Sunday, 15 October 2017
723 Goodbye Slade - Radio Wall of Sound
Chart entered : 19 October 1991
Chart peak : 21
The glam giants made their farewell with this one.
In the UK, Slade were the top-selling singles act of the seventies. In 1971-73 they had six number ones culminating in the deathless Merry Christmas Everybody. From the beginning of 1974 however they softened their sound in an ultimately doomed attempt to crack the US market and their audience leaked away as the band re-located across the pond. By the end of the decade, their singles weren't charting at all and the band was on the point of splitting. They were rescued by Ozzy Osbourne pulling out of the Reading Festival in 1980. Slade were booked as last minute replacements and stole the show. The band were rejuvenated and started having hits again, almost snatching a seventh number one with the terrace anthem "My Oh My" in 1983. Soon after that though, their popularity waned once more and after 1987 the band became inactive with the members pursuing solo projects.
"Radio Wall of Sound" came about through Polydor wanting a couple of new tracks to promote a new compilation LP "Wall of Hits ". Bassist and songwriter Jim Lea had the song earmarked for a solo release and offered it for the band. The others didn't really like the song but didn't want to spend much time in the studio either so agreed to use it. Because the song was in too low a key for usual singer Noddy Holder , Jim's low growly vocal was retained for most of the song. The song is a simple tribute to the power of the radio with a nod to their glam past in referencing Telegram Sam with Mike Read brought in to add Americanized DJ patter over the instrumental parts. The sound is very similar to the modern metal of Def Leppard with Jim sounding very similar to Joe Elliott but it does deliver a powerhouse chorus in the old style.
It did quite well as did the album but it did stick out like a sore thumb in a dance-dominated chart. They followed it up with the other "new" track "Universe", a power ballad which is a none too well disguised re-write of "My Oh My" . It didn't chart and Polydor's promise of funding for a new album evaporated.
In March 1992 the band were offered a spot at Castle Donington. Weary of touring, Noddy declined to do it but said he was still interested in recording. Jim thought that wouldn't work and Noddy decided to leave altogether. Jim didn't fancy their chances without him so he quit too and the band dissolved.
By the end of the year guitarist Dave Hill and drummer Don Powell, tellingly the two members who didn't write "Merry Christmas Everybody" had decided they wanted to continue and Noddy suggested they re-form as Slade II . Jim didn't like the idea but didn't challenge them.
Slade II released one album "Keep On Rockin" in 1994. Only the single "Hot Luv" really harks back to their glam days; the follow-up "Black and White World" sounds like Judas Priest and the rest of the album is undistinguished hard rock with Steve Whalley a competent but characterless replacement for Noddy. That was pretty much it as far as new material is concerned except for a couple of singles released in Belgium in 2002 which were added to a re-packaging of the album. Nobody was interested and the band, now able to call themselves just Slade, have been content to play the hits since then. The line up has changed over the years although Dave and Don remain constants. The most interesting change was the firing of bassist Dave Glover in 2003 over his supposed romantic involvement with jailed serial killer Rose West.
Dave supplements his earnings with occasional music lessons at local schools and has also served as a parish councillor.
Don helped his first wife run a hotel and also dabbled in the antiques business. He moved to Denmark with second wife Hanna in 2004. He published his auto-biography "Look Wot I Dun - My Life in Slade" in 2013. He plays occasionally with Suzi Quatro and Sweet guitarist Andy Scott in the tribute trio Quatro Scott Powell.
Noddy has stayed out of the recording studio except to record advertising jingles but is still a very active media personality. He has had a number of radio shows, dabbled in acting and regularly appeared on panel shows. He was awarded the MBE in 2000.
Jim studied psychotherapy at university but didn't subsequently practice. Instead, he concentrated on a property business with occasional forays into the studio to release singles under assumed names. 1994's "Hello Goodbye" was released under the name "Gang of Angels" and makes a convincing fist of imitating Britpop. Similarly, 2000's "I'll Be John , You'll Be Yoko " under the name Whild is a rather late in the day Oasis parody.
In 2007, he got round to releasing a solo album "Therapy" under the name James Whild Lea. It's an album of Beatles pastiches via ELO and Oasis with smart lyrics and inventive arrangements but a bit too clever for its own good and Jim's vocals are a persistent weak point. With Jim reluctant to do any touring he had to release it independently and it didn't chart despite some good reviews. Jim has promised more material to come.
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The only Slade I have is a compilation, and this track sticks out a bit - and not only because it isn't very good. The Mike Reed parts are particularly irritating, but the lack of Noddy is ultimately what dooms it.
ReplyDeleteWhen a certain Manc Britpop band made their grand entrance on TotP, my old man sneered "they're basically a shit version of Slade". Years later, when I started playing music myself and understood a tiny bit of what makes a song work, I realised he was pretty much on the money...