UK August 30th, 1979
Slade News issue 5 Sept/Oct 1979
Produced and set by Dave Kemp
24 Ingham Rd, West Hampstead, London, NW6 1DE
Honorary readers;
Nod, Dave, Jim and Don
Mr. & Mrs. W. Powell
Mr. Jack Hill
John Blake (Evening News)
Alf Martin (Record Mirror)
Slade News no.5 - I've printed this issue a couple of weeks ahead of schedule so as everyone gets to hear about the October tour well in advance. For this reason I ask all readers to apply for their Slade News issues in advance, as they will be sent out to these fans before any details of the newsletter being on sale appears in any music paper - thus they get to find out all the info first! Please make sure though that you state which issue of S.N. you are applying for!
As you will see the autumn tour is very extensive, at last Slade have got dates lined up for London, Scotland and Wolverhampton - three places that they haven't played in for ages. The Wolverhampton gig in particular shouldn't be missed: (Full tour details printed later in this issue)
I've been watching the charts recently, and who should appear in them? Sparks and T. Rex: Two bands classed as “no hopers” by the press, like Slade. But the Sparks single has made the Top Ten and the T. Rex album has sold 30,000 copies, even though Boley's been dead for 2 years: If these artists can make it again there is no reason at all why Slade can't, and their success should be encouragement to all Slade fans. Slade win new fans all the time at the concerts, and hopefully with some promotion and good P .R. work with the next single and the new album Slade should join Sparks and T. Rex as being the 3rd group to return "from the dead."
I spoke to Don Powell recently and he told me that although the new album has been completed that no release date has been fixed yet. It seems
that the title has not yet been decided, and the cover has yet to be designed - but it should be released to coincide with the October tour. A single is going to be lifted from the album, but when rough copies of the tracks were sent to the different European record companies each came up with different suggestions as to which number they would like to see as a single. So at the moment it is undecided as to which track will be the next single.
Don also informed me that Jim has finished helping his brother Frank record a new version of "When The Lights Are Out" - a Slade song that Frank has always had as a favourite. The track is being taken to various record companies, and it could well be released.
Meanwhile Don has been working part-time with Steve Benham, the ex front man with the Pleasers, laying down some tracks for his solo album.
There is the possibility of Slade News being distributed to members of the German Slade fan club in future. I have put the suggestion to Michael Backer, who runs the club, but I am still waiting for a definite reply. If this does take place it will entail a page of S.N. being devoted. to German Slade affair's, written by Michael, which should prove to 'be very interesting.
Recent issues of S.N. have gained quite healthy foreign readership. I have received letters from fans in Belgium, France, Holland, Denmark, Norway, USA and even South Africa and Australia. All Slade fans from Overseas are welcome to read S.N. - the price being 4 I.R.C.
Kevin Massey has just returned from his summer holiday, on which he says that if he didn't know better he would have sworn that Jim Lea worked in the local chippy! After seeing Dave Hill's double appear in the weekly TV series "The Family Way", I wonder how many Slade look-alikes there are about.
Slade News issue 4 totally sold out, but this week I have had an extra 100 copies reprinted, so if you would like a copy simply send me 25p.
Anyway, until S.N.6, which should be ready in late November (so that it can have a Xmas style), I'll sign off,
Dave.
Picture above: Part of the Burning In The Heat Of Love picture sleeve from West Germany.
PEN PAL
Colin Marshall would like a pen pal. He's been a Slade fan since 1971, and he can even remember them appearing on Top Of The Fops with "Shape Of Things To Come"! Colin's 22 and he also likes football (Chelsea) and early reggae. His address is: 64 Morpeth Ave, Boreham Wood, Hertfordshire, WO6 4BN.
SLADE PHOTOS FOR SALE
The following Slade photo sets are available;
(15 ) Hammersmith Odeon '78
(10) Cleethorpes Bunnies Club '78
(20) U.K. Tour '78
(10) Leicester Baileys '79
(10) Watford Baileys '79
(10) Paris Olympia '74
And also the new set:
(10) Manchester University '79 (taken on last tour)
The prices are as follows:
Sets of 10 photos ~ £2.90
Sets of 15 photos: £4.15
Sets of 20 photos - £5.40
All photos are 5" by 311 size, in glossy colour, and of the highest quality.
Postage and packing charge included in the prices given.
Available only from: Steve Flinders, 5 Main Street, Stanton-By-Dale, Ilkeston, Derbyshire. (Cheques and PO’s made payable to S. Flinders)
"Slade News" Photos
Slade News has a set of 10 5" by 3" photos, taken at the Slade Withernsea Pavilion gig earlier this year, for sale. They were prepared especially for us by Steve Flinders. Each set is priced at £2.85, and please enclose a SAE with your order for return postage. Make all cheques and POs payable to D.Kemp.
Address: 24 Ingham Road, West Hampstead, London, NW6 IDE.
SLADE IMPORTS Part One
I have received. stacks of information about Slade imports. Gererd Goyer from Paris has even sent me photocopies of all his imports, which total 96 picture covered singles and 17 albums - this surely must be the largest amount of Slade imports ever collected by anybody. Also, apart from three of the early 'Slade singles, he has all the British singles, albums and cassettes!
Thus most of the information in this section comes from him - though quite a few British fans have sent me details of their own rare imports. All these facts that I have will get printed, eventually!
By the way, none of the records listed can be bought from me. To get hold of them either try to order them from independent record shops, advertise in music papers, or simply hunt around for them. You'd be quite surprised really how often they turn up - the other week I came across the German “Far Far Away” album in the HMV shop in Oxford Street!
Title: "The Fantastic Slade"
Country: Belgium
Label: Polydor Special Golden Crown Series 2482 250
Date: 1975
Cover: Slade live at the' Lincoln festival 1972
Tracks: 1. Coz I Luv You, Keep On Rocking, Don't Blame He, The Bangin' Man, Everyday, Cum On Feel The Noize. 2. Far Far Away, I'm Mee I'm Now An That's 0rl, Good Time Gals, Skweeze Me Pleeze Me, My Town, Gudbuy Jane.
Single: “When The Lights Are Out”
B Side: "How Can It Be"
Date: 1974 Country: USA Warner Bros B3 7808
The Runaways on their latest album "And Now… The Runaways " do a version of "Mama Weer All Crazee Now"
Title: “Far Far Away”
Country: West Germany
Label: Karussuell 2435 603
Date: 1975
Cover: The front cover has the same picture as the back of the Sladest L.P.
Tracks: Exactly the same as "The Fantastic Slade”
Title: "Slade" (double L.P.)
Country: Holland
Label: Polydor Quality Sound Series 2670 247
Date: 1978
Cover: A photo of Slade sitting on the floor - taken at the "My Baby Left Me" photo session
Tracks: 1. Keep On Rocking, Just Want A little Bit, I'm 11. Talker, When The Lights Are Out, Everyday 2. We're Really Gonna Raise The Roof, How Does It Feel, Kill 'Em At The Hot Club, Get On Up, Move Over 3. Far Far Away, I'm Mee I'm Now An That's Orl, Goodtime Gals, Skweeze Me Pleeze Me, My Town, Gudbuy T' Jane 4. She Did It To Me, Know Who You Are, Darling Be Home Soon, I Remember, Pouk Hill, Mama Weer All Crazee Now.
Title: “Coz I Luv You”
Country: West Germany Label: Polydor 2383 107
Date: 1971
Cover: Slade photo from 1971
Tracks: 1. Coz I Luv You, Dapple Rose, My Life Is Natural, Angelina, Candidate, Sweet Box 2. Look Wot You Dun, Could I, Raven, Gospel According To Rasputin, Do You Want Me, Shape Of Things To Come, Get Down And Get With It.
QUESTIONS and ANSWERS
Q. I have three copies of "Get Down And Get With It ". Two have that title, are published by Barn Music, and are written by Holder - Lee (!) – Hill – Powell -Penniman, but the third is simply called "Get Down With It” and is published by Burlington Music and the writer is credited as being Bobby Marcham, can you explain this? (Stu Rutter, Blackburn, Lancs)
A. When Slade originally recorded "Get Down And Get With It" they didn't 'know who wrote it. They thought that it may have been a traditional number, GO they put their own names on it, and also Little Richard's (Penniman), and published it on Barn Music.
Some time later they discovered that the composer was Bobby Marcham, and that it was in fact published on Burlington Music, so the record company changed the credit on the single to the correct one. So that means that there are two types of "Get Down And Get With It" around!
Q. How about arranging a Slade convention, that way all the fans could get together? (Fred Blanchard, Padiham, Lancs)
A. Quite a lot of fans seem to want this. I agree, it would be a great idea, but not with me arranging it! My sense of organisation is really terrible, and also I couldn't afford to take on such a venture! I feel too that it would be best to leave it until Slade have another hit record (which must he coming soon!) - as then the maximum amount of people would turn out in support.
If there is anybody wanting to arrange a party/convention please let Slade News know about it as we will give you any help we can.
By the way, Kevin Massey has promised to have a party when Slade get in the charts again, I'm sure that all Slade fans could come to it! Kevin will kill me when he reads this, but a promise is a promise. Eh Kev?!)
Q. Could you please give me a run down as to which Slade members are married, and also if they have any children at all (Jill Smart, Sutton, Surrey)
A. Noddy is married to Leeandra and they have two daughters, Charisse and Jessica. Jim and Louise got married in 1973, they have a girl called Bonnie. Dave married his wife Jan in Mexico, and they also have a daughter, Jade. As for Don, he's still single.
Q. Why didn't Chas Chandler produce "Rock n Roll Bolero" or "Ginny Ginny"? Has he left Slade? (Steff Decker, Frankfurt, West Germany)
A. No, Chas is still very much Slade's manager. As Noddy told Capital Radio in September last year: "Rock n Roll Bolero is the first single we have produced ourselves. We had a chat with Chas, who has produced all our records for the last 9 years, as we felt that we'd been getting to a bit of a stale-mate. And Chas said to us that it was about time that we started producing ourse1ves or at least getting into the production side of it."
Q. In your Slade Discography in Slade News no. 3 you said that the ‘N Betweens single was released on Fontana - I thought it came out on Columbia? (Nobody's Fool; Glastonbury, Somerset)
A. Yes, you're right. I made an error. You Better Run was released. on Columbia DB 8080 in 1966 - Record Mirror who used my Discography in a recent issue copied the error too!
TO PRESSURE THE PRESS
The press have shown a drastic lack of interest in Slade recently. Only one paper seems to have been good to Slade, and that is Superpop. They have given the group quite big headlines and have used photographs in most news articles about tours and releases. Record Mirror though have given fair single and album reviews with past releases, but they have published the news items about the band only in small print, with no headlines. The other music weeklies have had nothing on Slade at all recently (except for a couple of articles on Nod' s court case) - in fact some didn't even bother to review "Ginny Ginny"!
Due to the lack of chart success by Slade in recent years it would be unrealistic to think that the press should feature Slade regularly. But to have nothing about them at all is unjust as their constant British tours should credit them some press worthiness.
As Record Mirror is the paper that most Slade fans read, I wrote to the editor, Alf Martin recently asking him to do a feature on Slade (their last interview with Slade was in Oct. 77). I have received a couple of letters back from Mr. Martin, in which he said: "I personally covered Slade only a few weeks ago (the article about Mike & Linda at the Bradford concert) and if they do anything interesting in the near future we will certainly cover them again."
I think everyone will agree that the new, album, out this autumn, could be classed as ‘interesting’ - so R.M. should feature Slade soon!! If they don't, please write to Alf Martin (c/o Record Mirror, 40 Long Acre, London, WO2 9JT) and ask him to.
NODDY TAKES A LETTER
SLADE may not have had a hit for donkeys' years but at least 600 people still love Noddy Holder and his chums.
The Slade fan club closed In March '77 but this week I've heard from Slade fan Dave Kemp who is producing a newsletter for the band's fans every two months and claims it already has 600 readers.
“We KNOW that Slade are on their way back to the top," Dave told me optimistically.
If you're interested in getting a copy of the 25p Slade News contact Dave at 24 Ingham Road, West Hampstead, London, N.W.4.
If we all write we will show him that there are still loads of people wanting to hear about Slade and hopefully something will get done: It is useful to note that in September 1977 that I also wrote to Alf on the· same lines, having a Slade feature, and he replied saying that he would do so if “My Baby Left Me" made the charts. It did, and sure enough 2 weeks later a Slade interview appeared in Record Mirror. Let's make sure that Alf sticks to his words again this time.
Generally the best way for all fans to help get Slade more press is to write to the papers and complain. Don't write bitter, offensive letters as these won’t even get read! Be reasonable. When Caroline Coon of Melody Maker slagged the "Let's Call It Quits" single I wrote to her telling her why her opinion was wrong - as a result she wrote back saying that she was actually a Slade fan herself, and that her views on the record had changed, she now thought that it would be a hit - which it was of course!
Letters can work wonders, so get writing, especially to R.M. if they don't feature Slade!
The London Evening News recently printed a small article on Slade News (I've reprinted it on the last page) - it's done quite a bit of good, as the London and the Home Counties interest in Slade News has grown because of it.
SLADE 1979 TOUR BADGE
A new Slade tour badge has been produced by Nomis Baurley. The artwork to it is shown to the left (at half size). If you would like one of them simply send a 30p blank, uncrossed, Postal Order to Nomis at: 86 BentIey Lane, Meanwood, Leeds, LS6 4AJ. And don't forget to enclose a SAE!
Slade News 6 out in late Nov. - 25p + SAE.
SLADE'S OCTOBER BASH
Slade return to the concert scene in October. The dates that I have received are listed as follows:
Oct. 3 Cardiff University (0222-396421)
Oct. 4 WOLVERHAMPTON CIVI C HALL (0902-28482)
Oct. 5 Southampton University (0703-556291)
Oct. 6 Norwich University (0603-52068)
Oct. 8 Birkenhead Hamilton Club (051-6478093)
Oct. 9 Edinburgh, Tiffany’s (031- 5566292)
Oct. 11 Leicester Baileys (0533-26462)
Oct. 1 2 London, City University (01 -253 9890)
Oct. 13 Nottingham University (0602-55912)
Oct. 15 Cleethorpes Bunnies Club (0472-67128)
Oct. 16 Cleethorpes Bunnies Club (0472-67128)
Oct. 19 Birmingham Barb~' rel1as (021-6439413)
Oct. 21 Dunstable Civic Hall
Oct, 22 Sheffield Top Rank (0472-21927)
As you will see, I have listed the phone no.s of most of the halls, in the case of the University gigs I have quoted1the Student Union's telephone numbers - as it I will be them who will be arranging the concerts.
Looking at the tour list, one gig sticks out a mile - the one in Wolverhampton. This will be Slade's first "home" gig for 1½ years. It is obviously the highlight of the tour - and the one concert that all fans will be set on going to.
I understand that the Civic Hall Hill are removing all seating from the stalls, which is a good idea, but there will be seats in the circle still - although I shouldn't think there would be too many people sitting at this show!
The tickets for the wolves concert are on sale now, all priced at £3.00 - to apply send your remittance, made payable to “Wolverhampton Corporation", plus a 3AE, to: The Box Office, Civic Hall, North Street, Wolverhampton, WV14 1RQ, West Midlands.
The London City University seems hard to find. I am told that it is in St. John St, EC1 though. The nearest tube stations being Farringdon (Metropolitan line) and Angel (Northern line).
Slayed Down - Under!
Dave,
Thanks a lot for sending me "Slade News" - I love it. It's great to read new material on Slade, and even better to hear the rave reviews of their single "Ginny Ginny".
I'd love Slade to come back to Australia, I've been waiting for five and a half years! Slade have visited us twice - February/March 1973 and the same time in 1974.
Slade may not be as big over here as they were four years ago - when they were the biggest, but I still feel there is an underground of fans not too sure of surfacing. I think that Slade should come over here. At the moment it is very popular for English groups to come over to Australia and do 3-6 week tours of the huge pubs in the cities, & appearing on TV shows which have huge and wide-ranging audiences, - some of which are very influential in getting a crowd to a gig (especially "Countdown" and "Sound Unlimited").
I believe that if Slade did a short, or long, pub tour of Australia they would not only bring the fans back, but would break new ground.
Still, in December 1980 my mate and I are coming over to Englan~ for three months, the sole purpose of the trip is to meet and see Slade, (hopefully) following their trip all over Europe!
Keep on Rockin,
Richard Allen (Claremont Ave, Netherby)
+ We have given the rights of the publishers of the German Education Board's English teaching books to republish extracts from the first issue of S.N. in one of their text books:
Issue 4 dedicated tq all fans going to the Wolverhampton concert, to Robin's mum for the encouragement, and on Sept. 16th to Gloria and Rolan.
SLADE NEWS is (C) David Kemp 1979.
At Last ..... The NODDY HOLDER Interview
We haven't been able to talk to Noddy ourselves, but due to approximately 70 letters saying “Where was the interview with Noddy that should have been in issue 4?” we have decided to print an interview that Noddy did with Maggie Norden of Capital Radio in 1976 (Slade had returned from America for a short period to promote the “Let’s Call It Quits” single that had just been released on Polydor at that time).
M.N. Getting us off to a rocking start is Noddy Holder, back on Hullabaloo again, one of our old friends with “When The Chips Are Down.” Who wrote this one Noddy?
Noddy: Me and Jimmy wrote it.
M.N. And where did you write it, because you are always around everywhere!
Noddy: We wrote it in America. I’ve wrote a lot of stuff while we were over there. Last year we did about 20 songs while we were on the road, that was one of them, Lets Cal1 It Quits was one of them, and all of the new album which will be out in a couple of weeks time we wrote over there as well.
M.N. Tell us something about the album, as I believe there is something historical about the cover.
Noddy: We did the album in New York, and we spent six weeks recording it. The album is going to be called "Nobody' s Fools", and the picture on the front is in the same stance as we were on our very first album "Play It Loud", but it' s sort of a picture that is six years on though.
M.N. In fact we are all very sad because you will be leaving us for an indefinite period, when are you going to the States:
Noddy: We' re going in a couple of weeks time, we' re waiting for the date of the album release in the States, then we’re going over to promote it and tour there.
M.N. Will you go all over the States, or are going to stay in one particular place?
Noddy: Everywhere. We don' t like staying in one place for a long time because we get a bit bored, we love going out on the road and playing live - so we cover all the ground while we're there.
M.N. Do you have any idea why Slade, and Sweet, are doing so well in the States at the moment?
Noddy: It's difficult to say. I think that the next generation of listeners are coming up in America now. We're not getting the radio exposure that we need to get the really big hits yet. We've got big hopes for the next album. But on live concerts it's been really good.
There is a sort of new audience coming along now, and we've been playing with bands like ZZ Top and Kiss, who are new groups coming up in the States at the moment - and they're pulling in a new generation, which is great for us, as you don't have to preach to the people who are a bit blasé. This new generation of fans have their minds wide open to listen to what's going on now.
M.N. What' s the stage act like? Do you do all the old numbers and some new ones, or just the new ones?
Noddy: It's a pretty new act over there, we still do "Gudbuy T' Jane" and "Mama Weer All Crazee", also "Get Down And Get With It" - because they know those songs, but all the rest of the act is new stuff.
M.N. What about my favourite, "Thanks For The Memory" - is that in the act?
Noddy: Yeah, we do that sometimes, it's one of my favourites actually!
M.N. Will you be sorry saying goodbye to Britain, because it must be very nasty not knowing when you're coming back.
Noddy: It's weird. What we wanted to do was to break fresh ground and get new ideas - that's why we've been spending so much time in America. I think that it's benefiting us as a group, and it will benefit the fans here in the long run, because we' re going to come up with fresh ideas and fresh material. We don't like staying out of Britain, but it's a case of having to at the moment.
M.N. Can you fill us in about the tax situation, because everyone has an opinion of the nasty tax man following you all the way to Heathrow airport, and then you fly away and it's no longer a problem.
Noddy: It's always a problem. In our case we didn't go to America for tax reasons, we want to get new ideas, and to tour constantly and get a new stage act together. From the tax point of view, everyone has been hit by it, It's not just people in this business, everybody is being hit. But the problem is that all the artistic people such as groups, and film directors, only have a short lived career - when you look at it from a doctor's or lawyer's point of view. You earn a lot of money in a short space of time, but the tax man always forgets about the years you were struggling before and never earned any money and. the years you may be struggling later on in life. They just tax you on what you earn in that short space of time, which isn't really fair. That's why most people are having to skip the country, nobody wants to, it's just a case of trying to keep a little bit of the money that you have worked hard for.
M.N. Do you ever look into the future and think what you will do once you've stopped being the singer Noddy Holder
Noddy: I always want to be on stage. I always want to be involved in the business. Obviously I'm not still going to be singing "Mama Weer All Crazee” when I'm forty - but maybe I will, I don't know. But! I don' t think that I will!
M.N. Looking back on the film "Flame", does it whet your appetite to do more film work?
Noddy: We've had offers to do more films, but that film took so long out of our career last year. In all we must have spent 9 months on the film, 2 or 3 months shooting it, 5 weeks doing the album soundtrack, then there was all the dubbing to be done, then we spent 3 months promoting it all over England, Scotland and Europe. It just took such a big chunk out of our career, we didn't tour for a long time, we were not able to record for a long time, or write, and we don't want to get in this situation again too soon.
M.N. Would you like to write your own script for another film?
Noddy: Basically with "Flame" we chipped our ideas in. The basic story was there, the screenplay writer just added to it. That's an idea that we'll have to look into in the future, there are lots of ideas kicking around.
+ In the next Slade News we hope to do an update interview with a Slade member, if we can get to talk to one. If not we will continue this interview with Noddy from 1976. +
SLADE ALMANAC (Sept / Oct)
Sept 4 1974 London Rainbow Concert (filmed for "Slade In Flame")
Sept 10 1950 Don Powell born at 1.34 am
Sept 18 1970 "Shape Of Things To Come" released
Sept 18 1973 (to Oct 22) 2nd U.S. tour
Sept 21 1973 "Sladest" album released
Sept 28 1973 "My Friend Stan" released
Oct 6 1978 "Rock n Roll Bolero" released
Oct 8 1971 "Coz I Luv You" released
Oct 11 1974 "Far Far Away” released
Oct 19 1971 (to Oet 21) “Slade Alive" album recorded at the Command Studios
Oct 24 1969 “Wild Winds Are Blowing" released
Oct 27 1978 “Slade Alive Vol 2" released
Oct 28 1972 Stars Organisation for Spastics concert at Wembley Empire Pool
Oct 30 1978 London Music Machine concert
Competition Result
Contrary to popular opinion, the Slade member pictured in our issue 4 competition wasn' t Don Powell, neither was it Frank Lea or Chas Chandler as some certain people thought! In actual fact it was JIM LEA. Of the few correct answers that I received the first pulled out of the bag came from Keith Brunt (17 Pennington Park, Saintfield Rd, Belfast, Northern Ireland), who wins the copy of “Ginny Ginny" signed by Jim.
They’ll be another competition in S.N.6
YOUR TOP TEN
Nigel Hart from Cricklewood in London has sent us his Top Ten all-time favourite Slade singles, which are listed as follows;
1. Burning In The Heat Of Love
2. Rock n Roll Bolero I
3. Merry Xmas Everybody
4. Take Me Bak ‘Ome
5. Ginny Ginny
6. How Does It Feel?
7 The Bangin' Man
8. Far Far Away
9. Everyday
10. Thanks For The Memory
I think that it would be a good idea to compile the Top Ten favourite singles of all Slade fans. I will compile the chart for publication in S.N.? All you have to do is send me the titles of your three top Slade records (in order). There is no need to especially write Ito me with these, just enclose the titles in the envelope when you apply for the next Slade News.
It'll be interesting to see whether Slade's best sellers (Merry Xmas Everybody, Skweeze Me Pleeze Me, etc.) are voted your faves, or whether you prefer more recent Slade releases, like Nigel did. Anyway let us know!
Help These Fans!
If anyone can help these couple of Slade fans they would be extreemly grateful. Firstly Dean Blomley desparately wants the albums; “Play It Loud", “Nobody's Fools” and “Whatever Happened To Slade" as he can't get them in the shops in his area. His address: 34 Bannerman Ave, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 5TL. Also Denny Finnagen is in need of some help, he'd like a copy of S.N.1 if somebody has a spare copy. Write to: 42 Stonycroft, Albany, Washington, Tyne & Wear, NE37 1UL. He says he will pay £5.0 for a copy - but I'm sure that someone will let him have a copy for less than that. (Please note that copies of Slade News 1,2 and. 3 are out of print)
Many thanks to Stu Rutter for the hard copy! A full size scan of the complete mag is available here: Download Filename: Slade News 5.rar Filesize: 34.76 MB
