SLADE LIVE! Afteratiring US tour. S lade put on an excitingbutiamiliar showback'ome "It'samiracle we're here tonight" MM JULY 14 PALACE LIDO, DOUGLAS ISLE Of MAN ISLE OF MAN, Sunday. As the strains of on Saturday. LIVE! "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" died "Now that we down, Slade manager Chas Chandler know Don is going JULY 8 gazed into the air and whistled to himself. "If to be all right, it's anybody had told me on Wednesday that like a pressure valve this concert would come off, I'd have being released. laughed at them." He confessed, "It's a "For two days we thought Don had had it, miracle we're here tonight." but when we heard that he was being taken It was the climax to the most tempestuous off the critical list and put on the severe list week in Slade's career. After their gigantic we knew everything was going to be all right show at Earls Court last weekend, tragedy And we know that Don would have wanted struck during the week when drummer Don us to go on with the concert. We'd be letting Powell was involved in a car crash. He was down lots of fans who've bought tickets and lucky to be alive, and even now has not lots of fans who have taken their holidays on regained consciousness fully. When news of the island to coincide with the concert." the accident reached the Isle Of Man, The only fans who didn't make it were thousands of fans who had 2,000 from Ireland bought tickets gathered who cancelled their around the Palace Lido at "On Wednesday reservations on the ferry Douglas with faces as long across when news of the as broomsticks. It looked I went to the car crash broke. "We're certain that the concert just seeing what happens would be cancelled. hospital, and the about the future," said And while the fans Chandler. "We're gathered to hear the news, doctors didn't give crossing every hurdle the three remaining Don a chance" when we come to it. members of Slade were "As it is, we've had to having a conference with postpone our next Chandler at Jim Lea's Wolverhampton flat. American tour, which will probably take Holder from the stage, sweat Also at the flat was Jim's18-year old brother place in October now. But really it's a miracle already streaming down his face. Frank, a plumber's mate by trade, who was that it's happening at all." They moved into John Sebastian's "Darling fixing the piping to a dishwashing machine. "On Wednesday I went up to Be Home Soon", not exactly a tender version Frank overheard the discussion, dropped his Wolverhampton and the doctors at the but with some heartfelt vocals from Holder. spanner and volunteered to act as deputy hospital didn't give Don a chance. I was He's not the greatest vocalist ever, but his voice drummer for the Isle Of Man show. walking around in a daze, but when I heard is so strong it nearly knocks your head off, and On Friday he rehearsed with the group, he was going to pull through I was the there's a little touch of soul now and again. on Saturday his picture appeared in the happiest man in the world." Dave Hill's guitar keeps things moving papers and on Sunday he was the hero of But Slade are one of those unflappable without grabbing too much attention, while 4,000 fans who turned up to witness this groups who can take everything in their Don Powell is a steady drummer, trying historic gig. And curiously enough, I doubt stride. After only brief rehearsals they knew nothing too adventurous but meshing well whether anyone noticed the difference. everything would run smoothly at the Isle Of with the thunderous bass of Lea. It was the Frank Lea had been taking drumming Man. The show itself ran like all Slade shows expected formula-"GudbyetJane" was lessons from Don Powell and travelled with -the only number they cut out was Janis followed by "You'll Never WafkAlone" from the the group on numerous occasions. What Joplin's "Move Over Baby", which features audience, then "Cum On Feel The Noize" and better man for the job? And what a plenty of tricky drum work. The rest of the soon. Before the first encore, the audience reception the fans gave Frank when Noddy Slade ingredients were all there: football supplied a neat touch with "Nice One, Noddy". Holder introduced him; the cheers were chants, suggestive remarks, the responding Altogether it was a spotless, masterful set. almost as loud as the din that followed crowd and the deafening noise of Holder's Perhaps the only quibble is that, song for song. Holder's announcement that Don Powell amazingly powerful voice. it's almost the same set they've been playing was recovering and would be back behind When it was all over, the group celebrated for two years, which is rather overdoing it. his kit within three months. in grand style - but as you read this spare a Nobody in Glasgow seemed to mind, but by Nothing, it seems, can keep Slade down. thought for Frank. On Tuesday morning he the end of this tour it'll be imperative for the "This weekend we're really going to enjoy was due to return to plumbing again - at band to introduce some new material. As ourselves," Dave Hill told me when I arrived 7.30am. ChnsCharlesworth they're recording a new album in a couple of months' time, it should happen. Thursday night in Glasgow, though, turned out just as everybody expected. The scenes of hysteria around the Playhouse must have seemed almost well.fro commonplace to Slade. The crowd wee hat to tessons andtruth by trade, whothe piping to travelled the kitchen fixing nurneweess in Glasgow was expected to give their gigantic MiChin. Frank career. After a gienwealting drop- better mat them a rousing welcome back 'ome. 01 MAN, SUNDAY.As mho., at rash Covrt leerw eek- by overheard the disearion, what a ret F during the volunteered Frank strains of " Mint!! end, tragedy strode Don ed hie speawar anddrutheter for And so they did. lames Johnson he when drumereer CHRIS to ant as deputy hooduced Craze* NOW week Ina car !'Mn'OW* NeerAll PoweIl was involved thelilt 01 wore alma manager be alive with the that Itillov lied down, Slade crash. Ka was lucky to CHARLESWORTki On Friday he rehearsed and eve.. 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