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Xmas Ear Bender (EP)
"Xmas Ear Bender" is an extended play (EP) by the British rock band Slade, released in 1980. ''Xmas Ear Bender'' includes three tracks; two of which were recorded at the band's performance at the 1980 Reading Festival. The EP was produced by Slade and reached No. 70 in the UK, remaining in the charts for two weeks. The EP was later included in its entirety on the 2006 Salvo compilation '' Slade Alive! – The Live Anthology''. Background Having returned to the UK from the United States in August 1976, Slade found themselves out-of-favour at the time of the UK's Punk rock explosion. The band's 1977 album ''Whatever Happened to Slade'' proved a commercial failure while their tour that spring had shown that they could no longer fill large venues. Slade's waning success soon led to the band playing small gigs after that, including universities and clubs. Despite being successful at filling small venues for their live performances, the band's new records were barely selling. After the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Slade
Slade are an English rock band formed in Wolverhampton in 1966. They rose to prominence during the glam rock era in the early 1970s, achieving 17 consecutive top 20 hits and six number ones on the UK Singles Chart. 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 penned by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea. As of 2006, total UK sales stand at 6,520,171, and 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 over 50 million records worldwide. 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 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
We'll Bring The House Down
''We'll Bring The House Down'' is the ninth studio album by the British rock group Slade. It was released on 13 March 1981 and reached No. 25 in the UK. The album was produced by Slade, except "My Baby's Got It" which was produced by Chas Chandler. The album was the first studio album released by the band after their successful appearance at the 1980 Reading Festival. In order to capitalise on their revival, Slade quickly compiled this new album, made up of some new tracks and some recycled ones, mainly from their failed ''Return to Base'' album of 1979. Background Since their return from the US in late 1976, Slade had struggled to achieve much chart action in the UK. Regardless, the band continued to record and tour. Their 1977 theatre tour, which followed the unsuccessful ''Whatever Happened to Slade'' album, saw a drop in audience numbers. The band found themselves playing small gigs after that, including universities and clubs. The band's tours often ran at a loss, bringing ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Don Powell
Donald George Powell (born 10 September 1946) is an English musician who was the drummer for glam rock and later hard rock group Slade for over fifty years. Early life As a child, Powell joined the Boy Scouts where he became interested in the drums after being asked to join the band on a Sunday morning parade. After attending Etheridge Secondary Modern School he studied Metallurgy at Wednesbury Technical College. Powell then worked as a metallurgist in a small foundry before turning professional as a drummer. He was athletic and a keen amateur boxer, although an easy going personality. It was he who was sent around with the money collection hat amongst early audiences. Powell became a member of The Vendors, a band that guitarist Dave Hill later joined. The Vendors became the N'Betweens and bass guitarist / keyboard player / violinist / guitarist Jim Lea joined at an audition. Powell then spotted Noddy Holder playing with Steve Brett & The Mavericks and he and Hill got Holder t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dave Hill
David John Hill (born 4 April 1946) is an English rock musician. He is the lead guitarist, a backing vocalist and the sole continuous member in the English band Slade. Hill is known for his flamboyant stage clothes and hairstyle. Early life Born in Flete House, Holbeton, Devon, the son of a mechanic, he moved with his parents to Penn, Wolverhampton, when he was a year old. He attended the city's Springdale Junior School and Highfields Secondary school. He bought his first guitar from a mail-order catalogue and received some guitar lessons from a science teacher at his school. He then formed a band called The Young Ones with some school friends. He worked in an office for Tarmac Limited for over two years after leaving school. Slade Hill originally played with drummer Don Powell in a band called The Vendors, whose name was then changed to The N' Betweens. The pair then met bass player Jimmy Lea and singer Noddy Holder, whereafter Slade was born. Though Hill is left-handed, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bobby Marchan
Bobby Marchan (born Oscar James Gibson, April 30, 1930 – December 5, 1999) was an American rhythm and blues singer, songwriter, recording artist, bandleader, MC, and female impersonator. He was the key singer in the early lineup of Huey "Piano" Smith and the Clowns along with Gerri Hall and Roosevelt Wright. Biography Born in Youngstown, Ohio, Marchan started as a female impersonator in his teens, and formed a drag troupe, the Powder Box Revue. He began performing in New Orleans nightclubs, specifically the Dew Drop Inn and the Club Tijuana in the mid-1950s. He made his first recording, "Have Mercy", produced by Cosimo Matassa for Aladdin Records, in 1954. He then recorded for the Dot and Ace labels, with Ace boss Johnny Vincent apparently offering him a contract under the misapprehension that Marchan was female and releasing his record "Give a Helping Hand" under the pseudonym Bobby Fields. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jimmy Kennedy
James Kennedy (20 July 1902 – 6 April 1984) was a Northern Irish songwriter. He was predominantly a lyricist, putting words to existing music such as "Teddy Bears' Picnic" and "My Prayer" or co-writing with composers like Michael Carr, Wilhelm Grosz and Nat Simon. In a career spanning more than fifty years, he wrote some 2000 songs, of which over 200 became worldwide hits and about 50 are popular music classics. Early life Kennedy was born in Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. His father, Joseph Hamilton Kennedy, was a policeman in the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC). While growing up in the village of Coagh, Kennedy wrote several songs and poems. He was inspired by local surroundings—the view of the Ballinderry River, the local Springhill House and the plentiful chestnut trees on his family's property, as evidenced in his poem ''Chestnut Trees''. Kennedy later moved to Portstewart, a seaside resort in County Londonderry. Kennedy graduated from Trinity College, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jim Lea (musician)
James Whild Lea (born 14 June 1949) is an English musician, most notable for playing bass guitar, keyboards, piano, violin, and guitar, and singing backing vocals in Slade from their inception until 1992, and for co-writing most of their songs. Career Early life Lea was born in Wolverhampton, England. Influenced by French jazz-violinist Stéphane Grappelli, Lea's first musical love was the violin which he began playing aged 10. His parents Frank Lea and Edna Whild owned The Grange pub in Bilbrook where he grew up. He attended Codsall Comprehensive School – now Codsall Community High School. He joined the Staffordshire Youth Orchestra in 1961, and gained first class honours in a London music-school practical exam, before moving on to piano, guitar and finally bass guitar. He first played guitar, and then bass, in the schoolboy group 'Nick and The Axemen'. 'N' Betweens to Slade Lea aged 16 went for auditions for a local band, 'The 'N Betweens', of which drummer Don Powell, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Noddy Holder
Neville John "Noddy" Holder (born 15 June 1946) is an English musician. He was the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of the English band Slade, one of the UK's most successful acts of the 1970s. Known for his unique and powerful voice, Holder co-wrote most of Slade's material with bass guitarist Jim Lea including "Mama Weer All Crazee Now", " Cum On Feel the Noize" and "Merry Xmas Everybody". After leaving Slade in 1992, he diversified into television and radio work, notably starring in the ITV comedy-drama series ''The Grimleys'' (1999–2001). Early life and career Neville John Holder was born on 15 June 1946 in the Caldmore area, near the centre of Walsall, Staffordshire, England.Walsall was within Staffordshire at the time of Holder's birth, though it is now within West Midlands. When he was seven he moved with his family to the Beechdale Estate, a council estate in the north of the town which was also home to Rob Halford. The son of a window cleaner, in 1957 Holder passed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Merry Xmas Everybody
"Merry Xmas Everybody" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released as a non-album single in 1973. The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and it was produced by Chas Chandler. It was the band's sixth and final number-one single in the UK. Earning the UK Christmas number one slot in December 1973, the song beat another Christmas-themed song, Wizzard's "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday", which reached fourth place. It remained in the charts for nine weeks until February 1974. Released at the peak of the band's popularity, "Merry Xmas Everybody" sold over a million copies upon its first release. It is Slade's last number-one single and by far their best-selling single. It has been released during every decade since 1973 and has been covered by numerous artists. The single was certified double platinum by British Phonographic Industry (BPI) in December 2021. Since 2007 and the advent of downloads counting towards the UK Singles Chart, it ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Slade Smashes!
''Slade Smashes'' is a compilation album by the British rock band Slade. It was released 1 November 1980 and reached No. 21 on the UK charts. The album was issued by Polydor in the wake of new interest in the band following their successful appearance at the 1980 Reading Festival, filling in for Ozzy Osbourne. The album featured most of the band's big hits from their early and mid 1970s heyday in the UK as well as three of the band's singles from post-1977. This collection, alongside the band's subsequent 1981 studio release ''We'll Bring the House Down'', further cemented Slade's comeback in the UK and Europe. The compilation was compiled by Polydor and has little input from the band. According to the Slade fan club, Polydor spent £250,000 on promotion of ''Slade Smashes!''. The album was a success in the UK, reaching No. 21 and gaining a Gold certification in December for selling 200,000 copies. In a 1980 fan club interview, lead vocalist Noddy Holder commented of the compila ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
