Can you believe that it’s 45 years since “Merry Christmas Everybody” was released? Of course, it may be before your time, but I remember it being released!
Whilst a popular Christmas hit is an annual boost to a band’s cashflow, it isn’t always as good for a band’s credibility as people often start to see them as a novelty Christmas song band.
It’s easy to forget just how massive Slade were, so here is a handy reminder!
SLADE HITS & CHART POSITIONS
Get Down & Get With It (16)
Coz I Luv You (1)
Look Wot You Dun (4)
Take Me Bak ‘Ome (1)
Mama Weer All Crazee Now (1)
Gudbuy T’Jane (2)
Cum On Feel The Noize (1)
Skweeze Me Pleeze Me (1)
My Friend Stan (2)
Merry Christmas Everybody (1)
Everyday (3)
Bangin’ Man (3)
Far Far Away (2)
How Does It Feel (15)#
Thanks For The Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam) (7)
In For A Penny (11)
Let’s Call It Quits (11)
We’ll Bring The House Down (10)
My Oh My (2)
Run Run Away (7)
People are often disappointed once they realise that Noddy is no longer with the band, but people who have seen them recently reliably inform me that they put on a great show regardless.
If you can’t have a bit of nostalgia at Christmas, when can you?
Here is the official blurb:
SLADE – Without doubt one of the most exciting bands to come out of Great Britain in the past 30 years. With their unique blend of perfect pop-rock ‘n’ roll, outrageous flamboyance and pure fun, and no less than 23 Top-20 singles of which 6 were No-1 smash hits….plus 6 smash albums, Slade have become a firm favourite in the hearts of pop fans all over the world.
SLADE’S chart career has spanned 3 decades and their enduring songs “Cum On Feel The Noize” and “Coz I Luv You” are still featured today in TV commercials for some of the Worlds biggest companies.
SLADE first hit the road in 1966, touring throughout Great Britain and Europe and becoming a regular concert attraction. Joining forces with the former Animals bass guitarist and Jimi Hendrix Experience manager, Chas Chandler, Slade achieved their first chart hit in May 1971 with the Bobby Marchan song “Get Down And Get With It” then, released in October of the same year “Coz I Luv You” was the bands first No-1 and a huge hit across Europe.
Throughout the seventies, Slade became one of Europe’s biggest bands, touring and recording continually and making regular trips to America, Japan and other parts of the world. Slade’s catalogue of hits are synonymous with the era:- “Take Me Bak ‘Ome”, “Mama We’er All Crazee Now”, “Cum On Feel The Noize”, “Gudbye T’ Jane”, along with the many others provided a soundtrack to the Glam Generation and are still today, heavily featured on any retrospective of the time.
At the beginning of the eighties, Slade were invited to appear at the Reading Rock Festival, a massive annual event which attracted over 100,000 people. They literally stole the show, giving some of the worlds biggest rock bands a serious run for their money whilst kindling new interest from a whole new audience. As result, the band signed a new record deal and unleashed the anthem “We’ll Bring The House Down”, which reached the Top 10 in the UK in January 1981.
Slade were back!
Not content to rest on their Glam laurels, Slade began forging a new path through the hugely influential British heavy rock scene. A second successful appearance at Castle Donnington in 1981, before a crowd of over 200,000
2 people, consolidated the bands position and paved the way for the single “Lock Up Your Daughters”, and the album “Til Deaf Do Us Part”.
While Slade were busy in the UK releasing the massive hit “My Oh My” to huge acclaim, LA metal band Quiet Riot were spreading the word Stateside with their version of “Cum On Feel The Noize”, which proved so successful that they followed it up with “Mama We’er All Crazee Now”. Throughout the rest of the eighties Slade toured and recorded due to them once again being a major force in British pop’n’rock.
The early ninties saw the bands “Radio Wall Of Sound” hit the UK Top-30 and thereby give Slade a solid 20 year chart run!
In 1993, due to the continual demand from around the world, founder Slade members Dave Hill and Don Powell decided to return to touring by playing a few select dates in Europe prior to embarking on what turned out to be a very successful two month tour of Australia.
SLADE have continued to tour the world. They are firm favourites on the lucrative German festival scene and undertake an annual UK “Merry Christmas Everybody” tour in December. They also have a huge following of fans and regularly play concert dates in Russia, Poland, Belgium, Holland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, France and the Czech Republic.
Led by founder members Dave Hill and Don Powell, the bands latest additions are ex Mud bass guitarist John Berry, frequently spied in the guise of the Big Issue seller in Eastenders, and new lead vocalist Mal McNulty. Mal has had an extensive career, he featured with Rockin Horse in the 70s, heavy rock band Golden Night, German rock band Hazzard, and he was a founder member of London fun-pub band Paddy Goes To Holyhead. Having formed The Wandering Crutchless with Tino Troy of Preying Mantis, Bruce Bisland of Sweet and occasional guest Andy Scott, Mal joined Sweet in which he eventually became lead vocalist.
Slade today is still one of the most exciting bands on the road, and their stage performance is a dynamic, powerful and exhilarating roller-coaster ride of pure unadulterated rock’n’roll.
A date for your diary, Slade are back for Christmaaaas!
