Slade was an English hard-rock and pop band from Wolverhampton that scored sixteen UK Top 10 hits between 1971 and 1984. They evolved from beatsters The N’ Betweens and signed with Fontana for one 1969 album as Ambrose Slade.
In 1970, they met ex-Animal (and Hendrix manager) Chas Chandler, who refashioned them as skinheads under the shortened name Slade for the album Play It Loud, their first on Polydor. The following year, they appeared with long hair and flashy attire, scoring their first chart-topper, “Coz I Luv You.” Between 1972 and 1976, they released four studio albums and numerous standalone singles, topping the UK charts with “Take Me Bak ‘Ome,” “Mama Weer All Crazee Now,” “Cum On Feel the Noize,” “Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me,” and “Merry Xmas Everybody.”
During the late 1970s, Slade issued three albums on Barn Records Ltd. Between 1981 and 1987, they released four studio albums on RCA, finding newfound success with the 1983/84 hits “My Oh My” and “Run Runaway,” the latter marking their sole entry on the Billboard Top 20.
Members: Noddy Holder (vocals, guitar), Dave Hill (guitar), Jimmy Lea (bass), Don Powell (drums)
Background
Slade evolved from The N’Betweens, a Midlands beat group that coalesced when guitarist Dave Hill and drummer Don Powell hired bassist Jimmy Lea and singer–guitarist Noddy Holder.
Hill (b. April 4, 1946) grew up in Penn, Wolverhampton, and purchased his first guitar through a mail-order catalog. He took guitar lessons from his science teacher and formed his first band, The Young Ones, with fellow pupils at Highfields Secondary school. The son of a mechanic, Hill worked as a teen for Tarmac Group, a Midlands construction supply company.
Powell (b. Sept. 10, 1946) emerged in Midlands beatsters The Vendors, which featured singer John Howells, guitarist Mick Marson, and bassist Dave ‘Cass’ Jones. The Vendors recruited Hill on lead guitar and morphed into The N’Betweens, which issued a 1965 EP on the French Barclay label. It features four cover songs: “Feel So Fine,” “Take a Heart,” “Little Nightingale,” and “You Don’t Believe Me.”
Lea (b. June 14, 1949) took up violin at age ten, inspired by French jazz-violinist Stéphane Grappelli. His parents owned the Grange pub in Bilbrook. In 1961, Lea joined the Staffordshire Youth Orchestra and earned first-class music honours. He took up piano, guitar, and bass in Nick & The Axemen, formed with fellow pupils at Codsall Comprehensive School. At sixteen, he auditioned for The N’Betweens.
Holder (b. June 15, 1946) spent his youth in Walsall’s Beechdale Estate, the childhood housing estate of Rob Halford. At thirteen, Holder formed the Rockin’ Phantoms with fellow pupils at T. P. Riley Comprehensive School. He drove his father’s window-cleaning van to gigs and gave lifts to fellow Midlands hopeful Robert Plant, who then fronted beatsters the Tennessee Teens. Holder formed a short-lived band called the Memphis Cutouts, then joined Steve Brett & the Mavericks, which briefly featured drummer John Bonham. Brett cut three 1965 singles on EMI Columbia with Holder on guitar and backing vocals.
The N’Betweens
In 1965, The Mavericks and The N’Betweens met on a ferry while en route to Germany. Hill and Powell befriended Holder, who joined The N’Betweens after the two parties reconvened in Wolverhampton. They opened local shows by assorted big-name acts (The Hollies, Yardbirds, Georgie Fame & the Blue Flames, Spencer Davis Group).
In November 1966, The N’Betweens released their first single: the Otis Redding cover “Security” backed with the group-original “Girl Child, I Am An Evil Witchman.” American producer Kim Fowley produced both sides for the LA-based Highland Records label. “Evil Witchman” (title abridged) reappeared in December on their first Columbia EMI single: The Rascals cover “You Better Run,” released on the same day as a competing version by Brummie mod-rockers Listen, fronted by a teenage Robert Plant.
In 1967, The N’Betweens built their Midlands live reputation with a setlist comprised of Stax and Motown covers, rendered with the musical flash of Holder and Lea. They covered the Honeybus song “Delighted to See You,” which surfaced on the 1998 EMI archival comp Psychedelia at Abbey Road.
After two years of unrecorded live activity, Philips Records A&R Jack Baverstock spotted The N’Betweens. He offered them a deal on the condition they change their name. They settled on Ambrose Slade, taken from the nicknamed handbag (Ambrose) and shoes (Slade) of Baverstock’s secretary.
Ambrose Slade — Beginnings
Ambrose Slade debuted with Beginnings on May 9, 1969, on Fontana. The album contains the Holder–Lea original “Pity the Mother” and the group-written songs “Genesis,” “Roach Daddy,” and “Mad Dog Cole.”
Beginnings also features covers of The Amboy Dukes (“Journey to the Center of the Mind”), The Beatles (“Martha My Dear”), Frank Zappa (“Pity the Mother”), The Idle Race (“Knocking Nails into My House”), Marvin Gaye (“If This World Were Mine”), The Moody Blues (“Fly Me High”), and Steppenwolf (“Born to Be Wild,” “Everybody’s Next One”).
Guitarist Dave Hill interacts with the band’s early hard-edged sound through crisp lead passages, while bassist Jim Lea adds violin textures on “Pity the Mother,” co-written with Noddy Holder in a last-minute session at the singer’s family home. Their choice in covers reflected teir live set, drawn largely from the b-sides and deep cuts of contemporary acts.
A1. “Genesis” (3:16)
A2. “Everybody’s Next One” (2:45)
A3. “Knocking Nails into My House” (2:24)
A4. “Roach Daddy” (3:03)
A5. “Ain’t Got No Heart” (2:37)
A6. “Pity the Mother” (3:57)
B1. “Mad Dog Cole” (2:42)
B2. “Fly Me High” (2:56)
B3. “If This World Were Mine” (3:16)
B4. “Martha My Dear” (2:19)
B5. “Born to Be Wild” (3:24)
B6. “Journey to the Centre of Your Mind” (2:46)
Ambrose Slade recorded the album in early 1969 at Philips Studio, Stanhope Place, with Roger Wake as engineer and co-producer. Baverstock supervised the sessions and encouraged the band to balance stage favorites with fresh compositions.
Beginnings pictures the band shirtless in freezing weather on Pouk Hill near Holder’s home in Walsall. The experience inspired the lyrics to “Pouk Hill” on their second album.
“Genesis” (b/w “Roach Daddy”) appeared one week ahead as their first single, promoted with a filmed spot at Euston Station. It garnered London industry attention and impressed Chas Chandler, the former Animals bassist who parleyed into rock management with his prior client, Jimi Hendrix.
In the US, Fontana issued Beginnings as Ballzy with an illustrated cover.
The Slade
Chandler became their manager, fresh off his two-year working relationship with Hendrix. For 
market distinction among the flood of new rock acts, he encouraged their adoption of the skinhead style, a recent street style unrepresented by any other band. They cut their hair and donned the accoutrements (Doc Martin boots, drainpipe floods, suspenders) and shortened their name to The Slade.
On October 4, 1969, The Slade released “Wild Winds Are Blowing,” a standalone single on Fontana written by Bob Saker and Jack Winsley. Dave Hill supplies short, clipped leads under the rigid phrasing of Noddy Holder, while Jim Lea shapes the harmonic contour with tightly wound basslines and backing vocals.
Chandler sourced the song from a publishing submission and saw it as a strong first vehicle for the newly rebranded band. The Slade tracked it promptly under Chandler’s production at Philips Studios, where they also shot a mimed promo film. The flipside, “One Way Hotel,” contains a jazz-tinged rhythm guitar tracks later revised for inclusion on their second album.
A. “Wild Winds Are Blowing” (2:43)
B. “One Way Hotel” (2:37)
The Slade promoted the single on Alan Price’s Monster Music Mash, performing both the A-side and their Beatles cover “Martha My Dear.” They also mimed the track for a BBC studio session and appeared on the Scene at Six local news program. Fontana circulated print ads in New Musical Express to support the release, but the single failed to chart. Despite this, “Wild Winds Are Blowing” later resurfaced on Sladest (1973) and became a reference point in retrospectives of their early transition phase.
After this release, the group dropped the definite article from their name and became known simply as Slade.
“The Shape of Things to Come”
On March 6, 1970, Slade released “The Shape of Things to Come,” their second Fontana-era single under the guidance of Chas Chandler.
Dave Hill drives the arrangement with compressed, stabbing lead lines that interlock tightly with Noddy Holder’s choppy rhythm guitar, while Jim Lea anchors the harmonic movement with sharply defined bass phrasing. Hill’s clipped fills repeatedly answer the vocal lines, creating a rigid call‑and‑response pattern across the short running time.
Chandler selected the song as a forceful, contemporary cover to sharpen the band’s identity following their image overhaul. Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil originally wrote it for the 1968 film Wild in the Streets, where it appeared as the signature number of the fictional group Max Frost and the Troopers, with Harley Hatcher supplying the studio vocal while actor Christopher Jones lip‑synced onscreen. Slade’s version strips away the psychedelic sheen of the original and tightens the structure into a more abrupt, punch‑driven performance suited to their aggressive stage persona. On the B‑side, Holder contributes “C’mon C’mon,” one of the earliest Chandler‑era originals built specifically to fit the band’s newly sharpened sound.
A. “The Shape of Things to Come” (2:19)
B. “C’mon C’mon” (2:38)
Slade recorded both sides at Philips Studios, London, with Chandler producing for Montgrove. Fontana issued the single in the UK in March 1970 as the first release to credit the band simply as Slade without the earlier definite article. The record did not enter the UK charts, but it marked the group’s full transition away from their Ambrose Slade period and toward the harder-edged direction that defined their next phase.
Play It Loud
Slade released their second album, Play It Loud, in November 1970 on Polydor (UK) and Cotillion (US).
Dave Hill counters Noddy Holder’s rhythm stabs with sharp trebly phrasing and upward slides, while Jim Lea reinforces the tonal structure with active bass runs and shifts between piano and violin. The trio lock into tight exchanges on tracks where the instrumental space pivots beneath abrupt vocal surges and dynamic breaks.
Lea and Powell co-write most of the album, with Holder joining on five tracks and Hill contributing to one. “Know Who You Are” expands their 1969 instrumental “Genesis” with new lyrics by Powell. He also writes the text for “Dapple Rose,” drawn from memories of mistreated horses near his childhood home, and “I Remember,” which anticipates his later experience with memory loss. “Pouk Hill” recounts the band’s snowbound photo session at the Walsall landmark featured on the Beginnings cover. Neil Innes contributes “Angelina,” and “Could I” comes from Bread members Jimmy Griffin and Robb Royer.
A1. “Raven” (2:37)
A2. “See Us Here” (3:12)
A3. “Dapple Rose” (3:31)
A4. “Could I” (2:45)
A5. “One Way Hotel” (2:40)
A6. “The Shape of Things to Come” (2:18)
B1. “Know Who You Are” (2:53)
B2. “I Remember” (2:55)
B3. “Pouk Hill” (2:23)
B4. “Angelina” (2:49)
B5. “Dirty Joker” (3:26)
B6. “Sweet Box” (3:24)
Slade recorded the album at Olympic Studios with Chas Chandler producing, George Chkiantz engineering, and Anton Mathews handling the final mix. Gered Mankowitz supplied the cover photography.
“Know Who You Are” first appeared in mid-September as their third single (b/w “Dapple Rose”). Slade performed it on the BBC program Disco 2, broadcast on October 31, 1970, alongside “Sweet Box.” Both songs remained staples of their live set.
“Get Down and Get with It”
On May 21, 1971, Slade released “Get Down and Get with It,” a cover of a Little Richard concert staple written by American R&B singer and former Clowns frontman Bobby Marchan.
Slade adopted the song into their live set after hearing the Richard version at Wolverhampton’s Connaught venue. The track quickly became a highlight of their shows, prompting strong audience participation and signaling its potential as a breakthrough single. Chas Chandler urged them to capture the stage energy in the studio without overdubs or polish.
Dave Hill injects jagged guitar blasts between Noddy Holder’s shouted lines, while Jim Lea underpins the arrangement with blunt bass thrusts and layered backing vocals. The band lock into a high-pressure pattern of stomps, handclaps, and chants to simulate their crowd-led routine.
A. “Get Down and Get with It” (4:12) – Marchan
B1. “Do You Want Me” (4:30) – Lea, Powell
B2. “Gospel According to Rasputin” (4:23) – Lea, Powell
Chandler produced the session at Olympic Studios and instructed the band to play as if onstage. They recorded the track in one take with added foot-stomping and audience noise. Just before the final chorus, a whispered voice asks, “Are you recording?”—a moment left in the final mix. Slade initially credited the song to Little Richard, but Marchan’s publishers stepped in as the single climbed the charts, prompting a corrected reissue.
The single peaked at No. 16 in the UK and stayed on the chart for fourteen weeks. It also reached No. 4 in the Netherlands and No. 34 in Germany, establishing Slade across Europe. The band promoted the release on Top of the Pops, Whittaker’s World of Music, and Belgium’s Popshop. A promotional film directed by Caravelle features the band performing on London’s overpasses and rooftops. This became the first of seventeen consecutive UK Top 20 hits.
“Coz I Luv You”
On October 8, 1971, Slade released “Coz I Luv You,” a standalone single co-written by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea and produced by Chas Chandler.
Lea initiated the song after hearing “Nine by Nine” by the John Dummer Blues Band and brought his violin to Holder’s home with the idea of writing a Reinhardt–Grappelli–style track.
Slade completed the song in thirty minutes, forming the foundation of the Holder–Lea partnership. Chandler immediately booked Olympic Studios, where they recorded the single in two days. They originally titled it “Because I Love You” but changed the name to match their Black Country dialect. To strengthen the track’s rhythmic drive, they added handclaps and boot stomps to the mix.
Lea weaves long, swooping violin lines over Hill’s clipped guitar stabs while anchoring the track’s lower register with bass. The song shifts between sustained melodies and percussive accents, with Powell keeping tight restraint beneath the prominent rhythmic embellishments.
A. “Coz I Luv You” (3:24) – Holder, Lea
B. “My Life Is Natural” (3:12) – Lea, Powell
Chandler produced the session at Olympic Studios. Slade promoted the single with performances on Top of the Pops in November and again for the 1971 Christmas special. They also appeared on Belgium’s Popshop and the German programs Disco and Beat-Club.
“Coz I Luv You” became their first UK No. 1, where it stayed on the chart for fifteen weeks. It also topped the Irish chart and reached No. 2 in the Netherlands, No. 7 in Australia and Belgium, and No. 9 in West Germany.
“Look Wot You Dun”
On January 28, 1972, Slade released “Look Wot You Dun,” a standalone single written by Noddy Holder, Jim Lea, and Don Powell and produced by Chas Chandler.
Lea and Powell developed the initial song structure, which Lea then brought to Holder to complete. Powell supplied the heavy breathing effect heard in the chorus, and Hill—whose guitar was delayed by snow—borrowed Peter Frampton’s instrument for the recording session. “Look Wot You Dun” marked the band’s second single to feature their trademark phonetic misspelling, following “Coz I Luv You.”
Lea alternates between piano and bass while Hill responds to Holder’s clipped phrasing with curt, percussive lead lines. The arrangement trades vocal gaps for instrumental punctuation, with Powell locking into a slow march punctuated by sharp fills and overdubbed effects.
A. “Look Wot You Dun” (2:45) – Holder, Lea, Powell
B. “Candidate” (2:40) – Lea, Powell
Chandler produced the single at Olympic Studios. Caravelle filmed two promotional videos: one on location at Chessington Zoo and another in a studio with Holder dressed as a magician. Slade performed the song on Top of the Pops and the German show Hits a GoGo.
“Look Wot You Dun” reached No. 4 in the UK and remained on the chart for ten weeks. It also reached No. 2 in the Netherlands, No. 6 in Ireland, and charted in Belgium, Germany, and Finland. The B-side, “Candidate,” later appeared on the 1972 European compilation Coz I Luv You and the 2007 B-Sides anthology.
Slade Alive!
In March 1972, Slade released Slade Alive!, their first live album, recorded over three nights at Command Theatre Studio in London and produced by Chas Chandler.
Hill threads sharp, fuzzed leads between Holder’s shouted phrasing and improvised asides, while Lea underpins the energy with heavy bass surges and call-and-response vocals. The band maintains rhythmic pressure through Powell’s locked-in pacing and dynamic fills, capturing their full stage intensity without studio restraint.
Slade chose to document their live show after Chandler, drawing from his experience with Hendrix, encouraged a concert recording to bolster their breakthrough. They booked Command Theatre Studio for October 19–21, 1971, playing to a live audience across three nights. Most of the final album derives from the second night’s set, performed just after the band filmed Top of the Pops for their No. 1 single “Coz I Luv You.” They wore their TV performance outfits straight onto the studio stage. Chandler initially rejected the group’s mix and tried his own, but the band reinstated their original version after further sessions at Olympic Studios. The tracklist includes four cover songs alongside three originals, including two from their earlier studio albums. Polydor released the album on March 24, 1972.
A1. “Hear Me Calling” (5:46) – Lee
A2. “In Like a Shot from My Gun” (3:33) – Holder, Lea, Powell
A3. “Darling Be Home Soon” (5:43) – Sebastian
A4. “Know Who You Are” (3:37) – Holder, Lea, Hill, Powell
B1. “Keep on Rocking” (6:29) – Holder, Lea, Hill, Powell
B2. “Get Down and Get with It” (5:33) – Marchan
B3. “Born to Be Wild” (8:12) – Bonfire
Chandler produced the album with Barry Ainsworth engineering the live recordings and Alan O’Duffy handling the final mix. The LP appeared in a gatefold sleeve with a large inner cartoon designed through a contest in The Sun newspaper. In some territories, the cover used the gatefold artwork as the front image.
Slade Alive! reached No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart and remained there for 58 weeks. It topped the Australian chart and set a new sales record there, eventually reaching No. 1 on the Kent Report. The album also charted in Finland (No. 5), Austria (No. 8), Norway (No. 18), and West Germany (No. 25). In February 1972, Polydor issued a 500-copy promo single of “Hear Me Calling” backed with “Get Down With It.” The band supported the release with a UK tour in May and a filmed Granada TV special (Set of Six) that aired on June 13, 1972, featuring much of the Slade Alive! set.
“Take Me Bak ‘Ome”
On May 19, 1972, Slade released “Take Me Bak ‘Ome,” a standalone single written by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea and produced by Chas Chandler.
Lea revived an earlier song fragment and expanded it with a riff influenced in part by The Beatles’ “Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey.” During recording, Holder ad-libbed across the instrumental break; one of his throwaway lines later inspired the chorus of their next single. Hill threads short, overdriven lead bursts through the steady downstrokes of Holder’s rhythm, while Lea doubles the riff with bass accents and Powell maintains a locked, mid-tempo march.
A. “Take Me Bak ‘Ome” (3:13) – Holder, Lea
B. “Wonderin’ Y” (2:48) – Lea, Powell
Chandler produced the session at Olympic Studios. The band did not film a promotional video, but supported the release with multiple UK television performances on Top of the Pops, Lift Off with Ayshea, and 2Gs and the Pop People. They also mimed the song for TopPop in the Netherlands and Sports En Fête in France.
“Take Me Bak ‘Ome” reached No. 1 in the UK and stayed on the chart for thirteen weeks. It also reached No. 5 in the Netherlands and Belgium, No. 10 in West Germany, and No. 11 in Australia. In the US, it became Slade’s Billboard Hot 100 debut, peaking at No. 97. The B-side “Wonderin’ Y” appeared exclusively on this release until its later inclusion on the 2007 compilation B-Sides.
“Mama Weer All Crazee Now”
On August 25, 1972, Slade released “Mama Weer All Crazee Now,” a standalone single written by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea and produced by Chas Chandler.
Lea first composed the song on his own, shaping the tune around group vocal participation after observing the crowd at a Chuck Berry concert sing along en masse. Holder contributed the lyrics after a Wembley gig, inspired by the wreckage of broken seats and what he called a “crazy” crowd. The original line—“My my we’re all crazy now”—was misheard by Chandler as “Mama,” and the band adopted his version for the title. The recording features one of Slade’s most direct arrangements, centered on Dave Hill’s clanging riff figures, Jim Lea’s doubled bass parts, and the rising vocal chants designed to mimic live crowd response.
A. “Mama Weer All Crazee Now” (3:43) – Holder, Lea
B. “Man Who Speeks Evil” (3:15) – Lea, Powell
Chandler produced the session in mid-1972, as Slade prepared their third studio album Slayed?. No promo clip was filmed, but the band performed the single on multiple TV programs including Top of the Pops, Germany’s Disco and Musikladen, and the Dutch TopPop.
“Mama Weer All Crazee Now” entered the UK chart at No. 2 and reached No. 1 the following week, staying on the chart for ten weeks. It also reached No. 1 in Ireland, No. 5 in Belgium and Switzerland, No. 6 in Austria and West Germany, No. 7 in the Netherlands, No. 14 in Australia, and No. 76 in the US. The B-side appeared exclusively on the single until its inclusion on the 2007 compilation B-Sides.
Slayed?
Slade released their third studio album, Slayed?, in November 1972 on Polydor.
The album builds on the group’s stage-hardened intensity, coupling sharp bursts of lead guitar from Dave Hill with Jim Lea’s double-duty on bass and violin, often layered with backing vocals that shadow Noddy Holder’s lead lines. Hill’s phrasing cuts across Lea’s chord shifts with short, jabbing solos and warped bends, while Holder counters the density with shouted choruses and chanted refrains.
Slade wrote most of the material during and between UK and US tour stops in 1972, following the breakout success of “Get Down and Get with It” and its follow-ups “Coz I Luv You,” “Look Wot You Dun,” and “Take Me Bak ’Ome.” They developed the riff and crowd-chant format further in “Mama Weer All Crazee Now,” whose title stemmed from a misheard lyric by Chas Chandler and whose lyrics emerged after a Boston Gliderdrome show. The album’s closing medley, “Let the Good Times Roll / Feel So Fine,” came from Leonard Lee of Shirley & Lee and marks their only 1950s R&B adaptation on the record.
“Gudbuy T’Jane” originated during a stop in San Diego, where Lea drafted the tune by a pool and completed it en route to London. Holder based the lyrics on an American TV segment featuring a woman named Jane who demonstrated a sex machine. “I Won’t Let It ‘Appen Agen” includes a spontaneous “Yeah!” from Powell left in the final mix, captured during their first live studio run-through. They lifted “Move Over” from the Pearl version by Janis Joplin, a longtime favorite of Chandler’s. Slade considered issuing “How D’You Ride” as a single before selecting “Gudbuy T’Jane” instead.
A1. “How D’You Ride” (3:11) – Holder, Lea
A2. “The Whole World’s Goin’ Crazee” (3:35) – Holder
A3. “Look at Last Nite” (3:05) – Holder, Lea
A4. “I Won’t Let It ’Appen Agen” (3:16) – Lea
A5. “Move Over” (3:45) – Joplin
B1. “Gudbuy T’Jane” (3:32) – Holder, Lea
B2. “Gudbuy Gudbuy” (3:28) – Holder, Lea
B3. “Mama Weer All Crazee Now” (3:44) – Holder, Lea
B4. “I Don’ Mind” (3:05) – Holder, Lea
B5. “Let the Good Times Roll / Feel So Fine” (3:46) – Leonard Lee
Chas Chandler produced Slayed? over a series of sessions in mid-1972, with the band working out arrangements rapidly before committing takes to tape. Chandler captured the live-on-the-floor intensity without overdubs beyond vocal doubling and crowd layering. Gered Mankowitz handled the cover photography, and Chris Charlesworth wrote the sleeve notes.
Slade issued “Gudbuy T’Jane” as the second single on November 17, 1972 (b/w “I Won’t Let It ‘Appen Agen”). They recorded the song on the day they first rehearsed it, using the second take as the final version. Caravelle produced two promos: one with the band in white coats at an observatory and another filmed onstage at the Rainbow Theatre with instruments and outfits stickered “I’ve Been Slayed.” They performed the song on Top of the Pops, Musikladen, and TopPop.
“Gudbuy T’Jane” single peaked at No. 2 in the UK, No. 3 in West Germany, No. 4 in the Netherlands and Switzerland, and No. 68 in the US. It became their highest-charting American release and their third consecutive Top 5 UK hit. In the US and Japan, “Let the Good Times Roll” appeared on seven-inch (b/w “Move Over”).
Slayed? entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 1 and remained there for 34 weeks, earning Silver certification in early 1973. In Australia, it reached No. 1 and displaced their prior live album Slade Alive! from the top spot. It also charted Top 10 across Austria, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, and Germany, and peaked at No. 69 in the US, where it stayed on the Billboard 200 for 26 weeks.
“Cum On Feel the Noize”
On February 23, 1973, Slade released the standalone single “Cum On Feel the Noize” on Polydor.
Dave Hill leads with short, distorted figures that snap in tandem with Jim Lea’s bass rhythm and backing vocal accents, while Noddy Holder shouts in pitched sync with the chord changes, all anchored by Don Powell’s deliberate, anvil-paced drum pattern. Lea and Hill interact across the chorus lines, splitting voicings in unison as Holder’s phrases rise into chanting refrains aimed at direct audience call-and-response.
Slade developed “Cum On Feel the Noize” during their late 1972 tour and recorded the track in early 1973. Holder derived the lyric concept from an overwhelming moment at one of their UK concerts, where the physical volume of the audience shook the stage and reverberated through his chest.
Originally titled “Cum On Hear the Noize,” Holder changed the phrase to match the sensation rather than the sound of the crowd. Lea constructed the chant structure as an extension of ideas first tested on “Mama Weer All Crazee Now,” itself inspired by Chuck Berry’s crowd-led performances. The song’s shouted opening—“Baby, baby, baby”—originated as a mic test left in the final mix. Manager Chas Chandler and Polydor’s John Fruin coordinated a strategy to front-load airplay and pre-orders in hopes of hitting No. 1 upon release. This tactic succeeded: the single entered the UK chart at No. 1, becoming the first to do so since “Get Back” by The Beatles in 1969.
A. “Cum On Feel the Noize” (4:24) – Holder, Lea
B. “I’m Mee, I’m Now, an’ That’s Orl” (3:41) – Holder, Lea
Chas Chandler produced the track at the Record Plant in London across two sessions in January and February 1973. Caravelle shot the promotional video during Slade’s concert at the Hague, integrating live footage with synced performance closeups. The B-side, “I’m Mee, I’m Now, an’ That’s Orl,” was exclusive to the single and reappeared decades later on compilation reissues.
“Cum On Feel the Noize” reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart and held that position for four consecutive weeks. It also topped the Irish charts, hit No. 3 in Wallonia, and entered the Top 10 in Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands, West Germany, and Finland. It sold over half a million copies in three weeks and marked Slade’s fourth UK chart-topper. In the US, it peaked modestly at No. 98 on the Billboard Hot 100.
“Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me”
On June 22, 1973, Slade released the single “Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me” on Polydor.
Dave Hill layers clipped high-register chords against Jim Lea’s bass pull and backing vocal stabs, while Noddy Holder hammers each line with full-throated force above the beat. Hill and Lea trade emphasis across the choruses, doubling rhythmic cues with sharp string accents and unison chants.
Lea conceived the song’s chorus after watching Bilston pub pianist Reg Kierle work a crowd at The Trumpet, the band’s local spot. He developed the phrase into a chant-based progression during Slade’s US tour in early 1973. They cut the track at A&M Studios in Los Angeles between live dates. Holder retained the title’s phonetic spellings to mirror the prior success of “Cum On Feel the Noize.”
A. “Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me” (3:31) – Holder, Lea
B. “Kill ’Em at the Hot Club Tonite” (3:20) – Holder, Lea
Chas Chandler produced the session at A&M in Los Angeles. The band pre-taped appearances on Top of the Pops and Lift Off With Ayshea before Powell’s accident. Later airings substituted audience footage in place of a live performance due to BBC policy against incomplete bands. In the US, Reprise issued the single with the album cut “My Town” on the B-side.
“Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me” became Slade’s fifth UK No. 1 and extended their run of international success, charting across Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
Slade achieved a second consecutive chart-topping debut with this single, again entering at No. 1 in the UK—an accomplishment unmatched since the Beatles in 1969. Within one week, “Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me” sold 300,000 copies and stayed at No. 1 for three weeks. One month after its release, Powell suffered a near-fatal car crash that stalled further promotion, halted a potential novelty release for the B-side, and interrupted sessions for their next album.
Sladest
In September 1973, the compilation Sladest appeared on Polydor and Reprise.
The album covers Slade’s 1969–73 output with a focus on their UK singles and formative recordings, sequenced to emphasize the rise from early fuzzed-out beat numbers to their later chant-based anthems. Dave Hill cuts sharp, clipped leads across the stomping mid-tempo arrangements, doubled by Jim Lea’s unison bass and violin lines, often layered over with stacked gang vocals and syncopated shouts.
Slade compiled Sladest in mid-1973 to maintain chart presence while recovering from Don Powell’s near-fatal car crash in July. They issued the album on September 28, 1973, alongside their comeback single “My Friend Stan.” The UK version gathered all eight hit singles from 1971 to 1973 along with six tracks from the band’s earlier Polydor and Fontana periods, dating to before their 1971 breakthrough. Reprise prepared a revised 10-track version for the US market that prioritized recent charting material and excluded the early-era cuts. The UK edition entered at No. 1 and held the top spot for three weeks, returning to the summit in January 1974 following the seasonal success of “Merry Xmas Everybody.” It earned a Silver certification on release and went Gold by November.
A1. “Cum On Feel the Noize” (4:29) – non-album A-side, February 1973
A2. “Look Wot You Dun” (2:57) – non-album A-side, January 1972
A3. “Gudbuy T’Jane” (3:31) – from Slayed?, November 1972
A4. “One Way Hotel” (2:39) – from Beginnings, November 1969
A5. “Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me” (4:35) – non-album A-side, June 1973
A6. “Pouk Hill” (2:24) – from Play It Loud, November 1970
A7. “The Shape of Things to Come” (2:17) – non-album A-side, May 1970
B1. “Take Me Bak ‘Ome” (3:13) – non-album A-side, May 1972
B2. “Coz I Luv You” (3:24) – non-album A-side, October 1971
B3. “Wild Winds Are Blowing” (2:38) – non-album A-side, October 1969
B4. “Know Who You Are” (2:53) – from Play It Loud, November 1970
B5. “Get Down and Get with It” (3:48) – non-album A-side, May 1971
B6. “Look at Last Nite” (3:05) – from Slayed?, November 1972
B7. “Mama Weer All Crazee Now” (3:44) – from Slayed?, lead single, August 1972
Chas Chandler compiled and produced the tracks using existing single masters and select album cuts. Most tracks were remixed or EQ’d for consistent volume and presence. Liner notes by Bob Houston accompanied the original LP, along with a gatefold cover featuring live and posed shots by Gered Mankowitz.
In the UK, Sladest topped the Albums Chart and became one of the year’s highest-selling compilations. The US edition peaked at No. 129 on the Billboard 200, marking the band’s best album placement there to date.
“My Friend Stan”
On September 28, 1973, Slade released the single “My Friend Stan” on Polydor.
The track diverges from the band’s usual aggressive stomp style, centering around Jim Lea’s piano lines, which alternate between spare descending phrases and full chordal accents. Dave Hill keeps the lead guitar minimal, dropping in tight harmonic licks between vocal phrases, while Lea doubles on bass with rounded phrasing that locks tightly with Don Powell’s steady snare and hi-hat patterns.
“My Friend Stan” marked the band’s first release after Powell’s near-fatal car crash in July 1973. Still recovering from critical injuries, Powell recorded the track with assistance, needing help onto his drum stool and walking with a stick. Lea had developed the song’s main piano motif at home, and Chas Chandler urged him to finish it after hearing the early form. The session took place in August 1973 during the early stages of work on their upcoming album Old New Borrowed and Blue. The song’s more subdued tone reflected the band’s temporary shift in mood after the accident.
A. “My Friend Stan” (2:38)
B. “My Town” (3:02)
Slade recorded both sides at Olympic Studios with Chandler producing. “My Town,” the B-side, retained their usual hard-driving approach and later appeared on the US version of Sladest.
“My Friend Stan” entered the UK chart at No. 2, with advance sales totaling 250,000 and Polydor importing an extra 100,000 copies to meet demand. It later topped the Irish chart and reached the top 10 across much of Europe. A promo video was shot at Olympic, showing the band performing live in the studio with Hill using his custom Superyob guitar.
“Merry Xmas Everybody”
On December 7, 1973, Slade released the standalone single “Merry Xmas Everybody” on Polydor.
The track centers around Jim Lea’s piano and harmonium, layered in the intro over bass in a compact B♭ triad, before shifting to G major. Dave Hill joins with rhythmically clipped guitar chords and a sustained lead tone over the chorus, while Lea switches to acoustic guitar and Powell maintains a steady pulse with a simplified rhythm, anchoring the song’s celebratory chants. Most instrumental backing was layered by Lea during a compressed session at New York’s Record Plant, as the band had not rehearsed prior due to Don Powell’s recent recovery from his July car crash.
Chas Chandler suggested a Christmas single early in 1973. While the band initially dismissed the idea, Lea devised a verse melody while showering in an American hotel and recalled a discarded 1967 chorus from Holder’s earliest songwriting. Holder rewrote the lyrics in a single overnight draft, drawing on personal memories and the national atmosphere of power cuts and recession, and positioned the chorus line “Look to the future now, it’s only just begun” as a message of resilience. They recorded the song during their US tour, laying down most parts in late summer with engineer Dennis Ferranti. Slade initially rejected the first mix but re-recorded the chorus in the hallway outside the studio to capture an expansive echo.
A. “Merry Xmas Everybody” (3:26)
B. “Don’t Blame Me” (2:40)
Polydor released the single on December 7, 1973, with 250,000 pre-orders and daily restocks from German and US pressing plants to meet demand. It entered the UK chart at No. 1 on December 15 and held the top spot through mid-January 1974, becoming Slade’s sixth and final UK chart-topper. It outsold Wizzard’s competing Christmas track and reached the top five in Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, and West Germany. “Don’t Blame Me,” chosen by the Polydor offices without the band’s input, was a leftover track later added to Old New Borrowed and Blue. Despite no promotional video being filmed, the band performed the song live on several UK Christmas television specials, including Top of the Pops and The Les Dawson Christmas Show.
Old New Borrowed and Blue
Slade released their fourth studio album, Old New Borrowed and Blue, on February 15, 1974, on Polydor and Warner Bros.
The album expands the band’s sonic scope with a mixture of piano-led ballads and glam-styled hard rockers. Jim Lea plays a central instrumental role, switching between piano, bass, and violin while co-developing arrangements with guitarist Dave Hill, whose trebly phrasing cuts across quiet-loud structures. Their interplay sharpens on the more subdued tracks, where Powell reins in his drumming to accommodate sudden vocal bursts and dynamic tension.
The album emerged in the aftermath of drummer Don Powell’s near-fatal car crash on July 4, 1973. He returned to the studio still walking with assistance and had to be lifted onto his drum stool during the early sessions. Jim Lea developed the melody for “My Friend Stan” at home and initially played it for himself, but Chandler persuaded him to complete the track after hearing it played on piano. The song became one of the first recorded following Powell’s recovery. Lea also composed the tune that became “Everyday” as a piano piece for his wife Louise, later adding lyrics with Holder. “Miles Out to Sea” and “When the Lights Are Out” continue this softer direction, the latter featuring Lea on lead vocals for the first time on a Slade record. “Just Want a Little Bit” adapts a 1959 number by Rosco Gordon, previously recorded by both Them and The Animals.
A1. “Just Want a Little Bit” (3:58) – originated as a 1959 R&B hit by Memphis blues pianist Rosco Gordon, first credited to fellow blues pianist Jimmy McCracklin (disputed) and covered during the 1960s by Jerry Butler, Dave Berry, Them, Roy Head, The Mindbenders, Etta James, and Little Milton.
A2. “When the Lights Are Out” (3:05)
A3. “My Town” (3:04)
A4. “Find Yourself a Rainbow” (2:09)
A5. “Miles Out to Sea” (3:48)
A6. “We’re Really Gonna Raise the Roof” (3:06)
B1. “Do We Still Do It” (3:03)
B2. “How Can It Be” (3:00)
B3. “Don’t Blame Me” (2:32)
B4. “My Friend Stan” (2:40)
B5. “Everyday” (3:11)
B6. “Good Time Gals” (3:30)
Sessions took place at Olympic Sound Studios with Chas Chandler producing. Lea recorded multiple piano-based numbers in lieu of bass while Powell remained under recovery. Hill plays his custom-built Superyob guitar throughout.
“My Friend Stan” appeared five months before the album with “My Town.”
“Everyday” followed on March 29, 1974, backed with the non-album cut “Good Time Gals.” Lea conceived the piano line and Holder completed the lyric with minimal edits. Though originally unplanned as a single, the band issued it after Chandler and Powell praised its strength. Hill initially expressed doubt due to its gentle tone but later cited it as one of his favorites. “Everyday” reached No. 3 in the UK and became their fourth Irish No. 1.
Old New Borrowed and Blue entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 1 and reaffirmed Slade’s domestic dominance during the peak of their glam period.
“The Bangin’ Man”
On June 28, 1974, Slade released the stand-alone single “The Bangin’ Man” on Polydor. Jim Lea threads tensile bass patterns between Dave Hill’s overdriven lead figures, while their vocal interplay carries the verse pivots and staggered shout lines. Lea’s low-end flourishes offset Hill’s clipped leads across the chorus modulations, with sharp entries from both framing Holder’s rising phrases.
The band wrote and arranged the song while touring Australia. During this period, tour manager Graham “Swinn” Swinnerton handled wake-up duties at each stop, and the lyrics draw on this daily routine of abrupt hotel departures and overnight travel. The song reflects the constant motion of their peak touring years and was tracked quickly upon their return.
“The Bangin’ Man” marked a deliberate return to hard-charging riff structures after the piano-led balladry of “Everyday.” Its B-side, “She Did It to Me,” remained exclusive to the single until its inclusion on B-Sides (2007). Warner included “The Bangin’ Man” on the US version of Slade in Flame the following year.
A. “The Bangin’ Man” (4:10) – Holder, Lea
B. “She Did It to Me” (3:16) – Holder, Lea
Slade recorded both sides at Olympic Studios with Chas Chandler producing. The band promoted “The Bangin’ Man” with televised appearances on Supersonic (UK), Disco (Germany), and TopPop (Netherlands). A planned Top of the Pops performance was cancelled due to a BBC strike.
“The Bangin’ Man” peaked at No. 3 in the UK and Ireland, No. 4 in Norway, and reached the Top 10 in West Germany. It charted at No. 11 in New Zealand and placed inside the Top 20 in Belgium and the Netherlands. The BPI awarded it a Silver disc for UK sales exceeding 250,000 copies.
Slade in Flame
Slade released their fifth studio album, the soundtrack to Slade in Flame, on November 29, 1974, on Polydor and Warner.
The album stages textured interplay between organist–bassist Jim Lea and lead guitarist Dave Hill, whose alternating prominence drives the structural shifts from scene-specific setups to broader thematic lifts. Several tracks also incorporate brass, including trumpet (Eddie Quansah, Ron Carthy), trombone (Malcolm Griffiths), and saxophones (Bud Beadle, Mick Eve, Chris Mercer), notably on “Standin’ on the Corner.”
The project began after manager Chas Chandler proposed a feature film as the band’s next creative move. The first-written song, “Far Far Away,” originated from a demo titled “Letting Loose Around the World,” conceived by Holder during a Memphis stop on their recent US tour, Lea expanded the piece with a newly composed chorus, aiming for a light barrelhouse feel. Though Chandler opted for a more conventional structure, the result retained its reflective tone and lyrical travelogue, referencing stateside imagery and distant dislocation.
Thematically, Slade in Flame follows the formation, rise, and dissolution of a fictitious 1960s group. Drawing on real music business incidents, the script by Andrew Birkin and Dave Humphries took shape as a cautionary industry tale. Holder and Lea composed new material to match the setting, aiming for a 1966 period feel.
A1. “How Does It Feel” (5:54)
A2. “Them Kinda Monkeys Can’t Swing” (3:27)
A3. “So Far So Good” (3:02)
A4. “Summer Song (Wishing You Were Here)” (3:36)
A5. “O.K. Yesterday Was Yesterday” (3:58)
B1. “Far Far Away” (3:37)
B2. “This Girl” (3:32)
B3. “Lay It Down” (4:08)
B4. “Heaven Knows” (3:55)
B5. “Standin’ on the Corner” (4:54)
Slade recorded the album with engineer Alan O’Duffey. Brass and woodwind arrangements were scored and played by a small section that included Mick Eve and Steve Gregory (tenor saxophone), Bud Beadle and Chris Mercer (baritone saxophone), and Malcolm Griffiths (trombone). Photography was handled by Gered Mankowitz, with packaging designed by Wadewood Associates.
“Far Far Away” first appeared seven weeks ahead October 11, 1974, backed with “O.K. Yesterday Was Yesterday.” The promo video—shot during the Flame film sessions—features the band in character outfits miming to the track. They also mimed the single on Disco (Germany) and TopPop (Netherlands). Released on 7″ by Polydor in the UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the Philippines, the single reached No. 2 in the UK, Ireland, and Wallonia, and No. 1 in Norway. It also reached the Top 10 in West Germany and charted across Benelux and Finland.
On February 7, 1975, Polydor issued “How Does It Feel” as the album’s second single. Holder originated the verse progression on piano, and Lea developed the string lines and final chorus. The track opens both the album and the film. Despite its ballad format and slower pacing, it reached No. 15 on the UK Singles Chart. The B-side, “So Far So Good,” later appeared on Mike Bruce’s 1975 solo album In My Own Way. The single marked the band’s final release before their chart presence began to decline amid changing audience expectations.
Polydor originally scheduled the record for November 22, but production delays postponed its shipment by one week. Based on advance orders, the album received a UK Gold Disc prior to release and ultimately peaked at No. 6 on the UK Albums Chart.
In the accompanying movie Slade in Flame, Slade portray the fictional 1960s group Flame, whose swift rise from rival local bands to national fame is derailed by internal divisions, manipulative management, and escalating violence. Stoker (Noddy Holder) joins forces with Paul (Jim Lea), Barry (Dave Hill), and Charlie (Don Powell) after a chance encounter, and their new band is quickly swept into the hands of two competing agents: the volatile Ron Harding and the smooth-talking Robert Seymour. As the band’s profile grows through media stunts and touring, unresolved conflicts and outside interference fracture their unity. With Flame on the verge of collapse, their ex-agent resorts to intimidation and retribution, resulting in injuries, threats, and personal fallout. The film ends with the band’s dissolution at the height of their popularity, underscoring the toll of the music industry’s machinery and the cost of ambition.
“Thanks for the Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam)”
On May 9, 1975, Slade released the standalone single “Thanks for the Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam)” on Polydor. The song returns to the band’s dense rock format with new emphasis on keyboards, arranged and played by bassist Jim Lea after Slade failed to find a session player who could match the band’s desired attack. Guitarist Dave Hill cuts between Lea’s keyboard lines with sharpened lead breaks and harmonic fills, while Don Powell grounds the track in percussive stomps and staggered transitions.
A. “Thanks for the Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam)” (4:30) – Holder, Lea
B. “Raining In My Champagne” (4:12) – Holder, Lea
Chas Chandler produced the session. A promo film was directed by either Gavrik Lasey or Richard Loncraine, featuring Holder in a polka-dotted jacket and Hill in black studded leathers. Slade promoted the song with UK appearances on Top of the Pops and Shang-a-Lang. The B-side, “Raining In My Champagne,” remained exclusive to the single until its 2007 reissue. This release marked Slade’s final Top 10 hit until 1981.
“Thanks for the Memory” marked Slade’s first new release after Slade in Flame. Holder and Lea wrote the song during a regrouping period, as the band sought to pivot from the mixed reception of the film’s downbeat tone. Early copies sold 200,000 units within two weeks. John Bonham later told Lea he wished he had played on it. The track features an organ-driven chorus developed by Lea, who also played the bass part. A flexi-disc pairing “Far Far Away” and “Thanks for the Memory” circulated later in 1975 via Smiths Crisps’ Chart Busters series. The single reached No. 7 on the UK chart, peaking at No. 3 in Ireland and No. 5 in Norway, with further Top 20 placements across Western Europe and Finland.
Nobody’s Fools
Slade released their sixth studio album, Nobody’s Fools, on March 5, 1976, on Polydor and Warner.
The album expands Slade’s sonic palette with American soul and pop elements, diverging from the raw, anthemic hard rock of their early 1970s peak. Jim Lea integrates piano, accordion, and varied textural parts, while guitarist Dave Hill stretches his solo phrasing across a range of styles, including Dobro on “Pack Up Your Troubles.” Backing vocals by Tasha Thomas and other soul singers mark the band’s first use of female voices, particularly evident on tracks like “Nobody’s Fool.”
Musically, Nobody’s Fools opens in a subdued, layered register and pivots between sharply contrasting modes. “Do the Dirty” drives forward with clipped rhythm guitar, shout-backed refrains, and a tight interjection of funk-inflected phrasing. “Let’s Call It Quits” moves on a mid-tempo shuffle with stop-start chords and a drawn vocal drag that folds into a slow descent. “In for a Penny” places accordion over a staggered rhythm frame and stretches the guitar solo across an extended center break.
“Get on Up” anchors side two with a stabbing, downward-set riff that clears space for one of Hill’s most aggressive leads, while “Pack Up Your Troubles” drops into acoustic picking and slide runs with a slow, swinging pace. “I’m a Talker” lifts the tempo with a loose strum and singalong phrasing, while “All the World Is a Stage” pulls into a theatrical final stretch, layering sustained keyboard swells under mock laughter and echo effects. Throughout, Tasha Thomas adds layered backing phrases in strategic spots, lending contour to Holder’s clipped shout phrasing and filling the midrange in chorus sections. The band stretches stylistically without softening its rhythmic backbone, toggling between accented propulsion and more restrained, syncopated forms.
A1. “Nobody’s Fool” (4:40)
A2. “Do the Dirty” (4:42)
A3. “Let’s Call It Quits” (3:30)
A4. “Pack Up Your Troubles” (3:25)
A5. “In for a Penny” (3:35)
B1. “Get on Up” (3:26)
B2. “L.A. Jinx” (3:58)
B3. “Did Ya Mama Ever Tell Ya” (3:06)
B4. “Scratch My Back” (3:06)
B5. “I’m a Talker” (3:18)
B6. “All the World Is a Stage” (3:57)
Slade recorded the album over six weeks at the Record Plant in New York in mid-1975. In an effort to revitalize their creative energy and pursue a US breakthrough, the band had relocated to the States, where they toured alongside Aerosmith, ZZ Top, and Black Sabbath. Chas Chandler produced the album with engineers Corky Stasiak, Denis Ferranti, Gabby Gabriel, and Gess Young. Both Holder and Lea cited the soul atmosphere of New York and their time away from the UK as inspirational to the writing process.
“In for a Penny” appeared first as a single on November 14, 1975, reaching No. 11 in the UK and spending eight weeks in the Top 50. It stands out for its use of accordion and includes Hill’s longest guitar solo on a Slade single. Holder interjects with the spoken line “Gee, they got a band,” referencing a British TV advert. The band promoted the song with appearances on Top of the Pops and Supersonic. Despite solid airplay, UK fans were divided, expecting a heavier sound upon the band’s return from the US.
B. “Can You Just Imagine” (3:31)
“Let’s Call It Quits” followed on January 30, 1976, and also peaked at No. 11 in the UK. Built around a bluesy, mid-tempo framework, the song became embroiled in a plagiarism dispute with Allen Toussaint over similarities to his 1973 song “Brickyard Blues.” Slade surrendered half the royalties after the two parties settled out of court.
Slade filmed a promotional video featuring mirrored backdrops and also performed the track on Supersonic and Jim’ll Fix It. “Let’s Call It Quits” marked their final UK Top 20 appearance until 1981.
B. “When the Chips Are Down” (4:16)
“Nobody’s Fool,” released on April 9, 1976, broke the band’s run of 17 consecutive UK hit singles, charting only on the Star Breakers list at No. 3. Jim Lea initially envisioned it as a 20-minute suite but pared it down for accessibility. The track features rich female backing vocals and a polished piano-guitar arrangement. A video was filmed at St. John’s Wood Studios by Bruce Gowers, though it aired only once. Despite strong internal support from the band and positive reviews in local UK papers, the single failed to reestablish their chart presence.
Nobody’s Fools peaked at No. 14 on both the UK and Swedish album charts and remains Slade’s final charting UK album until the 1980 Slade Smashes! compilation. The two non-album b-sides remained exclusive to their respective singles until the 2006 quadruple-CD The Slade Box.
Whatever Happened to Slade?
Slade released their seventh studio album, Whatever Happened to Slade?, on March 21, 1977, on Barn Records.
The album marked a return to hard-driving rock, driven by dense guitar layering and tight interplay between lead guitarist Dave Hill and bassist Jim Lea, whose arrangements foreground thick riff passages and sharply punctuated breaks. Hill handles all guitar work, building on motifs Lea developed in response to the heavy American bands they toured alongside, such as ZZ Top and the Allman Brothers.
Whatever Happened to Slade? opens with two of the band’s sharpest tracks—“Be” drops in with a pounding downstroke rhythm, a vocal pattern that snaps like rapid-fire speech, and a low-end churn that tightens as it escalates. “Lightning Never Strikes Twice” pushes the pulse higher with clipped phrasing and a midsection that spirals into a sensory free-fall before slamming shut. “Dogs of Vengeance” moves slower but hits harder, its lurching central riff collapsing into a heavy, downward pull between verses.
“Dead Men Tell No Tales” drags its beat with deliberate weight, while “When Fantasy Calls” stretches the chord changes and lets the guitar lines stagger into half-muted turns. “One Eyed Jacks with Moustaches” stays closer to the band’s early style, but with rougher textures and less bounce. Across the album, Jim Lea’s arrangements run tight and compact, with Dave Hill’s guitar parts thickened into hammering motifs rather than flourishes. Holder leans into the aggression with clipped vowels and barked couplets, pushing the sound into its most physical form.
A1. “Be” (3:59)
A2. “Lightning Never Strikes Twice” (3:08)
A3. “Gypsy Roadhog” (3:23) – tells the story of a cocaine trafficker and reflects the band’s American experiences.
A4. “Dogs of Vengeance” (2:48) – lurching, thunderous riff (in D minor), cuts to a plunging drop-beat refrain. The lyrics depict a relentless pursuit by metaphorical “dogs of vengeance,” casting the narrator as both predator and host, luring innocent souls into a trap of theatrical torment. The imagery blends menace with mock pageantry, framing vengeance as both spectacle and inevitability. “Mark well the trickery dogs that don’t howl” — This warns of silent threats that strike without warning, emphasizing stealth over spectacle in the hunt.
A5. “When Fantasy Calls” (3:23)
A6. “One Eyed Jacks With Moustaches” (3:20)
B1. “Big Apple Blues” (4:38)
B2. “Dead Men Tell No Tales” (3:38)
B3. “She’s Got the Lot” (4:34)
B4. “It Ain’t Love But It Ain’t Bad” (3:09)
B5. “The Soul, the Roll and the Motion” (4:36)
Slade began work on the album in late 1976, shortly after returning from two years of touring across the US. Chas Chandler produced the sessions with Paul Hardiman engineering. Chandler lifted the album title from a graffiti tag he spotted on a London bridge. The band framed the record as a raw pushback against the moment’s trends, shaped by the guitar-led swagger they encountered in American acts. Hill handled all guitar parts, locking into pre-written breaks and riff sequences from Lea, while Holder and Powell drove the sound with renewed force.
“Gypsy Roadhog” appeared as the album’s sole single on January 21, 1977, backed with the non-album cut “Forest Full of Needles.” Slade promoted the song with performances on Top of the Pops, Supersonic, and Blue Peter, but the latter appearance triggered backlash due to the song’s drug references, even after the band softened the lyrics for broadcast. The BBC pulled the track from Radio 1 rotation, and the single stalled at No. 48 in the UK, ending its chart run after two weeks. Holder later described the song as anti-drug and regretted the misinterpretation. The B-side, “Forest Full of Needles,” remained exclusive to the single until its inclusion in the 2007 remaster bonus section.
B. “Forest Full of Needles” (3:30)
The front cover of Whatever Happened to Slade shows the band members standing beneath a brick wall lined with oversized black-and-white portrait posters of their younger selves. Each member poses alone in front of their own image, separated by gaps, under the shadow of a pipe and the stark album title above. A small street sign reads “ROCK STREET N.4,” anchoring the image in urban grit and underscoring the record’s back-to-basics intent.
“Burning in the Heat of Love”
On April 15, 1977, Slade released “Burning in the Heat of Love” as a standalone single on Barn Records.
The song charges forward on a rigid riff foundation and blunt rhythmic breaks, with Dave Hill’s guitar pressing angular lead lines against Jim Lea’s punctuated bass accents. Both lock into staggered bursts around Holder’s snarled phrasing, delivering a concentrated arrangement with no ornamental shifts.
A. “Burning in the Heat of Love” (3:50)
B. “Ready Steady Kids” (3:57)
Slade recorded the A-side on March 17, 1977, and mixed it the next day, just weeks after issuing their seventh album Whatever Happened to Slade?. They cut the B-side “Ready Steady Kids” at Advision Studios on January 26 and 27. Chas Chandler handled production, keeping the arrangement dry and unpolished. The band tracked both songs as part of an ongoing response to the tightening punk climate in the UK, doubling down on sharp dynamics and stripped-back forms.
Neither track charted in the UK, but both underline the band’s mid-1977 pivot toward leaner structures. Holder and Lea later reprised the title track as producers for Girlschool’s 1984 cover version, retitled “Burning in the Heat” and issued as a single from their Play Dirty album.
“My Baby Left Me/That’s Alright Mama”
On October 14, 1977, Slade released the non-album single “My Baby Left Me/That’s Alright Mama” on Barn Records.
The track merges two Arthur Crudup compositions into a compact, double-barrelled rocker. Jim Lea takes over guitar duties in place of Dave Hill, threading clipped riffs and rolling stabs around a tightly wound rhythm line, while Holder pushes the vocals with forceful phrasing over the compressed twelve-bar frame.
A1. “My Baby Left Me/That’s Alright Mama” (2:24)
B1. “O.H.M.S.” (3:00)
Slade recorded the A-side in August 1977 at Advision Studios, days after Elvis Presley’s death. The band tracked the medley as a tribute, opting for a taut, stripped-back arrangement with Lea on lead guitar due to Hill’s press commitments in northern England. Chandler produced the session with a direct, live-off-the-floor approach that suited the band’s renewed focus on hard-edged forms.
They backed the single with “O.H.M.S.,” a mid-tempo cut written by Holder and Lea, referencing UK tax exile laws and the economic strain faced by British musicians. A promotional video followed, along with televised performances on Top of the Pops, Disco, and Rund. The single entered the UK Top 40 and peaked at No. 32, marking the band’s first chart placement since 1976 and their last until 1981.
“Give Us a Goal”
On February 24, 1978, Slade released “Give Us a Goal” as a non-album single on Barn Records.
The track centers around a taut central riff with Dave Hill driving sharp, syncopated leads over Jim Lea’s tightly coiled bassline. Both lock into clipped instrumental accents while Holder pushes the chant-based vocal lines with pointed phrasing. Their lines alternate and overlap with firm precision, keeping the energy tightly focused.
A. “Give Us a Goal” (2:49)
B. “Daddio” (2:30)
Slade recorded the single in January and February 1978 at Advision Studios in London. Lea initially composed the music as a general hard rock number, but Holder suggested a football theme to reflect the band’s strong support base among football fans. The group supported Wolverhampton Wanderers, but shot the promotional video at Brighton & Hove Albion’s Goldstone Ground. The shoot took place over two days during freezing weather; the first day included footage of the band scrimmaging with Brighton players, while the second day featured staged performance clips before a largely hostile crowd. Don Powell eventually scored a goal after repeated failed attempts, satisfying the director’s demand for an authentic football moment.
They promoted the single with appearances on Get It Together and Cheggers Plays Pop, plus magazine features, song sheets, and giveaway whistles. “Give Us a Goal” charted modestly in the Record Business and Gallup charts.
Slade Alive Vol. Two
In October 1978, Slade released their second live album Slade Alive Vol. Two.
The album captures the band in raw, unfiltered form across two tours—autumn 1976 in the US and spring 1977 in the UK—showcasing their commitment to volume, force, and vocal abrasion. Guitarist Dave Hill and bassist Jim Lea engage in tight instrumental framing, with Hill bolting down leads in short, pointed jabs and Lea reinforcing structure with clipped harmonic punctuation and backing shouts that double Holder’s phrasing. Hill also throws in angular solo breaks on songs like “Be” and “Gudbuy T’Jane,” reacting against shifting tempos while Holder barrels through with defiant staccato chants.
A1. “Get on Up” (6:01) – from Nobody’s Fools (March 1976)
A2. “Take Me Bak ’Ome” (4:19) – from Slayed? (Nov. 1972); UK No. 1 single, May 1972
A3. “My Baby Left Me” (2:41) – Arthur Crudup cover; originally issued as UK a-side, May 1977
A4. “Be” (3:50) – from Whatever Happened to Slade (March 1977)
A5. “Mama Weer All Crazee Now” (3:58) – from Slayed? (Nov. 1972); UK No. 1 single, Aug. 1972
B1. “Burning in the Heat of Love” (3:45) – originally issued as UK a-side, April 1977
B2. “Everyday” (3:35) – from Old New Borrowed and Blue (March 1974); UK No. 3 single, March 1974
B3. “Gudbuy T’Jane” (4:58) – from Slayed? (Nov. 1972); UK No. 2 single, Nov. 1972
B4. “One Eyed Jacks with Moustaches” (3:24) – from Whatever Happened to Slade (March 1977)
B5. “Cum On Feel the Noize” (4:20) – from Sladest (Sept. 1973); UK No. 1 single, March 1973
Chas Chandler produced the album and worked with engineer Alan Goldberg to assemble clean, high-volume transfers from the original board tapes. The band sequenced the album to build momentum across each side, beginning with the heavy stomp of “Get on Up” and cresting with full-audience callouts on “Cum On Feel the Noize.”
“Rock ‘n’ Roll Bolero”
On October 13, 1978, Slade released Rock ’n’ Roll Bolero as a non-album single on Barn Records.
The track revolves around Jim Lea’s return to electric violin, his lines weaving sustained, spiraling accents between Dave Hill’s clipped lead phrases. Both build off a rigid rhythmic base with minimal overlay, letting the violin carry tonal contrast while the guitar stays tightly blocked beneath Noddy Holder’s squared vocal delivery.
A. “Rock ’n’ Roll Bolero” (4:04)
B. “It’s Alright Buy Me” (3:20)
Slade recorded the A-side across three days at Portland Studios in early July 1978, following an initial version cut in late June under the working title “I’ve Been Rejected.” They produced the final track themselves—breaking from their nine-year run with Chas Chandler—after Holder and Lea agreed it was time to reset their sound and approach. Lea brought the violin back into the foreground for the first time since “Coz I Luv You,” framing the song around a loping, bolero-styled figure that plays off the song’s syncopated snare and tom pattern.
“It’s Alright Buy Me,” produced by Chandler and used as the B-side, relies more on straight guitar-bass punch and wound up drawing praise in later fan press.
Return to Base
Slade released their eighth studio album, Return to Base, on October 1979 on Barn.
The album continues the stripped-back hard rock style introduced on Whatever Happened to Slade, with tighter arrangements and reduced studio embellishments. Dave Hill threads clipped, distorted leads across each track, often doubling or sparring with Jim Lea, who shifts between bass, piano, and synthesizer, providing harmonic counterpoint and angular fills. Holder and Lea co-wrote everything apart from a single Chuck Berry cover, with compositions based on narrative episodes and character vignettes.
“Wheels Ain’t Coming Down” recounts a near-fatal flight over Los Angeles involving Holder and Lea. “Sign of the Times,” later quoted in the album title, reflects on technological shifts and late-century anxiety. “Don’t Waste Your Time (Back Seat Star)” takes on acoustic textures with surrealist lyrics. “I’m Mad” and “Lemme Love into Ya” explore dream-state and minor-key moods, respectively, with the latter later reworked by Lea as “Poland.” The Chuck Berry number “I’m a Rocker” entered the set as a stage jam and was taped in a single take. “Ginny, Ginny,” the final track, first emerged live as “Ginny Come and Get It While You Can,” and reappeared in demo form on Lea’s Dummies project as “Jeanie, Jeanie.”
A1. “Wheels Ain’t Coming Down” (3:40)
A2. “Hold on to Your Hats” (2:32)
A3. “Chakeeta” (2:26)
A4. “Don’t Waste Your Time (Back Seat Star)” (3:28)
A5. “Sign of the Times” (3:57)
B1. “I’m a Rocker” (2:46)
B2. “Nuts Bolts and Screws” (2:30)
B3. “My Baby’s Got It” (2:34)
B4. “I’m Mad” (2:46)
B5. “Lemme Love into Ya” (3:26)
B6. “Ginny, Ginny” (3:38)
Sessions took place at Portland Studios over six weeks in 1979, with engineering by Andy Miller and assistance from Dave Garland and Mark O’Donoughue. Slade handled production independently for the first time, rotating duties among the members. The title references a line from “Sign of the Times” and also coincided with the band’s regrouping in Wolverhampton. The stark red cover with computer-type lettering was chosen to reflect the stripped-back theme.
“Ginny, Ginny” appeared first on May 25, 1979, backed with “Dizzy Mama” and issued on yellow vinyl. Though it failed to chart, it briefly surfaced in the UK’s extended Top 200. Lea considered the song a strong contender and later cut a version for The Dummies with his brother Frank.
B. “Dizzy Mama”
“Sign of the Times” followed in October but was withdrawn after a week due to lack of airplay. Its B-side, “Not Tonight Josephine,” reappeared two years later as the flip of “Wheels Ain’t Coming Down.”
B. “Not Tonight Josephine”
“I’m a Rocker” was issued as a single in Belgium in March 1980 and reached No. 1. The band’s impromptu video performance at Portland Studios received national airplay, and the album climbed to No. 1 on Belgium’s Telemoustique and Impedance charts. Warner Bros. subsequently released Return to Base domestically in Belgium.
Return to Base was not issued on CD in the UK and remains the only Slade studio album omitted from the 2007 Feel the Noize reissue campaign. Songs not carried over to We’ll Bring the House Down were included as bonus tracks on that album’s 2007 remaster.
We’ll Bring the House Down
Slade released their ninth studio album, We’ll Bring the House Down, on March 13, 1981, on Cheapskate Records.
Issued in the wake of their surprise 1980 Reading Festival triumph, the album pairs newly recorded material with select cuts from Return to Base and the Six of the Best EP. Dave Hill rips across the uptempo tracks with slicing, overdriven leads, often trading sharp-edged motifs with Jim Lea’s compact bass runs and electric piano accents. The sequencing favors the band’s live set of the time, with a lean runtime shaped to sustain their revived intensity.
“We’ll Bring the House Down” originated from a post-show chant by the crowd, which Lea developed into a full song after hearing its potential backstage. The finished version was tracked in two days in January 1981 at Portland Studios, with additional percussion recorded in the studio’s restroom to enhance the booming ambiance. “Night Starvation” and “When I’m Dancin’ I Ain’t Fightin’” were lifted from Six of the Best, the latter representing a key turning point in their set. “Dizzy Mamma,” originally a 1979 B-side, was remixed for inclusion, as was “Nuts Bolts and Screws.” “Lemme Love into Ya,” previously voted a fan favorite, had also been reworked by Lea into the solo single “Poland.” “My Baby’s Got It,” produced by Chas Chandler, stands as the only track not produced by the band.
A1. “We’ll Bring the House Down” (3:32)
A2. “Night Starvation” (3:05)
A3. “Wheels Ain’t Coming Down” (3:37)
A4. “Hold on to Your Hats” (2:33)
A5. “When I’m Dancin’ I Ain’t Fightin’” (3:09)
B1. “Dizzy Mamma” (3:37)
B2. “Nuts Bolts and Screws” (2:29)
B3. “My Baby’s Got It” (2:35)
B4. “Lemme Love into Ya” (3:26)
B5. “I’m a Rocker” (2:42)
Sessions took place across 1979–81, with most material recorded at Portland Studios. Andy Miller engineered the bulk of the tracks, with assistance from Dave Garland and Mark O’Donoughue. Chandler produced “My Baby’s Got It” and oversaw the sleeve design, which introduced a new Slade logo and a cover image symbolizing their four-member lineup. The album combines older recordings with newly completed songs to reflect their current live set.
The title track, “We’ll Bring the House Down,” appeared as the lead single on January 23, 1981. Inspired by a post-show crowd chant, the band quickly developed and recorded the track, which reached No. 10 in the UK and remained in the chart for nine weeks. A performance video was filmed at Ipswich Gaumont and aired on multiple platforms, including Top of the Pops and Musikladen. The chant became a hallmark of their revived act.
“Wheels Ain’t Coming Down,” first released on Return to Base, reappeared here as the follow-up single on March 27, 1981. Its lyrics recount a flight scare experienced by Holder and Lea en route to a Los Angeles radio appearance. The single peaked at No. 60 and featured “Not Tonight Josephine” as its B-side.
We’ll Bring the House Down entered the UK chart at No. 25 and helped reestablish Slade’s presence in larger venues. It marked their first studio album to chart since 1976 and served as a successful bridge between their comeback performance and the next phase of their career.
Till Deaf Do Us Part
Slade released their tenth studio album, Till Deaf Do Us Part, on November 13, 1981, on RCA.
The album builds on the hard-edged sound of their post-Reading resurgence, focusing on overdriven riffs and heavier studio presence. Jim Lea layers bass with thick organ voicings, while Dave Hill sharpens his phrasing into alternating bursts and sustained lines, often locking into tandem arrangements. Several songs originated from spontaneous riffs or older sketches reworked with added structure and vocal lines. The band self-managed production throughout, following their split from long-time manager Chas Chandler.
“Ruby Red,” initially written and tracked in 1978, was shelved for years until Holder and Lea reshaped it with new riffs during the Till Deaf sessions. “She Brings Out the Devil in Me” evolved from a soundcheck jam, while “M’Hat, M’Coat” emerged from a solo motif by Hill that was fleshed out on the spot in the studio. Holder explained the album’s concept as volume-driven, centered around relentless, full-electric arrangements without acoustic contrasts. “Rock and Roll Preacher” soon became the band’s default set opener.
A1. “Rock and Roll Preacher (Hallelujah I’m on Fire)” (5:45)
A2. “Lock Up Your Daughters” (3:27)
A3. “Till Deaf Do Us Part” (3:29)
A4. “Ruby Red” (2:53)
A5. “She Brings Out the Devil in Me” (3:27)
B1. “A Night to Remember” (3:54)
B2. “M’Hat, M’Coat” (1:42)
B3. “It’s Your Body Not Your Mind” (3:04)
B4. “Let the Rock Roll Out of Control” (4:00)
B5. “That Was No Lady That Was My Wife” (2:35)
B6. “Knuckle Sandwich Nancy” (3:14)
B7. “Till Deaf Resurrected” (1:05)
Recording took place at Portland Studios with Andy Miller as engineer. The band handled production directly for the first time without oversight from Chandler, whose role ended after disagreements over single choices earlier in the year. RCA issued the album with a major-label push, accompanied by a revised group photo for later CD reissues in the 1990s.
“Knuckle Sandwich Nancy” appeared first on May 15, 1981, through Cheapskate with RCA distribution. Though released in the wake of the band’s Reading revival, it failed to chart, peaking only at No. 101 on the Record Business list. The band pushed for its release despite resistance from Chandler and RCA. After the single’s underperformance and chaotic rollout, the band ended their twelve-year relationship with Chandler and assumed full management duties.
“Lock Up Your Daughters” followed on September 4, 1981, as the first RCA-issued single. It peaked at No. 29 in the UK and became a regular part of the band’s live set. A promo video was shot at Portland Studios and aired on Top of the Pops and TopPop. Despite scheduling clashes with major ITV films, the single held in the Top 75 for eight weeks.
“Ruby Red” appeared on March 12, 1982 (b/w “Funk Punk and Junk”). The initial 20,000 UK copies were issued in gatefold sleeves with a bonus single of live cuts from Newcastle City Hall, later used on Slade on Stage. The single peaked at No. 51 and remained in the Top 75 for three weeks.
“Rock and Roll Preacher (Hallelujah I’m on Fire)” followed in April 1982 as a German-only single. It reached No. 49 and was shortened from its original album length for the 7″ version. The band promoted the track on Musikladen, and it remained their default show opener for years, appearing first on Slade on Stage later that year.
The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome
Slade released their eleventh studio album, The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome, on December 3, 1983, on RCA.
The album marks the culmination of Slade’s early-1980s comeback, driven by an emphasis on wide dynamics and anthem-scaled arrangements. Dave Hill weaves soaring sustain passages and palm-muted runs into Jim Lea’s layered mix of piano, organ, and multi-tracked bass. Holder coined the title The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome after reading a motorsport article about Barry Sheene.
Kamikaze Syndrome opens with a string of high-velocity rockers that frame the album’s harder edge. “Slam the Hammer Down” launches with clipped guitar jabs and staccato organ, shifting into a gear-grinding chorus while Holder’s vocal rides above sustained chords. “Cocky Rock Boys (Rule O.K.)” and “Cheap ’n’ Nasty Luv” follow in the same vein, driven by rigid rhythms and snide phrasing, with Lea’s keyboards adding contour beneath Hill’s compact riffs.
“Run Runaway” pulls away from this format with a layered violin figure and regimented tom patterns that imitate a pipe-band cadence, building tension through delay-treated vocals and harmonic lift. “High and Dry” opens with a trebly guitar phrase that pivots into clipped call-and-response lines, its structure hinging on rapid transitions and vocal refrain. “My Oh My” draws on slow, processional pacing with a rising chord sequence under harmonized vocals and timpani accents. The eight-minute “Ready to Explode” unfolds in segments, alternating instrumental breaks with spoken-word overlays that trace a motor-racing theme from ignition to burnout. “Razzle Dazzle Man” closes with a tightened backbeat that breaks open midway for a final vocal surge, bookending the album’s arc from brute force to theatrical excess.
A1. “Slam the Hammer Down” (3:25)
A2. “In the Doghouse” (2:44)
A3. “Run Runaway” (5:00)
A4. “High and Dry” (3:10)
A5. “My Oh My” (4:12)
A6. “Cocky Rock Boys (Rule O.K.)” (3:27)
B1. “Ready to Explode” (8:38)
B2. “(And Now the Waltz) C’est La Vie” (3:43)
B3. “Cheap ’n’ Nasty Luv” (3:27)
B4. “Razzle Dazzle Man” (4:39)
Sessions took place at Portland and RAK Studios. Jim Lea produced all tracks except “My Oh My” and “Run Runaway,” which were produced by John Punter. Engineers included Andy Miller and Dave Garland for the Lea-produced sessions, and Mike Nocito and Pete Schwier for the Punter tracks. Andy Dummit adds saxophone to “In the Doghouse.” Pete Drummond provides the spoken interludes on “Ready to Explode,” a multi-part suite that draws on Hill’s love of Formula 1 racing. The LP sleeve was designed by Shoot That Tiger! with illustration by Andrew Christian and photography by John Shaw.
Slade issued “(And Now the Waltz) C’est La Vie” as the album’s original lead single on November 12, 1982. Recorded during the initial 1982 sessions and produced by Lea, the song aimed at the Christmas market. Though it peaked at No. 50 in the UK, it fared better in Poland (No. 2) and on Radio Luxembourg. A live version of “Merry Xmas Everybody” appeared on the B-side.
“My Oh My” followed on November 11, 1983, as the album’s second single and marked Slade’s biggest hit of the decade. Lea conceived the melody during a dressing-room tuning session and shaped it around a bagpipe-like drone. RCA commissioned John Punter to produce the track, which reached No. 2 in the UK and topped the charts in Sweden and Norway. It charted at No. 37 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in mid-1984 following CBS’s reissue of the album stateside. A UK 12″ added “Don’t Tame a Hurricane” and the B-side “Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply.” The band promoted the single extensively on UK TV and shot a promotional video for US audiences featuring a stage-on-a-lorry performance at Surrey Docks.
“Run Runaway” appeared on January 27, 1984, as the album’s third UK single and the first CBS-issued US single. Holder described it as “a rocky Scottish jig,” featuring Lea on electric violin. The song reached No. 7 in the UK and became Slade’s biggest US hit, peaking at No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Rock Tracks chart. Its tartan-themed video, filmed at Eastnor Castle by Tim Pope, received heavy MTV rotation and played a major role in the band’s American resurgence.
“Slam the Hammer Down” appeared later in 1984 as a US promo single with two mixes—“Hot” and “Hotter”—remixed by Shep Pettibone. The track opens with Holder shouting from a helicopter and follows a motor-racing double-entendre theme. It was part of the band’s Montreux Festival set that year.
In March 1984, CBS issued Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply as the North American version of the album. It replaced “Cocky Rock Boys” and “Razzle Dazzle Man” with “Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply” and “Can’t Tame a Hurricane.” It reached No. 33 in the US and No. 26 in Canada—Slade’s highest-ever chart placement in either territory. “Run Runaway” and “My Oh My” became their only Top 40 US singles. Plans for a US tour supporting Ozzy Osbourne were derailed when Lea collapsed with hepatitis after the first show. Holder’s concurrent personal issues led to a band decision to withdraw from touring altogether, although studio activity continued.
Rogues Gallery
Slade released their twelfth studio album, Rogues Gallery, on March 29, 1985, on RCA (UK) and CBS (US).
The album blends Slade’s heaviest late-period guitar attack with more structured arrangements aimed at international radio play. Guitarist Dave Hill and keyboardist Jim Lea interlace parts across both rhythm and lead registers, while Lea contributes overdubs on violin and auxiliary guitar throughout.
Slade wrote and recorded the songs over several months following a disrupted 1984, when a brief tour with Ozzy Osbourne got sidelined by Lea’s bout with hepatitis. Around the same time, Noddy Holder’s marriage collapsed, prompting a withdrawal from touring. RCA retained the band after their unexpected US breakthrough with “Run Runaway” and “My Oh My,” prompting work on a follow-up album aimed squarely at extending that success. Most of the album was produced by John Punter, with Lea self-producing three tracks (“Harmony,” “I Win, You Lose,” and “Time to Rock”).
A1. “Hey Ho Wish You Well” (5:18)
A2. “Little Sheila” (3:56)
A3. “Harmony” (3:43)
A4. “Myzsterious Mizster Jones” (3:35)
A5. “Walking on Water, Running on Alcohol” (4:57)
B1. “7 Year Bitch” (4:15)
B2. “I’ll Be There” (4:31)
B3. “I Win, You Lose” (3:31)
B4. “Time to Rock” (4:08)
B5. “All Join Hands” (5:31)
Sessions took place at Angel, Portland, RAK, and Utopia Studios and were mixed at Air Studios and The Workhouse. RCA originally planned to title the album Partners in Crime, and an alternate sleeve was prepared under that name. Before release, the band declined to tour, even after a European itinerary had been prematurely promoted and ticketed. The US version of Rogues Gallery swaps out “All Join Hands” for the earlier UK hit “Lock Up Your Daughters” from Till Deaf Do Us Part.
“All Join Hands” preceded the album in November 1984 and reached No. 15 on the UK Singles Chart. Lea conceived it while walking to a chip shop, writing another anthemic singalong in the vein of “My Oh My.” The video features John Otway as a classical pianist whose recital is interrupted by the band transforming the venue into a rock gig. The clip received strong rotation on Sky Channel and Music Box across Europe. The single charted in the UK, Ireland, and Sweden, and topped the MRIB Heavy Metal chart.
“7 Year Bitch” followed in January 1985. Its title attracted radio resistance, limiting it to a No. 60 peak in the UK. The video, directed by Phillip Davey, includes slapstick pie fight scenes between the band and a group of women. Sky Channel and Music Box gave it high rotation, and it charted in Germany and the UK Heavy Metal chart. A 12″ version includes a live version of “We’ll Bring the House Down.”
“Myzsterious Mizster Jones” appeared in March 1985 as the album’s third single. The lyrics reference a Wolverhampton Hells Angel friend of Holder. The track peaked at No. 50 in the UK. Lea wrote the melody during a pub conversation with his brother. Its video, set during the Prohibition era, depicts the band as moonshine gangsters. It received continental airplay and was issued in extended 12″ form with bonus B-sides “Mama Nature Is a Rocker” and an alternate version of “My Oh My.”
“Little Sheila” became the album’s only US-targeted single in April 1985, issued by CBS in North America. It became a breakout hit on US Album Rock radio, reaching No. 13 on Billboard’s Top Rock Tracks and peaking at No. 86 on the Hot 100. MTV placed the Nick Morris–directed video in breakout rotation. The video adopts a five-act stage play format, subtitled The Tragedy of Little Sheila, with Hill using his vintage “Superyob” guitar, on loan from Marco Pirroni.
Despite mixed feelings from the band—Holder later remarked that something intrinsic to Slade was absent from the production—the album found success in Europe, peaking at No. 5 in Norway, No. 13 in Switzerland, and top 40 in Germany and Sweden. It charted modestly in the UK at No. 60 and placed No. 132 on the US Billboard 200.
Crackers: The Christmas Party Album
On November 18, 1985, Slade released the seasonal disc Crackers: The Christmas Party Album.
Crackers pairs festive novelty tracks with glam-era anthems, balancing studio precision with the spontaneity of a pub singalong. Guitarist Dave Hill and keyboardist Jim Lea alternate leads across covers and reworks, trading ornamental phrases and reinforcing rhythmic figures with joint overdubs.
The project emerged from a proposal by Telstar, who requested a party-themed LP to follow Rogues Gallery. Slade responded with a hybrid set: eight catalog selections, including multiple re-recordings, and eight covers spanning holiday fare and pub-rock standards. The label insisted on including “Do You Believe in Miracles,” then scheduled for single release through RCA, prompting internal disagreement over its timing and positioning. Despite such concerns, the album reached No. 34 in the UK and received a Gold certification before month’s end.
A1. “Let’s Dance” (2:36)
A2. “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” (2:39)
A3. “Hi Ho Silver Lining” (3:24)
A4. “We’ll Bring the House Down” (3:34)
A5. “Cum On Feel the Noize” (2:57)
A6. “All Join Hands” (4:16)
A7. “Okey Cokey” (3:25)
A8. “Merry Xmas Everybody” (3:57)
B1. “Do You Believe in Miracles” (4:12)
B2. “Let’s Have a Party” (1:47)
B3. “Get Down and Get With It” (3:28)
B4. “My Oh My” (4:10)
B5. “Run Runaway” (3:43)
B6. “Here’s To… (The New Year)” (3:10)
B7. “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” (3:38)
B8. “Auld Lang Syne / You’ll Never Walk Alone” (3:28)
Recording took place throughout 1985 with Jim Lea overseeing most sessions and John Punter reprising production duties on select tracks from the prior album. Hill later recalled preferring the Crackers sessions over those for Rogues Gallery, citing a more relaxed atmosphere. Don Powell initially doubted the project’s viability but found the process enjoyable, likening the sessions to a series of loose, live takes. During the “Auld Lang Syne” recording, Hill encountered Oxford Street busker Victor Herman, whose bagpipes were incorporated into the track. In gratitude, the band offered him a cash payment, which he declined by mail. They instead presented him with a Gold Disc at their Christmas party on the day of the album’s release.
“Do You Believe in Miracles” preceded the album on November 22, 1985. Inspired by Bob Geldof’s Live Aid work, the lyrics reflect on Slade’s past interaction with Geldof at a low point in their career and the role of perseverance. Holder conceived the song as a modern folk anthem and dedicated all royalties to the Band Aid Trust and NSPCC. Despite reaching only No. 54 in the UK, it received heavy radio play and consistent rotation across major outlets.
Slade’s “Miracles” promotional video, directed by Phillip Davey, featured three interwoven sequences: Holder and Lea in an attic calculating Halley’s Comet, a band performance in front of a curtain backdrop, and an acoustic set lit by candles. The attic sequence ends with Dave Hill cradling a black cat as the band peers through a telescope. Although Lea expressed dissatisfaction with the mix on broadcast, he remained committed to the track’s message and confirmed that royalties from Crackers and the single continued to accrue for charity years later.
You Boyz Make Big Noize
Slade released their fourteenth and final studio album, You Boyz Make Big Noize, on April 27, 1987, on RCA.
The album unites layered stadium refrains with elaborate studio treatments, alternating between brass-edged bombast and synth-padded textures. Guitarist Dave Hill and keyboardist Jim Lea interlock across dense arrangements, with Lea also contributing additional guitar and bass layers on most tracks.
Slade first hired Roy Thomas Baker, who completed two tracks, but parted ways due to lengthy working methods and costs. John Punter cut two more songs before Lea assumed control of the remaining sessions. Material was demoed by Holder and Lea at home, with four tracks submitted by Hill. One of the final sessions yielded the title track “You Boyz Make Big Noize,” which RCA excluded from the original UK pressing but later issued as a stand-alone single. Its absence was remedied on the US CBS version, which substituted it in place of “Fools Go Crazy.”
A1. “Love Is Like a Rock” (3:40)
A2. “That’s What Friends Are For” (3:16)
A3. “Still the Same” (4:13)
A4. “Fools Go Crazy” (3:16)
A5. “She’s Heavy” (2:35)
A6. “We Won’t Give In” (3:37)
B1. “Won’t You Rock with Me” (3:47)
B2. “Ooh La La in L.A.” (3:52)
B3. “Me and the Boys” (2:48)
B4. “Sing Shout (Knock Yourself Out)” (3:10)
B5. “The Roaring Silence” (2:48)
B6. “It’s Hard Having Fun Nowadays” (3:48)
Recording took place at Wessex, Portland, Redan, and Music Works studios. The title originated when Wessex tea-lady Betty described the group’s volume during one session. Holder and Lea finalized the tracklist after completing the final mix. RCA curtailed support after disappointing early sales. The group released the final singles independently via their Cheapskate label.
“Still the Same” appeared on February 2, 1987, and reached No. 73 in the UK. RCA pushed the single despite internal reservations. Hill likened its trajectory to “My Oh My,” but noted that where the 1983 hit gained momentum from airplay, “Still the Same” was dropped by Radio 1 before traction could build. The song was issued on multiple formats, including a 12″ version and a 21st-anniversary double-pack.
“That’s What Friends Are For” followed on April 27, 1987. Roy Thomas Baker produced the track at Wessex. RCA chose the song over the band’s preferred “Ooh La La in L.A.” Hill described it as a scarf-waver, and the band promoted it with an appearance on The Krankies Elektronik Komik. It peaked at No. 95 in the UK.
“You Boyz Make Big Noize,” the non-album title track, was recorded post-release and issued on July 27, 1987, through Cheapskate. CBS substituted it for “Fools Go Crazy” on the US pressing. The song, featuring a spoken intro from Vicki Brown, fused rap phrasing with Slade’s typical shout-along format. Lea, who played the remix lead guitar, recruited Brown after hearing her voice in the corridor. It reached No. 94 in the UK.
“We Won’t Give In” originated from the Knights & Emeralds film soundtrack and was re-used for You Boyz Make Big Noize. After RCA dropped Slade, they issued it as a Christmas single on Cheapskate with permission from BMG. Lea pushed for the release against internal resistance. It charted at No. 121, making it the lowest-performing UK Slade single since 1981’s “Knuckle Sandwich Nancy.”
You Boyz Make Big Noize charted at No. 98 in the UK and No. 12 in Norway.
Discography:
- Beginnings (1969, Ambrose Slade)
- Play It Loud (1970)
- Slayed? (1972)
- Slade Alive! (live, 1972)
- Old New Borrowed and Blue (1974)
- Slade in Flame (OST, 1974)
- Nobody’s Fools (1976)
- Whatever Happened to Slade? (1977)
- Slade Alive Vol. Two (1978)
- Return to Base (1979)
- We’ll Bring the House Down (1981)
- Till Deaf Do Us Part (1981)
- The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome (1983)
- Rogues Gallery (1985)
- Crackers: The Christmas Party Album (1985)
- You Boyz Make Big Noize (1987)
Sources:
Artist/Album Pages:
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