From Roots To Boots!: The Slade Story: 1984

USA, 1984

CBS Records - FZ 39336

'Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply' is an alternate US release of The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome which was released in the UK the preceding year. The title was lifted from a B-side track that was also added to the album track listing, along with 'Can't Tame A Hurricane' (another B-side) replacing Cocky Rock Boys and Razzle Dazzle Man on the original release. They also felt the need to shuffle the tracks around.

"...the Americans liked neither the title or the sleeve... they hated it so they brought it out as 'Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply' and it had this cartoon guitar neck with a cartoon hand, which I could have drawn myself in five minutes flat! They said it was this new 'techno something' that was taking us into the new age.... Bugs Bunny?"
Noddy Holder: Radcliffe & Maconie, Radio 2, 2007

Interestingly, in addition to the lame cover art, it's worth noting that the hand on the front cover is a manicured and painted female, whilst the rear view on the reverse, the hand has clearly become male. Despite this, the album proved to be Slade's most successful American album over the group's more than 20 years of releases in the States. Both Run Runaway and My Oh My continue to receive consistent radio airplay in the United States and are considered Slade's most recognizable songs amongst Americans. Imagine, had the record company chosen something related to the Run Runaway video that the MTV audience recognised, what a difference it may have made. Of course, the same argument can be applied to the 'The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome' cover art?

The rock band Quiet Riot covered Slade's 1973 UK chart topper Cum On Feel The Noize. Although Slade's original had not been successful in the U.S., Quiet Riot's cover peaked at #5. The song helped Quiet Riot sell seven million copies of their album Metal Health. As a result of this success, Slade signed with CBS Records.

Run Runaway
My Oh My
High And Dry
Slam The Hammer Down
In The Doghouse
Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply
Cheap N' Nasty Luv
Can't Tame A Hurricane
(And Now The Waltz) C'est La Vie
Ready To Explode

Produced by Jim Lea for Perseverance Ltd. except Run Runaway & My Oh My which were produced by John Punter. Manufactured and distributed by CBS Records Canada Ltd. Design by Jo Di Donato with artwork by Lou Brooks.

℗ 1982, 1983, 1984 CBS Inc.

"Run Runaway", a celtic-flavoured rock-jig featuring some elliptical lyrics and the return of Jim Lea's fiddle. RCA saw the potential of the track and appointed John Punter to work on the track. The album version is extended to give more time for the Linn drum gallop. This track became the first hit in the US for Slade after years of trying to crack the American market, peaking at #20. The track is also a recommended track by allmusic.

"My Oh My" came as Lea had always wanted to write a big, folksy ballad and when he presented his melody idea to Holder, the lyrics to My Oh My were created. The melody came from an idea that Lea had while listening to Hill and Holder tuning up in the dressing room before a gig at a University in Wales. This track became a huge hit in the UK, peaking at #2 and #37 in the US. The track is also a recommended track by allmusic.

"High and Dry" was originally covered by female rock band Girlschool which was produced by both Holder and Lea. Chris Ingham stated "High and Dry is known for showing notable Holder vocal, once memorably described by Melody Maker's Jim Arundel as "a blistering yell that's akin to Little Richard undergoing throat surgery by blowtorch without an anaesthetic". High And Dry is also for its unapologetic commemoration of insensitive womanising; "you want equality", goes the lyric, "you won't get none of that from me". How that fits with Slade's declaration in My Oh My that they "believe in woman" is difficult to say, but a politically correct Slade wouldn't be Slade at all."

"Slam the Hammer Down" opens the original album with a shouted soliloquy by Holder from a helicopter. Chris Ingham from Rock's Backpages stated "The track features an elaborately motor racing/sex metaphor." The track was issued as a promo in the US only.

"In The Doghouse" featured brass instruments for the first time in a Slade track for years. Chris Ingham stated "In The Doghouse celebrates the carefree indiscretions of youth." Noddy Holder later recalled "there was plenty of good stuff on that album...we could have, theoretically, had another single...it would have been a hit", Holder was probably talking about In The Doghouse.

"Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply" appeared as a b-side to Slade's 1983 hit My Oh My. The title was used for the American version of The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome. The song also appeared on the American release. Chris Ingham wrote "the track is a song about a drunk driver strongly advising his amorous passenger not to grope him while he's being followed by the police. The chorus is as fast as anything Slade ever recorded while the production typifies Slade's sound in the mid-80s." The track is also a recommended track by allmusic.

"Cheap 'n' Nasty Luv" is described by Chris Ingham as "another in the series of Slade songs which display an interest in the oldest profession (see also Standing On The Corner, When Fantasy Calls) though the usual lusty appreciation is set aside here and replaced with an empathetic view of a young lady unhappy in her situation." On the American release, Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply, the song is shorter than the European version which adds an extra synthesizer section.

"Can't Tame a Hurricane" was originally taken from the 12" version of My Oh My. The track featured on Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply but not The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome until the Salvo remaster in 2007. On the European release, the title was changed to "Don't Tame a Hurricane. Chris Ingham wrote "Don't Tame A Hurricane has a rocking terseness and directness that recalls Slade's '70s heyday while packing an '80s punch. The 'hurricane' of the song title refers to a larger than life character who won't be tied down and who's an "international cocktail who'll end up on the rocks".

"(And Now the Waltz) C'est La Vie", described by Chris Ingham as "a waltz-time anthem about the bittersweet feelings surrounding an end-of-affair tryst", was originally released in 1982 as a Christmas single. In November 2005 on one of his regular TV-reviewing slots on the Mark Radcliffe BBC Radio 2 show, Holder was asked to choose a track from the recently released Best of Slade. To Radcliffe's surprise Holder chose this flop single. Holder reasoned the track showed off his voice really well.

"Ready to Explode" is an eight-and-one-half-minute track that that opened side two of the original vinyl album. It is a multi-themed song suite about the excitement of motor racing, inspired in part by the Jim Steinman's work with Meat Loaf. Guitarist Dave Hill said "I seem to remember that he was hooked on the Bat Out of Hell album at the time, and he wanted to make a record about...being on the edge and all this type of thing". The track also featured Pete Drummond doing announcements on the track. The song was split into four different parts:

Part 1: The Warm Up
Part 2: The Grid
Part 3: The Race
Part 4: The Dream

The album's chart run in America for a total of 18 weeks:

05/05/1984 - #110
12/05/1984 - #92
19/05/1984 - #75
26/05/1984 - #51
02/06/1984 - #47
09/06/1984 - #42
16/06/1984 - #35
23/06/1984 - #34
30/06/1984 - #33
07/07/1984 - #33
14/07/1984 - #48
21/07/1984 - #48
28/07/1984 - #51
04/08/1984 - #52
11/08/1984 - #62
18/08/1984 - #77
08/09/1984 - #98
15/09/1984 - #111

Canada's CD release is manafactured in Japan?

The album's chart run in Canada totalled 30 weeks:

21/04/1984 - #93
28/04/1984 - #77
05/05/1984 - #69
12/05/1984 - #54
19/05/1984 - #42
26/05/1984 - #32
02/06/1984 - #28
09/06/1984 - #27
16/06/1984 - #26
23/06/1984 - #26
30/06/1984 - #27
07/07/1984 - #26
15/07/1984 - #26
21/07/1984 - #26
28/07/1984 - #27
04/08/1984 - #36
11/08/1984 - #36
18/08/1984 - #36
25/08/1984 - #36
01/09/1984 - #36
08/09/1984 - #39
15/09/1984 - #40
22/09/1984 - #43
29/09/1984 - #54
06/10/1984 - #54
13/10/1984 - #54
20/10/1984 - #54
27/10/1984 - #61
03/11/1984 - #68
10/11/1984 - #84

A fourth (Promo) single was released from the album in the USA, Slam The Hammer Down (Hot) / Slam The Hammer Down (Hotter) Mixes.

Many thanks to Gordon 'Rasputin' Kerr for supplying the Canadian cover art for this release, he may find his vinyl one day and then I'll get a decent scan of the rear cover. If you look carefully at the illegible credits on the vinyl rear cover, they don't seem to match the CD release? :-/

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Slam The Hammer Down

(Noddy Holder & Jim Lea)

[Intro.]

[NODDY (scream) from helicopter:]

Hey you - you up there

Yeh you - can you hear me

I said, I said - can you hear me

Don't you listen to me, when I'm talking to you?

If you can't go for it - you can't go for it - good!

And that means you walk a new way - for what new's gonna comin'!

She's a cool kinda mama

Sure gonna slam the hammer down

When your pistons are pumping

Sure gonna slam the hammer down

Oh when your body starts to shake

It's time to loosen off the brake

And ram it down

Push the pedal to the metal

Sure gonna slam the hammer down

Gonna burn up the rubber

Sure gonna slam the hammer down

The checkered flag won't make you stop

You keep on going 'til you drop

And ramming it down

Keep a moving and motor racing

And the wheels go round and round

Oh when you win you'll be celebrating

Ready to slam the hammer on down

Got a flash little chassis

Screams when you slam the hammer down

First, second, third and fourth

Into top and ram the hammer down

You know it's getting all too much

When you're letting out the clutch

And ramming it down

Keep a moving, accelerating

And you're ready to face the crowd

Now you're opening up a wide gap

Ready to slam the hammer on down

Yeah - yeah - yeah - yeh,yeh yeh!

You dun alright - you dun alright!

Oh she's a cool kinda mama

Sure gonna slam the hammer on down

Get it up and ram it up

And baby gonna ram the hammer down

When you loosen off the brake

Oh when your body starts to shake

Fill her up with juice then baby

Gonna slam the hammer down

Yeah, oh ah!

January 27th, 1984

RCA - RCA-385

In 1984, the song "Run Runaway" became the first single to be taken from their album 'The Amazing Kamikazee Syndrome'. It was actually the third since 'My Oh My' had been the showcase single for the album and their 1982 release, '(And Now - The Waltz) C'est La Vie', had been added to the album.

The album version features an extended drum gallop before blasting out the fantastic guitar riff. Most impressive is how the track truly kicks in with Noddy shrieking “Hold on!” and the most irresistible fiddle melody begins. Noddy’s lyrics are totally nonsensical and yet they work in every way possible. The fantastic backing vocals fit perfectly whilst the entire song is a showcase for the band‘s musical creativity. The entir song never fails to deliver everything Slade stand for.

Many people refer this song to an influence of Big Country where I must stress that at the time of release, Big Country had not created anything remotely similar to the Run Runaway sound. The melody is in fact inspired by the hymn "There Is a Happy Land". Holder himself perfectly summed the song up as "a rocky Scottish jig".

The song became the band's biggest American hit, benefitting from heavy play on MTV, peaking at #20 and spending a total of eight weeks in the Top 40. It was also number one for two weeks on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart and proved to be the band's last top 10 hit in the UK.

Dave Thompson, from allmusic described the song as "building on the anthemic power of the earlier "My Oh My" - itself their biggest U.K. single in nine years - "Run Runaway" is raucous chanting, swirling guitars, wild violin, and even a taste of heavy metal bagpipes, helped along by a drum sound that is pure early '80s". The single peaked at #193 for 1984 on rateyourmusic.

A music video was created for the single, filmed at Eastnor Castle, Ledbury, Herefordshire, England. The track was also performed on many UK TV shows such as Hall of Fame as well as a few Top of The Pops performances. The track was also performed at Montreaux Festival in 1984 along with Slam The Hammer Down.

In February 1985 it was performed on ITV's 'Saturday Live' (with a different backing track) when the band were promoting the 7 Year Bitch single.

America got Run Runaway first and when it took off CBS put out My Oh My as the follow up. Run Runaway coupled with My Oh My promo'd in the US in 1984 on a CBS 12" (AS 1832) playing at 33rpm. I don't know if it came before the official release but Run Runaway promo'd in several guises. The blue promo has the Don't Tame A Hurricane B-side.

The white promo with exactly the same catalogue number has Run Runaway on both sides. Note the playing time clocks in at 3:42 as do the European 7". In the UK this edit can be found on 'Feel The Noize - Slade Greatest Hits' and should have been used as an album bonus track by Salvo in 2007 remaster catalogue.

1997 Compilation CD
Polydor - 537 105-2

Original Release

Reissue, minus the "Feel The Noize" in the title!

Run Runaway
Two Track Stereo, One Track Mind

There's little obvious difference between the 7" and 12". The 12" run out groove is stamped with RCAT 385 A-1U-1-1-1 and engraved with a 'guiness harp' followed by the letters 'TOPIA'.

Visually, regarding info, it suggests that they both feature the same audio, no bonus track and no remix on the 12". This is not actually the case though, the 7" gives a time check of 4:59 but, although the label doesn't state as such, the 12" runs for 5:37. Had the 7" had been a Radio Edit then the album version and the 12" version would have been special. Sadly, the only real difference is an extended intro of drums and extra phased guitar intro causing the vocal to drop half a minute later at 1:30. Most people probably never even noticed.

It's interesting to note that Run Runaway is published in 1983 whilst Two Track Stereo, One Track Mind is 1984. Two Track Stereo was obviously recorded in January '84.

Canada, 1984 - 7", Vinyl, Single.
CBS Associated - ZS4 04398.
Run Run Away / Don't Tame A Hurricane :-

This beautiful Japanese 7" (courtesy of hawkheriberto on discogs)

The single's chart run in the UK for a total of 12 weeks:

04/02/1984 - #54
11/02/1984 - #40
18/02/1984 - #34
25/02/1984 - #19
03/03/1984 - #10
10/03/1984 - #7
17/03/1984 - #14
24/03/1984 - #20
31/03/1984 - #32
07/04/1984 - #53

The single was a huge hit worldwide:

Belgium - #27 for 1 week
Canada - #15 for 16 weeks
Germany - #19 for 12 weeks
Ireland - #8 for 4 weeks
New Zealand - #21 for 12 weeks
Norway - #7 for 5 weeks
Poland - #6 for 10 weeks
Sweden - #4 for 7 weeks

Slade's only top 20 hit in America lasted it's chart run for a total of 17 weeks:

07/04/1984 - #67
14/04/1984 - #56
21/04/1984 - #50
28/04/1984 - #44
05/05/1984 - #39
12/05/1984 - #34
19/05/1984 - #32
26/05/1984 - #27
02/06/1984 - #25
09/06/1984 - #23
16/06/1984 - #20
23/06/1984 - #27
30/06/1984 - #43
07/07/1984 - #65
14/07/1984 - #80
21/07/1984 - #84
28/07/1984 - #98

Reverse of Picture Cover of the Netherlands - RCA - 1983 Release!

My thanks to Gordon Kerr for supplying the cover art. The track has been covered by Dominoo, Acid Drinkers, Great Big Sea, Bart Foley, Off Kilter, Rednex and Prydein.

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Run Runaway

(Noddy Holder & Jim Lea)

I like black and white

Dreaming in black and white

You like black and white

Run Runaway

See chameleon

Lying there in the sun

All things to everyone

Run Runaway

If you're in the swing

Money ain't everything

If you're in the swing

Run Runaway

See chameleon

Lying there in the sun

All things to everyone

Run Runaway

If you gotta crush

Don't beat about the bush

When I gotta crush

Run Runaway

See chameleon

Lying there in the sun

All things to everyone

Run Runaway

Oh now can't you wait

Love don't come on a plate

Oh now can't you wait

Run Runaway

See the chameleon

Lying there in the sun

All things to everyone

Run Runaway

Two Track Stereo - One Track Mind

(Noddy Holder & Jim Lea)

With her one track mind

She was a hooked on two track stereo

With her one track mind

Woh-ho-oh

Well she always had lousy timing

But she'd like making love to music

Wearing headphones

Woh-ho-oh

Wearing headphones

Yeah-yeah-yeah

They get in the way of talking

And it don't sound the same

When you have to shout sweet nothing's

Woh-ho-oh

Through her headphones

Oh-ho-ho-ho

With her one track mind

Her brain in her behind

She was hooked on two track stereo

With her one track mind

Woh-ho-oh

Yeah-hey-hey

She'd be late for a date on purpose

Making sure that she keeps you waiting

And while she makes up

Woh-ho-oh

Another new face

Woh-ho-ho-ho

She was always forgetting something

And she'd easily lose her head

And there'd be nowhere woh--ho-oh

To hang her headphones yeah-yeah-yeah

With her one track mind

Her brain in her behind

She was hooked on two track stereo

With her one track mind

Woh-ho-oh

Yeah-hey-hey

Oh well she always had lousy timing

Wearing headphones while she's out eating

Or out walking

Like a zombie yeah

With her one track mind

Her brain in her behind

She was hooked on two track stereo

With her one track mind

Woh-ho-oh

One track mind

What's going through her mind

Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply 1984

Run Runaway 1984