Lanchester Arts Festival

New Musical Express, January 29th, 1972

NME: 22nd January 1972
THE BERRY, SLADE, FLOYD SOUND SCOOP

IN JOURNALISTIC terms, the LAF committee have a first-class scoop exclusive on Thursday, February 3. Not only do they present the only British appearance of Chuck Berry, one of the great influences of rock over 20 years, but the only college appearance of Pink Floyd, who are at present on a British tour.

As if that isn’t enough, we also have Billy Preston and Slade appearing at Coventry Locarno.

This certainly covers the diverse musical tastes at present apparent in this country.

Berry will probably create the greatest interest. Born in St Louis, 1931, he was the son of musically inclined parents, and made his first public appearance while at high school, singing in an all-male revue. Shortly afterwards he started his first professional group, working at Huff Gardens, East St. Louis.

Berry’s achievements since then have been phenomenal, and he has often been described as the King of Rhythm and Blues: his athletic performances are full of verve and enthusiasm.

Berry, who puts most of his success down to Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker, first broke the white market with his American chart success in 1955, called “Maybellene." And subsequently this amazing singer/writer/ guitar-ist churned out hit after hit, many of which became standards in the repertoires of band like the Stones and Animals. There was "Sweet Little Sixteen," "Carol," " Too Much Monkey Business" and the rest.

For a while Berry the performer gradually drifted away from the music scene, but then he kicked all the critics up the backside by returning with great impact with "Memphis Tennessee" during the R&B revival.

Berry's appearance promises good time funk, and Slade will also present similar qualities in another vibrant show.

Slade are riding in on the ‘scream-scene' smacking audiences in the head and groin and sending them freaking up and down the aisles. Though they lack subtlety (and why shouldn’t they?), this one time band of skinheads have proved that technical brilliance is no substitute for an acute awareness of rollicking good music.

And obviously the same applies with Billy Preston. Though in the past he has recorded typical soul-type material, which wasn't too original, on his recent album release “Write a Simple Song," he proves on six cuts that be too can write some pretty hot material. Already review critics have decided the album will do a lot for him - after all Harrison does help him out in places, - but to me it is a shame Preston has taken so long to become recognised in his own right. He seems to have had hang-ups with numerous record companies, and lack of promotion.

Raised in Los Angeles, Preston made an early apppearance as W. C. Handy in the film "St Louis Blues." Though up until 1962 he was greatly involved in gospel music, and that still shows, he then went into the whole rock and roll bit with Little Richard. Like Berry, his roots go way back, and perhaps to the core of the present day rock idiom.

With Little Richard he backed the great and late Sam Cooke, followed by a stint with Ray Charles. When they toured Charles introduced him as “The young man that anytime I leave this business I want him to take over where I started."

"That's The Way God Planned It" was probably the first single to awaken British audiences to his good singing and organ playing. But he also worked on the Beatles "Get Back," album, and I have a feeling that Preston is going to make more of an impression than people suspect along· side such names as Berry.

Well, it appears that most of Thursday night is going to be a loon. Pink Floyd undoubtedly will continue this feel, but with more subtlety. Berry,· Preston and Slade represent what has now become the basis of rock, but Floyd are in a field of their own.

Now with one of the most sophisticated quadraphonic sounds systems, they present music, combined with sound effects in an extremely interesting way. And it is hoped that by the time they play, their brand new piece tentatively titled "Dark Side Of The Moon," will be streamlined .for a concert performance. Some night. eh?


NME: 29th January 1972
The new single was also launched that week and the advert ran, banner style, bottom of the page and it's good to see the A & B side titles featuring equally on the Slade Alive! composite photo in black & white. John 'Eagle Eye' Haxby was quick to point out to me that, on this copy of the photo, Dave Hill is blurred adding credence to the belief that his image on the Slade Alive! composite has been added from another photo from the set.



Look Wot You Dun

January 28th, 1972

German Picture Cover of "Look Wot You Dun".
Polydor Records - 2058-195

Supplied to those lucky people across the globe in countless picture sleeves. In the UK we got the standard red Polydor envelope. This one (courtesy of Dragula) is the German sleeve.
Look wot Slade's dun!
Slade: Look Wot You Dun; Candidate (Polydor 2058 195)
Quite definitely, they've done it again. Apart from incuring the wrath of education authorities over title-phrase spelling, Slade are directly into at least a top five mood with this one. It's a sturdily staccato sort of theme, right into the commercial 'feel,' group vocal, touches of guitar. The whole thing is complete; everything falls into place. No doubts here. CHART CERT.
Record Mirror: 29th February 1972

Look Wot You Dun is credited to Noddy Holder, Jim Lea and Don Powell. Released on 28th January, it spent 10 weeks on the chart. Originally written by Lea and Powell, the track was influenced by John Lennon. The chorus wasn't considered strong enough and it was put to one side until it was later presented to Noddy for his input. The recast song was released as the dreaded follow up to their first UK #1 hit. This track is the only Slade song to feature a Don Powell vocal of heavy breathing in the chorus. Don also features in the 'lost' Chessington Zoo promo film.
"It's a sad sight seeing 'Look Wot You Dun' going slowly down the charts, but it was a great feeling when it shot up to the top. Thanks to all you great fans for helping it on it's way. For promotion we did a lot of TV, including a film for "Top Of The Pops". This was taken at Chessington Zoo, and half way through the film Don was seen to have a fish in his mouth. This, I assure all the fans who wrote in, was a dead fish, ready to be fed to the seals, but the keeper, being a bit short-sighted, mistook Don for one. POOR DON!"
Noddy: April/May 1972 Fan Club Newsletter
During recording, Slade's guitarist Dave Hill borrowed Peter Frampton's guitar as his own had been left at home and was inaccessible due to inclement weather during the Christmas holiday. 
"I believe the band were already in the studio and it had been raining heavily. The truck carrying some of their gear - specifically Dave's guitar - became bogged down and couldn't make it. 
Peter Frampton, who was in an adjoining studio at the time, loaned Dave a guitar which he used on Look Wot You Dun."
Steve 'Don't Quote Me' Cross: Slade Archive Forum 2010
The anecdote is reported, a quarter of a century later, in the sleeve notes of the remastered Greatest Hits CD collection, "Feel The Noize".

For many, this single was treasured for it's B-side. As with the previous two releases, the B-side tracks would not get an album release on vinyl. Candidate is, once again, Jimmy Lea and Don Powell writing together, without Noddy's inclusion this time. It  is not poppy but powerful and infectious. It has harmonies and a loose political theme with a solid pounding bottom end foundation in a key that shrieks of seriousness. The bass climbs up and around the chorus, down the other side before bottoming out on that chord again. As with Holder's composition on the flipside of Coz I Love You, and the tracks on the back of Get Down & Get With It , there are no happy, pop song chords here. In this way, fans were pulled in to the band via the pop songs but equally, anybody interested in listening, got grown up stuff with emotional content.

The single entered the UK Singles Chart and peaked at #4 on the 26th February prompting Dave Hill's famous quote "Piano equals failure."
"We were unsure about it. We thought it was too keyboards based and not in our usual stomp and roll style, which suited the stage, but it did have that Beatles feel, which Chas liked."
Noddy Holder: The Slade Box 2007
It also entered at #6 in Ireland, #19 in Germany, #22 in New Zealand and #2 in Netherlands. I'm told it was the highest charting single in the Netherlands throughout Slade's entire career. It was also released in the US on Cotillion Records 45-44150, where it received no interest, as usual, but makes an interesting collectable. It's Look Wot You Dun on both sides, one mono recording and one in stereo.


"It has been reported that 100,000 copies of 'Look Wot You Dun' were ordered before it was even released..."
NEWS IN BRIEF: Feb/March 1972 
Fan Club Newsletter


"'Look Wot You Dun' has sparked off protests amongst the teaching profession. They are complaining about the mis-spelling of titles..."
NEWS IN BRIEF: April/May 1972 Fan Club Newsletter

  • Look Wot You Dun
  • Candidate





UK/European/Dutch Picture Cover of "Look Wot You Dun".

Belgian Picture Cover of "Look Wot You Dun".

Japanese Picture Cover of "Look Wot You Dun"/"Candidate" 7", Vinyl, Single.

Norwegian Picture Cover of "Look Wot You Dun".


Yugoslavian Radio-Televizija Beograd label Release Picture Cover of "Look Wot You Dun".

 Portugal "Look Wot You Dun" 1972.


France - Polydor - 1972.

Here is a slower, heavier, bluesier version : -


A big thank you to Ralle for the German picture cover.



Look Wot You Dun
(Noddy Holder, Jimmy Lea & Don Powell)

I know just exactly where to be
You know what my freedom means to me
What it means, what it means to me
Just exactly what my freedom means to me

I say I know just what I want to be
You say what's it all supposed to mean
What's it mean. But we don't agree
Just exactly what it's all supposed to mean

Hey hey hey hey what you doin' to me
Hey hey hey look wot you dun
Hey hey hey hey what you doin' to me
Hey hey hey look wot you dun

I know what your mind is going through
You know my mind is going through it too
Through it too, going through it too
And you know my mind is going through it too

Hey hey hey hey what you doin' to me
Hey hey hey look wot you dun
Hey hey hey hey what you doin' to me
Hey hey hey look wot you dun


Candidate
(Jimmy Lea & Don Powell)

See him all alone,
No one seems to like him, he's uncool,
No one seems to like the way he rules,
See them all alone,
Talking of the secrets of the moon,
Spending hard-earned money they'll just lose.

What we really want is some way to adjust,
All the values that we have been left to trust,
I just can't believe they are real, very real,
Far from real

See them on their own,
See their cartoon faves in the news,
Storming from the house in ones and two's,
Can you hear them cry,
Making accustions to each other,
Campaigning for the mark of a young mother.

What we really want is some way to adjust,
All the values that we have been left to trust,
I just can't believe they are real, very real,
Far from real

What we really want is some way to adjust,
All the values that we have been left to trust,
I just can't believe
They're real, very real,
Far from real,
See them all alone
See them all alone.

Both tracks © Barn/Schroeder Music

Louisianna Rag Blues

Slade Papers: Feb/Mar 1972 Fan Club Newsletter
LIVE AT EALING TOWN HALL

.... At first the audience just stood around while the boys went into Hear Me Calling, ‘Louisianna Rag Blues’ and Know Who You Are.

A mild beginning, maybe...
Louisiana Rag Blues, I always assumed, on the odd occasion that I've come across this title, that it was a pseudonym for Lady Be Good which was a Jim playing violin spot but seems a bit early in this set. Anybody know what this song is?

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Coz I Luv You (Holland 1972)

Polydor Records - 2383 100

OK, it seems the more I find out, the more I realise I don't know? This came as a complete surprise to me. Although I was aware of this release of Coz I Luv You, I was not aware that it had a different track listing. Bearing the catalogue number immediately preceding Slade Alive!, it would appear that this was probably released prior to, or alongside, Look Wot You Dun in Jan 1972. I guess, the fact that Candidate is not present bears out this assumption.
"...we released one album overseas '''Cos I Luv You" which we didn't issue in Britain because it was all singles that had already been hits here for us, and we thought it was more than likely that most of our fans would already have those numbers in their record collections."
Jim Lea: The Slade Story - George Tremlett (page 74)
Using an assortment of tracks from the unsuccessful Play It Loud and the 7" single tracks, this album includes One Way Hotel, Do You Want Me, See Us Here & Know Who You Are. I find it odd that they added the Play It Loud tracks to an official Slade release (which this Dutch release clearly is). I believe the same records were released in Holland so Jim's explanation doesn't make much sense. On the Australian and later German revision, these are replaced by Angelina, Candidate, Look Wot You Dun & Could I which shows how chaotic Slade's marketing was at this moment in time.

The single A sides would get an album release in 1973 on the Sladest album, while Don Powell recovered from the car crash that killed his friend Angela Morris but those B-sides would not get a UK album release until the next millennium.

  • Coz I Luv You
  • Dapple Rose
  • Sweet Box
  • Gospel According To Rasputin
  • My Life Is Natural
  • The Shape Of Things To Come
  • Get Down And Get With It
  • One Way Hotel
  • Raven
  • Do You Want Me
  • See Us Here
  • Know Who You Are


The Cover Art is here 10.38 MB

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Big thanks to Jaap for providing this artwork. ;-)