By Jim Rowland
There have of course been loads of Slade ‘best of’ and ‘greatest hits’ compilations over the years, but the very first one dates as far back as 1973, when the band were just hitting the peak of their commercial success. That album was ‘Sladest’, and it’s the next one in the recent line of deluxe splatter vinyl re-issues of Slade’s big 70s’ albums.
Of course, Slade had plenty more greatest hits still to come at the time ‘Sladest’ was released, but it served the purpose of keeping the band’s momentum going whilst they recorded their next studio album ‘Old New Borrowed & Blue’ whilst at the same time having to deal with the effects of a near fatal car crash involving drummer Don Powell, from which he managed to recover. It also served the purpose of trying to give the band a fresh push in the States, with an altered track listing.
‘Sladest’ contained the eight ÜK hit singles the band had had to date, five of which were number one hits, with the two most recent – ‘Cum On Feel The Noize’ & ‘Skweeze Me Pleeze Me’ – going straight in at number one! Alongside those two here are classics like ‘Mama Weer All Crazee Now’, ‘Gudbuy T’Jane’, ‘Coz I Luv You’, ‘Take Me Bak Ome’ and the very first hit ‘Get Down & Get With It’.
The album was bolstered by six of the best of the band’s earlier output, around the time of their ‘skinhead’ period and the album ‘Play It Loud’. Although lacking the huge riffs and even huger anthemic choruses, the earlier material like ‘Know Who You Are’, ‘One Way Hotel’, ‘Wild Winds Are Blowing’ and the cover of ‘Shape Of Things To Come’ are all great in their own right, perhaps displaying a bit more of a Beatles influence in places, and all give a clear indication of the greatness just around the corner.
The limited edition vinyl here is a decent pressing in blue and white splatter with a 12” size colour booklet, replicating the original release. The CD version is a deluxe mediabook, includes the original extended essay, and is expanded to 20 tracks, including the two singles that would follow soon after – ‘My Friend Stan’ and ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’ – plus the ÜS single edit of ‘Skweeze Me Pleeze Me’ and various B-sides.
Keen Slade followers will probably have all this stuff already, but the coloured vinyl will certainly add a bit of glam to your collection. If you want to dip your toe into the wonderful world of 70’s Slade for the first time, this would be the perfect entry point.
- ‘Sladest’ is released today (Friday 4 November). You can get your copy HERE.
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