It's years on - and it still angers me that the BBC deleted loads of their Top Of The Pops shows.

Apparently, in the 70's, in order to cut costs that wiped the archive tapes of the show and re-used them.

My old Slade mate, Nigel Hart from Cricklewood has just given me DVD copies of all the Christmas Top Of The Pops specials from the 1970's. He'd bought them from a lady in the States - who was selling them on Ebay.

They're great. However, they showed me that virtually every Top Of The Pops performance that the BBC uses for Slade (on programmes such as TOTP 2) are performances from these Christmas shows. They have wiped everything else.

The only way some of Slade's performances have survived is that the BBC would sell copies of the performances to European counties particularly Germany) who would air them in their own magazine TV shows (such as Musik Ladden or Disco). The German TV companies have kept their tapes - and this is the only reason that such performances still exist.

Gone are such classics as the promo film such as "Look Wot You Dun" that was filmed at Chessington Wildlife Park (Don was filmed eating mackerel that was due for the seals) and the "Gudbuy T'Jane" promo that was filmed at Greenwich Observatory. (The band were filmed marching around in professors' white coats. Dave Hill had his trademark silver boots - that were shown in full picture stomping on the floor to the lyrics "H Hill's left shoe"). Both of these were shown on TOTPs.

My favourite Top Of The Pops Performance

This must go to Slade when they performed "Cum On Feel The Noize" on the new release spot at the end of February 1973.

Slade were riding the  crest of a wave at the time. The single entered the charts at No1 the following week - partly due to Slade's blistering performance.

This performance has been well documented in history. When Dave arrived in the dressing room he had his "outfit" under wraps. He wouldn't let his fellow band mates see the gear - and it wasn't used in the dress rehearsal. He stepped into the toilet and got ready. His outfit was what I call the "Singing Nun" gear. It had a white headscarf (like a nun) and a black cape - all covered in little round mirrors. It was his wackiest outfit of all.

Nod wore an orangy tartan waistcoat and trousers combo. Surprisingly he wore a matching tartan top hat (not a mirrored one). This is the only time I remember Nod wearing this different customised top hat. Also, more surprisingly, he used an acoustic guitar - not an electric one.

Jim was decked in his now famous red glittery suit. Because he loved that outfit so much he told me he had about 5 of them made, all the same.

I remember watching TV gob smacked. It was a great performance - Jim and Dave bouncing backwards and forward together and sharing a mike. The TOTPs audience went wild.

500th Top Of The Pops

I remember well the 500th Top Of the Pops show - that the BBC transmitted in October 1973. This was an hour long special and it had David Cassidy flying over from the States to perform "Daydreamer" on the tarmac at Heathrow.

Many of the big stars, who didn't have records out at the time, sent video messages. There was an excellent one from Slade - who were touring (I think in France) at the time. They were filmed sending their best wishes whilst having a drink outside a romantic looking Paris bar.

I was disappointed - as I thought the pre-recorded message meant that Slade would not appear on the show. But no! Later on, shortly before the end -  they appeared in the studio. I remember Nod looking geeky. He wore round John Lennon-ish specs and had a mauve brimmed hat. Very unusual. I think that Dave wore the long length, but short sleeved, sequined and chevron coat, that he wore at the Earls Court gig.

This was a good performance - but another that was deleted by the beeb. (My friend Martin Barden has informed me that although the Beeb have deleted this - a guy who used to work at the Beeb has a copy.....so there is hope that this might see the light of day again!)

Other Top Of The Pops things

In the final pages of the Slade Alive magazine (sold in W H Smiths in 1972/3) it mentioned about Dave Hill getting into a fight in the Green Room at the BBC with another pop star who "swung" on his hair. Slade were banned from the bar for a few months. It mentioned that the disagreement was with another pop star - but it never mentioned who it was.

Years later I asked Dave about this. The fight was with Ray Davies from The Kinks. He was obviously jealous of Slade's success and thought that Dave was "up himself".

Don told me in about 1983 that he and his girlfriend Carol had gone for a curry in West End Lane, West Hampstead (nr to Don's Mill Lane flat). They had bumped in to Ray Davies, who was with Chrissie Hynde (his partner at the time). Ray had forgotten all about the incident - he invite Don and Carol to sit on the same table. They had a few beers.....

Slade Top Of The Pops photos

Although the BBC have wiped their tapes of many of Slade's performances - there are still photographs in existance of some of Slade's "lost" performances. Sometimes the photos are of the dress rehearsal, before the actual filming where the audience were present....

"Lost" Coz I Luv You performance on Top Of The Pops - 1971

"Lost" Take Me Bak Ome performance on Top Of The Pops - 1972

 

"Lost" Skweeze Me Pleeze Me performance on Top Of The Pops - 1973

 

"Lost" Merry Xmas Everybody performance on Top Of The Pops - 1973

 

"Lost" In For A Penny performance on Top Of The Pops - 1975

 

Lift Off with Ayshea

One of my favourite TV performances was when the band performed "Far Far Away" on the show hosted by the lovely Ayshea Brough. I remember this performance vividly - and I think they show played out with them performing "Standing On the Corner" from Flame.

The band wore their white suits made from particles of glass. These had been designed by the Megsons who designed a lot of Dave's stage clothes. The glass on the outfits were used to reflect images of flames onto the suits. A really advanced idea for TV.

The Lift Off show was followed on TV by the Thames TV magazine programme Magpie.

On 5th November 1974 - Magpie was having it's 500th episode. To celebrate the boys wrote some new lyrics to "Far Far Away" to celebrate the achievement. The Magpie show was interrupted by Granada who transmitted the live video of Slade performing the different version of their tune. I was knocked out by these two shows that we transmitted during peak time kids viewing.

Unfortunately, none of the Lift Off shows remain in anyone's archives. 

List of Slade's "Lift Off" appearances:-

28 June 1972 (Series 4, Episode no.61) - "Take Me Bak 'Ome".

20 December 1972 (Series 5, Episode no.73) - "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" and "Gudbuy T'Jane".

22 June 1973 (Series 6, Episode no.85) - "Skweeze Me Pleeze Me" and "Kill 'Em At The Hotclub Tonight".

1 July 1974 (Series 8, Episode no.121) - "The Bangin' Man".

5 November 1974 (Series 8, Episode no.139) - "Far Far Away" & "Standin' On The Corner". 

Tiswas (and Saturday Scene)

Sally James started her TV life working for London Weekend TV running their Saturday Morning Kids TV show "Saturday Scene" (broadcast in the London Region only). You might remember her each week wearing her t-shirt with the words Saturday Scene stretched across her breast (because I certainly do). I remember Slade being interviewed on the show in 1973 (when Merry Xmas Everybody was No.1) and in 1974 (when Everyday was released).

When the show folded in 1976 Sally went to join the Midlands regional Saturday morning show "Tiswas". 

As I was from London, I was unaware of this show. This was until I used to go and stay with Dave Hill's Dad Jack - as it was shown in his TV region (ATV). The show was great - much better than the London offering. It was good when in later years "Tiswas" was shown nationally.

I know that Slade were regulars - but I was always amazed that the Phantom Flan Flinger never got the boys with the Custard Pies.

Well here's news for you. Dave Hill wouldn't allow them to do it! I remember that Don advised me in 1981 that when Nod and Dave were on the show to promote "We'll Bring The House Down" that Dave declined having any pies in his face or get involved in anything that would make him lose his hat. (So vain!). That's why the group were just covered in an explosion of polystyrene - and didn't get covered in foam on that show!

Slade's appearances on Tiswas (not full list):-

15 February 1975 - "How Does It Feel" live performance

7 June 1975 - "Thanks For The Memory" video shown

7 February 1976 - Dave Hill and Jim Lea interviewed in studio. "Let's Call It Quits" video shown.

30 April 1977 - Dave Hill interviewed in studio.

5 November 1977 - "My Baby Left Me" video shown.

4 March 1978 - "Give Us A Goal" video shown.

January 1981 - Noddy Holder and Dave Hill interviewed in studio. "We'll Bring The House Down" video shown.

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