WHEN Slade recorded Merry Xmas Everybody they were described as the biggest British band since The Beatles as they toured the United States. And while that, to quote the lads and their like for misspelled song titles, might sound all crazee now, the West Midlands glam rockers did come closest to equalling the Fab Four’s achievement of 22 Top Ten records in a single decade. 8 After an explosive early career, Slade struggled to fill stadiums in 2023 Credit: Redferns 8 Vocalist Noddy Holder turned down several big-money offers to return Credit: Getty Their 17 Top 20 hits included six No1s — with Merry Xmas Everybody achieving double platinum status for its two million sales.
But ahead of the 50th anniversary of the beloved festive song becoming a Christmas chart topper in 1973, the Slade of 2023 were struggling to fill venues in Britain. Last year, they played at the 800-capacity Engine Rooms, in Southampton, and the 1,400-seat Hall By The Sea in Margate, Kent. And we reported at the time that some of the £38 tickets had been slashed to £5 to try to get punters in.
READ MORE MUSIC NEWS big moves Big Brother star reveals he’s teamed up with noughties music legend mad one Iconic noughties singer releases first new music in 20 years after huge Xmas hit The problem is that a long-running feud means that glitter-loving guitarist Dave Hill is the only original member left from the four-piece classic line-up. Drummer Don Powell no longer speaks to Dave after reportedly being sa.
