MELODY MAKER Band Breakdown - 4 March 1972

Words by Chris Charlesworth ~ Pictures by Barrie Wentzell

JIM LEA is the only member of Slade with formal musical education. He picked up a violin at the age of seven, graduated to Stafford Youth Orchestra,swapped the violin for a guitar and switched to bass because no one in his first group was interested in playing bass.

"I was originally going to learn the piano, but my grandfather was violinist and his old violin was in the house, I had lessons from a Professor of Music and played in an orchestra for three years We'd do all big concerts and travel abroad. just like playing in a great big group." said Jim.

Jim and the orchestra parted company for various reasons. The majority of the orchestra were grammar school boys with little time for secondary school Jim. " I didn't get on with anybody in the orchestra. They were all eggheads with very short hair and they didn't like me in with them. I enjoyed the orchestra for the music and it was great to be part of that sound with the violins and kettle drums blasting away all around me, It was a really eerie sound.

When 1 was 13 I formed a group called Nick and the Axerwen and the first thing we did was to chuck out the bass player. No one else wanted to play bass so I had to. I started off playing really fast bass lines because my fingers were so supple from playing the violin. It was one of those groups where you have far more rehearsals than gigs. We never earned any money but I learned to play bass."

Jim joined the In Betweens following an audition and left school to go to Germany with the band. "We never paid for that Grrman tour and they were tough times but we always maintained that a group who have a good stage show have got to be together for a long time. You have got to go through the tough times to get anywhere.

"We Went off to the Bahamas for four months and ended up £2,OOO in debt because we didn't pay the hotel bills. When we got back we went to Fontana Records and they changed our name to Ambrose Slade and said we needed a London agency. Chas Chandler came down to see us and he has been with us ever since.

For bass players to take up the violin or vice-versa is a common trait in the rock business. "A lot of bass players are forced on to the bass in the first place because they have more basic musical knowledge, and they probably learned this off the violin at school." was Jim's explanation. "With lead guitarists, the guitar is probably their only instrument.

"I think Paul McCartney is a knock-out bass plaver but nobody ever thinks of him as a bassist because of his writing. Jack Bruce is the most overrated bass player I have ever heard. McCartney is much better because he is inventive.