Slade's Polydor debut released on the 18th September 1970, a clear two months before the album, Play It Loud, got a release. It was written by Slade and produced by Chas Chandler but the song is a re-recorded version of their debut Fontana single, Genesis, which was recorded as Ambrose Slade. That version was an instrumental piece, self-produced along with Roger Wake, using stormy wind-like sound effects to conjure up a musical maelstrom.
On this version, lyrics replace the sound effects and Noddy Holder's extremely nasally vocal does a very effective job. Also worth a mention are Dave Hill's strange but effective vocal effects on the outro. Despite the powerful and catchy, sing-along chorus the record failed to chart.
On this version, lyrics replace the sound effects and Noddy Holder's extremely nasally vocal does a very effective job. Also worth a mention are Dave Hill's strange but effective vocal effects on the outro. Despite the powerful and catchy, sing-along chorus the record failed to chart.
The B-side is a beautiful 'ode to a horse' featuring some wonderful violin from young James Lea. This melancholy ballad tells the tale of a once impressive horse that has come to the end of it's useful life. The violin melody empathises with the horses fate in a manner that guarantees a lump in the throat of even the burliest of souls. This release would have been one to kill for had the two tracks not been included on the Play It Loud album?
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| Red Vinyl Bootleg Single! |
"SLADE: Know Who You Are (Polydor)
A powerful item from the skinhead group, making it's Polydor debut. The lyric is forcefully delivered, virtually snarled at times. It's a hard-hitting piece of philosophy with a walloping beat, which explodes into a wall of sound in the title hook. Insistent and gripping, but limited in its appeal."
"SLADE: Know Who You Are: Dapple Rose (Polydor 2058 054). Chas Chandler, ex-Animal bassist, states categorically that this group will make it. But then he's said that before. About Jimi Hendrix. Lost momentarily in a skin-head scene, this group is basically most musicianly. This is a strange, staccato sort of production ... lead voice stamping, as in bovver boots, on the lyrics. Stark simplicity behind. The effect is very good indeed. Darned near slayed me - CHART CHANCE."
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