AMBROSE SLADE
The name 'Ambrose Slade' was inspired by a cowboy film. The previously repeated story about a secretary naming items of her clothing etc, is utter twaddle. Nita Anderson, the rock agent who rescued Slade back when they were stranded penniless in the Bahamas, recalls that the Fontana record company boss never liked the group's previous name, The 'N Betweens, but was stuck for what else to call them - until he noticed that a character in the film they were watching was called Ambrose Slade, and instantly settled for that. The name 'Nicky Nacky Noo' was apparently momentarily considered.
CHEAP TRICK
The fabulous US rock group Cheap Trick came up with their name while watching Slade play live. On the new DVD 'From Tokyo to you', Tom Petersson says appreciatively that Slade used 'every cheap trick in the book' to win over the audience.
COZ I LUV YOU
'Coz I luv you' was originally called 'Because I love you' and the spelling was changed to the far more familiar version to make it sound a bit less 'wimpish.' The song was written by Nod and Jim in Nod's Mum's house at Chas Chandler's insistence. It was based loosely on The John Dummer Blues Band track, 'Nine by nine' - a tune the group used to fiddle about with.
EVERYDAY
Dave Hill didn't play on the single 'Everyday'. All the guitar, bass guitar and piano parts were dealt with at the recording session by Jim Lea, who got the inspiration to write the song when his wife Louise came out with the basic tune and the first line, 'I can see you look at me' following a conversation at home with friends about songwriting.
GUDBUY T' JANE
'Gudbuy T'Jane' was written about a girl the group met when they were doing a TV show in America. She was the co-host of the show and she had lost some huge platform shoes. According to Nod, she had a hell of a strop and refused to do the show 'til they were found. The song was almost called 'Hello to Jane' until it was decided that the opposite sounded better!
MAMA WEER ALL CRAZEE NOW
Originally titled 'My My We're all crazy now', but the title was amended after the end choruses were recorded.
MERRY XMAS EVERYBODY
Nod pretty much wrote 'Merry Xmas everybody' all on his own. The song was originally called 'Buy me a rocking chair' and was the first thing Nod ever came up with. It pre-dates Slade by a few years. For a song so well associated with all things about a typical British Christmas, it is interesting to remember that the song was recorded in New York studio in sweltering heat with the doors open wide, distrubing all the local office workers.
MY BABY LEFT ME
Another track where Dave Hill apparently wasn't present for the recording.
RADIO WALL OF SOUND
Written and mainly recorded solely by Jim Lea, for his own solo use. Pulled into the frame as a contender as a Slade release when Slade were offered a short deal with Polydor - a hits album and two singles plus b-sides. If the singles did well enough, a new album would follow. The recording already existed, complete apart from lead vocals. It wasn't in Nod's key and they weren't going to spend any serious money in the studio re-doing it, so Nod just dubbed vocals onto the chorus, leaving Jim's lead vocal where it was. Other tracks recorded at the time (including Hill / Hunt songs) were probably better options than Jim's other nearly complete solo track, 'Universe'. 'Universe' got lost in the Christmas rush, which was a great shame, and the deal for a new album never came to be, which set the stage for Nod's final departure from the group.
RESPECT
The Aretha Franklin song was recorded at the group's final 'Ritch Bitch' studio sessions for Polydor, but remains unfinished and unreleased.
THE APRIL 1ST 1966 SHOW AT WALSALL TOWN HALL
It
never took place. The group were busy in Newcastele Upon Tyne. The story about the April Fools day date is convenient for promotional purposes, but is not based in fact.
TIL DEAF
The much publicised changing of the 'ear and nail' sleeve design for the 'Til deaf do us part' album was never a serious option, just a publicity measure to try to help boost sales. Deaf people were supposed to have been offended by the sleeve. It's doubtful any of them were ever aware of it. The European CD reissue dumped the original design mainly because it was felt to be a better idea to have a group photo on the front - not due to any particular controversy.
UNIVERSE
The final Slade single by the original lineup. Another song Jim had mainly finished. Jim wanted to put strings on at EMI's Abbey Road studio in London, but it was booked, so he did the strings on a synthesiser. The only noticeable difference is that it actually would be cheaper to buy the synth than book time at Abbey Road. A much better record than people credit it as being. It has apparently been heard as a demo with a Jim Lea vocal, but not by me!