FEATURE:
The Digital Mixtape
Noddy Holder at Eighty
__________
IT is a pity…
that there is not a fuller and more detailed biography of Noddy Holder than we have out there. Such a revered and accomplished musician, the Slade lead deserves more than it is out there! I really love Slade and have been a fan since I was a child. As Noddy Holder turns eighty on 15th June, I wanted to compile a playlist of Slade cuts. A celebration of the brilliant work he has been a part of. Their debut, Beginnings, was released in 1969 as Ambrose Slade. In 2023, Holder gave an interview to Big Issue about how he received a cancer diagnosis and was only given six months to live. Although we might not see any new music from Noddy Holder or Slade, we need to salute his brilliance ahead of his eightieth birthday. One of the most beloved artists who has ever lived, the playlist below contains some Slade gems. Even if you do not know their work well, there will be songs in there you will recognise. Defining the 1970s Glam Rock era, you can buy the book, Whatever Happened to Slade?. It is a must-read for all fans:
“Slade were one of the most iconic groups of the 1970s and have influenced countless bands throughout the ages, from Oasis to Quiet Riot and beyond. Although the original quartet (Dave Hill, Noddy Holder, Jim Lea, and Don Powell) ceased working as a unit in the nineties, memories of the group remain strong, thanks largely to their festive single, 'Merry Xmas Everybody'. But Slade were always about more than just one song”.
Whatever Happened to Slade? charts their emergence and groundbreaking success through to their dissolution and post-Slade careers, considering the strength of their influence on music and popular culture.
Drawing on hours of new interviews and meticulous research, with a foreword by Bob Geldof and an afterword by Jim Moir, Whatever Happened To Slade? reassesses a band that won hearts and perforated eardrums across four incident-filled, bittersweet decades”.
A tremendous artist who I have loved for so many years, many happy returns to Noddy Holder for 15th June. A true legend who has made such an impact on the music scene and influenced so many artists, take a listen to the mixtape below and…
EXPERIENCE the brilliance.