Don Powell's website has announced the news that it's 50 years since he and Dave first played live together on 3 January 1964. Don's site tells us that he joined The Vendors in early 1963, Dave joined in December 1963 and the first live gig with both Don and Dave in the band was on 3 January 1964 at the Three Men In A Boat pub in Walsall. That's a pretty astonishing partnership considering they're both still touring together.
Noddy Holder and Jim Lea joined Dave and Don in 1966 and, after name changes, became the mighty SLADE and had their first Number 1 hit single in 1971. I bought that single, 'Coz I Luv You'. I first saw them live in 1973 and the last time I saw them play was in, I think, 1981. After that gig at the student union in Cardiff I was helping to get their equipment out of the hall and into the truck and Dave Hill offered me a cigarette, a Benson & Hedges, and I said 'no thanks'. How could I take a cigarette from a god?
I last saw Dave and Don's Slade on 18 December 2011 and they were in fine form, banging out a set of hit after hit after hit from the '70s and '80s. It was great fun to see them play again and sing 'Merry Xmas Everybody' a matter of days before the big day itself.
The gig was recorded for charity and is available as 'Slade - Live at Koko'.
SLADE are far more than just a Christmas song but it's a pretty damn good one. Of course, they've now had a new Christmas hit with 'Everyday' entering the lower reaches of the singles chart, peaking at No. 69 in December, on the back of being used in the Christmas advert for the Nexus 7. I hope it will start turning up on Christmas compilation records.
Congratulations to Don and Dave!
Then:
Now:
Noddy Holder and Jim Lea joined Dave and Don in 1966 and, after name changes, became the mighty SLADE and had their first Number 1 hit single in 1971. I bought that single, 'Coz I Luv You'. I first saw them live in 1973 and the last time I saw them play was in, I think, 1981. After that gig at the student union in Cardiff I was helping to get their equipment out of the hall and into the truck and Dave Hill offered me a cigarette, a Benson & Hedges, and I said 'no thanks'. How could I take a cigarette from a god?
I last saw Dave and Don's Slade on 18 December 2011 and they were in fine form, banging out a set of hit after hit after hit from the '70s and '80s. It was great fun to see them play again and sing 'Merry Xmas Everybody' a matter of days before the big day itself.
The gig was recorded for charity and is available as 'Slade - Live at Koko'.
SLADE are far more than just a Christmas song but it's a pretty damn good one. Of course, they've now had a new Christmas hit with 'Everyday' entering the lower reaches of the singles chart, peaking at No. 69 in December, on the back of being used in the Christmas advert for the Nexus 7. I hope it will start turning up on Christmas compilation records.
Congratulations to Don and Dave!
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