Slade is one of the greatest Glam Rock bands of all time that was very successful in the 70’s and 80’s. However, their biggest hit is not “Cum On Feel the Noize” or “Mamma Weer All Crazee Now”. Their best selling song is the Christmas hit “Merry Xmas Everybody”. Released back in 1973, the song remains being played year after year.
According to singer Noddy Holder, approximately 350,000 copies were sold in a single day upon its release and hit the top of the UK singles chart on December 15, 1973. Since 2007 the song re-enters the UK charts every December. Research made by Channel 5 TV back in 2016 says that the track earns Jim Lea and Noddy Holder (Songwriters) around £1 million in royalties every year.
In an interview with Classic Rock magazine, the members of the band recalled the composition of the song and revealed the tune almost wasn’t released.
Slade members said about the composition of “Merry Xmas Everybody”:
“When I first played it to Noddy [Holder] he told me to go away and have sex with myself,” admits former bassist Jim Lea, who wrote the music for the song. “But after Nod added his lyrics it came to life,” Bassist Jim Lea said.
Drummer Don Powell revealed taht: “Nobody wanted to release it. But Chas [Chandler, Slade’s manager] told us: ‘I don’t care what you lot say, this is coming out’.”
“That song lifted a nation. It took on a life of its own,” guitarist Dave Hill said.
The band
Slade holds the mark of being the first group to achieve three singles in a row. Entering the first position in the list of most played in the United Kingdom. One of their most famouse songs is ‘Cum On Feel The Noize’, from the album ‘Sladest’, released in 1973.
Following an unsuccessful move to the United States in 1975, Slade’s popularity 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 this to have been one of the highlights of their career.
The original line-up split in 1992, but the band re-formed later in the year as Slade II. The band have continued, with a number of line-up changes, to the present day. They have shortened the group name back to Slade.
But they remain as one of the most underrated rock bands of all time, unfortunately, they remain, specially out of the UK a not very known band. So, in order to spread