SLADE - Alive At Reading EP (UK-1980) - 80s Geophagus series

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SLADE - Alive At Reading EP (1980) UK
Cheapskate Records CHEAP 5



01. When I'm Dancin', I Ain't Fightin'
02. Born To Be Wild
03. Somethin' Else/Pistol Packin' Mama/Keep A Rollin'
04. Merry Xmas Everybody
05. Okey Cokey
06. Get Down & Get With It

Partly due to changes in music trends, the advent of punk rock and New Wave music, and time spent away trying to break the USA, Slade's success had faded somewhat by the late 1970s, although the group continued to release records and severalpunk bands were not afraid to cite them as an influence. In August 1980, OZZY OSBOURNE pulled out of his slot at the Reading Festival with very short notice. Slade, who had all but disbanded, were recommended to replace them. A demoralised Dave Hill had effectively left the band and initially refused to do the show when asked by the other band members, but manager Chas Chandler convinced Hill to play what could very well have been their last ever live show in front of a huge crowd rather than in a small club. To Hill's utter astonishment, the band were incredibly well-received at the festival (highlights of their performance were also broadcast on BBC Radio 1's Friday Rock Show Reading special), stealing the show and quickly became darlings of the music press again despite doing nothing at all differently at Reading than they had done onstage in recent years. They also repeated the same trick at the following years Donington Festival on a bill topped by AC/DC. The six song "Alive At Reading" EP was released to capitalize on their triumphant return. A new run of chart success followed, though not quite on the huge scale of their 1970s heights, with several hit singles & albums on both sides of the Atlantic, a run which continued until Noddy Holder's retirement from music in 1991.