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Image:SALVOCD008.jpg|'''10. ''Till Deaf Do Us Part''''' <br> * Year: [[2007 in music|2007]] <br>*Label: Salvo <br> *Remastered and expanded CD reissue.
Image:SALVOCD008.jpg|'''10. ''Till Deaf Do Us Part''''' <br> * Year: [[2007 in music|2007]] <br>*Label: Salvo <br> *Remastered and expanded CD reissue.
Image:SALVOCD009.jpg|'''11. ''The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome''''' <br> * Year: [[2007 in music|2007]] <br>*Label: Salvo <br> *Remastered and expanded CD reissue.
Image:SALVOCD009.jpg|'''11. ''The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome''''' <br> * Year: [[2007 in music|2007]] <br>*Label: Salvo <br> *Remastered and expanded CD reissue.
Image:SALVOCD010.jpg|'''11. ''Rogues Gallery''''' <br> * Year: [[2007 in music|2007]] <br>*Label: Salvo <br> *Remastered and expanded CD reissue.

Image:SALVOCD011.jpg|'''11. ''You Boyz Make Big Noize''''' <br> * Year: [[2007 in music|2007]] <br>*Label: Salvo <br> *Remastered and expanded CD reissue.
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Revision as of 16:09, 29 May 2007

For other uses, see Slade (disambiguation).
Slade

Slade are an English glam rock and hard rock band. Slade were one of the most recognisable acts of the glam rock movement and were, at their peak, the most commercially popular band in the UK. They are well known for the deliberate misspelling of their song titles and for the song "Merry Xmas Everybody" (released December 1973), now one of the most iconic Christmas pop songs in the United Kingdom.

Overview

Slade were praised by their fans for their critically acclaimed live shows and their long string of hits. During the height of their success, Slade out-performed their chart rivals Wizzard, Sweet, T. Rex, Suzi Quatro, Mud, Smokie, Gary Glitter and David Bowie. In the UK, they achieved 12 top five hits from 1971 to 1974, six of which topped the charts. In total, Slade had 17 top 20 hits between 1971 and 1976 including six #1s, three #2s and two #3s. No other UK act of the period enjoyed such consistency in the UK top 40 and Slade actually came the closest to emulating The Beatles' 22 top ten records in a single decade (1960s). Three of their singles entered the charts at #1 and they sold more singles in the UK than any other group of the 1970s.

NME journalist and music critic Eddie Shum and Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher have both been quoted as saying the band were "Fundamentally more important to the development of music than Radiohead".[citation needed] While Slade's attempts at cracking the United States market were largely unsuccessful, they left their mark on a several US bands who cite Slade as an influence. KISS bassist Gene Simmons readily admits that his band's early songwriting ethos and stage performance style was influenced by Slade. In his book "KISS and Make-Up," Simmons writes on page 85, "the one we kept returning to was Slade," and "we liked the way they connected with the crowd, and the way they wrote anthems... we wanted that same energy, that same irresistible simplicity. but we wanted it American-style." Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick has said that his band went to see Slade perform, and that they used "every cheap trick in the book", thus inadvertently coining his group's name. Quiet Riot had a U.S. hit with their cover of Cum on Feel the Noize.

The original band's memory was kept alive by comedians Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, who respectfully sent up 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 TV show in the early 1990s - these are available on DVD.

Slade are most associated with the Black Country in Britain's West Midlands, although the band's members came from Devon, Staffordshire, and the Black Country towns Walsall and Wolverhampton.

It has been claimed that Harry Shearer based the band Spinal Tap, from This is Spinal Tap, on Slade. However, it is widely known and confirmed that the band in the film was based on numerous UK "heavy metal" and "glam" bands and most certainly on Saxon. While doing research for the film, Shearer and his fellow writers and cast-mates interviewed a number of 70s Rock stalwarts requesting their greatest "road stories". At one point in the film, Spinal Tap is listed on a marquee as playing second billing to a Puppet Show. Noddy Holder tells a similar story regarding Slade's "low phase" in his autobiography. This very funny moment in "This Is Spinal Tap" could have been taken from a page in Slade's story. It is worth noting that Slade always have had a wonderful sense of humour about their success (or the lack thereof, depending upon the decade) and have always been honest and apt to parody themselves.

Career history

The band started out as the N'Betweens in 1966, formed from members of two Midlands bands, The Vendors and Steve Brett & The Mavericks. They initially had little success, apart from on the local club circuit, where they were extremely busy and in the late 1960s the band changed its name to Ambrose Slade and hooked up with manager Chas Chandler. Their name was eventually shortened to Slade, and the band adopted a skinhead look, as an attempt to gain publicity from what was a newsworthy youth fashion trend. They later abandoned this look, due to the unwelcome association with football hooliganism. They grew their hair long again, in time to become a leading part of the glam rock movement, releasing songs with deliberately Black Country-style mis-spelled titles which made them stand out.

From 1971 to 1975, the band scored many huge-selling consecutive hit albums and singles. Singles entered the charts at number one - a feat unheard of since the days of The Beatles. Their concerts were all automatic sellouts, and the band was the first to take the risk of booking the massive Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London for a couple of nights (although David Bowie promptly booked the venue for a couple of dates before Slade were due to perform). Following this period, Don Powell was critically injured in a car crash and the band's future was left in the balance. Powell eventually recovered, although he still suffers with acute short-term memory and sensory problems.

Partly due to changes in music trends and the advent of punk rock and New Wave music, Slade's success faded somewhat by the late 1970s, although the group continued to release records and punk bands were not afraid to cite them as an influence. They enjoyed a return to the UK charts, after their 1980 Reading festival appearance and finally managed to enter the higher reaches of the United States charts.

In August 1980, Ozzy Osbourne's Blizzard Of Ozz cancelled their set at the Reading Festival with very short notice. Slade, who had all but disbanded, were recommended to replace them. A demoralised Dave Hill had effectively left the band and initially refused to do the show when asked by the other band members, but manager Chas Chandler convinced Hill to play what could very well have been their last ever live show in front of a huge crowd rather than in a small club. To Hill's utter astonishment, the band were well-received at the festival (highlights of their performance were also broadcast on BBC Radio 1's Friday Rock Show Reading special), and quickly became darlings of the music press again — despite doing nothing different at Reading than they had done onstage in recent years.

A new run of chart success followed, though not on the large scale of their 1970s heights. Holder and Lea became in-demand for production and songwriting duties for other acts for a while. Slade had another two UK top 10 hits in 1984, with the singles "Run Runaway" and "My Oh My" (#2 UK, #36 U.S.) "Run Runaway" reached #7, which would be their second top 40 hit in the U.S. — and their first since "Gudbuy T'Jane", which barely made the top 40 in 1972. Interestingly enough, these hits happened despite Slade not touring to support the releases.

They later returned to the UK Singles Chart in 1991 with the song "Radio Wall of Sound".

Noddy Holder became weary of constant touring, effectively managing the band and of the music business and left the band in late 1991 after 25 years. The remainder of the band were given a period of notice in which to consider their options. Rather than take on another singer, Jimmy Lea effectively retired. Dave Hill and Don Powell (the band's founder members) formed Slade II with three other local musicians at that point. The name was once again shortened to Slade after a period.

Save for the release in 1991 of an album of demo recordings and gathered songs that had previously been released under the pseudonym The Dummies, Jimmy Lea remained resolutely silent. In 2007, however, he finally released an album of mainly unheard new original material, entitled Therapy.

Members

Slade (1966-1991)
Slade II (1991-1997)
  • Steve Whalley - Vocals / Guitars
  • Dave Hill - Guitars / Vocals
  • Steve Makin - Guitars / Vocals
  • Trevor Holliday - Bass Guitar / Vocals
  • Don Powell - Drums / Percussion
Slade (1998-2000)
  • Steve Whalley - Vocals / Guitars
  • Dave Hill - Guitars / Vocals
  • Trevor Holliday - Bass Guitar / Vocals
  • Don Powell - Drums / Percussion
Slade (2000-2003)
  • Steve Whalley - Vocals / Guitars
  • Dave Hill - Guitars / Vocals
  • Dave Glover- Bass Guitar / Vocals
  • Don Powell - Drums / Percussion
Slade (2003-2005)
  • Steve Whalley - Vocals / Guitars
  • Dave Hill - Guitars / Vocals
  • John Berry - Bass Guitar / Vocals / Violin
  • Don Powell - Drums / Percussion
Slade (2005-Present)
  • Mal McNulty - Vocals / Guitars
  • Dave Hill - Guitars / Vocals
  • John Berry - Bass Guitar / Vocals / Violin
  • Don Powell - Drums / Percussion

Discography

Albums

Remastered reissues

Albums by Slade II

  • 1994 "Keep on Rockin" Did Not Chart
  • 1999 "Wild Nites" Did Not Chart
  • 2001 "Superyob" Did Not Chart
  • 2002 "Cum On Let's Party!" Did Not Chart

Albums by Jim Lea

  • 1991 "A Day in the Life of The Dummies" Did Not chart
  • 2007 "Therapy" Did Not Chart

U.K. Singles

  • 1966 "You Better Run" Did Not Chart
  • 1969 "Genesis" Did Not Chart
  • 1969 "Wild Winds Are Blowing" Did Not Chart
  • 1970 "The Shape Of Things To Come" Did Not Chart
  • 1970 "Know Who You Are" Did Not Chart
  • 1971 "Get Down And Get With It" UK #16
  • 1971 "Coz I Luv You" UK #1
  • 1972 "Look Wot You Dun" UK #4
  • 1972 "Take Me Bak 'Ome" UK #1, (US #97)
  • 1972 "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" UK #1, (US #76)
  • 1972 "Gudbuy T' Jane" UK #2, (US #68)
  • 1973 "Cum on Feel the Noize" UK #1, (US #98)
  • 1973 "Skweeze Me Pleeze Me" UK #1
  • 1973 "My Friend Stan" UK #2
  • 1973 "Merry Xmas Everybody" UK #1
  • 1974 "Everyday" UK #3
  • 1974 "The Bangin' Man" UK #3
  • 1974 "Far Far Away" UK #2
  • 1975 "How Does It Feel" UK #15
  • 1975 "Thanks For The Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam)" UK #7
  • 1975 "In For A Penny" UK #11
  • 1976 "Let's Call It Quits" UK #11
  • 1976 "Nobody's Fool" Did Not Chart
  • 1977 "Gypsy Road Hog" UK #48
  • 1977 "Burning In The Heat Of Love" Did Not Chart
  • 1977 "My Baby Left Me - That's All Right" UK #32
  • 1978 "Give Us A Goal" Did Not Chart
  • 1978 "Rock N Roll Bolero" Did Not Chart
  • 1979 "Ginny Ginny" Did Not Chart
  • 1979 "Sign O' The Times" Did Not Chart
  • 1979 "Okey Cokey" Did Not Chart
  • 1980 "Alive At Reading '80" (EP) UK #44
  • 1980 "Merry Xmas Everybody" (re-issue) UK #70
  • 1981 "We'll Bring The House Down" UK #10
  • 1981 "Wheels Ain't Comin' Down" UK #60
  • 1981 "Knuckle Sandwich Nancy" Did Not Chart
  • 1981 "Lock Up Your Daughters" UK #29
  • 1981 "Merry Xmas Everybody" (re-issue) UK #32
  • 1982 "Ruby Red" UK #51
  • 1982 "(And Now The Waltz) C'est La Vie" UK #50
  • 1982 "Merry Xmas Everybody" (re-issue) UK #67
  • 1983 "My Oh My" UK #2, (US #37)
  • 1983 "Merry Xmas Everybody" (re-issue) UK #20
  • 1984 "Run Runaway" UK #7, (US #20)
  • 1984 "All Join Hands" UK #15
  • 1984 "Merry Xmas Everybody" (re-issue) UK #47
  • 1985 "7 Year Bitch" UK #60
  • 1985 "Myzterious Mizter Jones" UK #50
  • 1985 "Do You Believe In Miracles?" UK #54
  • 1986 "Merry Xmas Everybody" (re-issue) UK #48
  • 1987 "Still The Same" UK #73
  • 1987 "That's What Friends Are For" UK #95
  • 1987 "You Boyz Make Big Noize" Did Not Chart
  • 1988 "We Won't Give In" Did Not Chart
  • 1989 "Let's Dance" Did Not Chart
  • 1991 "Radio Wall Of Sound" UK #21
  • 1991 "Universe" Did Not Chart
  • 1998 "Merry Xmas Everybody" (re-issue) UK #30
  • 2006 "Merry Xmas Everybody" (re-issue) UK #21

Singles by Slade II

  • 1993 "Hold On To Love" Did Not Chart
  • 1994 "Merry Xmas Now" Did Not Chart
  • 1995 "Hot Luv" Did Not Chart
  • 1995 "Black and White World" Did Not Chart
  • 2002 "Some Exercise" Did Not Chart
  • 2002 "Take Me Home" Did Not Chart

VHS & DVD Videos

Preceded by
Little Jimmy Osmond Long Haired Lover From Liverpool
 UK Christmas Number One single

Merry Christmas Everybody

1973

Succeeded by
Mud Lonely This Christmas
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Slade&oldid=134341644"