| Keep on Rockin! | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Studio album by | |
| Released | November 1994 |
| Genre | Rock |
| Length | 38:32 |
| Label | Play That Beat!, Columbia, Prestige Records |
| Producer | Paul Despidgeleare |
| Singles from Keep on Rockin' | |
| |
Keep on Rockin! is the only studio album by Slade II. The album was released in 1994 and has seen various re-issues and guises under alternative names such as Wild Nites (1999), Cum on Let's Party! (2002) and Superyob (2003).
In March 1992, Slade disbanded with the departure of lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea. That year, guitarist Dave Hill decided to form his own version of the group as Slade II, which included original drummer Don Powell. Steve Whalley was recruited as lead vocalist, Craig Fenney on bass and Steve Makin on guitar. The band played their first gig on 11 December 1992 at Mora in Sweden. [1]
After the release of their debut single, "Hold on to Love", in 1993, Trevor Holliday replaced Fenney on bass. The band recorded Keep on Rockin' at Impuls Studios in Belgium with producer Paul Despiegeleare during September 1994. [2] [3] Although Makin remained with the band until 1996, he was not involved in the recording of the album. It was released in November 1994 by Play That Beat!/Columbia, with a Christmas-themed single, "Merry Xmas Now", being released around the same time. [4]
"Hot Luv" was released as the album's lead single across Europe in March 1995. It was followed by "Black and White World" in July. In Belgium and France, a different version of the song was released, featuring rap artist Daddy K. [5] The band and Daddy K had re-recorded the song together after the idea was suggested by executive producer Marc Debouvier. It was re-titled " Who's to Blame (Black & White World)". [6] Both the album and its singles were commercial failures. Aside from reissues and repackages of the album, Slade II would not release new material until 2002, with the singles "Take Me Home" and "Some Exercise". [7] [8]
In his biography Look Wot I Dun, Powell recalled of the album: "We basically did it in three days. We'd been in the studio, playing together like we used to do in the old days. I remember that when Nod heard the album, he really liked it. He said, "It sounds like you had so much fun recording it, because you were all in the studio together as a band. That was what we should have been doing at the end." [9]
Keep on Rockin! was originally released by Play That Beat! in Europe and the UK, with Columbia releasing the album in Germany. These releases all featured "Merry Xmas Now!" as a bonus track. In December 1995, it was re-released in the UK by Prestige Records Ltd, with "Wild Nites" being included as an eleventh track. In 1996, it was re-issued in Europe by Go On Deluxe.
In 1999, the album was re-issued as Wild Nites in the Netherlands by Experience. Like the Prestige Records release, it included "Wild Nites". [10] In 2002, having reverted their name back to Slade, the album was repackaged as Cum on Let's Party! and released by Virgin in Europe. Featuring the two new singles "Take Me Home" and "Some Exercise", the album re-used four tracks from Keep on Rockin', alongside "Merry Xmas Now!" and "Wild Nites". "Hold On To Love" was also included, alongside the band's 1993 recording "Run Run Rudolph" and a different version of "Red Hot". [11] In 2003, the album was again re-issued as Superyob, released on Hill's own Yob Records. Aside from the original album, it included "Hold on to Love", "Wild Nites" and "Merry Xmas Now". [12]
Many of the songs on Keep on Rockin! were written by Hill and ex-Wizzard keyboardist Bill Hunt. According to Hill in a 2001 fan club interview, the pair contribute to both the music and lyrics of the songs they write. [13] The pair had started writing and working together since around 1983. Hill had originally planned on recording a solo album using different singers on different tracks. However, only demos would be recorded. In a 1988 fan club interview, he revealed: "I'm writing with a guy called Bill Hunt, whom I've written songs with for about 5 years now. We stockpiled stuff over the years and used several singers." The pair continued working on demos through the 1980s, with Holder contributing vocals on several. [14] The only thing to be officially released would be a version of the Everly Brothers' "Crying in the Rain", which Hill released in 1989 under his project name Blessings in Disguise. It featured Holder, Hunt, Craig Fenney and Bob Lamb. [15]
"Hot Luv" was largely written by Paul Despiegeleare under the pseudonym Paul Mellow. Both Hill and Powell received co-writing credits, with Powell having helped finish the lyrics. "Do You Want Me?", written by Noddy Holder and Hill, was originally recorded by Slade and released as a B-side to their 1971 breakthrough single "Get Down and Get with It". [16] "Red Hot" was written in the 1980s, and recorded and released by Slade in 1991 as the B-side to their final single "Universe". [17] "Dirty Foot Lane" was written solely by Hill who also performed lead vocals on the autobiographical track. [2] "Wild Nites", which was included on some versions of Keep on Rockin', had been originally recorded for Blessings in Disguise and released as the B-side of "Crying in the Rain". [15]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |   [18] |
In a review of Cum on Let's Party!, Dave Thompson of AllMusic commented: "...it's a mishmash, vaguely entertaining in a "how the mighty have fallen" kind of way but, with the most distinctive 50 percent of the original band (songwriters Noddy Holder and Jim Lea) absent, it really isn't much to write home about." [19]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Hear Ya Callin'" | Dave Hill, Bill Hunt | 3:19 |
| 2. | "Hot Luv" | Paul Mellow, Hill, Don Powell | 3:20 |
| 3. | "Do You Want Me?" | Noddy Holder, Hill | 3:19 |
| 4. | "Black and White World (Remix)" | Hill, Hunt | 3:18 |
| 5. | "Miracle" | Hill, Hunt | 4:22 |
| 6. | "Cum on Let's Party" | Hill, Hunt | 2:47 |
| 7. | "Johnny Played the Guitar" | Hill, Hunt | 3:24 |
| 8. | "Howlin' Wind" | Hill, Hunt | 3:03 |
| 9. | "Red Hot" | Hill, Hunt | 3:33 |
| 10. | "Dirty Foot Lane" | Hill | 4:05 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11. | "Merry Xmas Now!" | Hill, Hunt | 3:27 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11. | "Wild Nites" | Hill, Hunt | 5:21 |
Slade are an English rock band formed in Wolverhampton in 1966. They rose to prominence during the glam rock era in the early 1970s, achieving 17 consecutive top 20 hits and six number ones on the UK Singles Chart. The British Hit Singles & Albums names them the most successful British group of the 1970s based on sales of singles. They were the first act to have three singles enter the charts at number one; all six of the band's chart-toppers were penned by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea. As of 2006, total UK sales stand at 6,520,171, and their best-selling single, "Merry Xmas Everybody", has sold in excess of one million copies. According to the 1999 BBC documentary It's Slade, the band have sold more than 50 million records worldwide.
Neville John "Noddy" Holder is an English musician, songwriter and actor. He was the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the English rock band Slade, one of the UK's most successful acts of the 1970s. Known for his unique and powerful voice, Holder co-wrote most of Slade's material with bass guitarist Jim Lea including "Mama Weer All Crazee Now", "Cum On Feel the Noize" and "Merry Xmas Everybody". After leaving Slade in 1992, he diversified into television and radio work, notably starring in the ITV comedy-drama series The Grimleys (1999–2001).
David John Hill is an English rock musician. He is the lead guitarist, a backing vocalist and the sole continuous member in the English band Slade. Hill is known for his flamboyant stage clothes and hairstyle.
Slade Alive! is the first live album by the British rock band Slade. The album was released on 24 March 1972 and reached No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart, remaining in the chart for 58 weeks. It was Slade's first album to enter the UK charts and also the first to enter the Billboard 200 in the United States, where it reached No. 158. The album was produced by Chas Chandler.
Sladest is a compilation album by the British rock band Slade. It was released by Polydor on 28 September 1973 and was certified UK Silver by BPI that month. It remained in the charts for 24 weeks. The album was certified UK Gold by BPI in November 1973. In America, Sladest was released by Reprise and featured a significantly different track listing. It reached No. 129 on the Billboard 200.
Old New Borrowed and Blue is the fourth studio album by the British rock group Slade. It was released on 15 February 1974 and reached No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart. It has been certified Gold by BPI. The album was produced by Chas Chandler. For the album, Slade attempted to begin breaking away from their usual rock formula. For example, the singles "My Friend Stan" and "Everyday" were piano-led and did not have the typical "Slade" sound.
"Mama Weer All Crazee Now" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released in 1972 as the lead single from their third studio album Slayed?. It was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler. It reached No. 1 in the UK, giving the band their third number one single, and remained in the charts for ten weeks. In the United States, the song reached No. 76.
"Coz I Luv You" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released in 1971 as a non-album single. It was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler. It reached number 1 in the UK Singles Chart, giving the band their first number one single, and remained in the top 50 for fifteen weeks.
The Slade Box is a four disc box set by the British rock band Slade. It was released by Salvo on 2 October 2006.
"Merry Xmas Everybody" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released as a non-album single in 1973. The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and it was produced by Chas Chandler. It was the band's sixth and final number-one single in the UK. Earning the UK Christmas number one slot in December 1973, the song beat another Christmas-themed song, Wizzard's "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday", which reached fourth place. It remained in the charts for nine weeks until February 1974.
"Radio Wall of Sound" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released in October 1991 as the first single from their compilation album Wall of Hits. Written and produced by bassist Jim Lea, the single reached No. 21 on the UK Singles Chart. It remained in the top 100 for five weeks and became Slade's last hit single, discounting later chartings of "Merry Xmas Everybody".
"Universe" is a song by English rock band Slade, released in December 1991 as the second single from their compilation album Wall of Hits (1991). It was written and produced by bassist Jim Lea. "Universe" reached number 76 in the UK Singles Chart and was the band's last single before disbanding in 1992.
"(And Now the Waltz) C'est La Vie" is a song by English rock band Slade, released in 1982 as the lead single from the band's eleventh studio album, The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome and also included on its 1984 North American counterpart, Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply. The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and was produced by Lea. "(And Now the Waltz) C'est La Vie" reached number 50 in the UK Singles Chart and remained in the top 100 for seven weeks.
"Xmas Ear Bender" is an extended play (EP) by the British rock band Slade, released in 1980. Xmas Ear Bender includes three tracks; two of which were recorded at the band's performance at the 1980 Reading Festival. The EP was produced by Slade and reached No. 70 in the UK, remaining in the charts for two weeks. The EP was later included in its entirety on the 2006 Salvo compilation Slade Alive! – The Live Anthology.
"Slam the Hammer Down" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released in 1984 as a promotional-only single from the band's American studio album Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply. It was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Lea.
Slade Alive! – The Live Anthology is a two-disc live compilation album by the British rock band Slade. It was released in August 2006 by Salvo. It reached No. 191 in the UK.
"We Won't Give In" is a song by English rock band Slade which originally appeared on the soundtrack of the 1986 British drama film Knights & Emeralds. The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and was produced by Lea. In 1987, it was released as the fourth and final single from the band's fourteenth studio album, You Boyz Make Big Noize, and reached number 121 in the UK Singles Chart.
"Wild Winds Are Blowing" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released in 1969 as a non-album single under the name "The Slade". The song was written by Bob Saker and Jack Winsley, and produced by Chas Chandler. It failed to make an appearance in the UK charts.
"When the Lights Are Out" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released in 1974 as the fourth and final single from their fourth studio album Old New Borrowed and Blue. The single was released in America and Belgium only. The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler.
"Sign of the Times" is a song by the British rock band Slade, released in 1979 as the second single from the band's eighth studio album Return to Base. It was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and produced by Slade.