Friday 15 January 2010

Competition question 3

Clue 1. So far no one has got everything right though some have bits right.
Glam Rock Question
The Fall are the band I have seen most live. Difficult to articulate ones love of the Fall and not something I often talk about, some parts of ones life must be kept private. Perhaps of more current interest, due to the massive Glam Rock revival  sweeping the nation since Gary Glitters execution, well, throughout Skreeworld anyway, it seems poignant to say a few words about Slade.
Many see the Sex Pistols as the creators of punk, of course this was really The Ramones. With thier football chant anthems, the compressed synthesis of sound in to a nucleus of power, thier use of the visual, emphasis on clothing and appearance, thier slow, 12 bar riffs, to me, they were the last great Glam Rock band. The focus on the single format and relative disregard of the album, preferred by the prog rock bands such as Led Zeppelin and Yes who seldom managed anything worthy of a single. [the only great heavy rock band are of course Black Sabbath who stand alone in this genre which is other wise of comparative interest as brass band music, Jeremy Deller excepted]
Sorry, I'm supposed to be talking about Slade. Often overlooked is the fact that Slade could really play, all musicians had worked the circuit in the sixties along with thier period stranded in the west indies, a formative stage comparable to the Beatles Hamburg learning period. Recent research suggests genius is the combination of aptitude and pactice and Slade were both musical and visual genius.
Listening to 'How Does it Feel', the first song Jim Lee ever wrote though not used until the film 'Flame' came out, is a symphony the equal of any band. Dave Hill takes over bass duties as Jim plays keyboards though plays it like lead. There is footage from the Russel Harty show of them playing this live, faultless though slightly doctored for the time slot.
'Whe the Chips are Down', a personal favourite sees them at thier peak. Just a B side but a four minute burst of machine gun fire.
In Slade in Flame, a film that blew the lid of music industry corruption in a way the Pistols never quite managed they even scale Shivering Sands [see earlier postings]. It is, without a doubt, the greatest brit rock film ever though it virtually killed there career. The public were expecting a joky Beatles type crap slapstick thogh Slade delivered a brutally honest time piece. Some of the shots of 70s Wolverhampton are pure poetry, closer to 'Kes' than A hard days night'.
Slade continued long after this though were no longer fashionable.
In all Slade histories Reading 1980 figures as the last great Slade moment. They wiped the floor with the entire british heavy metal scene. I was fortunatly there with backstage pass. I met Dave briefly. Later we saw Noddy and Jim having a celebratory beer so I went up to congratulate them.


At this point, which snooker related Alwoodley rock fan name, when upon asking Noddy for an autograph, had an ejaculating penis drawn on to his jeans by the legendry frontman?

a; Jim White
b; Jack Black
c; Black Francis
d; Jack White

1 comment:

  1. If you like The Fall try Can. Said By Mark E. Smith to be an influence. Particularly the album Tago Mago.. My relationship to Can is similar to the way you describe yours to The Fall

    ReplyDelete