British glam rock pioneers Slade had a last hurrah in the early 1980s, having scored a string of hit singles a decade earlier and been regulars on 'Top Of The Pops', they had endured some lean years after a venture across the pond. While not really breaking through in the US in the way they'd hoped, their influence was felt when firstly KISS formed, taking cues from the way Slade connected with their crowd, and later when the LA 'hair metal' bands achieved prominence, many (including Mötley Crüe) cited Slade, Sweet and T. Rex as inspirations. In particular, this year saw LA band Quiet Riot hit big with their cover of 'Cum On Feel The Noize', which many people in the US believed to be one of that band's own compositions and were surprised to find that it was actually a decade old.
Slade themselves regrouped in the late 1970s, having ploughed on through the punk era to diminishing returns, they were almost ready to call it a day when called up at the last minute to play at Reading Festival in 1980, their set went down a storm that day and directly led to a revival in fortunes. In 1983 they scored a hit with the anthemic 'My Oh My', a hand-waving singalong that showcased singer Noddy Holder's still-powerful voice. A tour was arranged for December of 1983 and this was to call at Liverpool's Royal Court Theatre. I was a youngster still then, but by now old enough to attend gigs and having been a fan of Slade from when I was small, this was a gig I was very much looking forward to.
What nobody realised at the time was that this would be their final show in Britain with the original (some would claim 'only') line-up. Their set, lively and riotous, with many hits performed alongside a few later cuts, went down a total storm with the Liverpool crowd. (Interestingly, they did NOT play 'Cum On Feel The Noize' that night!) Ending, as you'd expect with perennial favourite 'Merry Christmas Everybody' they took their bows and I for one thought there'd be many more chances to see these classic glam rockers now that they'd re-established themselves. However, as fates would have it, that was the one and only time I would see this band in their classic form. They played further dates in Europe, but a planned visit to the US was cut short when Noddy Holder took ill. (They also scored a belated hit over there that year with 'Run Runaway') The band did make a few more albums, but although their last hit ('Radio Wall of Sound') came in 1991 they were never seen again on a stage.
Eventually Noddy Holder called time on the group, he'd wanted to try some other things for a long time and took acting roles, notably as a music teacher in 'The Grimleys', a comedy-drama about the struggles of a 1970s working class family in the Midlands. He then became an occasional radio presenter, while fellow Slade writer, bassist Jim Lea also stood down from the group. This left guitarist Dave Hill and drummer Don Powell to find new personnel, and they have continued to the present day under the Slade name. This has not pleased everyone, as the band's best-loved songs were all Holder/Lea compositions, and to say the least, Holder's voice is not easily replicated. However, Holder himself has stated that he did not want to stop the other guys from working, and so the Hill/Powell version of Slade have continued with his blessing.
2023 Update: Don Powell and Dave Hill parted company in 2020, leaving only the guitarist as sole original member of the Slade which tours still. Powell has come through some health issues and has more recently worked with Jim Lea once again for a single release in 2023.
That show on 18th December 1983 then, remains a fond memory and I consider myself fortunate to have caught them just before they exited the stage.
Some video footage exists from that show (video cameras were rather more cumbersome than the phone/cameras of today!) and so here is a clip from the Royal Court:
Wednesday 18 December 2013
Monday 16 December 2013
1983 in film: Battle Of The Bonds
The James Bond film franchise had become a lucrative one for producer Cubby Broccoli since the series began in 1962 with 'Dr No', and despite the fact that the actor portraying the British secret agent had changed from Sean Connery to Roger Moore (via one film starring George Lazenby in the role). Broccoli's Eon Productions released the 18th Bond film 'Octopussy' (via MGM/United Artists) in June of 1983, starring Roger Moore in his sixth film portraying Bond. That film saw Bond thwart a Soviet-backed plot to convince the West into nuclear disarmament via an 'accidental' nuclear explosion at a US base in West Germany, under the guise of smuggling priceless treasures from East to West.
Also that year a 'rival' Bond film, starring original actor Sean Connery, was to be released via a different production company. Connery had last played Bond in 1971's 'Diamonds Are Forever' and at the time of this production was 52 years of age (Moore was 56 by this time). How that situation came about is somewhat complex, but dates back to when author Ian Fleming (who created James Bond for a series of novels) began working with Kevin McClory, an Irish screenwriter with a view to bringing his creation to the screen. They had been working on several drafts of a script when Broccoli and Harry Saltzman purchased the film rights to the character. 'Dr No' became a success, launching the franchise, and it wasn't until Fleming used the aborted script as basis for his novel 'Thunderball' that McClory took legal action, claiming he had created many of the elements of the story, most notably the use of the name 'SPECTRE' for the organised crime syndicate. The High Court in London agreed, and when Eon Productions wanted to adapt the 'Thunderball' novel into a Bond film, they were obliged to give McClory a producer's credit in the completed movie (1965). Furthermore, the court also stipulated that McClory, as owner of the concepts, would (after a period of ten years) be able to produce a film of his own using that concept.
By the time the ten years had elapsed, McClory was indeed attempting to get a rival Bond film off the ground, but as the 'official' franchise had by that time become firmly established, he was embroiled in further legal tussles with Eon Productions. However he convinced original actor Sean Connery to reprise his role (offering the actor input into the script and the casting), and once Connery was on board, funding was soon made available and he secured director Irvin Kershner (who had recently helmed 'The Empire Strikes Back', the second 'Star Wars' film). The film, a reworking of 'Thunderball' using many elements originally created by McClory, and humorously titled 'Never Say Never Again', was released in the US by Warner Brothers in October 1983 (December 1983 in the UK).
The two films performed similarly at the box office, with 'Octopussy' doing a little better, taking $187m as opposed to the $160m that 'Never Say Never Again' grossed. Critically, the reviews for the 'official' film were mixed at best, while the Connery outing (also starring a younger Kim Basinger) got a better reception. McClory had plans to make further films after this, but these never came to fruition and he died in 2006, just after the Bond film series had been rebooted now with Daniel Craig in the role, making his debut with 'Casino Royale'.
Trailers for both films are shown below (2023 edit: replaced dead link for Octopussy trailer) :
Also that year a 'rival' Bond film, starring original actor Sean Connery, was to be released via a different production company. Connery had last played Bond in 1971's 'Diamonds Are Forever' and at the time of this production was 52 years of age (Moore was 56 by this time). How that situation came about is somewhat complex, but dates back to when author Ian Fleming (who created James Bond for a series of novels) began working with Kevin McClory, an Irish screenwriter with a view to bringing his creation to the screen. They had been working on several drafts of a script when Broccoli and Harry Saltzman purchased the film rights to the character. 'Dr No' became a success, launching the franchise, and it wasn't until Fleming used the aborted script as basis for his novel 'Thunderball' that McClory took legal action, claiming he had created many of the elements of the story, most notably the use of the name 'SPECTRE' for the organised crime syndicate. The High Court in London agreed, and when Eon Productions wanted to adapt the 'Thunderball' novel into a Bond film, they were obliged to give McClory a producer's credit in the completed movie (1965). Furthermore, the court also stipulated that McClory, as owner of the concepts, would (after a period of ten years) be able to produce a film of his own using that concept.
By the time the ten years had elapsed, McClory was indeed attempting to get a rival Bond film off the ground, but as the 'official' franchise had by that time become firmly established, he was embroiled in further legal tussles with Eon Productions. However he convinced original actor Sean Connery to reprise his role (offering the actor input into the script and the casting), and once Connery was on board, funding was soon made available and he secured director Irvin Kershner (who had recently helmed 'The Empire Strikes Back', the second 'Star Wars' film). The film, a reworking of 'Thunderball' using many elements originally created by McClory, and humorously titled 'Never Say Never Again', was released in the US by Warner Brothers in October 1983 (December 1983 in the UK).
The two films performed similarly at the box office, with 'Octopussy' doing a little better, taking $187m as opposed to the $160m that 'Never Say Never Again' grossed. Critically, the reviews for the 'official' film were mixed at best, while the Connery outing (also starring a younger Kim Basinger) got a better reception. McClory had plans to make further films after this, but these never came to fruition and he died in 2006, just after the Bond film series had been rebooted now with Daniel Craig in the role, making his debut with 'Casino Royale'.
Trailers for both films are shown below (2023 edit: replaced dead link for Octopussy trailer) :
Tuesday 10 December 2013
1983 in rock: Ozzy returns with Bark At The Moon
Former Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne emerged from a difficult period in late 1983 with the release of his third solo album, 'Bark At The Moon'. Following the death of guitarist Randy Rhoads the previous year in a plane crash, the vocalist had lost his main creative partner, who had played on the previous two albums and co-written most of the material. Ozzy fulfilled touring commitments that year with stand-in guitarists including former Gillan axeman Bernie Torme, then Brad Gillis who would go on to success with his band Night Ranger.
For 1983, he recruited young hotshot guitar hero Jake E. Lee; Ozzy had also restored bassist Bob Daisley to his band (after a brief and disastrous period with Don Costa, reportedly too wild even for Ozzy!) and had drafted in veteran drummer Carmine Appice (older brother of Vinnie, by then a member of Dio). Previous bass player Rudy Sarzo had returned to former band Quiet Riot by this stage, and although Tommy Aldridge played drums on the album, he was replaced - briefly - by veteran Carmine Appice in the touring band, before a hasty reshuffle saw Aldridge return to the drum stool.
The album was recorded at Ridge Farm Studios in the UK, and was released on 15th November 1983 on Epic Records. The title track was the opener, a pacy hard rocker which introduced Lee with a blistering array of riffs and flashy soloing. The video for the song featured Ozzy as a sort of Dr Jekyll character who transforms into a werewolf upon taking a potion of his own creation. The track proved to be a success, just missing the UK top 20 and the album also reached number 24 on the UK albums chart. Lee, an American guitarist of Japanese and Welsh ancestry, was praised for his performance and also for successfully stepping into the huge void left by Rhoads. A UK tour took place in late 1983 (sadly for this blogger, a planned show at Liverpool Royal Court was pulled) before Ozzy took to the road in the States, supported by Mötley Crüe .
A further single ('So Tired') also reached the UK charts in 1984, and Ozzy was slated to perform on the bill at the 1984 Monsters of Rock festival at Donington, performing a well-received set on a strong bill also featuring AC/DC, Van Halen, Gary Moore, Y&T and opened by Mötley Crüe.
Some years later, suspicions that the writing credits were not accurate were confirmed when bassist Bob Daisley revealed in his autobiography that he had been paid a lump sum to write the material. Jake E Lee had co-written the songs with Daisley but was forced to sign away all rights by manager Sharon Osbourne, on threat of being replaced in the touring band. The writing credits on record (credited solely to Osbourne), defied all credibility since he was not known for his musical prowess, and at that time was in the firm grip of substance addictions. Osbourne himself belatedly acknowledged Lee's input into the writing (in the sleevenotes to compilation album 'The Ozzman Cometh', admitting that Lee 'co-wrote' the title track. To the best of my knowledge however, no recompense has ever been made to Lee for his writing.
By 1986, Lee was not prepared to write anything for Ozzy without a contract in place, and secured a deal to write the material for next album 'The Ultimate Sin'. Once again teaming up with Daisley, the two wrote the bulk of the material although when that album was released, it initially credited the writing to 'Osbourne/Lee'. Daisley had to push to get his credit acknowledged, which was corrected on later pressings. However lead-off single 'Shot In The Dark' was credited to newly-recruited bassist Phil Soussan; that song has itself become the subject of controversy as an early version from Soussan's previous band Wildlife later emerged, suggesting it was actually co-written with then Wildlife colleagues Steve and Chris Overland (later of the AOR band FM). Although 'The Ultimate Sin' was a success at the time, the album has since been deleted and was left out of subsequent reissues of the Ozzy catalogue.
Lee eventually quit Ozzy's band in 1987, or was fired depending on whom you believe, and formed Badlands who released two albums in the late 1980s to acclaim. He was not heard from for many years, before finally resurfacing in 2013 with a new band, Red Dragon Cartel.
Daisley issued a book ('For Fact's Sake') in 2012 which chronicled his entire career in music, but it was the period spent with Ozzy which grabbed the attention of many fans as the bassist sought to put the record straight on who did what in the early days of Ozzy's post-Sabbath career, including writing and recording. He also pointed out that Ozzy's first 'solo' album was actually recorded under the band name Blizzard of Ozz, proving that with the use of publicity photos from the time. This caused controversy as he was at this time pushing for royalties that he and original drummer Lee Kerslake felt they were due, after their parts were re-recorded for a reissue of the first two albums.
Ozzy would go on to further success, recruiting then unknown guitarist Zakk Wylde for later albums, a collaboration which lasted for many years and launched Wylde into his own solo career. He then reunited with Black Sabbath for on/off periods, and was last heard of working with guitarist Gus G of the band Firewind.
2023 Update: Ozzy Osbourne, after a prolonged period of ill-health forcing a planned tour with Judas Priest to be rescheduled several times and ultimately being cancelled altogether, announced his retirement from live performances in February 2023. He has since hinted at the possibility of one-off shows but will no longer tour.
From 1983, the video for 'Bark At The Moon':
For 1983, he recruited young hotshot guitar hero Jake E. Lee; Ozzy had also restored bassist Bob Daisley to his band (after a brief and disastrous period with Don Costa, reportedly too wild even for Ozzy!) and had drafted in veteran drummer Carmine Appice (older brother of Vinnie, by then a member of Dio). Previous bass player Rudy Sarzo had returned to former band Quiet Riot by this stage, and although Tommy Aldridge played drums on the album, he was replaced - briefly - by veteran Carmine Appice in the touring band, before a hasty reshuffle saw Aldridge return to the drum stool.
The album was recorded at Ridge Farm Studios in the UK, and was released on 15th November 1983 on Epic Records. The title track was the opener, a pacy hard rocker which introduced Lee with a blistering array of riffs and flashy soloing. The video for the song featured Ozzy as a sort of Dr Jekyll character who transforms into a werewolf upon taking a potion of his own creation. The track proved to be a success, just missing the UK top 20 and the album also reached number 24 on the UK albums chart. Lee, an American guitarist of Japanese and Welsh ancestry, was praised for his performance and also for successfully stepping into the huge void left by Rhoads. A UK tour took place in late 1983 (sadly for this blogger, a planned show at Liverpool Royal Court was pulled) before Ozzy took to the road in the States, supported by Mötley Crüe .
A further single ('So Tired') also reached the UK charts in 1984, and Ozzy was slated to perform on the bill at the 1984 Monsters of Rock festival at Donington, performing a well-received set on a strong bill also featuring AC/DC, Van Halen, Gary Moore, Y&T and opened by Mötley Crüe.
Some years later, suspicions that the writing credits were not accurate were confirmed when bassist Bob Daisley revealed in his autobiography that he had been paid a lump sum to write the material. Jake E Lee had co-written the songs with Daisley but was forced to sign away all rights by manager Sharon Osbourne, on threat of being replaced in the touring band. The writing credits on record (credited solely to Osbourne), defied all credibility since he was not known for his musical prowess, and at that time was in the firm grip of substance addictions. Osbourne himself belatedly acknowledged Lee's input into the writing (in the sleevenotes to compilation album 'The Ozzman Cometh', admitting that Lee 'co-wrote' the title track. To the best of my knowledge however, no recompense has ever been made to Lee for his writing.
By 1986, Lee was not prepared to write anything for Ozzy without a contract in place, and secured a deal to write the material for next album 'The Ultimate Sin'. Once again teaming up with Daisley, the two wrote the bulk of the material although when that album was released, it initially credited the writing to 'Osbourne/Lee'. Daisley had to push to get his credit acknowledged, which was corrected on later pressings. However lead-off single 'Shot In The Dark' was credited to newly-recruited bassist Phil Soussan; that song has itself become the subject of controversy as an early version from Soussan's previous band Wildlife later emerged, suggesting it was actually co-written with then Wildlife colleagues Steve and Chris Overland (later of the AOR band FM). Although 'The Ultimate Sin' was a success at the time, the album has since been deleted and was left out of subsequent reissues of the Ozzy catalogue.
Lee eventually quit Ozzy's band in 1987, or was fired depending on whom you believe, and formed Badlands who released two albums in the late 1980s to acclaim. He was not heard from for many years, before finally resurfacing in 2013 with a new band, Red Dragon Cartel.
Daisley issued a book ('For Fact's Sake') in 2012 which chronicled his entire career in music, but it was the period spent with Ozzy which grabbed the attention of many fans as the bassist sought to put the record straight on who did what in the early days of Ozzy's post-Sabbath career, including writing and recording. He also pointed out that Ozzy's first 'solo' album was actually recorded under the band name Blizzard of Ozz, proving that with the use of publicity photos from the time. This caused controversy as he was at this time pushing for royalties that he and original drummer Lee Kerslake felt they were due, after their parts were re-recorded for a reissue of the first two albums.
Ozzy would go on to further success, recruiting then unknown guitarist Zakk Wylde for later albums, a collaboration which lasted for many years and launched Wylde into his own solo career. He then reunited with Black Sabbath for on/off periods, and was last heard of working with guitarist Gus G of the band Firewind.
2023 Update: Ozzy Osbourne, after a prolonged period of ill-health forcing a planned tour with Judas Priest to be rescheduled several times and ultimately being cancelled altogether, announced his retirement from live performances in February 2023. He has since hinted at the possibility of one-off shows but will no longer tour.
From 1983, the video for 'Bark At The Moon':
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