ISSUE 4 JULY / AUG 1979
Slade News is c/o Dave Kemp, 24 Ingham Rd, West Hampstead, London, NW6 1DE
Editorial
Hi! Well weren't the last couple of months exciting? Not only did we have a new Slade single to rave about, but also there was all amazing tour. Slade seemed to play better than ever before on it. The Feb/March tour was great, but I think that you'll all agree that the May/June one was even better:
Anyway, onto issue 4 of “S.N.” - in this edition we've included a Don Powell Fact File, a feature that we hope we will be able to do with the other three Slade members. I know that most of you have the old Fact Files (from. the now defunct Slade Fan Club), but as 6 years has elapsed since they were compiled the group's opinions have changed quite a bit!
Also we have started a list of' Slade imports. It seems quite a hobby for most fans to try and hunt out rare Slade recordings - well our list of imports should give you some food for thought:
Many people have sent me money for a years subscription to Slade News. I'm afraid that I cannot accept them, as firstly at the moment I simply do not have the facilities to keep the records that would be needed. And also with the increase in VAT and postal charges I might unfortunately have to raise the price of “S.N.”.a few pence. Once we get into 1980 I am thinking of introducing a Slade Club, which would have subscription enrolments, and would entail members receiving bi-monthly copies of Slade News.
Please therefore do not send money to me in advance for issue 5, as it might cost slightly more. Wait till you see the usual adverts in Record Mirror, and co, which will state what: the price is. OK?
Also, if you send any correspondence letters to me, please remember to include an SAE for a reply, Ta.
Album and Tour
Slade have finished recording their next album, but they are at the moment still “mixing” the tracks, thus it doesn't look like it will be released before the autumn. Also Slade look likely to be back on the road in September. So it looks like it's going to be a busy autumn: We'll have more solid information on the album and tour in our next issue.
Slade Snippets
Slade drew larger crowds at their recent Guernsey concerts than Status Quo did!… Dave Lee Travis played "Ginny Ginny” on his show on. June 15th, then at 8.00 am he wished. Nod and. Jim a happy birthday… Slade News reader Jenny Gamble from Oxford had her dedication for Nod's birthday read out on the Paul Burnett show… Mike Hales and John Bright. (who used to run Slade's Fan Club) how now left Barn… The Boomtown Rats used to play Slade's “Mama Weer All Crazee Now" over the PA as they walked on stage at their American gigs… Slade's offices now pass all letters from fans asking about Slade's Fan Club onto me, I inform them of Slade News and thus our readership is constantly growing… Before Slade's first Guernsey concert on the last tour roadie Jude fell whilst assembling the rigging, he knocked out one of his front teeth, and had to be carried out by stretcher… Don and Dave are both in the process of moving home.
Competition
The person who writes to me with the correct identity of the Slade star who is pictured in his school days and has his or her name pulled out “of the hat” first on August 10th will win an autographed copy of “Ginny Ginny" - signed by that particular Slade member!
MIKE HALES’ MESSAGE
Recently we received a letter from Mike Hales, the managing director of Barn Records, asking us to print the following special message for all Slade fans.
"Firstly, everyone here is very pleased with Slade News and it's good to know there’s so many of you loudly supporting the lads.
A number of you have contacted me about difficulty in obtaining "Ginny Ginny" (Barn 002) from record shops.
The record is readily available iron our distribution company Pinnacle in Orpington, Kent, so if you have a problem obtaining the single please insist that the dealer orders it from Pinnacle on 0689-73141.
Don't call that number yourself because it is a number for record dealers only, and you might block the lines and stop a dealer getting through.
You can help us tremendously by writing to radio stations and seeking a request. Why not write to Radio One and your local commercial station today?
As I write "Ginny Ginny" has entered the 200 Best Sellers Chart, so I hope that as you read this that the single is much higher, where Slade belong.
JULIE CRUISE is 20 and her address is: I5 Y Waen, Harlech, Merioneth North Wales, LL46 2UN.
She would like to write to any Slade fan. Her hobbies are reading, writing and listening to Slade records.
STEYE RHODES follows Slade around by car and has the other interest of playing Snooker. He is 19 and lives at: 16 Oak Rd, Halton, Leeds, Yorkshire, L515 OdU.
SLADE BADGESMany people have written to us asking if we sell Slade badges, we don't, but in conjunction with Slade News Nomis Baurley has had some especially printed.
The badges are 1½" in diameter and have the Slade logo in dayglo red printed. on them, with a black background.. With the Slade logo still being in vogue today they don't look dated like some of the old Slade badges that are still available.
The badges cost 30peach (please send blank. uncrossed Postal Orders), and include a SAE with your order so that they can be forwarded on to you. The address is: Slade Badges, clo Nomis Baurley, 86 Bentley Lane, Meanwood, Leed.s, L86 4AJ, Yorkshire.
N. B. If the badges sell well enough a new badge, with a different colour logo, will be made available every 2 months, so as to coincide with Slade News. You’ll then be able to start building up your own collection.
SLADE NEWS 5 OUT IN MID-SEPTEMBER!
SLADE MAIL - A BETTER LETTER!
Lyndhurst Rd,
Portsmouth,
Rants.
Dear Dave,
Please could you send me issue 3 of SLADE NEWS.
I was a Slade fanatic first when "Coz I Luv You" came out. and liked them for many years. gradually my interest waned and I got into New Wave etc.
Anyway, last year I went to the Great British Music Festival, primarily to see The Jam, but also wanting to see Slade. It was, my third Slade concert, I'd previously seen them in Southampton, and once before at Wembley.
To say that I was surprised would be an understatement. I really enjoyed the show, and I thought. Slade were the best band of the evening - they'd lost none of their old. Energy.
I also purchased “Whatever Happened To Slade”, which is brilliant, and also “Slade Alive Vol. 2", which could have been better.
I'm sending for SLADE NEWS as I've just got to know what's happening, the old interest is rekind1ed…
Ken Brown.
Earlham. Road,
Norwich,
Norfolk.
Dear Slade News,
Slade have done it again: Although. “Ginny Ginny” is a fantastic record I feel that the B side “Dizzy Mama” would have made a better choice as being the A side. It's got more "feel" to it., and also it's far more catchy" - I'm sure the radio stations would have played it.
But the same situation is true for many of Slade's other releases. B sides like "It's Alright Buy Me”, “Daddio”, “She Did. It To Me” and “O.H.M.S.” would have made superb A sides too.
Surely it is a tribute to Slade's music nowadays that the flip sides of their singles are good enough to stand up in their own right..
Miss P, Smith.
Whitebridge Spur,
Leeds,
Yorkshire.
Dear Dave,
Please could you do us a big favour by printing in your next issue that a group of Slade fanatics are meeting in the "Yorkshire Crown" pub, it's near to Leeds City Railway Station, every Wednesday evening. It's only a temporary haunt, until we find a better place.
Who knows, if enough people turn up to join us we might get a petition up for a showing of "Flame" at the ABC cinema.
Andy Ellis.
Paul, from 6 Queen Elizabeth Gardens, New Addington, Croydon, Surrey, CRO 0RA, would like to swap his singles "Goz I Luv You", "Get Down and Get With It", "Look Wot You Dun” and “Take Me Bak ‘Ome" for the “Give Us A Goal” single in a picture sleeve. Send a SAE if interested
PEN PAL
BERNIE ROONEY of 98 Dalharco Avenue, Patna, Ayr, Scotland, would like a Slade fan to write to him.
Bernie has travelled hundreds of mile to see Slade, last year he came down from Scotland to attend the Hammersmith Odeon concert in London!
SLADE'S ROADIES
Slade's roadies, "the force behind the force", haven't been mentioned in any" publications for some time now. The last feature about them was in Slade's Fan Club's SLADE MAG December 1975, and that was when the road crew included such characters as Hayden Donovan and Rob Wilson, who left some time ago. So we thought we'd give you. a run-down of the present team.
Graham Swinnerton is the Tour Manager. He arranges Slade's concerts; how the group will travel to a gig, the route that they will take, books accommodation if it’s needed. etc. He isn't involved in the manual shifting of equipment, as he drives the group to the concerts - thus he arrives after all of it has been set up. Swinn has been with Slade since the early days, he got to know them because he used to go to school with Don Powell.
Slade's Stage Manager is Johnny Jones, he is responsible for seeing that all the stage equipment is set up correctly. John has been in the road crew since 1971, just after Slade “made it big”. He used to live in the same estate in Bilston as Don Powell, and it was Don's mum that got him to join the roadies. John is also in charge of the monitors.
The last in the trio of “old men" in the road crew is Charlie Newman, the Sound Engineer. He sits behind the custom-built mixing-desk during the show, making sure that everything sounds just perfect. .
Mickey Legg looks after the bands guitars and also Jim's violin, whilst Will is the person who is responsible for setting up Don's Ludwig drum-kit, and he sits beside Don, hidden by the speakers, during the show making sure that the drums remain “safe”.
The Lighting is managed by Peter Cross, and he controls it during the concerts from the lighting-desk, positioned usually at the back of the hall next to Charlie's mixer. The three spotlights are controlled by Jude, Steve (alias “Harry”) and Robin (alias “Biffo”).
Altogether.this nine-man team are the people responsible for making sure that you and hear, the “noize” at the Slade concerts.
SLADE IMPORTSWe are compiling a list of Slade import albums and singles, here are some that we know of;
Title: “Slade” (Double LP)
Country: F'rance
Label: Polydor 2664 124
Date: 1974
Cover: Gatefold, with a picture of Slade on T.O.T.P’s. xmas 1973
Tracks: An assortment of album tracks and singles, varying from "'Raven'" (1970) to Miles Out To Sea" (1974)
Title: “Slade In Flame”
Country: USA
Label: Warner Bros BS 2865 Date: 1975
Cover: Same as British !'Slade In. Flame 1I, but without ga teefold sleeve.
Tracks: Same as British “S in F”, except that “Heaven Knows” and “Summer Song” are omitted and “The Bangin' Man” and “Thanks For The Memory” are added.
Title: “Coz I Luv You"
Country: West Germany
Label: Luxor-Gold. GOLD 41 045
Date: 1973
Cover: Picture of Slade in casual clothes from autumn 1973
Tracks: "Look Wot You Dun”, "Raven”, "See Us Here", "Dapple Rose", "One Way Hotel”, “Angelina", “Coz I Luv You", “I Remember”, “Pouk Hill”, "The Shape Of' Things To Come”, "Dirty Joker" and “Sweet Box".
Title: “Stomp Your Hands and Clap Your Feet"
Country: USA
Label: Warner Bros. BS 2770
Date: 1974
Cover: Similar to British "Old, New, Borrowed and Blue”, but without the gatefold sleeve
Tracks: Same as “O.N.B.&B”, but “My Friend Stan” and “My Town” are omitted
DON POWELL FACT FILE
Real name:
|
Donald George Powell
|
Bi.rthdate:
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10th September 1950
|
Birthplace:
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Bilston, Staffordshire
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Height:
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6 feet
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Weight:
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10 st. 71bs.
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Eyes:
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Green
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Hair:
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Dark Brown
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Parents names:
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Dora and Wally
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Brothers/Sisters:
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Derek, Carol and Mash
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Present home:
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Hampstead, London
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Instruments played:
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Drums
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Where educated:
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Etheridge Secondary Modern
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Musical education:
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Bugle in the Scouts
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Age entered showbiz:
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16 years
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First, amateur appearance:
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Local youth club group
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First professional appearance:
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Bradley youth club
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Biggest break:
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Getting a record into the charts
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TV début:
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"Today" - Thames TV
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Radio début:
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David Symonds show
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Film appearance:
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Slade in Flame
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Compositions:
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Numerous
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Biggest influence:
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The other three Slade members
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Hobbies:
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Playing records, films
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Favourites Colour:
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Blue
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Food:
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Japanese
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Drink:
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Vodka and tonic
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Clothes:
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Jeans and T-shirts
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Book:
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---
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Film:
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Midnight Express
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Actor:
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Jack Nicholson
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Actress:
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Madeline Kahn
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Male singer:
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Al Green.
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Female singer:
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Babira Streisand
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Instrumentalist:
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Stevie Wonder
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Composer:
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Harry Nilsson
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Groups:
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ELO, The Eagles
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Car owned:
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---
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Car preferred:
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A tank
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Likes:
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Playing on stage
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Dislikes:
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Not being heard on stage
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Pets:
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---
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Most thrilling experience:
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Being banned from driving
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Ambition:
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To get driving licence back
|
THANKS in issue 4 go to: Kevin and Alison (“The Dynamic Duo”), and to Don's Annie (who knows how to spell "break” correctly:) and Jill for the info. And I must mention my friends Lynda, Julie (Adams) and Julie (Cruise), who I haven't contacted for ages. Mustn't forget Gill Thompson either!
Nod's in the news!
Noddy's court case, which he successfully won, has had a blaze of publicity in the newspapers. For those of you who missed the articles, here are a couple of cuttings from the press that sum up what went on.
Daily Express July 3rd (left) and the Daily Mirror July 5th (right).
Bouncer broke my nose claims Noddy
A RAVE UP at a pop concert ended with singer Noddy Holder of “Slade” nursing a broken nose, a court heard yesterday. It was due to the club bouncers being too aggressive with fans, the 29 year old pop star claimed.
He told Cardiff Crown Court that the stewards were creating a bad atmosphere by pushing people around.
He said to one of them over the microphone: “You must be a big boy taking on people half your size.”
It was alleged the man replied: “Call me what you like – I’ll see you later.”
Holder described his group’s performance as “very riotous.”
FELL
When the show at the Stoneleigh Club, Porthcawl, Glamorgan, was over, Holder said a man approached him backstage, put his arm around his shoulder and said: “I’m the big boy who talked to you.”
When Holder replied: “Yeah” the man punched him on the nose.
Said Holder: “I fell to the floor. All I can remember is that he was a dark, broad-shouldered fellow.”
Holder of Chelsea Embankment, London, was giving evidence against club steward, Desmond Brothers, who is charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm on him.
Brothers, aged 29, of Pyle, Glamorgan, denies the charge.
The hearing continues.
Jail for bouncer who hit Noddy
A NIGHTCLUB bouncer who attacked, pop star Noddy Holder was jailed yesterday for three months.
Desmond Brothers, 29, of Pyle, near Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, was found guilty at Cardiff Crown Court of causing grievous bodily harm.
The court heard that Holder, 29 year old lead singer with The Slade, had his nose broken in a backstage punch-up.
Judge Michael Gibbon told Brothers: "No doubt you have your good qualities but you also have your bad ones,!”
Don Powell Interview
This issue our interview came as a last minute affair - we spoke to Don Powell on July 7th - two days before Slade News was due to be taken to the printers: Anyhow we managed to get the last minute affair done. It went as follows…
S.N. : How has the recording been going for the new album?
Don : Great. We're producing ourselves now, and we've just been in the studios. There are quite a few songs done - I think we've got about 17 tracks actually recorded. Not all of them are completed, but things are going well.
S.N. : Are any of these tracks potential singles?
Don : Well what we are going to do is finish them all off first, and then have a listen to them one by one, and choose one. If in the past we'd put about three tracks down and then chosen a single out of those three, sometimes later we would record another batch of songs and then found that we'd have been more pleased with others in that batch.
S.N. : Were you pleased with the way that "Ginny Ginny" turned out then?
Don : Oh yeah: It didn't sell enough to get into the charts, but we were pleased with it.
S.N. : Once again the B-side "Dizzy Mama" was great, was it intentional that it should be a good B-side?
Don : Not really. It's proberly due to the fact that the recordings in general are getting better. A lot of acts record an A-side and then think: I’ll stick anything on the B-side, it doesn't matter", but we've never thought like that - we've tried to put a track equal to the A-side on the B-side.
S.N. : With the production, is it the group as a whole that produce or is it. any particular member in. general?
Don : Yes, we produce all the material ourselves, we each take a share in doing different things.
S.N. : What about Chas, does he guide you at all?
Don : Well during office hours he pops in and has a listen and maybe just makes a comment about certain things, or he'll advise us about something.
S.N. : Are there any plans to do a tour at the moment.?
Don : I think that there are some dates being lined up for September. I'm not sure that anything has been confirmed, but what I've heard is that there should be dates in. September.
S.N. : You are still keen on doing all these concerts then?
Don : Yes that's our biggest sort of thrill, going on stage and playing, no matter what country it's in.
S. N. : Why haven' t you done any dates in the South, or in Scotland, on the last couple of .tours?
Don : I don't. really know because I never really think about it till somebody like yourself mentions it! It's not intentional. I suppose it's just the availability of halls and things like that.
S.N. : Have you made any new plans to go abroad?
Don : Not really. Something may come up. But we've got the British dates first - they are sort of planned. Then. Maybe some plans will come up for Europe.
S .N. : Do you ever think much about going back to America new?
Don : We spent two years over there, actually based in the States, and that meant leaving Britain and the rest of Europe out - which is a long time net to actually work in either place. So we've decided to concentrate more on Britain and Europe new.
S.N. : Did you ever get really big in any particular areas over there? Don: Certain places were great for us, areas like St. Louis, and down in the Mid-West and the South.
S. N. :. Did you just live in hotels when you were over there?
Don : You travel everyday. You arrive in one city, check in at the hotel, do the concert, check out the next morning, and then fly on somewhere else.
S.N. : You had no settled base at all then?
Don : We actually live in New York, and we'd try to get back there as much as possible. But the States are so big that you cannot get back home every night like you can in England.
S.H. : On your last American tour in '75 were you headlining?
Don : It all depended on that state we were in - whether we were strong enough to headline or not.
S.N.. : Have you ever thought of doing any large festival type concerts, like you did in America, over here - like Knebworth or Reading?
Don : I wouldn't have minded doing something like that, but not this year, it's a bit late now. I think some of the festivals have finished now, there may be a few more to be done - but probably they have their line-ups already fixed.
S.N. : Apart from concerts, you haven't got any TV work lined up have you?
Don : It all depends on the singles really, whether they can get any TV promotion. The last thing I heard was the offices were trying to get "Flame" on television, but I don't know what you have to go through to achieve that kind of thing.
S.N. : Have you personally ever considered moving back to Wolverhampton?
Don : A couple of' times I have. But I think that I would miss not being able to get to concerts quickly, there's not many concerts in Wolves, or around that sort of area, there's a lot more things going on in London.
S.N. : How do you like/living in London now?
Don : It's OK. At first I couldn’t stand the place, but it's just a matter of adapting really. You learn to make friends, you get places to go...
Don' s a Londoner now!
Photo sent to us by Alison Hillman.
STOP PRESS! It's been decided that the price for “S.N." 5 will stay at 25p, but please importantly enclose a stamped addressed envelope (of the size I mail Slade News to you in) as well. "S.N." 5 looks like being a change from the other issues, as it should consist of 16 8" by 6" pages - crammed as usual with info, news, photos, chat etc!
It will be available from Mid-September, so you can apply in advance if you want to.
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