NIGHT DREAMS ~ "Dreams, Fantasy and Illusions" NBC Television August 1975

Slade, during their self imposed exile to the United States of America beginning in 1975 took every available opportunity to them to project their image and music onto the population of the country. They toured relentlessly and criss crossed the country many times over in their effort to gain the wide raging acceptance that would equate to record sales and chart success in the hardest market of them all.

The band had enjoyed some minor national chart success on their early US tours and indeed had pockets of fans and even strongholds in New York and some parts of the mid west, but national success had, and was to continue to elude them for almost another decade.

They were given the opportunity for national exposure by NBC Television who had commissioned two 90 minute TV 'spectaculars' under the title 'Night Dreams'  and a bizarre and somewhat off the wall premis they seemed to be, I say seemed to be because no footage is known to exist of either of the two shows that were made and I only know about the shows and Slade's appearance on the second of the two, because long time Floridian fan and long time friend of Slade In England, Jen Mandli not only told me about it, but sent me a taped 'from the TV' audio recording of what she was able to record onto her tape recorder by holding the microphone in front of the TV speaker in the middle of the night!

The second show, which featured Slade, entitled Night Dreams "Dreams, Fantasy and Illusions" was broadcast by NBC on channel 2 directly following on from their top rated  Tonight show starring Johnny Carson. on 8th August but at 1am which would not have helped the viewing figures! The show starred Rex Reed, a hammy US film critic who linked the various acts throughout. 

Rex Reed, a Mike Reid lookalike US film critic who hosted the show from a large ornate wicker chair presented the various acts which included sketches, magic tricks/illusions and bizarre dream sequences set to poetry and 'experimental music'.

The show was commissioned by NBC to replace long running late night music show 'Midnight Special' and those in power at NBC clearly thought they were on to a winner when they announced the show and promised a musical extravaganza featuring top talent from around the world.

That talent  in this show consisted of  Slade, Freddy Fender; Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds, a tribute to the Lone Ranger, magician Carl Ballantine, Tony Greco, Pepi Hernandez; Don Novello, the improvisational Groundlings, illusionist Lee Edwards; and a "Rock Dreams" sequence.

Rod Stewart gets a mention in the actual intro to the show that was broadcast, but no mention of him or what he performed appears in any TV listing or press release.

Musical numbers that would feature were  "Coming Down Your Way," "Kite Man," "You Can Leave Your Hat On" and "Til the World Ends." 

All performed by US veterans Three Dog Night  just before 'musical differences' split them up.

Little Richard, a hero of Holders, would appear and perform "I Saw Her Standing There," "Lovesick Blues," and "I Saw What You Did," 

Slade chipped in with three tracks that they were promoting at the time from their newly released 'In Flame' LP, those being "Them Kinda Monkeys Can't Swing," " Far Far Away" and "How Does It Feel." 

Freddy Fender, Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds contributed with "Before the Next Teardrop Falls."  and "Falling in Love" and "Don't Pull Your Love." respectively!

In addition to the three tracks that the band played (live) they also appeared in a strange dream sequence dressed it would appear as extras from Mary Poppins singing 'I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts (rolla bolla bolla penny a pinch)...yes....that one!

This brings me on to Jen Mandli, who sneaked to the TV set in the middle of the night to watch Noddy, Don, Jim and Dave on American TV, she decided that it would be a good idea to try to tape the show, and she managed to catch for posterity both Far Far Away and a reprise of How Does It Feel.....as well as coconuts, unfortunately  'Them Kinda Monkeys Can't Swing' didn't survive the years and is lost.

Jen was one of the first US fans that contacted me via the newly posted Slade In England web site in 1997 and we quickly became firm friends and I was delighted to receive from her a battered old cassette tape from which I was able to rescue and enhance those decades old recordings which now reside in the Slade In england archives!

One never knows what gems of television remain to be unearthed and brought to light, and despite my searching in various archives it seems that 'Night Dreams' featuring Slade is only mentioned in archive US newspaper TV listings, I was able to find the photographs that accompany this article for sale on a well known photo archive site, but the press release photo of Rex Reed and accompanying blurb, those TV listings, and the SIE archive audio recording is all that now remains of a long forgotten US TV spectacular!!

David Graham

Slade In England.

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Text Link: Click Info: filename Filesize: 15.01 MB

My thanks to Chris 'The Historian' Selby for his relentless research. It is said, in certain circles, that Walsall Archives have a seat reserved specifically for him and that Wolverhampton archives consult him when searching the Express & Star. 

Welcome!

Staffordshire 1960

In the United Kingdom during the 1960's, Midland Beat was a genre of its own. The central area of England is logically referred to as the Midlands and it seemed to have more than its fair share of musical aptitude. Many, like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, were born and bred there while others, like Cream, spent a lot of time learning their craft there.

This area would spawn one of the UK's biggest exports of the 70's, certainly in Europe. There is no doubt that the members of Slade grew up listening to the music of artists such as Buddy Holly, The Everly Brothers, Cliff Richard and The Shadows right through to the biggest icons of the 1960's. The Beatles influence would be prevalent throughout the group's career.

Welcome!

The most authentic and accurate history of the rock group, Slade, on the web.  In the world. even. This site is dedicated to the best facts research can find.  Jump to the first page here.
Then, click on the "next page" links to read the story in chronological order.

There are Pop bands, there are Rock bands and then there are musical institutions. All three of these descriptions apply to this four man, hit making machine from the West Midlands. With a string of misspelt chart toppers, an outlandish wardrobe and a killer, live act that was second to none. Slade's achievements during the 1970's were little short of phenomenal: their crunching rock 'n' roll and crazee antics would inspire acts such as Kiss, Kurt Cobain, Oasis, Twisted Sister, Alice Cooper, The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, The Darkness and even comedians Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, to pick up guitars. And what's more, the stunning re-birth from a career slump during the following decade revealed an enviable stubborn streak and tenacity worthy of only the rare few.

Slade were a top notch group that were dragged into the black hole of Glam Rock, a short lived fad that deflected from who they really were, one of the world's greatest Rock bands. Loud, gregarious and, above all, entertaining with an affable, rabble-rousing demagogue up front.

"Slade were down to earth and honest, and it's a real shame there's not more bands around like them, as you won't find this kind of honesty in the record business these days; mores the pity."
Dennis Munday: Ex Polydor Marketing October 2012

Here, we tell the story of one of the UK's most underrated groups. This is the story of Slade, told in a genealogical manner with the factual evidence to back it up where possible. The main source information comes from:

'Feel The Noize' by Chris Charlesworth

'Genesis Of Slade' sleevenotes by John Howells

'Who's Crazee Now?' by Noddy Holder

( Paperback Version. )

( Hardback Version. )

Most of the 'new' info comes from the Wolverhampton (and surrounding areas) newspaper archives scoured by Chris Selby, without whom, this site would not be possible. Please bear in mind that local newspapers, like all newspapers, use artistic licence when reporting. For the purposes of this project, we are interested, first and foremost, in the date. The posts run chronologically, the early years are listed under 1971 because that's the earliest date Blogger can handle.

THE STORY STARTS HERE.

(To follow the story chronologically, click on the "next page" links!)

Intro paragraph by Dave Ling. If any links do not work please let me know in the comments section.

Ray Kimpton re: The Phantoms 1963
Alan re: Dortmund Habenera 1965,
Allie Keith re: John Conlan at Sundown 1972,

Please get in touch. 

You can also find me on Facebook or several Slade forums. 

Mickey P. ;-)

The Making Of Flame

London, 4th September, 1974

In 1973 I was fortunate enough to attend the NME Pollwinners Concert at Wembley and the Earls Court concert, both of which were magnificient although I remember nothing of the actual shows now.

What I do remember is getting the invite to the filming of the live scenes for the Slade in Flame movie. I was so excited and also so worried that my Mum would not allow me to go. The filming was taking place at Finsbury Park Rainbow on a schoolday. I had to think long and hard about whether I should tell my Mum or just bunk off school and go to London?

Fortunately I told her and she was cool about it. It turned out that there were 3 days of filming, the 4th, 5th & 11th of September 1974. You needed tickets to get in and they were given to us as we left the gig. I recall they were pissed off because the flame shaped guitars, made by Framus in Germany, didn't arrive early enough for the first day of filming.

The filming sessions were choreographed, of course, and there was a lot of stop/start going on. Noddy addressed the crowd in civvies and explained to all that there would be a lot of waiting around but be patient and the group would be back soon to play some of their Slade hits. He also made it clear that no Slade stuff should be showing and that the names Noddy, Dave, Jim and Don were banned while the cameras were rolling. We were encouraged to shout out Stoker, Barry, Paul and Charlie but I don't think many people felt comfortable with that. Most people just screamed "FLAME" which was odd enough anyway.

About 40 minutes later they came out in their Flame costumes and played a few songs. Try as I might, I cannot recall with any certainty what they were but I think Mama Weer All Crazee Now, Cum On Feel The Noize and Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me were played. I seem to recall them playing Far Far Away too but I'm really not sure? It makes sense I guess, obviously this was a warm up for the group and also to get the audience into character. It was also the film crews chance to monitor the levels and frame the shots, etc.

Between the stage and the crowd was a space for a cameraman to walk along. In my head I remember a metal barrier and a guy with a Steadicam but I don't think they were invented yet so he may have been on a dolly but I couldn't see it. I remember the camera had a light on it and I could see his face pushed into the viewer.

In the movie there is a scene where a blonde girl gets onto the stage and gets carried off by security. We were standing right behind her in the crowd. We could hear the film crew telling her what to do and when to do it. I tried talking to her but she was so focused on what was about to happen that I might as well not have been there. She had a home made Flame banner, red letters on yellow silk which she asked me to hold onto for her. I never saw her again except in the movie but I kept the banner, I probably still have it in my attic?

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Slade Fan Club Newsletter

October/November 1974


REPORT FROM THE RAINBOW

"During the filming of Slade's new film 'Flame' they shot a live performance at the Rainbow Theatre in front of an invited audience from the Fan Club. At 3 o'clock they took their seats in the stalls. They looked great; lots of them had sewn sequins and foil to their T-shirts and 'Flame' burns from a hundred vests. Banners and Noddy Hats, Streamers and even cardboard guitars sprayed with silver. Lots of reflecting colour, lights and crackling foil ribbons. They had really worked hard. 'Everybody's gonna be film-stars today' Nod hollers at the audience. Dave's had his hair cut. Jim looks very cool and together, Don looks well and happy and Nod is Nod. Today though, he's called Stoker, Dave is Barry Jim's called Paul and Don is Charlie. 'Flame' is a group picked up by a management and told what to do. I don't think it works like that now. The period is 1967 and that sort of thing went on then. 'Flame' entered from the bows of the stage wearing tremendous suits, yellow and red sort of jester outfits. Smoke seeps meaningfully around them. They sing 'Wishing you were here' from their new album."

"The banners are waving, the sequins are flashing, the security men are sweating. 'A good one that' shouts Noddy, 'there's cameras all around ya focused on you lot, you're all stars tooday, so lets ERE YA NOIZE'. 

COMPETITION

"The response from last month’s competition was tremendous and I spent many an hour reading your fascinating stories. The winner was chosen by Nod during one of the few breaks in the filming of ‘Flame'."

A WORD FROM JIM

"... 

Stardust was also on our agenda, the film was very sad and I now do believe that it has received an AA Certificate. I wonder what certificate the censors will give our film? Perhaps one day Dave Essex and ourselves could get together and make a film?"

Jim Lea: Newsletter Oct/Nov 1974

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Slade Fan Club Newsletter

December/January 1974/5

"After the very successful filming of 'Slade in Flame' at the Rainbow Theatre in September, there was to be another filming there in October. This was for a different scene but because of technical difficulties and the fact that they could not arrange a film crew for that day, we had to cancel it. The boys wish to apologise for the disappointment caused, and hope that seeing the film on the screen will make up for it."

I guess that means they used (or cut) the 'not good enough' scenes?

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I found this business card in the Rainbow, never found out what it was for. I looked throughout the movie, in case it was a prop, but haven't spotted it?


SLADE IN FLAME

FILM 

FLAME traces the story of a rock band's gruelling struggle to stardom, their brief span of success, and subsequent disintegration due to external pressures and internal conflict. 

Treading the boards of the north country are JACK DANIELS AND HIS DT’s, a 'second-rate band working a third-rate audience, with a fourth-rate agent creaming 10%' CHARLIE (Don Powell) auditions for the job of drummer, joining BARRY (Dave Hill), and PAUL (Jimmy Lea). JACK DANIELS (Alan Lake) monotonous circuit of North Country clubs, aided by BARRY's sometime girl friend, ANGIE (Sara Clee), and managed by a small-time crook of fading hopes, RON HARDING (Johnny Shannon). 

The group's venues bring them into contact with a rival outfit, ROY PRIEST AND THE UNDERTAKERS, a quasi-rocky horror band starring STOKER (Noddy Holder) as lead singer. DANIELS sabotages The Undertakers' performance by locking STOKER in his stage coffin in the middle of their act. A chase ensues, culminating in a bizarre fracas, which lands both groups in jail. PAUL and STOKER, the composing elements of their two respective bands, wind up in the same cell, and following their release the group reform as THE IRON ROD -- with STOKER replacing DANIELS, and involving BARRY's old school-mate, RUSSELL (Anthony Allen), as their unpaid roadie. 

The group's début at a local dance hall ends in near disaster when a violent clash develops between HARDING and STOKER. HARDING has never looked upon the group with much enthusiasm and uses the incident as a convenient excuse to drop them from his catalogue of dubious talent. However, their efforts have been noted by TONY DEVLIN (Ken Colley), working on behalf of a successful London advertising executive, ROBERT SEYMOUR (Tom Conti). After initial testing SEYMOUR has the band brought to London where he proceeds with much the same methods as he applies to cigarettes. The group are polished, groomed, fitted, dressed, and finally launched as FLAME on an unsuspecting public.  

The publicity programme is given a boost when the group become involved in a pirate radio attack in the Thames estuary, and their subsequent rescue brings them nationwide attention.  

FLAME's growing success has also been brought to the attention of their former manager, HARDING. He re-surfaces at a celebration party to inform SEYMOUR that the group are still under contract to his agency. SEYMOUR arranges for the offending document to be discreetly removed from HARDING's office and continues undeterred. HARDING tries to threaten the contract on SEYMOUR's behalf and has him beaten-up. SEYMOUR growing conflict between STOKER and PAUL, and while HARDING struggles with SEYMOUR for control, the group begins to slowly disintegrate. In addition to the creative conflict, they are becoming increasingly disillusioned with the life they are forced to lead. 

A nationwide tour is launched but despite FLAME's success SEYMOUR is pressurized by his backers to either come to terms with HARDING or else pull out. Realizing that the group themselves will shortly break up, SEYMOUR finally agrees. On the last night of the tour he returns home to call HARDING only to find he's too late. HARDING has sent in his operators to desecrate his child's bedroom.  

The following morning, HARDING arrives at the group's hotel to inform them of their return to his agency. He too left empty-handed: STOKER blandly tells him that FLAME no longer exists.  

Filmed in Panavision and Colour, with an original score by SLADE, FLAME will engender the audience with the feeling of having participated in what might have been a slice of a pop band's own life. 

ALBUM - The album Slade in Flame was released on 29th November - it was scheduled for the 22nd., but Polydor could not produce enough copies to cover the advance orders in time. The album contains 'How does it feel', the theme song from the film, 'Them Monkeys Can't Swing' is the first number performed in the film by the group under the name of Iron Rod. 'So far so Good' - this is used in the film as the initial number one hit for the group, FLAME. 'Summer Song' is performed in the final sequence of FLAME as the villain of the piece turns up at the seaside hotel to try to force the group to return to his agency. 'O.K. Yesterday was Yesterday' - for those who like their SLADE with all stops out. 'Far Far Away' - already a monster hit as a single for SLADE bringing them a silver disc within two weeks of release. 'This Girl' - in the film there is another group, Roy Priest and the Undertakers, and they play this number - though in FLAME the lyrics differ from those in the album. 'Lay it Down' - used in the film as the background prior to the beating up scene. 'Heaven Knows' - a picked - guitar intro to this easy tempo song. 'Standing on the Corner' - strictly boot-music, heavy instrumental backing laid down for Noddy Holder's cast-iron-lung delivery.  

Once again, SLADE have achieved a Silver and Gold award for this album even before release date.  

BOOK - The book FLAME has been written by John Pidgeon, and is published by Panther in January, available from all Bookshops at 50p. There has never been a book which captured the sweaty ambience of the Rock business so authentically. Seedy clubs, dishonest managers, catastrophic fatigue, the painful clash of personalities and the cynical manipulation of the media. It's all here in a hard-hitting novel by an author uniquely well placed to tell it like it is.  

I hope you all had a happy Christmas and I take this opportunity of wishing you a Happy New Year. That's not only from me but the boys as well. 

NEW SINGLE 

'How Does It Feel', taken from the film, is Slade's latest single, released February 7th. The 'B' side is 'So Far So Good' which in the film is Flame's first hit single. Once again, the single is wrapped in a colourful sleeve. I personally think that 'How Does It Feel' is the best song from the film, even better than 'Far Far Away'. The album Slade in Flame sales are tremendous, and have just surpassed the 200,000 mark in just over one month. By all accounts it looks as though it will be Slade's biggest selling album. 

Still available are the Slade In Flame T. shirts in small, medium and large sizes at £1.20p including p & p and VAT. The Slade In Flame film viewers have gone exceedingly well and we are having to order another batch. These contain 20 colour frames of scenes taken from the movie. These are obtainable from me for 50p plus 5p p&p. The Slade in Flame poster magazine is only available from newsagents. If you have difficulty in obtaining a copy please inform your newsagent that it is distributed by New English Library."

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Slade Fan Club Newsletter

February/March 1975

SLADE IN FLAME

"The following is a breakdown of release dates for the film. Please check it with your local paper or the cinema.

January 19th - Tyne Tees

January 19th - Yorkshire

February 16th - London North & South

February 23rd - Southern

February 23rd - Westward

February 23rd - Anglia

March 16th - Lancashire

March 16th - Scotland

The London premier is at the Metropole Victoria on the 13th February. Slade will be making promotional appearances in most of the areas."

Even more amazing was the invite to the London Première at The Metropole Theatre in Victoria. I got Jim Lea's autograph, Rob, Ray & Les Gray from Mud and the incredible Suzi Quatro. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven, especially when I stuck my face in Diana Dors cleavage and she still signed. The surprise was that her husband Alan Lake did too, I'm surprised he didn't lump me?




I remember turning up in Victoria and there were loads of people crowding the street. A spotlight lighting up the front of the theatre and we guessed that they were waiting for the group. As it turned out, this fire engine turned up driven by a fireman with a big, bushy bright ginger beard.

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY ABOUT 'SLADE IN FLAME'

"'SOUNDS' - This film suffers less than most from the obvious imbalance of having musicians in the lead roles, surrounded by experienced actors. Slade play themselves at least as well as they usually do, and in Noddy Holder in particular, they have a natural scene-stealer. Flame' is basically the same old story, told more accurately and wittingly.

Unlike 'Stardust', it has strong music and stage image at the centre of it all, proving that Slade haven't lost their touch, and the music shines through.

Rob Mackie.

'DISC' - Before the film has been released, the album has already sold over 170,000 copies. The book is a different story again. To produce its paper, 550 trees were cut down which weighed in at just under 30 tons. A quarter of a million copies have already been printed. It is the largest print that the book publishers, Panther, have done for the home market alone, in their entire history. I found the film interesting, purely to judge Slade's acting talents Noddy came out best He obviously found the whole thing a cinch, and was surprisingly natural. Don was good too. Jim was a runner- up, and gave a fair performance.

A film that Slade fans can't miss, a film that will make very interesting viewing if you like to see a handful of the scenes that go behind the making of a pop star. Judge for yourself!"

Lynne Thirkettle. 

Next Page

Sladest 2011

Salvo, September 19th, 2011

SALVOCD053

Originally released in the UK in September 1973, Sladest emulated recent Slade singles by going straight to the top of the charts. After relinquishing the summit and hovering around the Top Ten towards the end of the year, it climbed back up to the Number One spot in early 1974 in the wake of the huge success of their next single Merry Xmas Everybody.

That seasonal smash wasn’t included on the album, but Sladest did contain all of Slade’s hits up to that point, as well as several singles released prior to their chart breakthrough and a handful of tracks from their underrated second album (released late in 1970), Play It Loud.

37 years, 11 months and 19 days later, Salvo are releasing an expanded version which includes three further highlights from the period concerned - the No. 2 hit My Friend Stan, its no-nonsense, rocking B-side My Town and the ingenious Django Reinhardt / Stephane Grappelli pastiche Kill ‘Em At The Hot Club Tonite (the B-side of Skweeze Me Pleeze Me) - plus a previously unreleased version of Hear Me Calling, the track with which they opened their live show for many years. The latter recording, more tightly structured than the classic, build-to-a-roar Slade Alive version (though featuring an almost identical guitar solo from Dave Hill), lay entirely forgotten until recently discovered on a vinyl acetate – which was once the property of drummer Don Powell - and serves to further strengthen the appeal of what is, to many, Slade’s strongest album. Capturing the band at the height of the glam rock fame, it contains some of the very best pop songs of the seventies.

• The original smash hit album, expanded with four extra tracks including a previously unreleased studio version of Hear Me Calling – with the original gatefold LP packaging carefully reproduced 

• Includes no less than five UK Number One hits 

• Remastered by Tim Turan at Turan Audio for the finest sound quality 

• 16-page booklet includes new sleeve notes by respected scribe and Slade aficionado Chris Ingham incorporating new interviews with Dave Hill and Don Powell

• Perhaps the group’s finest long player, a fantastic addition to Salvo’s celebrated Slade catalogue

• The first appearance of Sladest on CD since 1997

01. Cum On Feel The Noize

02. Look Wot You Dun

03. Gudbuy T’Jane

04. One Way Hotel

05. Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me

06. Pouk Hill

07. The Shape Of Things To Come

08. Take Me Bak ‘Ome

09. Coz I Luv You

10. Wild Winds Are Blowin’

11. Know Who You Are

12. Get Down With It

13. Look At Last Nite

14. Mama Weer All Crazee Now

15. Hear Me Calling (studio version)

16. My Friend Stan

17. My Town

18. Kill ‘em At The Hot Club Tonite

COLLECTORS’ LABEL SALVO GOES FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH AS IT CELEBRATES IT'S FIFTH BIRTHDAY

UK, - 4th of November, 2022 -  49th Anniversary Splatter Vinyl LP Reissue and Expanded and Extended Double CD / Mediabook Reissue,  with extra x Bonus Tracks! 

Label - BMG Rights : - 

BMG - Splatter Vinyl Catalogue Number -  : - 

BMG - CD Catalogue Number - : - 

Noddy Holder has also done a sizeable interview with UNCUT magazine, which will be part of a six-page Slade feature out in October 2011 and there will be more press and media coverage around the release.

Like me, you have probably noticed that the October Uncut came out in September and features Marc Bolan. I therefore assume that the Slade Special will be in the November issue that comes out in October.... I hope?
+++Update+++
I'm told it will be in the next issue which will hit the stands at the end of October (with December on the cover I guess).

Next Page

Penny Valentine

PENNY VALENTINE - (1943-2003)  R.I.P.

Those of you who are old enough to remember reading the Disc & Music Echo in the seventies will be no stranger to the name of arguably  the UK's finest female music journalist, who sadly passed away in 2003.

You can read a fitting obituary to Penny over here.

Next Page

Slade News Issue 6

UK November 22nd, 1979

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Slade News Issue 6 November/December 1979
Produced and Set by Dave Kemp
24 Ingham Road, West Hampstead, London NW6 1DE

Honorary readers:
Nod, Dave, Jim and Don
Mr. & Mrs. W. Powell
Mr. Jack Hill
Frank Lea
Graham Swinnerton
J.J. and Will (roadies)
John Blake (Evening News)
Alf Martin (Record Mirror)

"You are the eyes of the reader I am the hand of the writer Together we can fill a page."

Hello, welcome to issue 6. So much has been happening over the last few weeks I'm wondering if I'll be able to fit it all into this newsletter! Anyway here goes......

First, and most importantly, next year I have decided to close Slade News as it now stands, and open THE SLADE FAN CLUB! Several reasons have prompted this; namely everyone seems to refer to us as the "Fan Club", so why not call ourselves that?! And also I feel it would be better for everyone concerned if we became "official" and had subscription membership, as you wouldn't have to keep on applying for each newsletter, and paying the ludicrous charge of 8p for a 25p Postal Order (which most people seem to use as payment) every 2 months! Now you will only have to buy one which lasts for a whole year!

Membership will be £2.20 for a year, PLUS you must send 6 stamped addressed envelopes, sized at least 8" by 6" when applying, or membership is totally invalid. (Fans overseas just send a £2.75 Money Order, not SAEs needed).

Members will receive a membership card, a bumper "Slade News" issue every 2 months, plus several odds and ends throughout the year. NO profit will be made on the fan club - so you will get your money's worth, I promise you that!

Barn have given us approximately 100 Slade Biography books - we will send these out free to the first 100 applicants.

Slade News is (C) D. Kemp 1979

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Memberships will be accepted from Jan 1st onwards, and the first newsletter will be distributed during February.

Frank Lea contacted me recently concerning the version of "When The Lights Are Out" that he and Jim have recorded. The record is being released on December 1st, and the "band" have called themselves "The Dummys". The consist of: Jim Lea (Vocals and Bass), Frank Lea (Drums) and Paul Faulkner (Lead Guitar).

The B Side is one of Frank's compositions, "She's The Only Woman". It is released on the Lea's own label, Cheapskate Records, catalogue number SWL 001, distributed by pinnacle. I have heard the Demo of it, and all I can say is that it's great - even better than the original Slade recording dare I say it! Frank has told me that you should be able to order it from your record shop but if not I have 300 copies of the single, which I am selling at the price of £1.05 plus 25p P. & P. So if you'd like a copy simply send me a Cheque/P.O. for £1.30 and I'll rush you one.

I advise you all to get a copy, because not only is it a bloody good single, but it is undoubtedly going to become a "rarity!" Frank told me that they recorded it as a joke at first but they soon became serious about it, thus it has been released.

Good news for Ossie Slade Fans, Richard, Lem, Paul and Rob, 4 Australian Sladists are setting up an "Australian Slade News" service, in which they will be using info from our first 6 issues, and hopefully this will lead them on to opening an Australian Fan Club!

Steffen Decker (German Slade Fan) has a father who writes a yearly English teaching book for the German Education Board. In the next book Steff's Dad is going to have a section on Slade! The several pages will be entitled "Wonderin' Y" and you will delve into all aspects of Slade's career. This book will be used in thousands of German schools, but I'll try to get hold of some copies to sell to English fans!

---

In the New Year Gill Thompson and I will be getting together to write a biography booklet on Slade in their early days, when they were known as The In Betweens. Noddy and Jim gave me some basic details about these formative years at Sheffield on the last tour - along with some fascinating stories! All this, plus further info, will be featured in the book, which will be sold from the Fan Club hopefully from April 1st (Slade's 14th birthday) next year.

Lots of people have been writing, asking me to help them with problems about records, tour dates, etc.I like to help as far as I possibly can but only can do so if you enclose a S.A.E.

I met some fantastic people on the last Slade tour. At Nottingham I bumped into Johnny Ellis from Kirkby (who seems to get everywhere), he was telling me that his wife has just given birth to their son, who they have Christened "James Lea Ellis". I wonder how they decided on that strange combination of names!

"Return to Base" may be the title to the new Slade album but it also describes the band's recent actions. Jim and Dave used to live in Wolves, whilst Don and Nod had homes in London. Now both Don and Nod have moved back to Wolverhampton so you could say that they have "returned to base!"

Anyway, I must express my sincere thanks to everyone for their support in 1979 keep it up in 1980!

"So here it is, Merry Xmas, everybody's having fun, look to the future now - its only just begun".

Yours, Dave.

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new SLADE FAN CLUB

: opens january 1st 1980
: price £2.20 + six sae's
: you receive : member's card
    bi~monthly news mags
: first 100 applicants received
  will be sent Slade blog book


SLADE FAN CLUB,
24 Ingham Rd,
London, NW6 1DE,
England.

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THE DUMMYS (FRANK & JIM LEA with Paul Faulkner)


"WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE OUT" single


in your record shops on
Cheapskate SWL 001


or It can be obtained from us
price £1.05 plus 25p P&P
address as Fan Club's
cheques or POs payable to D.Kemp
allow 14 days for delivery


GET IT NOW!

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NEW SINGLE ! NEW ALBUM ! TOUR !

Yes, it's all happening! Firstly, the new single. It's been out for some weeks now, - and it's entitled "Sign Of The Times" (B/W "Not Tonight Jospehine"). As most record shops do not stock Slade singles in advance now, you'll more than likely have to get them to order it for you. Thus please quote the catalogue number, BARN 010, and state that it is distributed by Pinnacle (and NOT Polydor as some shops still think!) Many people have been writing saying they have been waiting for ages for their order of the single to arrive in their record shop there's nothing that can be done expect for you to keep waiting I'm afraid. Your orders should arrive eventually, People ask if I can buy the single for them. Sorry but I can't as at the time of writing the copies of the single I have ordered haven't even arrived in my record shop!

The new album should be out at the end of November.. It's entitled "Return To Base" and having heard the rough copy of it, all I can say is that it's amazing, totally different to anything Slade have done before, you'll love it.

The track listings are as follows: (Side One) "The Wheels Aint' Coming Down", "Hold Onto Your Hats", "Chakeeta", "Dont' Waste Your Time (Back Seat Star)", "Sign Of The Times". (Side Two) "I'm A Rocker", "Nuts, Bolts and Screws", "My Baby's Got It". "I'm Mad", "Lemme Love Into Ya" (Let Me Give You Love - as we know it!), "Ginny Ginny".

The album is released on Barn Records, catalogue number NARB 003 (distributed by Pinnacle) - if you need to order from your record dealer.

The cover to "Return to Base" is different to what Dave Hill describes it in his interview, it is stunningly "basic" bright (and I mean BRIGHT) red, with "RETURN TO BASE SLADE" typed at the top!

Also, it looks like Slade will be back on the road in December for some Xmas dates (at last they might play "Merry Xmas Everybody" eh?!). So watch the papers for full details or send a S.A.E. to me, and I'll quote them, when confirmed"

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QUESTIONS and ANSWERS

Q. In the old Slade Fan Club they once started to serialise a book written by Don Powell called "Bibble Brick" - did Don Actually write this (as I think that it might of been a hoax), and if so was it ever printed? (Mike O'Sullivan, Dewsbury)

A. Yes, Don assures me that he did actually write this book - although he admits he must have been drunk when he did it! He gave the manuscript to Chas Chandler, who decided to print it in the Fan Club - it was never issued in "book" form.

Q. Do you have any addresses of places where I can obtain: posters, T-shirts, badges, press cuttings or pictures of Slade. Also how do I best go about getting the "Beginnings" album. (Mary Janowska, Highgate)

A. Afraid that no recent firms have designed Slade T-Shirts or Posters, and all the places that sold the old merchandise are no longer in existence. Slade badges can be bought from Nomis (86 Bentley Lane, Meanwood, Leeds - send S.A.E. for details). But as you live in London you should pop along to The Vintage Magazine Shop (2-4 Earlham Street, Cambridge Circus, W.2.), as they have a music basement in which they sell all the music papers from the 1950's onwards - and they will have all the press cuttings you will ever need. Also they sometimes stock new Slade badges, and occasionally get Slade photos in (they recently had stills from "Flame" for sale). The best way to get hold of "Beginnings" is to put a "Records Wanted" ad in one of the music papers - as this usually works.

Q. Whatever happened to Geordie (the Slade copyists of the early 1970's) ? (D. Moore, Glasgow)

A. They did split up - but last year I was told they had reformed - without their Noddy-type vocalist Brian Johnson though - and that they were playing the Tyneside Club circuit.

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WOLVERHAMPTON FEVER!

Slade played the Wolverhampton Civic Hall on October 4th, their eigth ever headlining concert there. In front of the "Home" crowd, the group went down a storm! Not all of the audience were Wolverhampton inhabitants though, for even I had heard of fans travelling from placed such as leeds, Nottingham, Gloucester, Dundee and even West Germany, to see the show! Thus it served the purpose of being the greatest fan gathering of 1979!

Even before Slade came on an extatic atmosphere was created by the crowd bellowing "You'll Never Walk Alone".

When they walked on stage the place erupted.

The show opened, as usual, with "Hear Me Calling", followed by other regular standards "My Baby Left Me" and "Take Me Back Ome"

Tracks from the new album "Return To Base" were then played, these being "Let Me Give You Love" and "The Wheels Aint't Coming Down" - possibly the highlight of the show with it's un flappable lighting effects. Most new numbers in any band's act, if not known by the audience, usually are only meagrely received - but this went down as well as all the old favourites, proving it to be a great song.

"Gudbuy T'Jane", "Dizzy Mama", "Cum On Feel The Noize" and all the other Slade "regulars" were then added. The biggest surprise of the evening came when Slade played an amazing new version of "Look Wot You Dun" though. So different was it that at first

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I thought it was another song from the new album!

All through the show scores of fans clambered onstage to kiss Noddy Holder, which became all a bit tedious as poor ol' Nod couldn't even get to sing into his microphone half the time!

But when he sang the line "I've had a Redlight off the wrist, without me even getting kissed...." (Far Far Away) and a fan jumped up and gave Nod a smacker on the side of the face, it seemed to sum things up perfectly. Wolverhampton Fever (as Jim Lea once described it to me) lives on, and forever will do as long as Slare are around.

The magic 'of Slade is still there....

By John Ogden.

Eighteen months is a long time in the 1ife of a rock group. In fact it's sometimes longer than the life of some of them.

Yet that's how long it's been since Wolverhampton's most famous rockers Slade played in their home town.

Did it make any difference? Not the slightest. It seemed as though those heady days when they were never out of the charts was just yesterday, for the band have lost none of their magic or attraction.

If they've been out of the charts for a time they have not been idle. Slade are still an "on the road" band. and playing live is what they do best.

Audience

As usual the audience is an integral part of a Slade show. In all the many concerts I have seen I have never come across' audiences so merry and good natured as those who attend Slade gigs.

Though a lot of their act is tried and tested they did include some new songs and some old rock and roll ones - last night.

On this showing it needs only one hit record to put them right back on top of the heap again.

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1979 SLADE NEWS' READERS POLL

Due to the success of the "Your Top Ten" feature in S.N.5., results to be printed in our next issue, I have decided to conduct a poll to find out what YOU think about Slade. It is important for everyone to vote, so please do so if you can. All votes must be in by January lOth, so that they can be printed in S.N.7.

To enter simply write on a peice of paper your name and address, with the following category numbers and choice, e.g. (1) Slade Alive, (2) Hear He Calling, etc.

The categories are as follows:-

(1) Best Slade album. (2) Best album track. (3) Best album cover. (4) Best picture sleeve single. (5) Best single B-side. (6) Best live Slade song. (7) Song you'd most like to hear live that isn't in the current stage act.

(8) Best ever concert, e.g. Earl's Court 1973, wembley 1978, etc. (9) Best 1979 concert. (10) Best Slade actor in "Flame". (11) Best sequence from "Flame". e.g. Noddy in coffin, Don's riverbank scene. (12) Best early Slade single (You Better Run - Know Who You Are) (13) Favourite Import album. (14) Most Interesting Slade member to talk to. (15) Best Slade promo film, e.g. "Give Us A Goal" film (Saturday Scene), "My Baby Left Me" film (Tiswas). (16) Best Slade photo.

FLINDERS' FOTOS

Send a sae to Steve at 5 Main St, Stanton - By - Dale, Ilkeston, Derby., for new photos for sale details.

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SLADE IMPORTS Part Two

Title: "The Story of Slade" (Double Album)
Country: West Germany
Label: Barn 2689 001
Date: 1977
Cover: picture of Slade live at Wembley - the inside of the gatefold sleeve contains a short summary of Slade's career up till 1977.

Tracks: (1) Coz I Luv You, Gudbuy T'Jane, Keep On Rocking, Good Time Gals, Nobody's Fools, Look Wot You Dun.
(2) Mama Weer All Crazee Now, When The Lights Are Out, Miles Out To Sea, The Bangin' Man, My Town, Lay It Down.
(3) Cum On Feel The Noize, Far Far Away, Everyday, Skweeze Me Pleeze He, Don't Blame Me, Summer Song (Wishing You Were Here)
(4) Get Down And Get with It, In For A Penny, Just Want A Little Bit, I'm Mee, I'm Now An' That's Orl, Get On Up, How Does It Feel.

Single: "Coz I Luv You" b/w "Know Who You Are".
Country:Spain
Label Polydor 2058 186 1971
Date 1971 (Picture cover with Slade as Skinheads, 1971) .

Single: "Let The Goodtimes Roll" blw "I Don't Mind".
Country: U.S.A.
Label: Polydor PD 15080
Date: 1972


Title: "Coz I Luv You"
Country: West Germany (THE original C.I.L.Y. LP)
Label: Polydor 2383 100
Date: 1971
Cover: Early promotional photo.
Tracks: (1) Coz I Luv You, Dapple Rose, Sweet Box, Gospel According to Rasputin, My Life Is Natural, The Shape of 'I'hings To Come.
(2) Get Down And Get With It, One Way Hotel, Raven, Do You Want Me, See Us Here, Know Who You Are.

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HOW MUCH?

Lots of people have written to us regarding the pricing of old Slade singles, wanting to know approximately how much they should pay for the rarities. Thus as a guideeline I have compiled the price list below:-

YOU BETTER RUN £35
GENESIS £25
WILD WINDS ARE BLOWING £15
SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME £10
KNOW WHO YOU ARE £10
GET DOWN & GET WITH IT £3
BEGINNINGS (Fontana) £30
BEGINNINGS (Contour) £5
BALLZY (Import) £20
1972 Music Scene Flexi £1
1973 Melanie Flexi 50p
1974 19 F1exi 50p
1975 Double-backed Flexi £1
1975 Smiths Crisps Flexi £1
BURNING IN THE HEAT £2.50
ALL IMPORT ALBUHS £6
ALL IMPORT SINGLES £2.50
AMERICAN SINGLES £3

All Polydor singles, apart from GET DOWN AND GET WITH IT, are not worth more than the original face-value, due to the thousands of them sold. BURNING IN THE HEAT OF LOVE, although only released 2 years ago, is worth £2.50 due to it being deleted (like all the Barn singles), and the fact that so many fans didn't even know it had been released until it was too late for them to order it.

BALLZY (the American import version of BEGINNINGS) is worth less than the British version, due to the high number of copies of it being imported in the early 1970's being greater than the British pressing.

The Flexi-discs listed are not worth much to collectors at the moment, but due to them being so delicate, they wear out easily, they will increase in value in the future due to the imminence of their declining in number.

As I said though, my prices are only a guideline - rarities are worth only what you are prepared to pay.

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SLADE ACTION .... 

SLADE PETITION Mike and Lihda McKillop are getting up a petition for mor~ Slade airplay on Radio One. Anybody wanting td include their name on the list should drop a line to Mike at: 58 Ashgrove Caravan Site, Elgin, Morayshire, Scotland.

TAPE SWAPS Jan Van de Dever of Van Galenstraat

21, 1971 Dz Ymuiden, Holland, wants tapes of English Slade concerts, for which he will swap his tapes of Dutch Slade gigs.

RECORD SWAPS Glasgow Slade fan Steve Tennie is offering to swap his singles "Let The Good Times Roll" and "Gypsy Roadhog" for a copy of the "Give Us A Goal" import with picture sleeve. His address: 46/75 Kirkton Ave, Glasgow, Gl3 3EG, Scotland.

"SLADE CIRCLE" Slade fans everywhere that are interested getting together with fans abroad to swap records, and to help each other to get hold of various material available, and thus form a circle of friends, should write to Steve Bray, 13 Bradlesmere Close, Ashford, kent, and enclose a S.A.E.

SLADE PHOTOS Trev West of 59 Skipton Circus, Sneinton

Dale, Nottingham, NG3 7DR, has a set of 10 excellent Slade pies for sale, taken at the Coventry City Centre Club earlier this year. They're 5" x 3l.:!" colour pies, price £3.00

.... FOR YOUR REACTION 

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PEN FAN Stu Rutter would like a Pen Friend. He wrote in his letter to us: "I am 18, and studying for A levels so I can't follow the Slade Tours around like a lot of the Slade freaks are doing these days, but when I get a job in about another year they'll be no stopping me!".

If you would like to write to Stu, address your letter to: 62 Grimshaw St., Great Harwood, Blackburn, Lancs.. BB6 7AP.

ANY OFFERS? - Andy from Sheffield can get hold of Slade's American LP "Stomp Your Hands And Clap Your Feet" (the price will be approx. £4 - £5), but he needs to ensure a minimum order of 25 copies. If you'd like a copy, write now to Andy pledging that you will buy one if over 25 fans are interested Andy will order them and write back telling you the exact price per copy. So send a S.A.E. now to: Andy, 20 Ringinglow Rd., Ecclesall, Sheffield, S11 7PP.

SWAPS - Serge Vechoeven, Scheihagestraat 27, B-2550 Kontich, Belgium, will swap Dutch/BeJgian posters of Slade for live tapes of Slade's gigs.

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"SIX DAYS ON THE ROAD" (Holder/lea 1975) 

Theme to Radio One's Insight Slade Special 

We're gonna race up the motorway
And Rock n Roll the night away
In every town
You'd better lock up your daughters
Because they'll do what they oughta
When we hit the town.

If you want to feel the noize
From your head to your feet
Mama mama weer all crazee now
So get off your seats
The ceiling's gonna fall
When we start to shake the walls
And watch us bring them down

Six days on the road
six days on the road
We're getting Fish n Chips for dinner
Every day we're getting thinner
On the road

Six days on the road
Six days on the road
Can you fell it getting to ya
Is the music going through ya
On the road

You've gotta really feel the noize
And all the girls can grab the boys
On the road

We're a Rock n Rollin' band
And we're the best band in the land
On the road. 

(Original version of "when the Chips are Down", B side of Let's Call It Quits) 

THE UNRELEASED SONGWORDS PAGE 

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SLADE ALMANAC (Nov / Dee) 

Nov     1970   "Play It Loud" album released 

Nov  6 1972   Wolverhampton Civic Hall Concert

Nov 12 1973  (to Nov 20) West German Tour 

Nov 17 1972  "Gudbuy T'Jane" released

Nov 18 1972  Dave Hill breaks ankle at Liverpool Stadium Concert. 

Nov 22 1974  "Slade In Flame" album released 

Dec   1 1972  "Slayed" album released 

Dec   7 1973  "Merry Xmas Everybody" released 

Dec 11 1973  "Merry Xmas Everybody" No. I in charts 

Dec 14 1978  Bonny born to Jimmy and Louise Lea 

Dec 24 1971  London Marquee Xmas Party Concert 

PHOTO FANS 

Beata Btedowska (left) and her friend Irena (right) from Poland would like to write to people in England. They are great Slade fans - seeing three of the bands gigs on the Polish tour, and also going to Warsaw Airport to meet the Group. The address to write to them at is: W. Mickiewicza 21/6, 98-200 Sierdz, Poland.

"ROCKIN' OKEY COKEY" 

I have just heard from the offices that Slade have another new single ready for release on Barn on December 3rd. It's a "party type song" - which is very fitting, seeing that Christmas is right on the doorstep Ðand is entitled "Rockin' Okey Cokey". It is a track that is not on the new album "Return to Base". I suggest you order your copy now! 

Also don't forget that "Merry Xmas Everybody" is released once more again on Polydor 2058 422 this December. Plans were afoot last year to release a "Xmas EP" of Slade's greatest hits, including "Merry Xmas Everybody", but they were dropped. The plans have been shelved this year too.

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DAVE HILL INTERVIEW

We talked to Dave before Slade's concert at the Top Rank Suite in Sheffield - the last date of their last tour.

S.N.: Dave, you say that the new album "Return To Base" will be out soon, do you have any definate release date?

Dave: Not yet, it should be out before Christmas though. We thought that we would release the single first though and see what happens with that.

S.N.: How long in all did it take to get the album recorded?

Dave (Consulting Nod) It must have taken about six weeks, on and off.

S.N.: Did anyone member (io the bulk of the work on the proc1uction side.

Dave : No, we each took it in turn to produce certain parts ourselves - which makes it the first album we have solely produced ourselves.

S.N.: The title "Return To Base" - how did this come about?

Dave: Well, we had a whole list of suggestions for the title, and "Return To Base" is the one we eventually decided upon. "Return To Base" is from one of the lines of "'Sign Of The Times".

S.N.: On to the cover - has it been designed yet?

Dave : It's still being done, but I understand that it is going to have a photo of a ticker-tape message on the front saying "Return To Base" in computer-like lettering. But it should 

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be a very basic cover - so that it ties in with the "basic" reference in the title.

Dave: Yes, I'm verY satisfied with it. It's got a mixture of different types of songs on it, all of which adds up to it being a good album!

S.N.: What's your own favourite track on the record then?

Dave : Mv favourites are the Rock n Roll one (I'm A Rocker) and the instrumental one (Let Me Love Into Ya) - probably because of the way that they come over on stage more than anything else.

S.N.: On to the new stage-act, how did the new version of "Look Wot You Dun" get back into the act - as you haven't played it live since I973!

Dave : What happened was that we were doing a session and we just suddenly started jamming it, and we took the song from there. We changed it from the original because we thought that it would have sounded a bit weak - so we made it a bit more heavy for the current show.

We are planning to get some more tracks from the next albUm into the show, but we want to have the record released first - so at least the audience have an inkling as to what the songs are before we start playing all these new numbers onstage!

S.N.: Will you be adding some more old ones, like "Look Wot You Dun" to the set?

Dave: We've all agreed that there are no more oldies that we can re-do. We've got to go forward, not backnard. For

example we've been doing a new "The Wheels Ain't Coming Down" - and that's been getting a fantastic reaction, and nobody's heard it before! We've got to get new numbers like that into the show.'

S.N.: Why haven't you been doing "Sign Of The Times" live?

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Dave : The reason for that is that at the moment we feel the act is. just about right. We have added two numbers that have worked very well, and. we are now hoping to get "Sign Of The Times" in on the next stretch of dates. Also at the moment we've got one slow ballad in the act, and on this tour we didn't want to have two. 

S.N.: I've seen the new stage outfits of yours, are they your own creations? (For those of YOu who didn't get to see Slade on the tour, they consist of a red silky Chinese style long-sleeve shirt, that alternates with a red and white bomber jacket, along with red PVC trousers and white boots) 

Dave: In a wray I designed them myself. I came alone with the ideas, and I took them to a lady called Jean Seal, he made the clothes for me. 

I've decided to return to wearing colourful stage outfits once again, rather than maintaining the Black and White look. 

Watching the music scene at the moment, what with the flashiness of the Punks, and also taking the theory that the whole music business revolves in a circle, I see it as inevitable that the Glitter scene will come back again, and when it does I'll be top of the pile! 

S.N.: You've always liked wearing flash clothes though, haven't you? 

Dave: I like to get reactions by my clothes, I suppose it's a means of expressing myself. In many ways I felt like a punk in our early days dressing weirdly just for the hell of making people look! Even as a kid I can remember wearing a cap and long cape and walking through Woolworth's, so as to make everyone stop and stare! 

S.N.: Will you be taking a treck abroad before the year's out? 

Dave: We call always go abroad, but while we've got the single out over here, and while we are 

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trying to break back into the market again, we'd rather stay "at home". We might do the occassional stint on the Continent - but not at the moment.

S.N.: This is the last night of the tour - how do you feel that it has gone, well or badly? 

Dave : It's gone well, even you have seen that, Look at the Music Machine gig - there was a far bigger croud there this year compared to last year's Gig. It was packed out. " 

S.N.: One question that I've alwlays wanted to ask you; what's the favourite record you have ever recorded?

Dave : My favonrite of all-time? We haven't recorded it yet .... 

XMAS COMPETITION 

The first person to drop me a line stating the B-side of Merry Xmas Everybody" wins a copy of that very single - on which DON POWELL has written his Christmas message to the winner!

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Many thanks to Stu Rutter for the hard copy! A full size scan of the complete mag will be available here: 
It can be viewed on Dave Kemp's www.sladefanclub.com .

Hand-written on the envelope rear (by Dave Kemp) 


LATEST SLADE NEWS:
Slade's new single will be called just OKEY COKEY on December 8th. It's out on BARN 011


Tour Dates (so far):
Dec  7th London, Barts Hospital
Dec  8th London, Goldsmith College
Dec 13th London, Music Machine

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