"WILL SUCCESS GO TO THEIR HEADS?

 

When Slade walked into the offices of the group’s manager , former Animal Chas Chandler , recently , he blew his top….they had had their hair shorn.

But he got used to the idea , and is now quite happy that he has got on his books the first skinhead group – although that is not the important point about them. “Slade,” says Chas “could potentially be the biggest thing since The Beatles.”

A rather old cliché but people listen when Chas makes that kind of statement – they have ever since he predicted Jimi Hendrix would be a smash. And already things are starting to happen for Slade – the group formed from Wolverhampton based groups The ‘N’ Betweens and Steve Brett and the Mavericks.

On October 24th their first record is released on the Fontana label “Wild Winds are Blowing” is a powerful commercial number which could put the lads on the chartbound trail. Following on , early next month their first album probably titled “Slade” will be available. It will feature mostly the group’s self penned numbers. Radio and television appearances are also likely during the next few weeks to help promote the single.

Currently Slade are playing ballroom and cub dates taking their own style of progressive music and ballads up and down the country including Wolverhampton, where they appear at the Lafayette on Sunday.

Why the skinhead look? A spokesman for the group explained : “Everybody seems to think that to be a good musician or poet or any form of artist you have to have long hair. The lads are out to prove that that is wrong. Their short hair is a sort of protest against long hair.” “But,” he added , “We don’t want people to associate them with the violence that is often associated with the skinheads. That is not the idea at all.

“They are starting off a new image in pop groups, but their main aim is to find a music level synonymous with the youngsters and entertaining.”

A lot of practising to find this level was done while the lads were in the Bahamas on a four month visit last year, and now they feel they have developed a good sound.

It was shortly after the return from that trip that they were discovered by Chas Chandler while playing a gig at Rasputin’s in London. Line-up of the group is Noddy Holder , lead vocals and guitar, Jim Lea , bass , Dave Hill , lead guitar and Don Powell,drums.

 

article courtesy of Chris Selby