Slade Artistfacts

1966-
Noddy HolderLead vocals and guitar1966-1992
Dave HillGuitar1966-
Jim LeaBass and violin1966-1992
Don PowellDrums1966-2020
Steve WhalleyLead vocals and guitar1992-2005
Mal McNultyLead vocals and guitar2005-2019
John BerryBass2003-
Russell KeefeVocals, keyboards2019-
Alex BinesDrums2020
Slade are an iconic English rock band known for their loud, anthemic hits belted out by frontman Noddy Holder. Their sound fuses glam rock, hard rock, and punk rock into a uniquely energetic style.
Formed in Wolverhampton in 1966, Slade's roots trace back to 1964 under the name The 'N Betweens. After briefly adopting the moniker Ambrose Slade, they ultimately became the Slade fans know today.
The band rose to fame during the glam rock explosion of the early 1970s, achieving huge success with 17 consecutive Top 20 hits in the UK, including six #1 singles. They became well-known for their playful, deliberately misspelled song titles like "Cum On Feel The Noize" and "Mama Weer All Crazee Now." Slade's commercial success during the 1970s earned them the title of the most successful British group of the decade, with their festive hit "Merry Xmas Everybody" selling over a million copies.
Though their popularity waned in the late 1970s, Slade made an impressive comeback in 1980 when they stepped in as last-minute replacements for Ozzy Osbourne at the Reading Rock Festival. The performance revitalized their career.
In 1983 the American band Quiet Riot scored a major hit with their cover of "Cum On Feel the Noize," introducing Slade's music to a new audience. The following year Slade achieved their own US breakthrough with the album Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply and the hit single "Run Runaway."
Noddy Holder's distinctive nickname has a simple origin. He revealed in an interview with The Daily Mail's Weekend that as a child, he frequently nodded in response to questions, earning him the name "Noddy," which stuck. However, his family still calls him by his real name, Neville.
Guitarist Dave Hill was a style icon of the glam rock era, known for his flamboyant and daring fashion choices. Hill embraced vibrant colors, glittery fabrics, and androgynous elements, often sporting women's blouses or a futuristic silver coat. His look was completed with platform boots and striking hairstyles, making his stage presence unforgettable.
In 2018, Noddy Holder faced a life-threatening battle with esophageal cancer. Diagnosed at age 72 and given just six months to live, he underwent experimental chemotherapy at The Christie Hospital in Manchester. Despite the odds, the treatment was successful and has since become more widely available through the NHS, offering hope to others in similar situations.
Noddy Holder has been immortalized in some quirky ways. He's been sculpted in Lego for a larger-than-life statue in Birmingham's Bullring, baked as a cake on The Great British Bake Off, and even crafted as a tiny sculpture that fits inside the eye of a needle - requiring a microscope to view!
In July 1973, Slade's drummer Don Powell was involved in a horrific car crash on Compton Road West in Wolverhampton. The accident left him badly injured and killed his fiancée, Angela Morris.

Powell came out of it with severe amnesia, making even the basics of performing a challenge. On stage, the band devised a clever workaround: before each song, bassist Jim Lea would quietly sing the opening line into Powell's ear while Noddy Holder distracted the crowd with chatter. Once Powell had the first cue, muscle memory took over and he could play the rest of the song without issue.

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