Slade: "Beginnings/Play It Loud" features two albums on one CD with bonus tracks
Written: Mar 25 '07 (Updated Apr 04 '09)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: 26 tracks, including the Top 20 hit "Get Down And Get With It".
Cons: None.
The Bottom Line: Two long out-of-print Slade vinyl albums have been remastered with bonus material onto a single CD compilation of 26 tracks from Slade's formative years. A fun, 77-minute listening experience.
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| Don_Krider's Full Review: Beginnings/Play It Loud by Slade |
Lead singer/guitarist Noddy Holder, bassist/pianist/violinist Jim Lea, lead guitarist Dave Hill and drummer Don Powell became one of the most successful and influential acts in rock 'n' roll during their 25 years together as the rock band known as Slade.
Their fans included the likes of The Beatles' John Lennon and Paul McCartney, as well as The Rolling Stone's Mick Jagger, The Jam's Paul Weller and Deep Purple's Ritchie Blackmore.
They have been cited as an influence by the likes of Kiss, Cheap Trick, Oasis, Alice Cooper, The Darkness, Kurt Cobain, The Ramones, The Runaways and others. Singer James Blunt sang the band's "Coz I Luv You" live during his recent U. S. tour.
In fact, Gene Simmons of the rock band Kiss told authors Ken Sharp and David Leaf in their book Kiss: Behind The Mask, "Slade was certainly our biggest influence."
A brief history
In Great Britain, Slade put 25 singles into the British Top 40 between 1971 and 1991, including 17 that reached the Top 20, 12 of which made the Top 5, and six which peaked at #1 on the British charts (including two which debuted at #1, a rare feat).
Slade also topped the British album charts with three #1 charting LPs during that time.
In the U. S., the band scored some minor U. S. Billboard Hot 100 hits in the 1970's before reaching the Top 40 stateside with "Run Runaway" and "My Oh My" in the mid-1980's, while the band Quiet Riot scored U. S. hits with such Slade British hits as "Cum On Feel The Noize" and "Mama Weer All Crazee Now".
Slade's glam rock garb included lead singer Noddy Holder's top hats (at least one with dozens of of circular mirrors on it that caused beams of light to reflect spotlight beams back on his audiences) and tartan plaid pants.
Guitarist Dave Hill adopted a spaceman personality years before Kiss, complete with a ray gun shaped guitar he called Super Yob, all the while playing with a good amount of sparkling glitter in his hair.
Slade may also best be remembered, by school teachers and spell checkers perhaps, as a band that often misspelled their song titles on purpose. Most of those songs came from the songwriting partnership of Holder and bassist Jim Lea.
Those rocking melodies were propelled by the stylish, tireless kit-smashing energy of drummer Don Powell, who played with powerful aggression and a gentle smile.
Slade sold-out concert halls and stadiums. They sold millions of records. And for a 16-year-old kid in the U. S. like I was in 1973, they were one of my favorite bands. I saw them on a Don Kirshner's Rock Concert and fell in love with their wild look, sound and tongue-in-cheek good humor --- smiling faces with attitude.
It was the energy, the stage show, Holder's tartan pants and mutton-chop sideburns; the platform high-heeled, knee-high boots; the band's sense of humor (urging frenzied stadium audiences to "stomp your hands, clap your feet"), and those glorious hard rock anthems written by the band that grabbed me, and still do.
But what did Slade sound like prior to scoring their first Top 20 British hit single with a cover of the Little Richard raver "Get Down And Get With It" in 1971? Before the misspelled song titles? Before the glitter and the glam?
A new CD release, Beginnings/Play It Loud, captures the band's first two albums on a single 26-track album for the first time. This wonderful CD answers the questions nicely, and this listener has discovered a different Slade as a result --- a more conventional, raunchy, psychedelic rock band with ferocious energy, but without the overwhelming glam image that somewhat overshadowed the band's music later on.
The "Beginnings" LP
After playing around England to huge crowds as The N'Betweens in the mid-to-late 1960's, the band signed to Fontana Records in 1969. The label signed the group and changed their name to Ambrose Slade (a name created by a label executive whose secretary's handbag was called Ambrose and her powder compact was called Slade, two terms that were then put together to form the band's new name, a name the band didn't like).
The band, as Ambrose Slade, recorded their first long-player in 1969, entitled Beginnings. For some reason, it was an album of mostly covers of songs already made famous by other others.
Considering that Holder and Lea were more-than-capable songwriters themselves, this record company decision makes no sense.
Still, it is interesting to hear Slade tackle songs originally done by The Beatles, Frank Zappa, Ted Nugent, Jeff Lynne, Steppenwolf, The Moody Blues and Marvin Gaye.
They do so with respect to the original versions and their covers are pretty much note-for-note faithful reproductions that sound surprisingly good. While I normally prefer some nuances to a song cover, these remakes are so well done that they are actually good as the original versions, which satisfies my tastes in this case.
John Lennon once told Slade manager Chas Chandler (bassist of Eric Burdon & The Animals, as well as manager of Jimi Hendrix) that "that bloke sounds like me" when he first heard Noddy Holder's voice. There's no better evidence of that Lennon vocal sound quality than in Slade's cover of The Beatles' "Martha My Dear".
This is a loving tribute to a band Holder had seen on stage in the early 1960's and to a man, Lennon, that Holder truly admires. It's a lovely performance of the gentle acoustic ballad, tenderly sung and sweetly played.
That Slade could rock in 1969 is proven, too, in their cover of Steppenwolf's "Born To Be Wild", which sounds more ferocious than the original to me.
When Holder wraps his tongue around lyrics such as "like a true nature's child, we were born, born to be wild", you believe him, as Powell's drum kit explodes with energetic pounding and ringing high hat sounds, while Lea's bass throbs with menace as Hill windmill slashes his guitar strings. Great stuff.
Then there's the band's very psychedelic, hard rocking recreation of Ted Nugent & The Amboy Dukes' crazed "Journey To The Center Of Your Mind" ("...how happy life would be if all of mankind would take the time to journey to the center of your mind..."), which explodes with energy amid its lovely high harmonies, an echoing lead vocal and some searing lead guitar.
On their cover of Marvin Gaye's "If This World Were Mine", Holder's voice flows from gentle to husky, and he's positively Motown soulful here, as required by such a wonderful acoustic rhythm and blues ballad. It shows a gentler side to Holder's voice that would benefit him years later on Slade originals like "How Does It Feel".
Another interesting cover is Slade's take on Jeff Lynne's "Knocking Nails Into My House". Lynne later gained famed with The Move and The Electric Light Orchestra, but this song was recorded by Lynne with his band The Idle Race and is pretty unknown to American audiences.
Slade's cover is a rollicking, fun romp, complete with the sounds of a house falling down at the song's fade-out.
The Beginnings album includes four band-written songs among its dozen tracks, among them two instrumentals.
Of special interest is the Holder-Lea composition "Pity The Mother", one of those slow ballad-becomes-rock anthem songs so popular in the late 1960's and early 1970's (much like Raspberries' "I Can Remember" or Stories' "Please Please" in form).
"Pity The Mother" reminds this listener of The Beatles' "Eleanor Rigby", perhaps because of Holder sounding more like Paul McCartney than John Lennon here, and because of the song's "lonely people" subject matter.
It's a lovely tune and among the band's very best songs, though it sounds nothing like the hard rocking glam rock hits the band is famous for.
The Beginnings album failed to chart on either side of the Atlantic for Fontana Records (in the U. S., it was released under the title of Ballzy and later reissued as Beginnings Of Slade). It may not have sold at the time, but copies of that very rare vinyl album have sold for over $1,000 in online auctions!
The "Play It Loud" LP
Former Animals' bassist Chas Chandler, who as Slade's manager had the band dressing like rowdy British street toughs with "skinhead" haircuts (not bald, but very short hair) during this time period, now shortened the band's name to just Slade. The concept wasn't working in a time of extremely long-haired, bearded, blue-jeaned clad rockers, but they certainly were a different looking band from anything around in 1969 or 1970.
Chandler helped the band land another record deal, this time with Polydor Records, so the band exited Fontana Records. The retitled Slade now found themselves produced by Chandler, the one element missing on the first album.
Chandler would go on to produce all Slade's biggest hits of the 1970's and his skills as a record producer are evident on the second album, Play It Loud.
As a result of Chandler's production, the 1970-released Play It Loud album rocks hard. Slade as a band seems looser, more confident as musicians here. They seem to be having fun on their second long-player.
The sound is closer to the spirited power pop/glam rock anthems of the band's later years. Nine of Play It Loud's 12 songs were written by band members.
The highlight here is "Dapple Rose", which is very '60s Merseybeat in its sound (think The Beatles Sgt. Pepper-period and Manfred Mann's The Mighty Quinn LP for similar sounding material).
It's a spirited, uptempo, pop anthem, with Holder sounding like Lennon once again as Queen-ish harmonies and melodic rhythms wrap themselves around the chorus.
On "Could I", the rhythms are one moment Black Sabbath, and the next soaring Moody Blues-inspired pop, a weird combination that works very well here.
On "Know Who You Are", Slade takes the instrumental "Genesis" from the album Beginnings and adds lyrics, winding up with a Yes-inspired raver with psychedelic guitar sounds and glorious vocal harmonies.
Slade also offers a really stunning cover of "The Shape Of Things To Come", an obscure song originally recorded by Max Frost & The Troopers for a #22 Billboard hit from 1968 (featured in the film Wild In The Streets).
"The Shape Of Things To Come" seems tailor-made for Slade's skills, from scorching lead guitar licks to fast-played power chording, ringing guitar sounds, throbbing bass and powerful percussion. It really is thrilling to listen to ("...nothing can change the shape of things to come...")!
Slade's cover of "Angelina" rocks hard. Originally written by Neil Innes (who played the John Lennon-ish leader in the Beatles-spoof band The Rutles, as well as leading The Bonzo Dog Band and writing songs for the Monty Python comedy group), "Angelina" is a precursor of late '70s hard rock (think Bad Company).
On the band-written "Dirty Joker" you have the blueprint of the Kiss sound years before Kiss existed. Gritty backup vocals sung in unison, menacing guitar rhythms and a growling lead vocal. Neat stuff.
Still, like the Beginnings album, the Play It Loud LP didn't chart either. So the band and Chandler made a few changes in the group's image, let their hair grow long, and in 1971 the band finally charted with their glam rock sound.
This CD
Never ones to offer just the bare minimum, besides the 12 songs on each of the two albums (remember the days when albums had a dozen songs on them?) in the Beginnings/Play It Loud compilation, included are two bonus tracks, "Wild Winds Are Blowing" and the band's first Top 20 hit from 1971, "Get Down And Get With It" (a cover of a Little Richard raver that was a live Slade concert fan favorite).
That's 26 songs on a single CD from the Salvo/Union Square Music label on this British import with a total running time of 77 minutes and 13 seconds.
The normal plastic jewel box case also comes in a glossy carboard slip cover with photos from the original LP releases.
Included is a 12-page CD booklet with liner notes by Dave Ling, photos (many previously unpublished) by Gered Mankowitz, and color photos of various picture sleeve singles and album cover variations from these two LPs.
This compilation is part of Union Square Music's reissue of the entire Slade catalogue, remastered by Tim Turan (Status Quo).
A very nice package at a cheap price.
The 26 tracks:
Genesis, Everybody's Next One, Knocking Nails Into My House, Roach Daddy, Ain't Got No Heart, Pity The Mother, Mad Dog Cole, Fly Me High, If This World Were Mine, Martha My Dear, Born To Be Wild and Journey To The Center Of The Mind.
Also, Raven, See Us Here, Dapple Rose, Could I, One Way Hotel, The Shape Of Things To Come, Know Who You Are, I Remember, Pouk Hill, Angelina, Dirty Joker, Sweet Box, Wild Winds Are Blowing and Get Down And Get With It.
Final recommendation:
Beginnings/Play It Loud by Slade will appeal mostly to Slade fans, of course, but I think classic rock and glam rock fans will enjoy this CD as well. The vinyl LPs have been long out-of-print and the new digital remastering of these recordings has polished the sound up so that they now sound fresh and vibrant.
For the rock history fan, this is a chance to hear Slade before they became big stars, and this fan had a lot of fun listening to this compilation.
This British import is readily available at such online sites as Amazon.Com and in better record collector-type stores (I bought my copy at Ear-X-Tacy in Louisville).
Other reviews of interest:
Slade's 2004 U. S. CD release, Get Yer Boots On: The Best Of Slade: http://www.epinions.com/content_136564870788
Slade lead singer Noddy Holder's hilarious book autobiography, Who's Crazee Now?: http://www.epinions.com/content_93046476420
The Genesis Of Slade, an hour-long CD featuring tracks from the four early 1960's bands that evolved into Slade: http://www.epinions.com/content_168815332996
Slade's 2004 DVD U. S. release, Slade In Flame, their classic 1974 feature film: http://www.epinions.com/content_136061881988
Slade's 20-track British greatest hits release, Wall Of Hits: http://www.epinions.com/content_115527356036
The Slade CD Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply: http://www.epinions.com/musc-review-38C8-910B12-3886C9CA-bd1
On the web:
YouTube.Com has several of Slade's classic video performances online at: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=slade . Among them, the original British chart-topping version of "Cum On Feel The Noize" (their spelling, not mine) --- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nioL4sH3QIk and their U. S. Top 40/MTV hit "Run Runaway" --- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHoPYLQvnQM .
Slade lead singer Noddy Holder, awarded the MBE award by the Queen of England, now has his own website: http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Studio/4946/navigate.html
Links to various Slade-related websites: http://www.unionsquaremusic.co.uk/slade/links/index.html
The record label page for this release: http://www.unionsquaremusic.co.uk/titlev4.php?ALBUM_ID=876&LABEL_ID=17
Recommended:
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Don_Krider
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Member: Don Krider
Location: USA
Reviews written: 301
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About Me:
Fan of power pop (Raspberries, Badfinger, Cheap Trick, The Knack, Romantics, Slade,Sweet...) --- "Play On"!!!
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