We Are All Crazy (London 1972)

Flashback Worldproductions 09.90.0127

A very popular bootleg across Europe and valued for its excellent soundboard quality. Unfortunately, a wealth of misinformation exists around it.

This set was recorded live by the BBC on 17th August 1972 at the Paris Studios, Lower Regent Street, London. It was hosted by Mike Harding, a popular BBC disc jockey, and was broadcast by BBC's Radio One "In Concert" on the 30th September 1972.

All of this does not change the fact that the production was diabolical. For reasons best known to the man on the mixing desk, the bands instrumentation was split up across the stereo channels. The bands carefully crafted 'wall of noize' has been dissected leaving Slade playing in an empty void. My guess is that the BBC sound crew were still excited about how best to make use of FM radio technology within the world of Pop Music. The ability to make everything sound spacious and individual was probably the baseline of their directive, the complete opposite of Slade's intended delivery technique.

Another unfortunate event is Jim Lea's violin. He delivers a great rendition of Django Reinhardt's Lady Be Good which the group then follow up with Coz I Luv You which sounds empty until the Dave Hill & Don Powell join in. The reason becomes apparent when the song gets to the middle eight and the violin solo is not to be heard. As the vocal comes back in so does the violin but it's too late, the song is all but over. What is difficult to ascertain is whether its an instrument problem or a mixing desk problem. There doesn't appear to be the usual interference associated with a loose or faulty cable and I'm sure Jim Lea would have noticed, had his violin not been making music?

• Hear Me Calling
• In Like A Shot From My Gun
• Look Wot You Dun
• Keep On Rocking
• Move Over Baby
• Mama We Are All Crazy Now
• Lady Be Good
• Coz I Luv You
• Take Me Back `Ome
• Get Down And Get With It
• Good Golly Miss Molly

This is now available as part of the Salvo Slade Remastered collection on Union Square Music. The Live At The BBC release is a 2xCD collection featuring Maida Vale studio recordings and a superb copy of this gig remastered by Tim Turan. The missing Jim Lea violin solo has been recovered and the music is now beautifully balanced to represent Slade at their best.

Cover material is included in the rar file here featuring the Brigitte Kowalczyk artwork?

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