Slade were the most iconic group of the 1970s glam rock era. Although the original quartet – Dave Hill, Noddy Holder, Jim Lea and Don Powell – ceased working as a unit in the nineties, memories of the group remain strong, thanks mainly to their remarkable, enduring, festive single, Merry Xmas Everybody. But there is so much more to the band than just that one record.
Whatever Happened To Slade? is the first serious biography of the group in over three decades. It details the complete story of this singular band, as well as the personal histories of the four individuals who combined to turn Slade into a genuine phenomenon. Whatever Happened To Slade? charts their emergence from the 1960s beat boom, their initial successes, their epoch-making glam heyday, the group’s attempts to crack America, Slade In Flame, their bleak, retrospectively adored film, their re-emergence as hard rocking heavyweights, through to their final dissolution and post-Slade careers.
Drawing on hours of new interviews and meticulous research, with a foreword by Bob Geldof and an afterword by Jim Moir, Whatever Happened To Slade? reassesses a band that won hearts and perforated eardrums across four incident-filled, bittersweet decades.
Foreword by Bob Geldof
Daryl Easlea is a writer, DJ and music consultant. He is at his happiest writing about African-American pop or great musical eccentrics. He has written critically-acclaimed biographies on CHIC, Sparks, Michael Jackson and Peter Gabriel.
Daryl Easlea was in music retail between 1979 and 1997, and left to belatedly take his degree in American History and International History at Keele, where he also ran the student radio station. He began writing professionally in 1999. After graduating in 2000, he became the deputy editor at Record Collector, where he remains a regular contributor. His work has also appeared in Mojo, various Q and Mojo specials, Prog Magazine, The Guardian, Uncut, Dazed & Confused, The Independent, Socialism, The Glasgow Herald, The Encyclopedia of Popular Music, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die and bbc.co.uk.
Glam was Glam because it sought an ironic “look” and stripped down noise and sense that was the possible route back past the dull, charmless drudgery of endless muso noodling prog, earnest “head” music and shit third rate blues bands . . . back to an earlier period of youth, style and rooted rebel fun when good music was great and everyday and singable. Slade was part of that. They should be revered. Here’s a book that does that. Bob Geldof
An extensive, entertaining and illuminating look at the mercurial if qualified success story of one of Britain’s greatest hit making bands. If you only think about Slade every December, you really need to read Daryl Easlea’s book. A must have for the music buff. Phill Jupitus
Slade were the governors. Dave Hill’s beaming overbite was my guiding light and saviour growing up. And time has clearly shown they also had the best songs and the best shoes. Grit and glam, mine’s a Babycham Nick Heyward
At last an author with judgement, insight and sympathy has written a substantial book about Slade that dissects the highs and lows of a career that is unique in the annals of British pop. Its up there with Feel The Noize, the book I wrote in 1984; yet longer, more considered, more in-depth, and bang up to date. Chris Charlesworth
