Slade (now known as Dave Hill's Slade)https://www.facebook.com/OfficialSladeBand/ are an English rock band formed in Wolverhampton in 1963. They rose to prominence during the glam rock era in the early 1970s, achieving 17 consecutive top 20 hits, including six number ones, on the UK Singles Chart, and three number ones on the UK Albums Charts. The British Hit Singles & Albums names them the most successful British group of the 1970s based on sales of singles. They were the first act to have three singles enter the charts at number one; all six of the band's chart-toppers were written by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea. As of 2006, total UK sales stood at over 6,500,000. Their best-selling single, "Merry Xmas Everybody", has sold in excess of one million copies. According to the 1999 BBC documentary It's Slade, the band have sold more than 50 million records worldwide.
All four members of Slade grew up in the area of England known as the Black Country. After a period in different groups, the four members came together by 1966 as 'N Betweens, and recorded some unsuccessful singles. In 1969 Jack Baverstock of Philips Records signed them and recorded their debut album, changing their name to "Ambrose Slade", a name inspired by Baverstock's secretary, who had named her handbag Ambrose and her shoes Slade. Slade dominated the UK singles charts during the early 1970s. Slade achieved twelve Top 5 hit singles in the UK between 1971 and 1974, three of which went straight to No. 1. Of the 17 Top 20 hits between 1971 and 1976, six made No. 1, three reached No. 2 and two peaked at No. 3. No other UK act of the period enjoyed such consistently high chart placings in the UK Top 40 or sold as many singles. In 1973 alone, "Merry Xmas Everybody" sold over one million copies globally, obtaining gold disc status. They toured Europe in 1973 and the US in 1974. Slade have released over 30 albums, three of which reached No. 1 in the UK Albums Chart. Their releases have spent 315 weeks in the UK charts and they have earned 24 top-30 UK hits .
Following an unsuccessful move to the U.S. in 1975, Slade's popularity in the UK waned, but was unexpectedly revived in 1980 when they were last-minute replacements for Ozzy Osbourne at the Reading Rock Festival. The band later acknowledged this to have been one of the highlights of their career. For the next two years, the band produced material tailored towards the heavy-metal scene and by 1984, they finally cracked the American market with the hits "Run Runaway" and "My Oh My". This new-found success did not last long, however, and despite a top-25 UK hit in the early 1990s the band split in 1992. Guitarist Dave Hill and drummer Don Powell re-formed later in the year as Slade II. The band have continued, with a number of line-up changes, to the present day. They shortened the group name back to Slade in 2002 and toured in 2025 and 2026 as Dave Hill's Slade.
A number of artists from diverse genres have cited Slade as an influence. The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Music tells of Holder's powerful vocals, guitarist Dave Hill's equally arresting dress sense and the deliberate misspelling of their song titles (such as "Cum On Feel the Noize" and "Mama Weer All Crazee Now") for which they became well known.
Career Early years (1963–1970) All the members of Slade grew up in the Black Country. Drummer Don Powell and bassist Jim Lea were born and brought up in Wolverhampton, lead vocalist Noddy Holder was born and brought up in nearby Caldmore in Walsall, and lead guitarist Dave Hill moved to Wolverhampton from Holbeton, Devon as a child.
In 1963, drummer Don Powell and guitarist Dave Hill were part of a Midland-based group called the Vendors with John Howells (vocals) Mick Marson (guitar) and Bill Diffey (bass) (Diffey would be replaced by Dave "Cass" Jones in 1964). Regulars on the club circuit, they had also recorded a privately pressed four-track EP. At the time, Noddy Holder was playing guitar and contributing to vocals in Steve Brett & the Mavericks. Signed to Columbia Records, the band released three singles in 1964.The Genesis of Slade compilation booklet After listening to American blues artists such as Sonny Boy Williamson II, John Lee Hooker and Howlin' Wolf, the Vendors decided on a change of direction and name: As the 'N Betweens they gained greater recognition and began to get supporting gigs with acts such as the Hollies, the Yardbirds, Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames and the Spencer Davis Group.
The Mavericks and the 'N Betweens were on their way to separate gigs in Germany when they met on a ferry in 1965. Powell and Hill asked Holder if he would be interested in joining The 'N Betweens, but Holder declined. Later, back in their home town of Wolverhampton, the musicians met again and this time Holder agreed to join the group. Jim Lea, whose musical background and strong bass guitar skills were considered an asset, had already been recruited. Lea, who also played the piano and violin, had been in the Staffordshire Youth Orchestra and had gained first class honours in a London music-school practical exam. Lea and Holder took over as band members from John Howells (vocals), Mick Marson (guitar) and Cass Jones (bass), who had just left the N' Betweens. Lea had replaced Cass Jones and Holder took on both Howells' and Marson's roles and singer and guitarist.
By 1966, this new version of the 'N Betweens had recorded a promo single of the Otis Redding track "Security" and a self-penned song, "Evil Witchman", released on Highland Records. A further single, "You Better Run" was released on Columbia Records and produced by Kim Fowley. This last single was reported by Powell to have topped the regional Midland chart, although it failed to make any national impact.It's Slade 1999 Documentary Between 1966 and 1967, the band's performance centred on the R&B and Tamla Motown styles, while Holder's flair for showmanship began to give the band a focus. During 1967, the band recorded the Honeybus track "Delighted to See You" which remained unreleased until 1994, where it featured on the various artists compilation Psychedelia at Abbey Road. Although the group did not record again for roughly two years, they built up a respectable reputation on the live circuit.
A local promoter, Roger Allen spotted the group in 1969 and alerted the head of A&R at Philips Records, Jack Baverstock. The group spent a week in the Philips Studio at Stanhope Place recording an album, after which Baverstock offered to sign the group to Fontana Records if they changed their name and obtained London-based management. The band were initially hesitant because of the reputation gained as the 'N Betweens, but eventually agreed to "Ambrose Slade", a name inspired by Baverstock's secretary, who had named her handbag Ambrose and her shoes Slade. Baverstock also found the group an agent, John Gunnel, who had previously worked with the entertainment entrepreneur Robert Stigwood.
The band's debut album Beginnings, released in mid-1969, was a commercial failure, as was the instrumental single "Genesis" and the follow-up single "Wild Winds Are Blowing".Beginnings remastered album booklet While the album was being recorded, the band were visited by Gunnel and his business partner, Animals' bassist Chas Chandler. Chandler was impressed with what he heard in the studio, and after seeing the band live the following day, offered to manage them. As Chandler had previous managerial experience with Jimi Hendrix, the band accepted. Chandler was not pleased with the debut album and thought the band would benefit from writing their own material and a change of image. The band adopted a skinhead look as an attempt to gain publicity from what was a newsworthy youth fashion trend, but this also added an unwelcome association with football hooliganism. Noddy Holder and Don Powell were particularly tough-looking individuals already, and the skinhead look exacerbated the disturbing effect of having "toughs" in the band. In 1970, the band shortened their name to Slade and released a new single, a cover of "Shape of Things to Come" which, despite a performance on United Kingdom music show Top of the Pops, failed to chart.
Chandler moved Slade to Polydor Records, believing a higher-profile label would boost sales. Lyrics were added to the instrumental "Genesis" from the band's debut album, the result being released as "Know Who You Are", but again, the single failed to make any impression on the UK chart as did the album Play It Loud, released in late 1970 and produced by Chandler himself. Later the album was retrospectively well received by fans and critics, and earned a silver disc for sales.Play It Loud remastered booklet
Glam rock, success and peak (1971–1974)
Chandler had been managing the band for almost two years without success when he suggested releasing a version of the Bobby Marchan song "Get Down and Get With It", originally performed by Little Richard. Slade still enjoyed a good reputation as a live act and the song had been used in their performances for many years. Always popular, the song's lyrics demanded audience participation and it was hoped that the feeling of a live gig would be projected into the studio recording. The song was released in mid-1971, and by August it entered the top 20 in the UK chart, peaking at number 16.
The band members grew their hair long and allied themselves to the glam rock movement of the early 1970s. Hill's stage costumes also became notable during this period. Chandler now demanded the band write a follow-up single themselves which led to Lea and Holder writing "Coz I Luv You". The song was written in half an hour and started a writing partnership which would continue throughout Slade's career. Upon hearing the track played to him acoustically, a pleased Chandler predicted the song would make number one. While recording, the band felt the song's sound to be too soft, and so clapping and bootstamping were added. The song's misspelled title also became a trademark for Slade while causing a furore among British school teachers.Slade's Greatest Hits compilation booklet The attendant appearance on BBC Television's Top of the Pops brought Slade to a wider audience as well as pushing "Coz I Luv You" to number one in the UK Singles Chart. In November 1971, NME reported that Slade had turned down a multimillion-dollar campaign, including a television series and a heavily promoted tour of the US. "But", commented Holder, "acceptance would have meant the cancellation of many commitments here – and the last thing we want to do is to mess around the people who have put us where we are".
A second single entitled "Look Wot You Dun", was released at the start of 1972, peaking at number four and a live album was released in March. The album Slade Alive! proved to be successful, spending 52 weeks in the UK Albums Chart, peaking at number two. It also did well abroad, topping the Australian chart and giving the band their first chart entry in America. The album was recorded over three nights at a newly built studio in Piccadilly in front of 300 fan-club members.Slade Alive anthology compilation booklet Today the album is regarded as one of the finest live albums ever made.
Two months later, the band released "Take Me Bak 'Ome". The single became Slade's second UK number one and charted in a number of other countries, including the United States, where it reached number 97 in the Billboard Hot 100. Slade achieved their third number one when "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" was released later that year.