminiscent of a Scottish jig. Slade's next album, Rogues Gallery featured a strong use of synthesizers, which were a popular instrument in the latter half of the 1980s as did the band's final album You Boyz Make Big Noize
, although this album had a slightly grittier hard rock sound.
, Mötley Crüe
, Hanoi Rocks
, Queen
, Quiet Riot
, Poison
, Def Leppard
, Condo Fucks, Oasis
, Kirka, Cheap Trick
, Hot Leg, Twisted Sister
, The Clash
, Candlebox
, The Undertones
, Cock Sparrer
, The Runaways
and Girlschool
. Their anarchic attitude was adopted by The Damned, The Wonder Stuff
, and Oasis
, the latter of whom covered "Cum On Feel the Noize". Comedians Vic Reeves
, Bob Mortimer
, Paul Whitehouse
and Mark Williams
affectionately parodied
the band in a number of what the band called 'hysterically accurate' "Slade in Residence" and "Slade on Holiday" sketches, in their The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer
television program
me in the early 1990s.
The British music magazine, NME
, commented on Slade's legacy in a review of a greatest hits album, "They embodied the glorious absurdity of the greatest pop, in the sideburns, the mirrored top hat and Dave Hill's pudding bowl haircut. As such they were the simplest, most effective possible, riposte to prog rock's bloated pretensions and pseudo-intellect." In 1981, Adam and the Ants'
lead guitarist and co-songwriter Marco Pirroni
stated that he was greatly influenced by the first gig he ever attended which was Slade at Wembley Pool in 1973.
British presenter Gareth Jones
, also known as Gaz Top, is a known Slade fan who hosted the 1986 Slade documentary "Slade Perseverance". Jones also appeared at the 1986 and 1987 official Slade fan club conventions. Other famous Slade fans include, English ex-football player Gary Lineker
and Welsh football player Nigel Vaughan
, whom Lea and Hill visited on Boxing Day, 1989 at the football grounds of Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Ozzy Osbourne commented during a Slade documentary, "Noddy Holder's got one of greatest voices in rock ever." On his show, 'Breakfast With Alice' on Planet Rock, Alice Cooper stated "I love Slade. One of the oddest looking bands of all time..... Twisted Sister lived on Slade, and so did Quiet Riot pretty much. They wrote the catchiest songs around." In 2008, Nikki Sixx
of Motley Crue
said, '".......like with Alice Cooper and Bowie and Slade — those fucking bands gave 150 percent. It was about fashion, it was about music, it was about pushing the envelope". Status Quo bassist John "Rhino" Edwards stated in a 2010 interview, "I thought the best violin player was Jimmy Lea out of Slade. Oh, he's just brilliant. He's a brilliant musician, that guy. He's a serious bass player. That band (Slade) are so under-rated as players. So original."
Twisted Sister
vocalist Dee Snider
once described Twisted Sister as Slade meets the Sex Pistols
. Twisted Sister's guitarist Jay Jay French
stated "I would say our direct lineage these days is a bit of Slade and Alice Cooper."
On the 2011 final Mark Radcliffe & Stuart Maconie BBC Radio Two show, Manic Street Preachers
bassist Nicky Wire
stated that he believed Slade's post-Reading material was very underrated.
Kiss
bassist Gene Simmons admitted that his band's early songwriting ethos and stage performance was influenced by Slade. In his book, Kiss and Make-Up, Simmons wrote ".....we liked the way they (Slade) connected with the crowd and the way they wrote anthems... we wanted that same energy, that same irresistible simplicity". Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick said that his band went to see Slade perform, and that they (Slade) used "every cheap trick in the book", thus inadvertently coining his group's name. Cheap Trick covered
the song "When the Lights are Out" on their 2009 release, The Latest
.
Quiet Riot
had US hits with covers of "Cum On Feel the Noize
" and "Mama Weer All Crazee Now
". The origins of Slade's influence on Quiet Riot date back to the early 1970s, when Kevin DuBrow
photographed Slade during their first Los Angeles
appearance at the Whisky a Go Go
.
magazine voted Slade number 10 in the top UK groups based on singles for the year. During 1972, the then popular teen magazine, Fab 208, voted the band "Group Of The Year" whilst in the Record Mirror magazine that same year; Slade were voted number two in the most promising British groups list, number five in the top 18 groups list and number 17 in the male groups category. Also in 1972, Slade were voted number one top band and leading recording act in the NME magazine chart points survey, and number one top live band. Radio Luxembourg presented Slade with the award for "Britain's act/group of the year" in 1973.
In February 1973, Slade were voted Best Live Band by the Disc Music Awards. The same year, the band were again voted the world's top group in the NME Poll and top group in the BBC World Service Poll. In April 1973, Record Mirror magazine ranked Slade at number three of top 10 in both the album and singles band chart. Record Mirror's exclusive chart survey was based on a point system allocated according to position and length of time in UK charts for the first three months of the year. In July 1973, Record Mirror magazine ranked Slade at number six of 10 in the UK group singles chart and number 3 in the UK group albums chart. In 1973 and 1974, the band received the Carl-Alan award for Top Group.
In early 1974, the band were voted the number one foreign group by Spain's biggest music magazine of the time and were voted best overseas group in Finland, Belgium and Ireland. The Disc Music Awards rated Slade as the best live group and top British group. Slade made number four in the "top groups in the world" category. Individual members were also acknowledged; Noddy Holder was number five in the best British male singers whilst Jim Lea made number nine in the top songwriter list. In the Record and Radio Mirror poll results of 1974, Slade were voted top British group, with Holder number two in the top British male singer list. Dave Hill and Jim Lea made the top British guitarist list at number one and seven respectively. Lea also appeared at number nine in the top British keyboardist list and number two in the miscellaneous instruments list. Don Powell was voted top British percussionist. The band collected the 1974 Belgian award for Best World Group.
In February 1976, Record Mirror magazine voted Slade the third best UK group with Noddy Holder number eighth in the best male singer and number six in the best songwriter categories. In 1980, Record Mirror voted the band number one for the most inspired comeback of the year.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
from Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
, who rose to prominence during the glam rock
Glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
era of the early 1970s. With 17 consecutive Top 20 hits and six number ones, the British Hit Singles & Albums names them as the most successful British group of the 1970s based on sales of singles. They were the first act to have three singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
enter at number one, and all six of the band's chart-toppers
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
were penned
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
by Noddy Holder
Noddy Holder
Neville John "Noddy" Holder MBE is an English musician and actor. He was the lead vocalist and guitarist with the rock band Slade....
and Jim Lea
Jim Lea
Jim Lea , is an English musician, most notable for playing bass guitar, keyboards, violin, guitar, and singing backing vocals in Slade.-Career:...
. Total UK sales stand at 6,520,171, and their best selling single, "Merry Xmas Everybody
Merry Xmas Everybody
"Merry Xmas Everybody" is a 1973 song by the English rock band Slade. Written by lead vocalist and guitarist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler, it was the band's sixth number-one single in the UK...
", has sold in excess of one million copies.
Following an unsuccessful move to the states in 1975, the band's popularity waned but was unexpectedly revived in 1980 when they were last minute replacements for Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
at the Reading Rock Festival
Reading and Leeds Festivals
The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend, sharing the same bill. The Reading Festival is held at Little John's Farm...
. The band later acknowledged this to have been one of the highlights of their career. The original line up split in 1992 but the band reformed the following year as Slade II. The band has continued, in various guises, to the present day.
A number of artists have cited Slade as an influence, including: Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
, Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
, Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot is an American Heavy Metal band. They are best known for their hit singles "Metal Health" and "Cum On Feel the Noize". They were founded in 1973 by guitarist Randy Rhoads and bassist Kelly Garni, under the original name Mach 1, before changing the name to Little Women and finally Quiet...
, Poison
Poison (band)
Poison is an American glam metal band that achieved great success in the mid-1980s to mid-1990s. To date, Poison has sold over 30 million records worldwide and have sold 15 million records in the United States alone. The band has also charted ten singles to the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100,...
, Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
, Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
, Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...
, Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister is an American heavy metal band from Long Island. Musically, the band implements elements of traditional heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, along with a style that is similar to early glam metal bands...
, The Runaways
The Runaways
The Runaways were an American all-girl rock band that recorded and performed in the second half of the 1970s. The band released four studio albums and one live set during its run. Among its best known songs: "Cherry Bomb", "Queens of Noise", "Neon Angels On the Road to Ruin", "California Paradise"...
and Girlschool
Girlschool
Girlschool are a British heavy metal band originating out of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene in 1978 and frequently associated with contemporaries Motörhead. They are the longest running all-female rock band, still active after more than 30 years...
.
The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Music tells of Holder's powerful vocals
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
, guitarist Dave Hill
Dave Hill
Dave Hill is an English musician, who is the lead guitarist and backing vocalist in the English glam rock group, Slade. The music journalist, Stuart Maconie, commented "he usually wore a jumpsuit made of the foil that you baste your turkeys in and platforms of oil-rig-derrick height...
's equally arresting dress sense and the deliberate misspelling
Sensational spelling
Sensational spelling is the deliberate spelling of a word in an incorrect or non-standard way for special effect.-Branding:Sensational spellings are common in advertising and product placement...
of their song titles for which they became well known.
Overview
Slade hail from the Black CountryBlack Country
The Black Country is a loosely defined area of the English West Midlands conurbation, to the north and west of Birmingham, and to the south and east of Wolverhampton. During the industrial revolution in the 19th century this area had become one of the most intensely industrialised in the nation...
area of the West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
: Both the drummer Don Powell
Don Powell
Don Powell is a drummer who founded the English glam rock group, Slade.- Biography :As a child Powell joined the Boy Scouts where he became interested in the drums after being asked to join the band on a Sunday morning parade. After Etheridge Secondary Modern School he studied Metallurgy at...
, and bass guitarist Jim Lea were born and raised in Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
, lead vocalist Noddy Holder was born and raised in the nearby town of Walsall
Walsall
Walsall is a large industrial town in the West Midlands of England. It is located northwest of Birmingham and east of Wolverhampton. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Walsall is a component area of the West Midlands conurbation and part of the Black Country.Walsall is the administrative...
; and although lead guitarist Dave Hill was born in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
he moved to Wolverhampton while still a child. Writings by and about Slade frequently mention The Trumpet public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
in Bilston
Bilston
Bilston is a town in the English county of West Midlands, situated in the southeastern corner of the City of Wolverhampton. Three wards of Wolverhampton City Council cover the town: Bilston East and Bilston North, which almost entirely comprise parts of the historic Borough of Bilston, and...
as a band meeting place, especially in their early days. Slade have released over thirty albums, three of which reached number 1 in the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
. The band spent a total of 531 weeks in the UK charts during their career and have notched up a total of 23 top 30 UK hits to date.
The group dominated the UK charts during the early 1970s, out-performing chart rivals, such as Wizzard
Wizzard
Wizzard was a Birmingham-based band formed by Roy Wood, former member of The Move and co-founder of Electric Light Orchestra. The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits states, "Wizzard was Roy Wood just as much as Wings were Paul McCartney."-Biography:...
, Sweet
Sweet (band)
Sweet was a British rock band that rose to worldwide fame in the 1970s as one of the most prominent glam rock acts, with the classic line-up of lead vocalist Brian Connolly, bass player Steve Priest, guitarist Andy Scott, and drummer Mick Tucker.Sweet was formed in 1968 and achieved their first...
, T. Rex
T. Rex (band)
T. Rex were a British rock band, formed in 1967 by singer/songwriter and guitarist Marc Bolan. The band formed as Tyrannosaurus Rex, releasing four folk albums under the name...
, Suzi Quatro
Suzi Quatro
Susan Kay "Suzi" Quatro is an American singer-songwriter, bass player, and actor.She scored a string of hit singles in the 1970s that found greater success in Europe and Australia than in her homeland, and had a recurring role on the popular American sitcom Happy Days.-Music:Quatro began her...
, Mud
Mud (band)
Mud were an English glam rock band, formed in February 1968, best remembered for their single "Tiger Feet", which was the UK's best-selling single of 1974...
, Smokie
Smokie (band)
Smokie is an English rock band from Bradford, Yorkshire who found success in Europe in the 1970s.-Early years:Originally called The Yen, then The Sphynx and later Essence, the band was formed in 1964 at St. Bede's Grammar School in Heaton, Bradford as The Yen. The Yen's first gig was at Birkenshaw...
, Gary Glitter
Gary Glitter
Gary Glitter is an English former glam rock singer-songwriter and musician.Glitter first came to prominence in the glam rock era of the early 1970s...
, Roxy Music
Roxy Music
Roxy Music was a British art rock band formed in 1971 by Bryan Ferry, who became the group's lead vocalist and chief songwriter, and bassist Graham Simpson. The other members are Phil Manzanera , Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson . Former members include Brian Eno , and Eddie Jobson...
and David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
. The band achieved twelve Top 5 hit singles in the UK between 1971 and 1974, three of which went straight to number one. Of the seventeen Top 20 hits between 1971 and 1976, six made number one, three reached number two and two peaked at number three. No other UK act of the period enjoyed such consistency in the UK Top 40 and this feat was the closest any group had come to matching The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' twenty two Top 10 records in a single decade (1960s). Slade sold more singles in the UK than any other group of the 1970s. In 1973 alone, "Merry Xmas Everybody" sold over one million copies globally, obtaining gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
status. They toured Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in 1973 and the US in 1974.
The band moved to the States in the mid-1970s, in an attempt to break into the American market and although this was largely unsuccessful, they left their mark on a number of US bands who have since cited Slade as an influence. During the late 1970s, the band returned to the UK following years of commercial failure both at home and abroad. Slade's career was unexpectedly revived when the band were asked to perform at the 1980 Reading Festival when Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
pulled out at the last minute. For the next two years, the band produced material tailored towards the heavy metal scene and by 1984, they finally cracked the American market with the hits "Run Runaway" and "My Oh My." This newfound success did not last long, however, and despite a top 25 UK hit in the early '90s the band split shortly after in 1992.
Early years (1966-70)
In 1964 drummer Don PowellDon Powell
Don Powell is a drummer who founded the English glam rock group, Slade.- Biography :As a child Powell joined the Boy Scouts where he became interested in the drums after being asked to join the band on a Sunday morning parade. After Etheridge Secondary Modern School he studied Metallurgy at...
and guitarist Dave Hill
Dave Hill
Dave Hill is an English musician, who is the lead guitarist and backing vocalist in the English glam rock group, Slade. The music journalist, Stuart Maconie, commented "he usually wore a jumpsuit made of the foil that you baste your turkeys in and platforms of oil-rig-derrick height...
were part of a midland based group called The Vendors. Regulars on the club circuit, they had also recorded a privately-pressed four track EP. At the time, Noddy Holder
Noddy Holder
Neville John "Noddy" Holder MBE is an English musician and actor. He was the lead vocalist and guitarist with the rock band Slade....
was playing guitar and contributing to vocals in Steve Brett & The Mavericks. Signed to Columbia Records, the band released three singles in 1965. After listening to American blues artists such as Sonny Boy Williamson II
Sonny Boy Williamson II
Willie "Sonny Boy" Williamson was an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter, from Mississippi. He is acknowledged as one of the most charismatic and influential blues musicians, with considerable prowess on the harmonica and highly creative songwriting skills...
, John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, William Hooker, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally closest to Delta blues. He developed a 'talking blues' style that was his trademark...
and Howlin' Wolf
Howlin' Wolf
Chester Arthur Burnett , known as Howlin' Wolf, was an influential American blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player....
, The Vendors decided on a change of direction and name. As the 'N Betweens they gained greater recognition and began to get supporting gigs with acts such as The Hollies
The Hollies
The Hollies are an English pop and rock group, formed in Manchester in the early 1960s, though most of the band members are from throughout East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and 1970s...
, The Yardbirds
The Yardbirds
- Current :* Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar, backing vocals * Jim McCarty - drums, backing vocals * Ben King - lead guitar * David Smale - bass, backing vocals...
, Georgie Fame
Georgie Fame
Georgie Fame is a British rhythm and blues and jazz singer and keyboard player. The one-time rock and roll tour musician, who had a string of 1960s hits, is still a popular performer, often working with contemporaries such as Van Morrison and Bill Wyman.-Early life:Fame took piano lessons from the...
and Spencer Davis
Spencer Davis
Spencer David Nelson Davis is a British musician and multi-instrumentalist, and the founder of the 1960s rock band, the Spencer Davis Group.-Early life:...
.
The Mavericks and The 'N Betweens were on their way to separate gigs in Germany when they met on a ferry in 1965. Powell and Hill asked Holder if he would be interested in joining The 'N Betweens but Holder declined. Later, back in their home town of Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
, the musicians met again and this time Holder agreed to join the group. Jim Lea
Jim Lea
Jim Lea , is an English musician, most notable for playing bass guitar, keyboards, violin, guitar, and singing backing vocals in Slade.-Career:...
, whose musical background and strong bass guitar skills were considered an asset, had already been recruited. Lea, who also played the piano and guitar, had been in the Staffordshire Youth Orchestra and had gained first class honours in a London music-school practical exam.
By 1966, this new version of The 'N Betweens had recorded a promo single of the Otis Redding
Otis Redding
Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American soul singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout. He is considered one of the major figures in soul and R&B...
track, "Security," and a self-penned song, "Evil Witchman," released on Highland Records
Highland Records
Highland Records is a defunct record label that was based in California in the 1960s and 1970s. They often served as a starting point for young musicians who quickly moved on to other better-known labels such as Motown or Brunswick.-Client list:...
. A further single, "You Better Run" was released on Columbia Records and produced by Kim Fowley
Kim Fowley
Kim Vincent Fowley is an American record producer, impresario, songwriter, musician, film maker, and radio actor. He is best known for his role behind a string of novelty and cult rock pop singles in the 1960s, and for managing The Runaways in the 1970s...
. This last single was reported by Powell to have topped the regional midland charts although it failed to make any national impact. Between 1966 and 1967, the band's performance centred around the R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
and Tamla Motown styles, while Noddy's flair for showmanship began to give the band a focus. During 1967, the band recorded the track "Delighted to See You" which remained unreleased until 1994, where it featured on the various artists compilation Psychedelia at Abbey Road. Although the group did not record again for roughly two years, they built up a respectable reputation on the live circuit.
A local promoter, Roger Allen spotted the group in 1969 and alerted the head of A&R at Philips Records
Philips Records
Philips Records is a record label that was founded by Dutch electronics company Philips. It was started by "Philips Phonographische Industrie" in 1950. Recordings were made with popular artists of various nationalities and also with classical artists from Germany, France and Holland. Philips also...
, Jack Baverstock. The group spent a week in the Philips studio at Stanhope Place recording an album, after which Baverstock offered to sign the group to Fontana Records
Fontana Records
Fontana Records is a record label which was started in the 1950s as a subsidiary of the Dutch Philips Records; when Philips restructured its music operations it dropped Fontana in favor of Vertigo Records. In the seventies PolyGram acquired the dormant label....
if they changed their name and obtained London-based management. The band were initially hesitant because of the reputation gained as The 'N Betweens' but eventually agreed to Ambrose Slade, a name inspired by Baverstock's secretary, who had named her handbag Ambrose and her shoes Slade. Baverstock also found the group an agent, John Gunnel, who had previously worked with the entertainment entrepreneur Robert Stigwood
Robert Stigwood
Robert Stigwood is an impresario and entertainment entrepreneur who relocated to England in 1954...
.
The band's debut album Beginnings, released in mid-1969, was a commercial failure as was the instrumental single "Genesis" and follow up single "Wild Winds Are Blowing". However while the album was being recorded, the band were visited by Gunnel and his business partner, Animals'
The Animals
The Animals were an English music group of the 1960s formed in Newcastle upon Tyne during the early part of the decade, and later relocated to London...
bassist, Chas Chandler
Chas Chandler
Bryan James "Chas" Chandler was an English musician, record producer and manager of several successful music acts....
. Chandler was impressed with what he heard in the studio, and after seeing the band live the following day, offered to manage them. As Chandler had previous managerial experience with Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, the band accepted.
Chandler was not pleased with the debut album and thought the band would benefit from writing their own material and a change of image. The band adopted a skinhead
Skinhead
A skinhead is a member of a subculture that originated among working class youths in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, and then spread to other parts of the world. Named for their close-cropped or shaven heads, the first skinheads were greatly influenced by West Indian rude boys and British mods,...
look as an attempt to gain publicity from what was a newsworthy youth fashion trend but unfortunately, this also added an unwelcome association with football hooliganism
Football hooliganism
Football hooliganism, sometimes referred to by the British media as the English Disease, is unruly and destructive behaviour—such as brawls, vandalism and intimidation—by association football club fans...
. In 1970, the band shortened their name to Slade and released a new single, a cover of Shape of Things to Come
Shape of Things to Come (song)
"Shape of Things to Come" is a song written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil from the film Wild in the Streets, performed by the fictional band Max Frost and the Troopers on their 1968 album Shape of Things to Come. The song was also released without vocals by Davie Allan and the Arrows...
which despite a performance on United Kingdom music show Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
, failed to chart.
Chandler moved Slade to Polydor Records
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
, believing a higher profile label would boost sales. The instrumental "Genesis" from the band's debut album, had lyrics added and was released as "Know Who You Are," but again, the single failed to make any impression on the UK chart as did the album Play It Loud
Play It Loud
Play It Loud is the second album by the British rock group Slade . It was released on 28 November 1970 but did not enter the charts....
, released in late 1970 and produced by Chandler himself. Later though, the album would be retrospectively well received by fans and critics.
Success and peak (1971-74)
Bobby Marchan
Bobby Marchan was a well-respected American rhythm and blues bandleader, MC, singer-performer, recording artist, and female impersonator, who initially began performing in New Orleans nightclubs, specifically the Dew Drop Inn and the Club Tijuana in the mid 1950s.Marchan also toured with the band of...
song, "Get Down and Get With It
Get Down and Get With It
"Get Down and Get With It" is a single from rock band Slade which appeared on the album Sladest. It was written by Bobby Marchan. The single was released in 1971 and peaked at #16 in the UK, spending 14 weeks on the chart. This was Slade's first chart entry in their career...
", originally performed by Little Richard
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
. Slade still enjoyed a good reputation as a live act and the song had been used in their performances for many years. Always popular, the song's lyrics demanded audience participation and it was hoped that the feeling of a live gig would be projected into the studio recording. The song was released in mid-1971, and by August the single had entered the top 20 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, peaking at number 16.
The band members grew their hair long and allied themselves to the glam rock
Glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
movement of the early 70s. Hill's memorable stage costumes also became notable during this period. Chandler now demanded the band write a follow-up single themselves which led to Lea and Holder writing Coz I Luv You
Coz I Luv You
"Coz I Luv You" is a song by Slade, written by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea and produced by Chas Chandler. It was the band's second hit single in the UK and the first of six number one singles. It was released on 30/10/1971 and was last seen on the charts on 05/02/1972 at #44...
. The song was written in just half an hour and started a writing partnership which would continue throughout Slade's career. Upon hearing the track played to him acoustically, a pleased Chandler predicted the song would make number one. While recording, the band felt the song's sound to be too soft and so clapping was added. The song's misspelled title also became a trademark for Slade while causing a furore among British school teachers. The attendant appearance on BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Television's Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
brought Slade to a wider audience as well as pushing "Coz I Luv You" to number one in the UK charts. In November 1971, NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
reported that Slade had turned down a multi-million dollar campaign, including a television series and a heavily promoted tour of the US. "But", commented Holder, "acceptance would have meant the cancellation of many commitments here - and the last thing we want to do is to mess around [with] the people who have put us where we are".
A second single entitled "Look Wot You Dun
Look Wot You Dun
"Look Wot You Dun" is a single from glam rock band Slade which appeared on the album Sladest. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder, bassist Jim Lea and drummer Don Powell. The single was released on 05/02/1972, just when Slade's previous single Coz I Luv You had its last week in the top 100...
", was released at the start of 1972, peaking at number four and a live album was released in March. The album Slade Alive!
Slade Alive!
Slade Alive! was a live album released by the British rock band Slade. The album was released on 24 March 1972, and reached No. 2 on the UK Charts, besides being Slade's first album to dent the Top 200 in the United States. The album contains original songs, plus cover versions of songs by Ten...
proved to be successful, spending 52 weeks in the UK Album charts, peaking at number two. It also did well abroad, topping the Australian charts and giving the band their first chart entry in America. The album was recorded over three nights at a newly built studio in Piccadilly
Piccadilly
Piccadilly is a major street in central London, running from Hyde Park Corner in the west to Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is completely within the city of Westminster. The street is part of the A4 road, London's second most important western artery. St...
in front of 300 fan-club members. Today the album is regarded as one of the finest live albums ever made.
Two months later, the band released "Take Me Bak 'Ome
Take Me Bak 'Ome
Take Me Bak 'Ome was a popular single by Slade.Written by Jim Lea and Noddy Holder and produced by Chas Chandler, Take Me Bak 'Ome was the second of Slade's six UK number one singles spending a single week at the top in July 1972. The single took 5 weeks to reach the top and was last seen on the...
". The single became Slade's second UK number one and charted in a number of other countries, including America where it reached number 97 in the Billboard singles chart
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. Slade achieved their third number one when "Mama Weer All Crazee Now
Mama Weer All Crazee Now
"Mama Weer All Crazee Now" is a popular song originally recorded by the British Glam rock band Slade on their album Slayed?.Written by Jim Lea and Noddy Holder and produced by Chas Chandler, it was the band's third number-one single in the United Kingdom. The single entered the charts on its first...
" was released later that year, pushing the band towards greater recognition. The song became a popular live number and is today, one of Slade's more recognised singles.
The album Slayed?
Slayed?
Slayed? is the third studio album by the British rock group Slade. It was released on 1 November 1972, and reached No. 1 on the UK charts. The album lasted on the UK charts for a total of 34 weeks, and was also their longest-charting album in the United States where it stayed on the charts for half...
was released in November 1972, peaking at number one both in the UK and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, where it relegated Slade Alive to the second spot; and reaching number 69 in America. Both Slade Alive! and Slayed? are widely considered to be two of the finest albums of the Glam Rock era. The final single of 1972, "Gudbuy T' Jane", was released shortly after, peaking at number two in the UK being kept from the top spot by Chuck Berry's
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
single "My Ding-A-Ling
My Ding-a-Ling
"My Ding-a-Ling" was the title of a novelty song recorded by Chuck Berry, and his only U.S. number-one single on the pop charts. Later that year the song, in a longer unedited form, was on the album The London Chuck Berry Sessions...
". The single was a big worldwide hit but only managed to reach number 68 in the American Billboard Chart.
In early 1973, "Cum On Feel the Noize
Cum on Feel the Noize
"Cum On Feel the Noize" is a rock song originally released by Slade in 1973.Written by Jim Lea and Noddy Holder and produced by Chas Chandler, "Cum On Feel the Noize" was Slade's fourth number-one single in the UK and their first to enter straight at number one...
" was released and went straight to number one, the first time a single had done so since The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' "Get Back
Get Back
"Get Back" is a song by The Beatles, composed by Paul McCartney and frequently attributed to Lennon–McCartney. The song was originally released as a single on 11 April 1969, and credited to "The Beatles with Billy Preston." A different mix of the song later became the closing track of Let It Be ,...
" in 1969. Another worldwide hit for Slade, the single again failed to impress in America where it made number 98. The follow-up single "Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me", again went straight to number one but reports were later made that the song was recorded as a joke and was not intended for release. Slade quickly disowned it and have not performed it live since.
A car crash in Wolverhampton on 4 July 1973 left Powell in a coma and his 20 year old girlfriend, Angela Morris, dead. The band's future was left in the balance as Slade refused to continue without their drummer although Lea's brother, Frank, covered Powell's position at the Isle of Wight Festival
Isle of Wight Festival
The Isle of Wight Festival is a music festival which takes place every year on the Isle of Wight in England. It was originally held from 1968 to 1970. These original events were promoted and organised by the Foulk brothers under the banner of their company Fiery Creations Limited...
to avoid disappointing Slade fans. Powell, who'd suffered breaks to both ankles and five ribs, successfully recovered after surgery and was able to rejoin the band ten weeks later in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where they recorded "Merry Xmas Everybody
Merry Xmas Everybody
"Merry Xmas Everybody" is a 1973 song by the English rock band Slade. Written by lead vocalist and guitarist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler, it was the band's sixth number-one single in the UK...
" – in the middle of an August heatwave. Powell still suffers with acute short-term memory loss and sensory problems as a result of the accident. The band's hit single "Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me" was never performed on Top of the Pops because the producers of the show would not allow Slade to perform as a three piece band. A promotional video with dancers was shown instead.
Whilst Powell was recovering, and in an attempt to keep up momentum, the band released a compilation album Sladest
Sladest
Sladest is a compilation album by the British glam rock group Slade. It was released on 28 September 1973, and went straight to No. 1 on the charts. It stayed around the Top 10 until 1974, when it climbed to the No. 1 spot once again, following the huge success of "Merry Xmas Everybody"...
, which topped the UK and Australian charts in the first week of its release. A new single, "My Friend Stan
My Friend Stan (song)
"My Friend Stan" is a single from glam rock band Slade which appeared on Slade's 1974 album Old New Borrowed and Blue. The single was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea. The single was released in late 1973 and peaked at #2 in the UK, spending only 8 weeks on the chart which...
", was also released. It marked a change from previous records, being more piano based and sounding more like a novelty song
Novelty song
A novelty song is a comical or nonsensical song, performed principally for its comical effect. Humorous songs, or those containing humorous elements, are not necessarily novelty songs. The term arose in Tin Pan Alley to describe one of the major divisions of popular music. The other two divisions...
. During the recording sessions, Powell who was walking with the aid of a stick, had to be lifted up to his drum kit. The single was successful, peaking at number two in the UK and number one in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
The Christmas-themed song "Merry Xmas Everybody
Merry Xmas Everybody
"Merry Xmas Everybody" is a 1973 song by the English rock band Slade. Written by lead vocalist and guitarist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler, it was the band's sixth number-one single in the UK...
" was Slade's last single of 1973 and became the band's last ever number one in the UK. Based on melodies from discarded songs written six years previous, it became Slade's best-selling single ever, selling two and a half a million copies in the UK that year alone. The song has remained popular and has been released many times since, charting on a number of occasions. It was around this time that one of the band's singles managed to survive six continuous months in the Polish charts.
The band began to experiment with different musical styles, moving away from their usual successful rock anthems. Following the success of "My Friend Stan", Slade released the album Old, New, Borrowed and Blue
Old, New, Borrowed and Blue
Old New Borrowed and Blue is the fourth studio album by the British rock group Slade. It was released on 15 February 1974 and reached No. 1 on the UK charts. The album was certified UK Gold by BPI the same month of release....
, in February 1974 which went to number one in the UK. Re-titled "Stomp Your Hands, Clap Your Feet", the album was another disappointment in the US, failing to break into the top 100. The following month saw a new single released. "Everyday
Everyday (Slade song)
"Everyday" is a single from glam rock band Slade which appeared on the album Old New Borrowed and Blue. It was written by the usual collaboration of lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea. The single was released in 1974 and peaked at #3 in the UK, spending 7 weeks on the chart, the shortest...
" was a piano led ballad which made number three in the UK charts. The next single, "The Bangin' Man" saw a return to a more guitar-based sound, again reaching the number three position.
Decline in popularity (1974-75)
In the latter half of 1974, the possibility of making a film was being discussed. The band considered a number of screenplayScreenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
s before settling on Slade in Flame
Slade In Flame
Slade In Flame is a 1975 film starring the members of the band Slade. In 2007, BBC film critic Mark Kermode called it the "Citizen Kane of rock musicals" and included its soundtrack among the 50 greatest soundtracks in cinema's history.Record Mirror magazine voted the film at #4 on the top 10...
, a gritty tale of the rise and fall of a fictional 1960s group called Flame, the story was based on true music business events involving Slade and various other groups of the time. "Far Far Away
Far Far Away (song)
"Far Far Away" is a single from rock band Slade which appeared on the album Slade in Flame. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea...
", a track from the film was released, reaching number two in the UK and topping the chart in Norway. Noddy Holder has cited the single as his favourite Slade song.
The soundtrack album
Slade in Flame (album)
Slade in Flame was an album by the British rock group Slade released on November 29, 1974. The album contained songs from the film of the same name....
was released in late November. Despite a positive reception from the critics, the disappointing chart position of number six was seen by some as an indication of the band's decline in popularity. The film, released in January 1975, received a somewhat mixed reception. It was thought that its bleak, sour atmosphere confused Slade fans who were used to Slade delivering a good time. Directed by Richard Loncraine
Richard Loncraine
Richard Loncraine is a British film and television director.Loncraine received early training in the features department of the BBC, including a season directing items for Tomorrow's World...
, the film featured Tom Conti
Tom Conti
Thomas "Tom" Conti is a Scottish actor, theatre director and novelist.-Early life:Born Thomas Conti in Paisley, Renfrewshire, he was brought up Roman Catholic, but he considers himself anti-religious...
in his first major role.
The number 15 position of the film's main theme song, "How Does It Feel", was seen as further proof of the band's decline. The ballad, featuring brass instruments and flute, was at the time thought to be too far from the fan's expectations. Noel Gallagher
Noel Gallagher
Noel Thomas David Gallagher is an English musician and singer-songwriter, formerly the lead guitarist, backing vocalist and principal songwriter of the English rock band Oasis. He is currently fronting his solo project, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.Raised in Burnage, Manchester with his...
of the British band Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
however has claimed the track to be, "one of the best songs written, in the history of pop, ever". The follow-up in May "Thanks for the Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam)
Thanks for the Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam)
"Thanks for the Memory " is a single from rock band Slade. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea. The single was released in 1975 and peaked at #7 in the UK, spending 7 weeks on the chart and only one week in the top 10. This became Slade's last top ten hit for 6 years...
" faired slightly better, peaking at number seven in the UK and doing well in a number of other European countries. The single became Slade's last top 10 hit of the 1970s.
Stateside (1975-77)
By mid 1975, the band had become disillusioned with their lack of success in America. Feeling that they were becoming stale and had achieved all they could in Europe, Slade decided to a make a permanent move to the States and try to build a solid reputation from live performances; just as they had previously done in the UK. According to the Slade Fan Club newsletter of August and September 1975, the band took twelve tons of equipment, worth approximately £45,000 at the time. Throughout the remainder of 1975 and 1976, Slade toured the US, often with other bands such as AerosmithAerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
, ZZ Top
ZZ Top
ZZ Top is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "That Little Ol' Band from Texas". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based boogie rock, has come to incorporate elements of arena, southern, and boogie rock. The band, from Houston Texas, formed in 1969...
and Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
, only returning to the UK for TV performances of new singles. The live performances were generally successful although not all cities took to the band.
Between tours Holder and Lea began writing for a new album which was heavily influenced by American artists and aimed at an American audience. The group booked themselves in to New York's Record Plant Studios
Record Plant Studios
The Record Plant was a series of three famous recording studios which were founded by Gary Kellgren and Chris Stone, beginning in New York City in 1968. The next year, Kellgren and Stone opened a second studio in Los Angeles. In 1972, the company expanded again with a third location in Sausalito,...
in mid-1975 to record the album Nobody's Fools
Nobody's Fools (album)
Nobody's Fools is the 5th studio album by the British rock group Slade. It was released in March, 1976 and reached position #14 on the UK album charts....
. Featuring backing vocals from Tasha Thomas
Tasha Thomas
Tasha Thomas was an American singer-songwriter and actress, known for her role as Aunt Em in the original Broadway production of The Wiz. Thomas also had a hit single, "Shoot Me ," from her 1979 album, Midnight Rendezvous.-Music career:Thomas was born in Jeutyn, Alaska...
, it contained elements of soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
, country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
and funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
music.
The first two singles from the new album, "In For a Penny" and "Let's Call It Quits
Let's Call It Quits (song)
"Let's Call It Quits" is a single from rock band Slade which appeared on the album Nobody's Fools. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea...
" were released in November 1975 and January 1976 respectively, both made number 11 in the UK charts although the latter made no impression outside of the UK. The album, released in March 1976, failed to make any impact in America and was also a disappointment in the UK where it peaked at number 14 for a total of only four weeks before dropping out of the charts completely. The final track from the album was the title track "Nobody's Fool
Nobody's Fool (Slade song)
"Nobody's Fool" is a single from rock band Slade which appeared on the album Nobody's Fools. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea. The single was released in 1976 and did not enter the UK charts...
". Released in April, it failed to chart at all, the first to do so since the band's rise to fame in 1971. Fans within the UK accused the band of 'selling out' and forgetting about their fan base at home.
Wilderness years (1977-80)
Overall Slade's American venture was seen as a failure although the band felt improved and rejuvenated. The live success in cities such as St Louis, Philadelphia and New York was not translated into US airplay however and the band returned to the UK at the beginning of 1977 to find punk rockPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
the new popular style of rock; and that they were largely forgotten and out of fashion. Chandler decided not renew the band's contract with Polydor Records
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
, instead signing them to his own record label Barn Records.
The band's first release with Barn Records was the single "Gypsy Roadhog
Gypsy Roadhog
"Gypsy Roadhog" is the lead single from the 1977 album Whatever Happened to Slade by rock band Slade. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea...
", in January 1977. The track was performed on the children's show Blue Peter
Blue Peter
Blue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
but complaints arose due to drug references and the record was subsequently banned by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. This in turn led to the single stalling at number 48 in the charts The title of the subsequent album was taken from a piece of graffiti seen in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and made reference to the band's current position in the public eye; Whatever Happened to Slade was released in March and ironically, failed to make any chart appearance in the UK. Chandler was reportedly disappointed in the material that Holder and Lea were writing, claiming the album was not commercial enough but despite its lack of mainstream success, the album was met with critical praise and support from the English punk movement of the time. Since their return to the UK, the band continued to tour but mainly in smaller venues such as universities and clubs. The spring tour had shown that Slade could no longer fill large venues.
"Burning in the Heat of Love", released a month later, was also banned for the suggestive lyrics and failed to chart as a result. In October the band released an amalgamation of two Arthur Crudup songs, entitled "My Baby Left Me But That's Alright Mama
My Baby Left Me
My Baby Left Me is a rhythm and blues song written by blues singer Arthur Crudup in the late 1940s.It gained further exposure in covers by Elvis Presley, who placed his version on the b-side to his 1956 single "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You"; by Creedence Clearwater Revival, who recorded it as...
" as a tribute to the recent death of Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
. The single proved to be a moderate success, peaking at number 32 in the UK. Slade was unable keep momentum for the next single "Give Us a Goal
Give Us a Goal
"Give Us a Goal" is a single from English rock band Slade. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea. The single was released in 1978 and failed to chart in the UK. The single was based on football....
", released in March 1978. Based on English football chants, it was intended to appeal to fans of the sport but failed to make any impact whatsoever.
In late 1978, the band released "Rock n' Roll Bolero" featuring the electric violin, not used on a single since the band's 1971 hit "Coz I Luv You". The single failed to chart in any country. As the band were still a respected live act, and because the 1972 album Slade Alive!
Slade Alive!
Slade Alive! was a live album released by the British rock band Slade. The album was released on 24 March 1972, and reached No. 2 on the UK Charts, besides being Slade's first album to dent the Top 200 in the United States. The album contains original songs, plus cover versions of songs by Ten...
had been so successful, the group decided to release another live album. Slade Alive, Vol. 2
Slade Alive, Vol. 2
Slade Alive, Vol. 2 is a live album by the British rock group Slade. It was released October 27, 1978 and did not enter the charts.There were also plans to release Be as a single, but it never eventuated due to the steady decline in the group's fortunes.The album peaked at #778 for 1978 on...
consisted of performances recorded during the 1976 Autumn tour of America and the 1977 Spring tour of the UK. The album was however another failure, making no impression in the UK charts.
In 1979, the band released a further three singles: "Ginny, Ginny
Ginny, Ginny
"Ginny, Ginny" is the first single of 1979 from rock band Slade which was the leading single from the album Return to Base..... It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea...
", "Sign of the Times" and a cover of the party track "Okey Cokey". All failed to chart. The Slade newsletter of the time announced that "Ginny, Ginny" had made the top 200 in the UK but not the official top 100. In October 1979, the band released a new studio album Return to Base...., the first album not to have Chandler as producer. Disagreements between Lea and Chandler, centring around Lea's desire to produce Slade's material, had been brewing since the recording of Whatever Happened to Slade in 1977. Lea no longer believed in Chandler and as a result, Chandler offered to sever his association with the band. Slade not wishing to be rid of Chandler entirely, asked him to stay on as their manager, which Chandler agreed to do. The album was a failure in the UK but the following year it topped both the Telemoustique chart and the official album chart in Belgium. Released exclusively in Belgium, the album's version of Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
's "I'm a Rocker" also made number 1.
Slade's recent failures and lack of airplay, led Lea to wonder if their material would be better received if recorded by another band. In late 1979, Lea formed 'The Dummies' as a side project, with his brother Frank and wife Louise. The group released three singles which received plenty of radio airplay but sales suffered from distribution problems. In February 1980, following the death of Bon Scott
Bon Scott
Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott was a Scottish-born Australian rock musician, best known for being the lead singer and lyricist of Australian hard rock band AC/DC from 1974 until his death in 1980...
, Holder was approached by rock band AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
with a view to becoming their new vocalist. Holder turned the position down, despite Slade's current situation. In mid-1980, Slade released their first extended play
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
titled "Six of the Best
Six of the Best (EP)
"Six of the Best" is rock band Slade's first extended play from 1980. The EP features six tracks, three originally from the album Return to Base which was released in 1979, two tracks that featured from the 1981 album We'll Bring the House Down and the track "9 to 5" which was exclusive to this...
" which featured three tracks from the Return to Base.... album and three brand new rock tracks. Even though it was being sold for a lower than usual price of £1.49, it still failed to sell enough to make a chart appearance. As a result, the band stopped working together and Hill started driving couples to their wedding
Wedding
A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...
s in his own Rolls-Royce, just to make money to provide for his family.
Comeback and heavy metal following (1980-82)
Ozzy OsbourneOzzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
, during his Blizzard of Ozz
Blizzard of Ozz
Blizzard of Ozz is the first solo studio album by British singer/songwriter Ozzy Osbourne, recorded in Surrey, UK and released on September 20, 1980 in the UK and on March 27, 1981 in the U.S.. It is the comeback album of Osbourne following his firing from Black Sabbath the previous year...
tour, was due to play the Reading Festival in August 1980. However, Osbourne cancelled at short notice leaving the organisers searching for a last minute replacement. Slade were suggested but Hill, still demoralised, had effectively left the band and initially refused when asked by the other band members. Eventually Chandler convinced Hill to play what should have been a farewell performance in front of 65,000 rock fans, instead of disbanding and disappearing without a trace. To Hill's astonishment, the band stole the show and quickly became darlings of the music press. Highlights of their performance were broadcast on BBC Radio 1's
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
Friday Rock Show
Friday Rock Show
The Friday Rock Show was a radio show in the United Kingdom that was broadcast on BBC Radio 1 from 10pm to midnight on Friday nights from 1978 to 1993. Throughout most of its run it was hosted by Tommy Vance. Ostensibly for the genre of rock in general, it was most closely associated with heavy metal...
Reading special. Afterwards, the band signed to Cheapskate Records, owned by Lea and his brother Frank, which gave the band more control of their material and products.
The band's newfound success led to a hurriedly released extended play the following month. "Live at Reading
Live at Reading (EP)
"Live at Reading" is rock band Slade's second extended play from 1980. The three tracks that appeared on the album were taken from Slade's live performance at the Reading festival in 1980. Ozzy Osbourne, during his Blizzard of Ozz tour, cancelled his set at the Reading Festival at short notice....
", reached number 44, the band's first chart action in the UK since 1977. Another extended play followed in November, titled "Xmas Ear Bender
Xmas Ear Bender (EP)
"Xmas Ear Bender" is rock band Slade's third extended play from 1980. The three tracks that appeared on the album included Merry Xmas Everybody, a cover of Okey Cokey as well as Get Down and Get With It. The EP peaked at #70 in the UK and stayed in the charts for two weeks...
" which peaked at number 70. Polydor Records also saw an opportunity to capitalise on the band's new success and released the compilation Slade Smashes!
Slade Smashes!
Slade Smashes was a compilation album by the British glam/hard rock group Slade. It was released November 1, 1980 and reached number 21 on the UK charts....
at the beginning of November. The album was given plenty of promotion and spent 15 weeks in the UK charts, peaking at number 21. The album was certified UK Gold in December, having by then sold over 200,000 copies.
Keen to keep momentum with their new fans, the band set out to write a song with hit potential. The idea for the new track came after a performance in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
at the Paradiso
Paradiso (Amsterdam)
Paradiso is an iconic rock music venue and cultural center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.-History:It is housed in a converted former church building that dates from the nineteenth century and that was used until 1965 as the meeting hall for a liberal Dutch religious group known as the "Vrije...
Club. An enthusiastic audience who would not go home were overheard chanting by Lea, who was downstairs in the dressing room. Realising the potential of the chant, the song "We'll Bring the House Down
We'll Bring the House Down (song)
"We'll Bring The House Down" is a single from rock band Slade from their 1981 album We'll Bring the House Down. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea...
" was written and released in January 1981. Aimed at the new audience which consisted of mainly heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
fans, it showed Slade's heavier rock sound. The single hit the number 10 spot in the UK, becoming Slade's first top ten hit since 1976. In March, an album consisting of four new tracks and six tracks from the previous album Return to Base.... was released. Also called We'll Bring the House Down
We'll Bring the House Down
We'll Bring The House Down is an album by English rock band Slade. It was released on 13 March 1981 and entered the UK charts at number 25. This was due to the Reading Festival success the previous year, when they had stood in for heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne. Slade got exactly what they...
it peaked at number 25.
"Wheels Ain't Coming Down", which originally appeared as the opening track on the album Return to Base...., was released in March 1981 and reached number 60 in the UK. Although not a hit, it served to keep Slade in the public eye while they were writing new material and planning a European tour. Slade's success at the 1980 Reading festival was helping them fill larger venues and led them to be asked about a return in 1981. The band refused however as they thought they would not be able to better the 1980 performance and a second performance so soon would be a disappointment.
In May, the band released "Knuckle Sandwich Nancy". Although eagerly wanted as a single by the band, Chandler was not entirely convinced and thus it was half-heartedly released and failed to chart. The band blamed Chandler for the failure and began to manage themselves. Chandler sold his share of Cheapskate Records and negotiated a favourable deal for the band with RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
The new deal meant that Slade's records would get worldwide release except in the USA and Canada. UK singles would still be released under the Cheapskate label but with RCA pressing and distributing the records.
The band's first full release on the RCA label was the European hit single "Lock Up Your Daughters
Lock Up Your Daughters (song)
"Lock Up Your Daughters" is a single from rock band Slade which appeared on the album Till Deaf Do Us Part. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea. The single was released in September 1981 and peaked at #29 in the UK, spending a total of 8 weeks on the chart...
" in late 1981. The track continued to follow a more heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
sound and made number 29 in the UK. The album Till Deaf Do Us Part followed in November 1981 and peaked at number 68. It remains Slade's most metal-directed and heaviest sounding album to date. An article in NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
shortly after release, claimed Slade were in trouble over the album cover which featured an 'offensive' picture of a nail piercing an ear drum, and that many dealers were refusing to stock it. It was later changed on the CD reissue to a picture of the band in flames. In December, RCA released "Merry Xmas Everybody
Merry Xmas Everybody
"Merry Xmas Everybody" is a 1973 song by the English rock band Slade. Written by lead vocalist and guitarist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler, it was the band's sixth number-one single in the UK...
" for the first time since its initial outing. This time however it only managed to get to number 32.
By early 1982, the band had released a new single from the "Till Deaf Do Us Part" album. "Ruby Red
Ruby Red (song)
"Ruby Red" is a UK only single from rock band Slade which appeared on the album Till Deaf Do Us Part. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea. The single was released in 1982 and peaked at #51 in the UK, spending 3 weeks on the chart. The single was a gatefold with two live...
". Although a gatefold
Gatefold
A gatefold is a type of fold used for advertising around a magazine or section, and for packaging of media such as vinyl records.- LP covers :...
release with two extra live tracks, it only managed to reach 51 in the charts. The opening track from the album, "Rock and Roll Preacher
Rock and Roll Preacher
"Rock and Roll Preacher" is a single from rock band Slade, released in 1982 from the album Till Deaf Do Us Part. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea. The single was released as a single in Germany only and peaked at #49 on the chart....
" was released exclusively in Germany in April. The first Slade single to have a 12" single
12-inch single
The 12-inch single is a type of gramophone record that has wider groove spacing compared to other types of records. This allows for louder levels to be cut on the disc by the cutting engineer, which in turn gives a wider dynamic range, and thus better sound quality...
version, it peaked at number 49. The song also became Slade's new show opener. In November, the band released a new single, "(And Now the Waltz) C'est La Vie
(And Now the Waltz) C'est La Vie
" C'est La Vie" is a single from rock band Slade which appeared on the album The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome and the American version Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply...
", which was aimed directly at the Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
market. It only made number 50 in the UK but was a hit in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
where it reached number two. The band's version of the party track "Okey Cokey" was also re-released that year but failed to make an impact, much like the original release in 1979. Lastly, "Merry Xmas Everybody
Merry Xmas Everybody
"Merry Xmas Everybody" is a 1973 song by the English rock band Slade. Written by lead vocalist and guitarist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler, it was the band's sixth number-one single in the UK...
" was again re-released, this time only managing to get to number 67. December saw the release of Slade's third and final live album, "Slade on Stage
Slade On Stage
Slade on Stage was a live album by the British rock group Slade. It was recorded at Newcastle City Hall in 1981. It was released December 11, 1982 and reached number 58 in the UK charts...
" which peaked at number 58 in the UK and received a positive response from critics. Lea continued working on solo projects throughout despite the upturn in Slade's fortunes.
American breakthrough (1983-84)
Although Slade had had some minor success, RCA RecordsRCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
had higher expectations and sent the band away to write songs to be considered for release in 1983. The band came back with two possible singles, "My Oh My
My Oh My (Slade song)
"My Oh My" is a power ballad originally sung by rock band Slade. The song appears on their album The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome and on the band's 1984 American counterpart release, Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply. The song reached number two in the UK chart by Christmas 1983 and soon after...
" and "Run Runaway
Run Runaway
"Run Runaway" is a hard rock song performed by English band Slade. The song was written by Jim Lea and Noddy Holder and was on their 1983 album The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome...
". A raw demo of Holder singing "My Oh My" over Lea's piano, was received with particular enthusiasm by RCA. The label was delighted with both the tracks and hired outside producer John Punter
John Punter
John Punter is an English music producer and recording engineer. He has worked with many bands and musicians, such as Japan, Procol Harum, Roxy Music and Slade. His career in music spanned over 30 years and many different genres...
to work with the band to record them. This was the first time the band had another producer since Chandler. Punter's methods differed to those Slade were used to, in that the band recorded their parts separately. This method eventually met with the band's approval. The power ballad "My Oh My" was released in November 1983, where it slowly climbed the charts and by December Slade found themselves competing for the Christmas number one spot. The single peaked at number 2 behind acapella group The Flying Pickets
The Flying Pickets
The Flying Pickets are a British a cappella vocal group, who had a Christmas number one hit in 1983 in the UK Singles Chart with their cover of Yazoo's track "Only You".-History:...
with their cover of Yazoo's
Yazoo (band)
Yazoo are a British synthpop duo from Basildon, Essex. They had a number of Top 10 hits in the UK charts in the early 1980s...
"Only You
Only You (Yazoo song)
-Track listing:7": Mute/7 MUTE 20 # "Only You" - 3:10# "Situation" - 3:447": Sire/9 2-98447 # "Only You" - 3:10# "Winter Kills" - 4:0112": Mute/12 MUTE 20 # "Only You" - 3:10# "Situation" - 5:20CD: Mute/CD MUTE 20...
". The single was a huge success across Europe and topped the charts in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. "Merry Xmas Everybody
Merry Xmas Everybody
"Merry Xmas Everybody" is a 1973 song by the English rock band Slade. Written by lead vocalist and guitarist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler, it was the band's sixth number-one single in the UK...
", again re-released, made number 20 that year.
The album The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome
The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome
The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome is an album by the British rock group Slade. It was released December 3, 1983 and reached number 49 in the UK charts....
, co-produced by Lea and Punter was also released in December but despite the strength of "My Oh My", had only made number 74 by the end of the year. In order to try and push the album further up the charts, January 1984 saw the release of "Run Runaway", a celtic-flavoured rock-jig featuring the return of Lea's fiddle. The single peaked at number seven in the UK and was also successful in a number of other European countries.
the tactic of releasing a second single appeared to work and "The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome" eventually reached number 49 in the UK. The album was far more successful in Sweden and Norway however, where it peaked at number 1 and number 2 respectively. By the end of 1983, the band had finished what would prove to be their final UK tour.
In late 1983, Holder joined Lea in record production, producing among other things, Girlschool
Girlschool
Girlschool are a British heavy metal band originating out of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene in 1978 and frequently associated with contemporaries Motörhead. They are the longest running all-female rock band, still active after more than 30 years...
's cover of the T-Rex song "20th Century Boy
20th Century Boy
"20th Century Boy" is a song by T. Rex, written by Marc Bolan. It was released as a single in 1973 and reached #3 in the UK Singles Chart. The song did not feature on an original studio album but was included as a bonus track on a reissue of 1973 album Tanx.It later returned to the UK Top 20 in...
" and the album "Play Dirty
Play Dirty (album)
Play Dirty is the fourth studio album by British heavy metal band, Girlschool, released on Bronze Records in 1983 and produced by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea from the hard rock band Slade....
" which featured two Slade tracks "Burning in the Heat of Love" and "High and Dry". Towards the end of the year, American glam metal
Glam metal
Glam metal is a subgenre of hard rock and heavy metal that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene...
band Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot is an American Heavy Metal band. They are best known for their hit singles "Metal Health" and "Cum On Feel the Noize". They were founded in 1973 by guitarist Randy Rhoads and bassist Kelly Garni, under the original name Mach 1, before changing the name to Little Women and finally Quiet...
released a cover version of "Cum On Feel the Noize
Cum on Feel the Noize
"Cum On Feel the Noize" is a rock song originally released by Slade in 1973.Written by Jim Lea and Noddy Holder and produced by Chas Chandler, "Cum On Feel the Noize" was Slade's fourth number-one single in the UK and their first to enter straight at number one...
" on CBS Records
CBS Records
CBS Records is a record label founded by CBS Corporation in 2006 to take advantage of music from its entertainment properties owned by CBS Television Studios. The initial label roster consisted of only three artists; rock band Señor Happy and singer/songwriters Will Dailey and P.J...
. It became a huge hit, peaking at number five in the Billboard charts and helping their debut album "Metal Health
Metal Health
Metal Health is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Quiet Riot. It was released on March 11, 1983, bolstered by the #5 hit "Cum on Feel the Noize" and the #31 hit "Metal Health". It knocked The Police's Synchronicity out of #1 in the US. The album went on to sell over six million...
" to the top, selling seven million copies on the way. As a result, Slade's original was re-released in the UK but disappointingly it only reached number 98. The success of a Slade track in the US charts prompted CBS to sign Slade to their label and in mid 1984, released the single "Run Runaway. The single eventually peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a total of 17 weeks; and topped the American mainstream rock chart. It was Slade's first and only top 20 hit in the States. Its success, it has been suggested, was partly due to the accompanying music video which was filmed at Eastnor Castle
Eastnor Castle
Eastnor Castle is a 19th century mock castle, two miles from the town of Ledbury in Herefordshire, England, by the village of Eastnor. It was founded by John Cocks, 1st Earl Somers as his stately home and continues to be inhabited by his descendents. Currently in residence is the family of...
in Ledbury
Ledbury
Ledbury is a town in Herefordshire, England, lying east of Hereford, and south of the Malvern Hills.Today, Ledbury is a thriving market town in rural England. The town has a large number of timber framed buildings, in particular along Church Lane and High Street. One of Ledbury's most outstanding...
, Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
, England and was heavily shown on the MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
music channel. In August 1984, "My Oh My" was released as a follow-up, it peaked at number 37 for a total of 11 weeks, again with the help of a heavily-rotated music video on MTV. Quiet Riot meanwhile released another Slade song, "Mama Weer All Crazee Now
Mama Weer All Crazee Now
"Mama Weer All Crazee Now" is a popular song originally recorded by the British Glam rock band Slade on their album Slayed?.Written by Jim Lea and Noddy Holder and produced by Chas Chandler, it was the band's third number-one single in the United Kingdom. The single entered the charts on its first...
", which peaked at number 51.
"The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome" was reworked with a couple of alternative tracks and different artwork, and was released in North America as Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply
Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply
-Run Runaway:"Run Runaway", a celtic-flavoured rock-jig featuring some elliptical lyrics and the return of Jim Lea's fiddle. RCA saw the potential of the track and appointed John Punter to work on the track. The album version is extended to give more time for the Linn drum gallop...
The album was a success, getting to number 33 in the US and number 26 in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The final single from the album was "Slam the Hammer Down
Slam the Hammer Down
"Slam the Hammer Down" is a single from rock band Slade which appeared on the album The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome and the US version titled Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea. The single was released in 1984 within the US only....
" which peaked at number 92. A tour with Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
was cancelled after a couple of warm up gigs, when Lea collapsed in the dressing room after a performance. He was later diagnosed with Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is an infectious disease primarily affecting the liver, caused by the hepatitis C virus . The infection is often asymptomatic, but chronic infection can lead to scarring of the liver and ultimately to cirrhosis, which is generally apparent after many years...
. The band returned to the UK and did not tour again, mainly due to differences within the band and problems in Holder's private life.
Second period of decline (1985-90)
In mid-1984, Polydor released a new compilation, Slade's GreatsSlade's Greats
Slade's Greats was a compilation album by the British glam/hard rock group Slade. It was released May 12, 1984 and reached number 89 on the UK charts....
, which peaked at number 89, and during the autumn a full European tour was announced to promote the album. Tickets began selling before the band had confirmed that the tour would actually take place and shortly after it had to be cancelled because Holder, who was facing a divorce from his first wife, was unwilling to do it. In late 1984, a new single, similar in style to "My Oh My
My Oh My (Slade song)
"My Oh My" is a power ballad originally sung by rock band Slade. The song appears on their album The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome and on the band's 1984 American counterpart release, Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply. The song reached number two in the UK chart by Christmas 1983 and soon after...
" was released in the UK. Entitled "All Join Hands
All Join Hands (Slade song)
"All Join Hands" is rock band Slade's third hit single in 1984 from the album Rogues Gallery. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea. The single was released in 1984 and peaked at #15 in the UK, spending 10 weeks on the chart. The single was aimed at the Christmas market and...
" , the song made number 15 in the charts and thus became Slade's very last top 20 single. "Merry Xmas Everybody
Merry Xmas Everybody
"Merry Xmas Everybody" is a 1973 song by the English rock band Slade. Written by lead vocalist and guitarist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler, it was the band's sixth number-one single in the UK...
" was also re-released, peaking at number 47 in the UK.
At the beginning of 1985, Slade released the single "7 Year Bitch
7 Year Bitch (song)
"7 Year Bitch" is a single from rock band Slade which appeared on the album Rogues Gallery. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea...
" which stalled at number 60 in the UK when it was banned for the lyrical content and title. The band protested that there had been no reaction to Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
's "The Bitch Is Back
The Bitch Is Back
"The Bitch Is Back" is a rock song by Elton John, written with Bernie Taupin. It was the second single released from his 1974 album Caribou, and reached number 1 in Canada , number 4 in the United States and number 15 in the United Kingdom. The song has been identified as is one of Elton John's...
" which was a hit record. The single did make number 39 in German charts however. A following single was released in March entitled "Myzsterious Mizster Jones
Myzsterious Mizster Jones
"Myzsterious Mizster Jones" is a single from rock band Slade which appeared on the album Rogues Gallery. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea...
". The single marked a return for Slade's trademark of spelling titles incorrectly, which had not been done since the 1973 hit "Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me". Despite being a radio friendly track, the single only peaked at number 50 in the UK. Neither "7 Year Bitch" nor "Myzsterious Mizster Jones" were released in America but the single "Little Sheila
Little Sheila
"Little Sheila" is a single from rock band Slade which appeared on the album Rogues Gallery. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea. The single was released in 1985 and peaked at #86 in the US. It was also Slade's only appearance on the mainstream rock charts, peaking at...
" was, where it reached number 86 in the Billboard charts and number 13 in the American mainstream rock chart. It was also released in Canada, where it got to number 50, and Germany .
Rogues Gallery, an album heavy on synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
was released in the UK during March, and in America during May. Reported to be one of the band's most polished productions, it was expected that all the tracks would become hit singles. Unable to retain their new-found American audience or rekindled British following, the album failed to live up to expectations and the band largely faded from sight once more. In the UK, the album reached number 60, whilst in America it only made number 132. The album was a big hit in Norway however, peaking at number 5. It also charted in other European countries. Tour dates in the UK to support the album were announced and tickets actually went on sale. Once again, Holder was unwilling to tour and the dates were shelved.
In November, the band released a party album called Crackers - The Christmas Party Album which peaked at number 34 and was certified UK Gold later that month. Repackaged on several occasions under various names such as The Party Album and Slade's Crazee Christmas; it contained re-recorded Slade hits and songs that had been successful for other artists. Amazed at what Bob Geldof
Bob Geldof
Robert Frederick Zenon "Bob" Geldof, KBE is an Irish singer, songwriter, author, occasional actor and political activist. He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats in the late 1970s and early 1980s alongside the punk rock movement. The band had hits with his...
had achieved with Live Aid
Live Aid
Live Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
, Holder penned the lyrics to "Do You Believe in Miracles" which was also released in November. The single's earnings went to charity but it only peaked at number 54 in the UK. The final release of the year was another re-release of "Merry Xmas Everybody" which peaked at number 48 in the UK.
In 1986 two new Slade tracks, "We Won't Give In" and "Wild Wild Party", were used for the British film "Knights and Emeralds". That same year, the rock band The Redbeards From Texas released a cover of the 1972 Slade hit, Gudbuy T'Jane and in late 1986; "Okey Cokey" was re-released for the second time but failed to chart, whilst "Merry Xmas Everybody" was once again re-released, peaking at number 71. 1986 also saw Slade's first official fan convention at the Finsbury Leisure Centre, Old Street, London.
To avoid becoming a 'Christmas' hit band, Slade did not release the single "Still the Same
Still the Same (song)
"Still The Same" is the first and leading single from the album You Boyz Make Big Noize by rock band Slade. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea. The single was released in early 1987 and peaked at #73 in the UK, spending 4 weeks on the UK chart...
" in December 1986 but left it until February 1987. The single was not a hit however reaching only number 73 in the UK, leaving RCA wondering whether it might have been a better idea to release it at Christmas. Released in April, "That's What Friends Are For
That's What Friends Are For (Slade song)
"That's What Friends Are For" is Slade's second single in 1987 from the album You Boyz Make Big Noize. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea. The single was only released in the UK. The style continued to follow a more pop based sound with synthesizers...
" suffered a similar fate, peaking at number 95. Slade's final studio album, You Boyz Make Big Noize
You Boyz Make Big Noize
You Boyz Make Big Noize is the 14th album by the British rock group Slade. It was released on 27 April 1987 and reached number 98 in the UK charts spending just one week in the UK charts. The album was based on a 70s sound with 80s technology...
, was released a week later. It was produced by Roy Thomas Baker
Roy Thomas Baker
Roy Thomas Baker is a multiple award-winning Anglo-American music producer, songwriter, arranger and Recording Academy Governor, who has produced Platinum and Gold certified pop and rock records from the 1970s to the present.- Career :Baker began his career at Decca Records in England at the age...
, Lea and Punter. Like Rogues Gallery, it featured a large amount of synthesizer. The album was poorly promoted with no accompanying tour or music videos and spent just one week in the UK chart, peaking at number 98. Like much of Slade's later material, it faired better in Norway where it got to number 12.
Following the album's failure, RCA agreed to let Slade return to their own Cheapskate Records label, although RCA still continued distributing. A new single, also called "You Boyz Make Big Noize
You Boyz Make Big Noize (song)
You Boyz Make Big Noize is a UK-only single from the same year and after Slade's 1987 album You Boyz Make Big Noize by rock band Slade. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea...
" was released in August. Influenced by the Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....
musical style, it lacked the synthesizer sound of the album. It was another commercial failure, just creeping into the top 100 at number 94. The single did not feature on the European version of the album but became the title track for the American version which was also released in August. The album was not successful in America, neither were the singles, "We Won't Give In" and "Ooh La La in L.A." despite the latter receiving a fair amount of radio play in the city of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. The band's 1987 official fan convention was held at The Royal Standard Convention, Walthamstow, London.
In 1988, Slade released a cover of the Chris Montez
Chris Montez
Chris Montez , is an American singer.-Early life:Montez grew up in Hawthorne, California, influenced by the Latino-flavored music of his community and the success of Ritchie Valens....
song "Let's Dance
Let's Dance (Chris Montez song)
"Let's Dance" is rock band Slade's last single from 1988. The single was only released in the UK. The song was originally covered in 1985 and appeared on the Crackers – The Christmas Party Album the same year. The track was eventually released as a single after being dropped from RCA Records...
"; a re-mix of the track from Crackers - The Christmas Party Album. The band held their third official fan club convention at Drummonds Convention, King's Cross, London. In late 1989, after what was initially supposed to be an 18 month break, Holder announced plans for a new album. Due to be released in 1990, the album never materialised, and subsequently neither did the tour which would have followed had the album been a success. 1989 saw "Merry Xmas Everybody
Merry Xmas Everybody
"Merry Xmas Everybody" is a 1973 song by the English rock band Slade. Written by lead vocalist and guitarist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler, it was the band's sixth number-one single in the UK...
" make another new chart appearance, this time reaching number 99.
In 1989, Hill formed his own group Blessings in Disguise with Holder, Ex-Wizzard
Wizzard
Wizzard was a Birmingham-based band formed by Roy Wood, former member of The Move and co-founder of Electric Light Orchestra. The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits states, "Wizzard was Roy Wood just as much as Wings were Paul McCartney."-Biography:...
keyboard player, Bill Hunt, Craig Fenney and Bob Lamb. During the year, Lea released his own version of Slade's "We'll Bring the House Down
We'll Bring the House Down (song)
"We'll Bring The House Down" is a single from rock band Slade from their 1981 album We'll Bring the House Down. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea...
" under the name The Clout. At the end of 1990, "Merry Xmas Everybody
Merry Xmas Everybody
"Merry Xmas Everybody" is a 1973 song by the English rock band Slade. Written by lead vocalist and guitarist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler, it was the band's sixth number-one single in the UK...
" was again re-released and peaked at number 93.
Short comeback and breakup (1991-92)
In April 1991, the Slade fan club-organised a 25th anniversary party. The band, who were invited, played one song; Chuck Berry'sChuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
"Johnny B. Goode
Johnny B. Goode
"Johnny B. Goode" is a 1958 rock and roll song written and originally performed by American musician Chuck Berry. The song was a major hit among both black and white audiences peaking at #2 on Billboard magazine's Hot R&B Sides chart and #8 on the Billboard Hot 100.The song is one of Chuck Berry's...
" which turned out to be their last live performance. In that same year, Lea produced the single "Where Have All the Good Girls Gone", for The Crybabys, which was not a success. Later, Polydor Records
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
contacted Slade about a new compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
. It was hoped that Slade would promote it by releasing two brand new singles and, if successful, would record a new studio album. The first single, "Radio Wall of Sound
Radio Wall of Sound
"Radio Wall of Sound" is a song by the English rock band, Slade, issued as a single in 1991. It was included on their compilation album, Wall of Hits....
", written by Lea and originally intended for a solo project, was released in October. The compilation album, Wall of Hits
Wall Of Hits
Wall of Hits was a compilation album by the British glam/hardrock group Slade. It was released November 11, 1991 and reached number 34 in the UK charts. It also included the last two singles recorded by the original lineup...
was released the following month, along with a video compilation under the same name
Wall of Hits (video)
Wall of Hits is the first compilation of music videos from English rock band Slade. The compilation was titled after the audio/CD compilation of the same year. It was released by Polygram Video. The compilation only exists on VHS and is now out of print, never being released onto DVD. All videos...
. Both the single and the album were moderately successful reaching number 21 and number 34 respectively. The album later went certified UK Silver and in an attempt to promote it further, a second single, "Universe
Universe (Slade song)
"Universe" is a single from rock band Slade which appeared on the compilation album Wall of Hits. Like the previous single "Radio Wall of Sound", it was written solely by bassist Jim Lea. The B-side for the single was written by guitarist Dave Hill with Wizzard's ex-keyboardist Bill Hunt. The...
" was released in December. Despite a number of TV performances, the single failed to reach the top 100 and as a result, Polydor withdrew the idea for a new album.
By 1992, Holder had become weary of the constant touring and effectively managing the day to day running of the band. He left after 25 years with the band, to explore other career paths. Believing Holder to be an integral member of Slade, Lea also effectively retired from the band, preferring to work alone in the studio. Powell entered the antique business but Hill decided to remain in music and form a new band.
Aftermath and recent years (1993-present)
Slade II was formed in 1993 by Hill with Powell and three other musicians. The suggestion to call the group Slade II came from Holder but Lea was not happy with the Slade name being used at all. The group's name was later shortened to Slade. Working solidly on the UK theatre circuit during the winter months and throughout Europe the rest of the year; the band released one studio album in 1994 entitled Keep on Rockin which featured Steve Whalley on vocals. The album was not successful and nor were the singles "Hot Luv" and "Black and White World". The band have seen many line ups but Hill and Powell have remained constant throughout.Slade were reunited for two events during 1996, the funeral of long time Slade manager Chas Chandler
Chas Chandler
Bryan James "Chas" Chandler was an English musician, record producer and manager of several successful music acts....
and an episode of the television show This Is Your Life
This Is Your Life
This Is Your Life is an American television documentary series broadcast on NBC, originally hosted by its producer, Ralph Edwards from 1952 to 1961. In the show, the host surprises a guest, and proceeds to take them through their life in front of an audience including friends and family.Edwards...
which featured Holder as the subject.
During 1997, a new Slade compilation, Feel the Noize - Greatest Hits
Feel The Noize- Greatest Hits
Feel The Noize- The Very Best of Slade was a compilation album by the British glam/hardrock group Slade. It was released in 1997 and reached number 19 in the UK charts, encouraging other Glam rockers to jump on the band wagon and release their own 'Greatest Hits' packages.A huge resurgence in...
reached number 19 in the UK while the following year, a remix of "Merry Xmas Everybody
Merry Xmas Everybody
"Merry Xmas Everybody" is a 1973 song by the English rock band Slade. Written by lead vocalist and guitarist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler, it was the band's sixth number-one single in the UK...
", released under the name Slade Vs. Flush, made number 30. In 2000, a compilation entitled The Genesis of Slade was released which contained rare and some previously unreleased material from The Vendors, Steve Brett & The Mavericks and The 'N Betweens. 2000 also saw Holder awarded an MBE for his services to music and his voice was famously recorded for lift announcements at the Walsall New Art Gallery
Walsall Art Gallery
The New Art Gallery Walsall is a modern and contemporary art gallery sited in the centre of the West Midlands town of Walsall, England. It was built with £21 million of public funding, including £15.75 million from the UK National Lottery and additional money from the European Regional Development...
.
In 2002, Slade II shortened their name to Slade and re-released their album Keep on Rockin' with a handful of new tracks included, retitled Cum on Let's Party. The band also released two new singles titled "Some Exercise" and "Take Me Home". Both singles were released in Belgium through Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
. An American compilation was also released titled Get Yer Boots On: The Best of Slade.
In 2005, original singer for Slade II, Steve Whalley left the band and was replaced by Mal McNulty who has sung for the band since. In November 2005, Polydor released a new Slade compilation The Very Best of Slade
The Very Best Of Slade
-Chart performance:-Personnel:*Noddy Holder - lead vocals, rhythm guitar*Dave Hill - lead guitar*Jim Lea - bass guitar*Don Powell - drums...
which featured two discs with included the majority of Slade singles for the first time on a compilation. The compilation was a moderate success, peaking at number 39. A DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
was also released for the first time featuring a collection of Slade videos and promos.
From 2006 to 2007, music label Salvo remastered and released all of Slade's catalogue including, a four disc anthology set entitled The Slade Box (Anthology 1969–1991) and a package of all live albums in one Slade Alive! - The Live Anthology
Slade Alive! - The Live Anthology
Slade Alive! - The Live Anthology is a 2 disc set by the British rock group Slade. It was released in August 2006 by Salvo.The album combined Slade's entire official live collection, consisting of 1972's Slade Alive!, 1978's Slade Alive, Vol...
. The remastered series also included the release of a new compilation called simply, B-Sides which featured all of the band's b-sides.
In late 2006, UK chart rules changed to allow downloads of old singles eligible to chart which allowed "Merry Xmas Everybody" to return annually to the chart. "Merry Xmas Everyvbody" peaked at number 20 in the UK in 2007, number 32 in 2008, number 35 in 2009 and number 51 in 2011.
In 2009, a new compilation was released, Live at the BBC
Live at the BBC (Slade album)
Live at the BBC is a 2009 compilation album released by Slade. The first disc comprises various songs recorded for BBC sessions between 1969 to 1972 and Radio 1 jingles recorded in 1973 and 1974, while the second disc contains songs recorded live at the Paris Theatre, London, in August 1972.Upon...
. It featured songs recorded for BBC sessions between 1969 to 1972, Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
jingles recorded in 1973 and 1974, and on the second disc, songs recorded live at the Paris Theatre
Paris Theatre
The Paris Theatre was a former cinema located in Lower Regent Street, London, which was converted into a theatre by the BBC for radio broadcasts...
, London, in August 1972. In November 2009, Universal Music released a new compilation entitled "Merry Xmas Everybody: Party Hits
Merry Xmas Everybody: Party Hits
Merry Xmas Everybody: Party Hits is a compilation album by the British glam/hard rock group Slade. It was released 23 November 2009 and reached number #151 in the UK charts....
" which peaked at number 151 in the UK.
At the beginning of 2011, Classic Rock
Classic Rock (magazine)
Classic Rock is a British magazine dedicated to the radio format of classic rock, published by Future Publishing, who are also responsible for its "sister" publication Metal Hammer. Although firmly focusing on key bands from the 1960s through early 1990s, it also includes articles and reviews of...
magazine gave ten predictions for the year. Number seven featured the statement "Slade get back together one last time, and do a farewell show." In 2011, Salvo released a remastered version of Sladest which included a previously unreleased studio version of the live track “Hear Me Calling”.
Musical style
Slade have been associated with a number of genres including: progressive rock, heavy metal, glam rock, hard rock and pop rock. Many Slade songs were to be written specifically for audience participation, such as "Get Down and Get With It", "Mama Weer All Crazee Now", "Cum On Feel the Noize", "Give Us a Goal", "We'll Bring The House Down", "Rock and Roll Preacher" and "My Oh My". In the days before Slade, Holder, Lea, Hill and Powell were influenced by American blues artists such as Sonny Boy Williamson IISonny Boy Williamson II
Willie "Sonny Boy" Williamson was an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter, from Mississippi. He is acknowledged as one of the most charismatic and influential blues musicians, with considerable prowess on the harmonica and highly creative songwriting skills...
, John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.Hooker began his life as the son of a sharecropper, William Hooker, and rose to prominence performing his own unique style of what was originally closest to Delta blues. He developed a 'talking blues' style that was his trademark...
and Howlin' Wolf
Howlin' Wolf
Chester Arthur Burnett , known as Howlin' Wolf, was an influential American blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player....
but then became interested in the work of Little Richard
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
. Later they were to draw artistic influence from contemporary rock acts including The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
, Joe Brown
Joe Brown (singer)
Joe Brown, MBE is an English entertainer.He has worked as a rock and roll singer and guitarist for more than five decades. He was a stage and television performer in the late 1950s and a UK recording star in the early 1960s...
, Cream
Cream (band)
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...
, The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
, Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett was an American R&B/Soul singer and songwriter.A major figure in the development of American soul music, Pickett recorded over 50 songs which made the US R&B charts, and frequently crossed over to the US Billboard Hot 100...
, Otis Redding
Otis Redding
Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American soul singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout. He is considered one of the major figures in soul and R&B...
, The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, Rufus Thomas
Rufus Thomas
Rufus Thomas, Jr. was an American rhythm and blues, funk and soul singer and comedian fromMemphis, Tennessee, who recorded on Sun Records in the...
, The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
, The Pretty Things
The Pretty Things
The Pretty Things are an English rock and roll band from London, who originally formed in 1963. They took their name from Bo Diddley's 1955 song "Pretty Thing" and, in their early days, were dubbed by the British press the "uglier cousins of the Rolling Stones". Their most commercially successful...
, and Screaming Lord Sutch
Screaming Lord Sutch
David Edward Sutch , also known as "Screaming Lord Sutch, 3rd Earl of Harrow", or simply "Screaming Lord Sutch", was a musician from the United Kingdom...
. Chas Chandler
Chas Chandler
Bryan James "Chas" Chandler was an English musician, record producer and manager of several successful music acts....
's connections with The Animals
The Animals
The Animals were an English music group of the 1960s formed in Newcastle upon Tyne during the early part of the decade, and later relocated to London...
and Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
also had an influence.
The 1969 album Beginnings, released under the name Ambrose Slade, featured many musical influences with covers of songs by Steppenwolf
Steppenwolf (band)
Steppenwolf are a Canadian-American rock group that was prominent in the late 1960s. The group was formed in 1967 in Los Angeles by vocalist John Kay, guitarist Michael Monarch, bassist Rushton Moreve, keyboardist Goldy McJohn and drummer Jerry Edmonton after the dissolution of Toronto group The...
, Ted Nugent
Ted Nugent
Theodore Anthony "Ted" Nugent is an American guitarist, musician, singer, author, reserve police officer, and activist. From Detroit, Michigan, he originally gained fame as the lead guitarist of The Amboy Dukes, before embarking on a lengthy solo career...
, Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
, The Moody Blues
The Moody Blues
The Moody Blues are an English rock band. Among their innovations was a fusion with classical music, most notably in their 1967 album Days of Future Passed....
, The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
and Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
. The album contained elements of psychedelic rock and classic 1960s rock. Play It Loud
Play It Loud
Play It Loud is the second album by the British rock group Slade . It was released on 28 November 1970 but did not enter the charts....
(1970), was also influenced by 1960s classic rock but also showed leanings towards a harder rock sound. Their 1972 live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
, Slade Alive!
Slade Alive!
Slade Alive! was a live album released by the British rock band Slade. The album was released on 24 March 1972, and reached No. 2 on the UK Charts, besides being Slade's first album to dent the Top 200 in the United States. The album contains original songs, plus cover versions of songs by Ten...
, featured cover versions of songs by Ten Years After
Ten Years After
Ten Years After is an English blues-rock band, most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Between 1968 and 1973, Ten Years After scored eight Top 40 albums on the UK Albums Chart...
, The Lovin' Spoonful
The Lovin' Spoonful
The Lovin' Spoonful is an American pop rock band of the 1960s, named to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. When asked about his band, leader John Sebastian said it sounded like a combination of "Mississippi John Hurt and Chuck Berry," prompting his friend, Fritz Richmond, to suggest the name...
, Bobby Marchan
Bobby Marchan
Bobby Marchan was a well-respected American rhythm and blues bandleader, MC, singer-performer, recording artist, and female impersonator, who initially began performing in New Orleans nightclubs, specifically the Dew Drop Inn and the Club Tijuana in the mid 1950s.Marchan also toured with the band of...
and Steppenwolf
Steppenwolf (band)
Steppenwolf are a Canadian-American rock group that was prominent in the late 1960s. The group was formed in 1967 in Los Angeles by vocalist John Kay, guitarist Michael Monarch, bassist Rushton Moreve, keyboardist Goldy McJohn and drummer Jerry Edmonton after the dissolution of Toronto group The...
and although the album contained strong elements of classic rock it also hinted at the glam rock sound to come.
The 1971 single "Coz I Luv You
Coz I Luv You
"Coz I Luv You" is a song by Slade, written by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea and produced by Chas Chandler. It was the band's second hit single in the UK and the first of six number one singles. It was released on 30/10/1971 and was last seen on the charts on 05/02/1972 at #44...
" was inspired by the styles of Django Reinhardt
Django Reinhardt
Django Reinhardt was a pioneering virtuoso jazz guitarist and composer who invented an entirely new style of jazz guitar technique that has since become a living musical tradition within French gypsy culture...
and Stephan Grapelli. Slayed?
Slayed?
Slayed? is the third studio album by the British rock group Slade. It was released on 1 November 1972, and reached No. 1 on the UK charts. The album lasted on the UK charts for a total of 34 weeks, and was also their longest-charting album in the United States where it stayed on the charts for half...
(1972) merged glam rock with classic rock, and whilst the 1974 album, Old New Borrowed and Blue, continued in this vein, it also featured pop-rock, rock ballads and novelty tracks. The next album was the 1974 soundtrack Slade in Flame
Slade In Flame
Slade In Flame is a 1975 film starring the members of the band Slade. In 2007, BBC film critic Mark Kermode called it the "Citizen Kane of rock musicals" and included its soundtrack among the 50 greatest soundtracks in cinema's history.Record Mirror magazine voted the film at #4 on the top 10...
which saw a return to 1960s classic rock, in order to fit with the theme of the film. The single from the album, "Far Far Away
Far Far Away (song)
"Far Far Away" is a single from rock band Slade which appeared on the album Slade in Flame. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea...
" had a acoustic rock sound, whereas the following single "How Does It Feel?
How Does It Feel? (song)
"How Does It Feel" is a single from glam rock band Slade which appeared on the album Slade in Flame. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea. The single was released in early 1975. The single only peaked at #15 in the UK which was the lowest charting since Slade's first...
" featured the use of brass and woodwind instruments.
In 1975 while residing in the States, Slade was influenced by Southern boogie rock bands and as a result, Nobody's Fools
Nobody's Fools (album)
Nobody's Fools is the 5th studio album by the British rock group Slade. It was released in March, 1976 and reached position #14 on the UK album charts....
featured a wide mixture of styles including soul, country, rock, funk, folk and blues. The album also featured some soulful female backing vocalists. After the band returned to the UK in 1977, they began to merge their American influences with a classic, hard rock. The resulting sound, in turn, became an influence to American grunge artists. Return to Base.... (1979) featured elements of classic rock, acoustic rock, rock ballads, ambient rock and rock and roll. Two albums, released in 1981; We'll Bring the House Down
We'll Bring the House Down
We'll Bring The House Down is an album by English rock band Slade. It was released on 13 March 1981 and entered the UK charts at number 25. This was due to the Reading Festival success the previous year, when they had stood in for heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne. Slade got exactly what they...
and Till Deaf Do Us Part adopted a hard rock and heavy metal sound, as a result of the band's revival amongst heavy metal fans, following their success at the Reading Festival.
The 1983 album The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome
The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome
The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome is an album by the British rock group Slade. It was released December 3, 1983 and reached number 49 in the UK charts....
featured a change in musical direction, with a more commercial-friendly rock sound, mixed with hard rock and glam metal influences. Many of the tracks followed a motor racing theme. One single from the album, "My Oh My
My Oh My (Slade song)
"My Oh My" is a power ballad originally sung by rock band Slade. The song appears on their album The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome and on the band's 1984 American counterpart release, Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply. The song reached number two in the UK chart by Christmas 1983 and soon after...
" followed a power ballad sound, whilst the next single, "Run Runaway
Run Runaway
"Run Runaway" is a hard rock song performed by English band Slade. The song was written by Jim Lea and Noddy Holder and was on their 1983 album The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome...
" was reminiscent of a Scottish jig. Slade's next album, Rogues Gallery featured a strong use of synthesizers, which were a popular instrument in the latter half of the 1980s as did the band's final album You Boyz Make Big Noize
You Boyz Make Big Noize
You Boyz Make Big Noize is the 14th album by the British rock group Slade. It was released on 27 April 1987 and reached number 98 in the UK charts spending just one week in the UK charts. The album was based on a 70s sound with 80s technology...
, although this album had a slightly grittier hard rock sound.
Legacy
Slade have influenced numerous artists including: KissKISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
, Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
, Hanoi Rocks
Hanoi Rocks
Hanoi Rocks was a Finnish rock band formed in 1979, whose most successful period came in the early 1980s. The band broke up in 1985 after the death of their drummer, Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley...
, Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
, Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot is an American Heavy Metal band. They are best known for their hit singles "Metal Health" and "Cum On Feel the Noize". They were founded in 1973 by guitarist Randy Rhoads and bassist Kelly Garni, under the original name Mach 1, before changing the name to Little Women and finally Quiet...
, Poison
Poison (band)
Poison is an American glam metal band that achieved great success in the mid-1980s to mid-1990s. To date, Poison has sold over 30 million records worldwide and have sold 15 million records in the United States alone. The band has also charted ten singles to the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100,...
, Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
, Condo Fucks, Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
, Kirka, Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...
, Hot Leg, Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister is an American heavy metal band from Long Island. Musically, the band implements elements of traditional heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, along with a style that is similar to early glam metal bands...
, The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
, Candlebox
Candlebox
Candlebox is an American alternative rock band from Seattle, Washington. Since their debut, the group has released four studio albums, which have achieved multi-platinum and gold certification, as well as numerous charting singles, a compilation, and a CD+DVD....
, The Undertones
The Undertones
The Undertones are a punk rock/new wave band formed in Derry, Northern Ireland, in 1975.The original line-up of the Undertones released thirteen singles and four studio albums — The Undertones , Hypnotised , Positive Touch and The Sin of Pride — before disbanding in July 1983.Music guide Allmusic...
, Cock Sparrer
Cock Sparrer
Cock Sparrer are a punk rock band formed in 1972 in the East End of London, England. Although they never enjoyed much commercial success, they are considered one of the most influential streetpunk bands, helping pave the way for the late-1970s punk scene and the Oi! subgenre...
, The Runaways
The Runaways
The Runaways were an American all-girl rock band that recorded and performed in the second half of the 1970s. The band released four studio albums and one live set during its run. Among its best known songs: "Cherry Bomb", "Queens of Noise", "Neon Angels On the Road to Ruin", "California Paradise"...
and Girlschool
Girlschool
Girlschool are a British heavy metal band originating out of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene in 1978 and frequently associated with contemporaries Motörhead. They are the longest running all-female rock band, still active after more than 30 years...
. Their anarchic attitude was adopted by The Damned, The Wonder Stuff
The Wonder Stuff
The Wonder Stuff are a British alternative rock band, originally based in Stourbridge, West Midlands, in the Black Country, England.-Origins:...
, and Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
, the latter of whom covered "Cum On Feel the Noize". Comedians Vic Reeves
Vic Reeves
James Roderick Moir , better known by the stage name Vic Reeves, is an English comedian, best known for his double act with Bob Mortimer . He is known for his surreal and non sequitur sense of humour....
, Bob Mortimer
Bob Mortimer
Robert "Bob" Renwick Mortimer is an English comedian and actor, who is best known for his double act with Vic Reeves...
, Paul Whitehouse
Paul Whitehouse
Paul Whitehouse is a Welsh actor, writer and comedian. He became known for his work with Harry Enfield and as one of the stars of the popular BBC sketch show, The Fast Show. In a 2005 poll to find The Comedian's Comedian, he was in the top 50 comedy acts voted for by comedians and comedy insiders...
and Mark Williams
Mark Williams (actor)
Mark Williams is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter and presenter. He is best known as one of the stars of the popular BBC sketch show The Fast Show, as well as for his role as Arthur Weasley in the Harry Potter films....
affectionately parodied
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
the band in a number of what the band called 'hysterically accurate' "Slade in Residence" and "Slade on Holiday" sketches, in their The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer
The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer
The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer was a BBC TV sketch show written by and starring double act Vic Reeves & Bob Mortimer. Its first series appeared in 1993 following the duo's move to the BBC after parting company with Channel 4...
television program
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
me in the early 1990s.
The British music magazine, NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
, commented on Slade's legacy in a review of a greatest hits album, "They embodied the glorious absurdity of the greatest pop, in the sideburns, the mirrored top hat and Dave Hill's pudding bowl haircut. As such they were the simplest, most effective possible, riposte to prog rock's bloated pretensions and pseudo-intellect." In 1981, Adam and the Ants'
Adam and the Ants
Adam and the Ants were a British rock band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The original group, which existed from 1977 to 1980, became notable as a cult band marking the transition from the late-1970s punk rock era to the post-punk and New Wave era...
lead guitarist and co-songwriter Marco Pirroni
Marco Pirroni
Marco Francesco Andrea Pirroni is an English guitarist, songwriter and record producer...
stated that he was greatly influenced by the first gig he ever attended which was Slade at Wembley Pool in 1973.
British presenter Gareth Jones
Gareth Jones (presenter)
Gareth Jones is a Welsh television presenter and celebrity. He began his broadcasting career under the name Gaz Top....
, also known as Gaz Top, is a known Slade fan who hosted the 1986 Slade documentary "Slade Perseverance". Jones also appeared at the 1986 and 1987 official Slade fan club conventions. Other famous Slade fans include, English ex-football player Gary Lineker
Gary Lineker
Gary Winston Lineker, OBE , is a former English footballer, who played as a striker. He is a sports broadcaster for the BBC, Al Jazeera Sports and Eredivisie Live...
and Welsh football player Nigel Vaughan
Nigel Vaughan
Nigel Mark Vaughan is a Welsh former professional footballer and Wales international. He gained ten international caps during his career.-Club career:...
, whom Lea and Hill visited on Boxing Day, 1989 at the football grounds of Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Ozzy Osbourne commented during a Slade documentary, "Noddy Holder's got one of greatest voices in rock ever." On his show, 'Breakfast With Alice' on Planet Rock, Alice Cooper stated "I love Slade. One of the oddest looking bands of all time..... Twisted Sister lived on Slade, and so did Quiet Riot pretty much. They wrote the catchiest songs around." In 2008, Nikki Sixx
Nikki Sixx
Nikki Sixx is an American musician, songwriter, author, fashion designer, radio host, and photographer, best known as the co-founder and bassist of the band Mötley Crüe. Prior to forming Mötley Crüe, Sixx was a member of Sister before going on to form London with his Sister band mate Lizzie Grey...
of Motley Crue
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1981. The group was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were later joined by lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil...
said, '".......like with Alice Cooper and Bowie and Slade — those fucking bands gave 150 percent. It was about fashion, it was about music, it was about pushing the envelope". Status Quo bassist John "Rhino" Edwards stated in a 2010 interview, "I thought the best violin player was Jimmy Lea out of Slade. Oh, he's just brilliant. He's a brilliant musician, that guy. He's a serious bass player. That band (Slade) are so under-rated as players. So original."
Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister
Twisted Sister is an American heavy metal band from Long Island. Musically, the band implements elements of traditional heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, along with a style that is similar to early glam metal bands...
vocalist Dee Snider
Dee Snider
Daniel "Dee" Snider is an American singer-songwriter, screenwriter, radio personality, and actor. Snider is most famous for his role as the frontman of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister...
once described Twisted Sister as Slade meets the Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
. Twisted Sister's guitarist Jay Jay French
Jay Jay French
John French Segall , better known by his stage name Jay Jay French or J.J. French, is a founding member and one of the two guitarists of the American heavy metal band, Twisted Sister....
stated "I would say our direct lineage these days is a bit of Slade and Alice Cooper."
On the 2011 final Mark Radcliffe & Stuart Maconie BBC Radio Two show, Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers are a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in 1986. They are James Dean Bradfield, Nicky Wire, Richey Edwards and Sean Moore. The band are part of the Cardiff music scene, and were at their most prominent during the 1990s...
bassist Nicky Wire
Nicky Wire
Nicholas Allen Jones, known as Nicky Wire, is the lyricist, bassist and occasional vocalist with the Welsh rock band Manic Street Preachers.-Early life:...
stated that he believed Slade's post-Reading material was very underrated.
Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
bassist Gene Simmons admitted that his band's early songwriting ethos and stage performance was influenced by Slade. In his book, Kiss and Make-Up, Simmons wrote ".....we liked the way they (Slade) connected with the crowd and the way they wrote anthems... we wanted that same energy, that same irresistible simplicity". Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick said that his band went to see Slade perform, and that they (Slade) used "every cheap trick in the book", thus inadvertently coining his group's name. Cheap Trick covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
the song "When the Lights are Out" on their 2009 release, The Latest
The Latest
The Latest is the sixteenth studio album by the American power pop band Cheap Trick. The album was produced by Cheap Trick, Julian Raymond and Howard Willing and was released on June 23, 2009. The album was issued on standard CD as well as limited pressings of vinyl and 8-Track tapes. The album was...
.
Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot
Quiet Riot is an American Heavy Metal band. They are best known for their hit singles "Metal Health" and "Cum On Feel the Noize". They were founded in 1973 by guitarist Randy Rhoads and bassist Kelly Garni, under the original name Mach 1, before changing the name to Little Women and finally Quiet...
had US hits with covers of "Cum On Feel the Noize
Cum on Feel the Noize
"Cum On Feel the Noize" is a rock song originally released by Slade in 1973.Written by Jim Lea and Noddy Holder and produced by Chas Chandler, "Cum On Feel the Noize" was Slade's fourth number-one single in the UK and their first to enter straight at number one...
" and "Mama Weer All Crazee Now
Mama Weer All Crazee Now
"Mama Weer All Crazee Now" is a popular song originally recorded by the British Glam rock band Slade on their album Slayed?.Written by Jim Lea and Noddy Holder and produced by Chas Chandler, it was the band's third number-one single in the United Kingdom. The single entered the charts on its first...
". The origins of Slade's influence on Quiet Riot date back to the early 1970s, when Kevin DuBrow
Kevin DuBrow
Kevin Mark DuBrow was an American rock singer best known as the lead vocalist of the Heavy Metal band Quiet Riot from 1975 until his death in 2007...
photographed Slade during their first Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
appearance at the Whisky a Go Go
Whisky a Go Go
The Whisky a Go Go is a nightclub in West Hollywood, California, United States. It is located at 8901 Sunset Boulevard, on the Sunset Strip.-History:...
.
Awards and nominations
In 1971, Record MirrorRecord Mirror
Record Mirror was a British weekly pop music newspaper, founded by Isadore Green and featured, news articles, interviews, record charts, record reviews, concert reviews, letters from readers and photographs. The paper became respected by both mainstream pop music fans and serious record collectors...
magazine voted Slade number 10 in the top UK groups based on singles for the year. During 1972, the then popular teen magazine, Fab 208, voted the band "Group Of The Year" whilst in the Record Mirror magazine that same year; Slade were voted number two in the most promising British groups list, number five in the top 18 groups list and number 17 in the male groups category. Also in 1972, Slade were voted number one top band and leading recording act in the NME magazine chart points survey, and number one top live band. Radio Luxembourg presented Slade with the award for "Britain's act/group of the year" in 1973.
In February 1973, Slade were voted Best Live Band by the Disc Music Awards. The same year, the band were again voted the world's top group in the NME Poll and top group in the BBC World Service Poll. In April 1973, Record Mirror magazine ranked Slade at number three of top 10 in both the album and singles band chart. Record Mirror's exclusive chart survey was based on a point system allocated according to position and length of time in UK charts for the first three months of the year. In July 1973, Record Mirror magazine ranked Slade at number six of 10 in the UK group singles chart and number 3 in the UK group albums chart. In 1973 and 1974, the band received the Carl-Alan award for Top Group.
In early 1974, the band were voted the number one foreign group by Spain's biggest music magazine of the time and were voted best overseas group in Finland, Belgium and Ireland. The Disc Music Awards rated Slade as the best live group and top British group. Slade made number four in the "top groups in the world" category. Individual members were also acknowledged; Noddy Holder was number five in the best British male singers whilst Jim Lea made number nine in the top songwriter list. In the Record and Radio Mirror poll results of 1974, Slade were voted top British group, with Holder number two in the top British male singer list. Dave Hill and Jim Lea made the top British guitarist list at number one and seven respectively. Lea also appeared at number nine in the top British keyboardist list and number two in the miscellaneous instruments list. Don Powell was voted top British percussionist. The band collected the 1974 Belgian award for Best World Group.
In February 1976, Record Mirror magazine voted Slade the third best UK group with Noddy Holder number eighth in the best male singer and number six in the best songwriter categories. In 1980, Record Mirror voted the band number one for the most inspired comeback of the year.
Biographies
- Slade by George Tremlet. Mid 70's
- Slade, Feel The Noise by Chris charlesworth in 1984
- Cum On Feel The Noize! The Story of Slade by Alan Parker & Steve Grantley, published in 2006
- Who's Crazee Now by Noddy holder
Members
| (1969–1992) |
|
|---|---|
| (1993–1997) |
Dave Hill Dave Hill is an English musician, who is the lead guitarist and backing vocalist in the English glam rock group, Slade. The music journalist, Stuart Maconie, commented "he usually wore a jumpsuit made of the foil that you baste your turkeys in and platforms of oil-rig-derrick height... - Guitars / vocals Don Powell Don Powell is a drummer who founded the English glam rock group, Slade.- Biography :As a child Powell joined the Boy Scouts where he became interested in the drums after being asked to join the band on a Sunday morning parade. After Etheridge Secondary Modern School he studied Metallurgy at... - Drums |
| (1998–2003) |
Dave Hill Dave Hill is an English musician, who is the lead guitarist and backing vocalist in the English glam rock group, Slade. The music journalist, Stuart Maconie, commented "he usually wore a jumpsuit made of the foil that you baste your turkeys in and platforms of oil-rig-derrick height... - Guitars / vocals Don Powell Don Powell is a drummer who founded the English glam rock group, Slade.- Biography :As a child Powell joined the Boy Scouts where he became interested in the drums after being asked to join the band on a Sunday morning parade. After Etheridge Secondary Modern School he studied Metallurgy at... - Drums |
| (2003–2005) |
Dave Hill Dave Hill is an English musician, who is the lead guitarist and backing vocalist in the English glam rock group, Slade. The music journalist, Stuart Maconie, commented "he usually wore a jumpsuit made of the foil that you baste your turkeys in and platforms of oil-rig-derrick height... - Guitars / vocals Don Powell Don Powell is a drummer who founded the English glam rock group, Slade.- Biography :As a child Powell joined the Boy Scouts where he became interested in the drums after being asked to join the band on a Sunday morning parade. After Etheridge Secondary Modern School he studied Metallurgy at... - Drums |
| (2005–present) |
Dave Hill Dave Hill is an English musician, who is the lead guitarist and backing vocalist in the English glam rock group, Slade. The music journalist, Stuart Maconie, commented "he usually wore a jumpsuit made of the foil that you baste your turkeys in and platforms of oil-rig-derrick height... - Guitars / vocals Don Powell Don Powell is a drummer who founded the English glam rock group, Slade.- Biography :As a child Powell joined the Boy Scouts where he became interested in the drums after being asked to join the band on a Sunday morning parade. After Etheridge Secondary Modern School he studied Metallurgy at... - Drums |
Albums
- Beginnings (as Ambrose Slade, 1969)
- Play It LoudPlay It LoudPlay It Loud is the second album by the British rock group Slade . It was released on 28 November 1970 but did not enter the charts....
(1970) - Slayed?Slayed?Slayed? is the third studio album by the British rock group Slade. It was released on 1 November 1972, and reached No. 1 on the UK charts. The album lasted on the UK charts for a total of 34 weeks, and was also their longest-charting album in the United States where it stayed on the charts for half...
(1972) - Slade Alive!Slade Alive!Slade Alive! was a live album released by the British rock band Slade. The album was released on 24 March 1972, and reached No. 2 on the UK Charts, besides being Slade's first album to dent the Top 200 in the United States. The album contains original songs, plus cover versions of songs by Ten...
(1972) - SladestSladestSladest is a compilation album by the British glam rock group Slade. It was released on 28 September 1973, and went straight to No. 1 on the charts. It stayed around the Top 10 until 1974, when it climbed to the No. 1 spot once again, following the huge success of "Merry Xmas Everybody"...
(1973) - Old New Borrowed and Blue (1974)
- Slade in FlameSlade in Flame (album)Slade in Flame was an album by the British rock group Slade released on November 29, 1974. The album contained songs from the film of the same name....
(1974) - Nobody's FoolsNobody's Fools (album)Nobody's Fools is the 5th studio album by the British rock group Slade. It was released in March, 1976 and reached position #14 on the UK album charts....
(1976) - Whatever Happened to Slade (1977)
- Slade Alive Vol 2 (1978)
- Return to Base.... (1979)
- We'll Bring the House DownWe'll Bring the House DownWe'll Bring The House Down is an album by English rock band Slade. It was released on 13 March 1981 and entered the UK charts at number 25. This was due to the Reading Festival success the previous year, when they had stood in for heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne. Slade got exactly what they...
(1981) - Till Deaf Do Us Part (1982)
- The Amazing Kamikaze SyndromeThe Amazing Kamikaze SyndromeThe Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome is an album by the British rock group Slade. It was released December 3, 1983 and reached number 49 in the UK charts....
(1983) - Keep Your Hands Off My Power SupplyKeep Your Hands Off My Power Supply-Run Runaway:"Run Runaway", a celtic-flavoured rock-jig featuring some elliptical lyrics and the return of Jim Lea's fiddle. RCA saw the potential of the track and appointed John Punter to work on the track. The album version is extended to give more time for the Linn drum gallop...
(1984) - Rogues Gallery (1985)
- Crackers - The Christmas Party Album (1985)
- You Boyz Make Big NoizeYou Boyz Make Big NoizeYou Boyz Make Big Noize is the 14th album by the British rock group Slade. It was released on 27 April 1987 and reached number 98 in the UK charts spending just one week in the UK charts. The album was based on a 70s sound with 80s technology...
(1987) - Cum On Let's Party (2000)
Certified albums and singles
In the UK, the band has sold a certified 520,000 albums and 1.8 million singles.| Albums | BPI Certification British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
|---|---|
| Sladest Sladest Sladest is a compilation album by the British glam rock group Slade. It was released on 28 September 1973, and went straight to No. 1 on the charts. It stayed around the Top 10 until 1974, when it climbed to the No. 1 spot once again, following the huge success of "Merry Xmas Everybody"... |
Silver |
| Old New Borrowed and Blue | Gold |
| Slade in Flame Slade in Flame (album) Slade in Flame was an album by the British rock group Slade released on November 29, 1974. The album contained songs from the film of the same name.... |
Gold |
| Slade Smashes! Slade Smashes! Slade Smashes was a compilation album by the British glam/hard rock group Slade. It was released November 1, 1980 and reached number 21 on the UK charts.... |
Gold |
| Crackers - The Christmas Party Album | Gold |
| Wall of Hits Wall Of Hits Wall of Hits was a compilation album by the British glam/hardrock group Slade. It was released November 11, 1991 and reached number 34 in the UK charts. It also included the last two singles recorded by the original lineup... |
Silver |
| Singles | BPI Certification British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
| "Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me" | Silver |
| "My Friend Stan" | Silver |
| "Everyday Everyday (Slade song) "Everyday" is a single from glam rock band Slade which appeared on the album Old New Borrowed and Blue. It was written by the usual collaboration of lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea. The single was released in 1974 and peaked at #3 in the UK, spending 7 weeks on the chart, the shortest... " |
Silver |
| "Far Far Away Far Far Away (song) "Far Far Away" is a single from rock band Slade which appeared on the album Slade in Flame. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea... " |
Silver |
| "Merry Xmas Everybody Merry Xmas Everybody "Merry Xmas Everybody" is a 1973 song by the English rock band Slade. Written by lead vocalist and guitarist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler, it was the band's sixth number-one single in the UK... " |
Platinum |
| "My Oh My My Oh My (Slade song) "My Oh My" is a power ballad originally sung by rock band Slade. The song appears on their album The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome and on the band's 1984 American counterpart release, Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply. The song reached number two in the UK chart by Christmas 1983 and soon after... " |
Gold |
See also
- British rockBritish rockBritish rock describes a wide variety of forms of music made in the United Kingdom. Since around 1964, with the "British Invasion" of the United States spearheaded by The Beatles, British rock music has had a considerable impact on the development of American music and rock music across the...
- List of glam rock artists
- List of artists by total number of UK number one singles
- List of performers on Top of the Pops