From Roots To Boots: The Slade Story

The Netherlands 1st July 1971

"This is a pretty much 'must have' bootleg for any real fan of the band. 1971, and SLADE were trotting around Europe promoting themselves, the Skinhead hairstyle had been replaced by smoother locks and the wardrobe had started to evolve from the boots and braces to the primary colours. At this point in their careers have only had the one hit, the breakthrough 'Get Down With It'

July 1st 1971 saw SLADE play a set at a university campus, broadcast by VPRO (The Vrijzinnig Protestantse Radio Omroep or Liberal Protestant Radio Broadcast). The standout track from the short set is without doubt Sweet Box, as this is the only known live recording of the track, the version here lasts over six minutes."
(Dave Graham, Slade In England)

In fact, as an homage to that very track, David Graham of Slade In England has painstakingly made a composite video of what that actual recording may very well have actually looked like? Those eagle - eyed amongst you may very well recognise where the clips came from? My thanks to David for his very kind permission to share this video with readers on this Blog! ;-)

https://youtu.be/ScAYPQk89YA

Well, it's not often that SIE is wrong but, in this case, there was no university campus. The performance was at Dijkgatbos in Wieringerwerf in the Wieringermeer area. It's a rural area on the edge of a forest.

"It was recorded at VPRO's "Piknik" on the 1st of July in 1971 at the Dijkgatbos (Wieringermeer, The Netherlands). As a child, I was there and it was my first acquaintance with Slade long before they got famous.

There were other groups, too, like the Dutch group Brainbox, and Slade was rehearsing on some sort of round platform with a yellow floor, 30 cm high (1ft). The floor was flat and the stage had a roof that was placed on six beautifully painted sticks that were placed in equal distances from each other around the stage. It looked somewhat like a small merry-go-round without any the animals. This is purely from memory, maybe I'm wrong on some details.

The rehearsals were in the afternoon. The actual live TV show was in the evening. It was my mother's birthday and hadn't it been for a fire alarm, my father also would have attended the evening show. The show was broadcast on TV and it is said that I have been on TV for a few moments."
Adri Verhoef: July 2011

The VPRO was established in the Netherlands in 1926 as a religious broadcasting organization. It represented the Liberal Protestant listener but during the 50's and 60's it became more "liberal" than protestant, and although the acronym was kept, its meaning was dropped.

VPRO broadcast the first nude woman on Dutch television in 1967. It is still considered the most 'culturally radical' group on Dutch television.

VPRO often collaborates with other broadcasting organisations such as the WDR, the BBC, and Arte. Like all Dutch public broadcasters the VPRO does not have its own channel.

Nieuwsblad van het Noorden: 20th June 1971

"Like last year (PIK-NIK) sends the VPRO this summer a number of programs from an outside location somewhere in the Netherlands. VPRO Campus tomorrow night live from North Holland. Besides some pop groups, lots of entertainment, Betty Boop and a new film series, also the northern Dutch the word about the function of the water for their region. The English rock band Slade is one of the groups that occur. The four gentlemen of Slade playing together for five years, but especially recently started only good name for themselves in England."

In the photo: the English band Slade.

In 1991, rock band Nirvana played a famous VPRO session that has been released on various bootlegs. As we can see here, they were preceded by Slade many years before. If only somebody had the original footage for a Slade DVD release. Well, at least we have the audio.