The Big Stage

SLADE: Still Bringing The House Down

Becky Millington of Glen King PR/Marketing meets the legendary Dave Hill of Slade

It’s 1971, platform boots and glitter are taking the UK by storm and Slade is celebrating their first # 1 ‘Coz I Luv You’“. *Noddy Holder “We thought ‘Because I Love You’ was a wet title for a song and so we used the spelling that would be on toilet walls in the Midlands and that made it more hardhitting”.
Becky caught up with Dave one quarter of the legendary Slade to talk talent, touring and playing without original front man Noddy. The reformed Slade includes co-founers lead guitarist Dave Hill and drummer Don Powell who despite entering their golden years are still rocking as hard as ever to audiences all over the world.

“There’s a line in a Shirley Bassey song, “I bought a ticket for a lifetime” and that’s what I felt I did buy. I bought into it for the whole of my life until I’m unable to do it. It’s not just about fame, it’s more about people and the difference you make” reminisces Dave.

After signing with Jimi Hendrix’s manager Chas Chandler, Slade became the biggest selling band of the decade rivalling the likes of The Beatles, but Dave fondly remembers strumming his guitar at home in Wolverhampton being called ‘”the noise”. “We were never safety conscious in those days and my mates and I shoved the wires into the light fitting and we could have blown the house up!”

Famed for his pudding bowl haircut and outfits that would today leave Lady GaGa in a state of shock, Dave believes it was interesting lyrics and uplifting melodies that made Slade songs memorable.

“We have a song called ‘How Does it Feel’, Nod’s lyrics in that are really brilliant. It’s one of our lesser known hits but Noel Gallagher says it’s one of his favourite songs and I know why because it doesn’t have a time period on it – you know it’s a classic.”

“If you listen to old records they have a certain magic about them and they also sound quite big in their sound spectrum. I think we’ve reached the point now in the digital age where we’ve lost the warmth in sound and that’s all to do with talent really.”

Many people will remember Slade for the roaring vocals of Noddy Holder on well known hits like ‘Cum on Feel the Noize’ and ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’. Whilst Slade tour and work on their new album, Dave admits Noddy could never be replaced. “Like any marriage it can break and I think for Nod he’d
had enough of the road. We’re still friends and speak to each other and we’ll always be cnnected. We had all these songs and all this ime together, it’s so unique. If Nod ever wnted to come on stage and do a song on our with me he’d always be welcome.” *(Quote taken from 1000 UK #1 Hits by Jon utner and Spencer Leigh).

You can hear Slade performing at the Riviera International Conference Centre in Torquay on Saturday August 14th supported by Heroes and The Ziggiz and the legendary RST 70’s Roadshow Disco for an unbelievable 8 hour extravaganza.

Advance ticket sales @ £25 from RICC – Box Office 01803-206333
Ticket sales are going great and w’re increasing capacity…
For more information visit: www.myglitterballs.com

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