Rogues Gallery

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Rogues Gallery
Rogues Gallery album.jpg
Studio album by
Released11 March 1985
Recorded Angel Recording Studios, Portland Studios, RAK Studios and Utopia Studios, London, UK
Genre Hard rock
Length43:29
Label RCA (Europe), CBS Associated (US)
Producer John Punter, Jim Lea
Slade chronology
Slade's Greats
(1984)
Rogues Gallery
(1985)
Crackers - The Christmas Party Album
(1985)
Singles from Rogues Gallery
  1. "All Join Hands"
    Released: 5 November 1984
  2. "7 Year Bitch"
    Released: 14 January 1985
  3. "Myzsterious Mizster Jones"
    Released: 11 March 1985
  4. "Little Sheila"
    Released: May 1985

Rogues Gallery is the twelfth studio album by the British rock group Slade. It was released by RCA on 11 March 1985 and reached number 60 in the UK charts. [1] [2] The album was largely produced by John Punter, with bassist Jim Lea producing "Harmony", "I Win, You Lose" and "Time to Rock". [3] For this release, the band set out to create an album of radio-friendly, potential hit singles which would be released as singles somewhere across the world. [4]

Contents

The US version of the album, which was released on the CBS label, replaced "All Join Hands" with the band's 1981 UK hit "Lock Up Your Daughters" (which had originally appeared on the band's album Till Deaf Do Us Part ). [5]

Background

After the band's 1984 breakthrough in America with the Top 40 singles "Run Runaway" and "My Oh My", the band were to go on tour that year with Ozzy Osbourne for six weeks. Prior to the tour, the band played a few warm-up shows. However, on the first night of the tour with Osbourne, Slade had to cancel the remainder of the shows when Lea collapsed after the first gig and was diagnosed with hepatitis. Coinciding with the breakdown of lead vocalist Noddy Holder's marriage, the band agreed to stop touring to allow Holder a break. Meanwhile, the band would continue to record. [6]

Still contracted to RCA, the band set out to record their 12th studio album later in 1984. After the success of "Run Runaway" and "My Oh My", producer John Punter was hired to produce most of the album. The lead single "All Join Hands" was released in November 1984 and reached No. 15 in the UK. [2] However, the following single, "7 Year Bitch", released in January 1985, stalled at No. 60 after the song's title caused it to be met with resistance on radio. [2] [6] The third single "Myzsterious Mizster Jones" was released in March and peaked at No. 50. The same month saw the release of Rogues Gallery, which peaked at No. 60 in the UK and No. 132 in the US. [2] [7] In America and certain European territories, "Little Sheila" was released as a single in April. It reached No. 86 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 13 on the Mainstream Rock Chart. [8] [9] The album was a bigger success in a number of European territories. [6]

Speaking to Kerrang! shortly before the album's release, Lea said: "I think this record has a more rounded quality than anything we've done before. For a start, we've actually gone in and demoed the new material before recording properly. The album is still heavy, lots of guitars, five and six-minute numbers, but everything sounds much more tuneful, meaning there are lots of potential singles on it. There are no long solos but there are some great guitar parts, hot and fast breaks." [10]

Reflecting on the album to Kerrang! in late 1985, Noddy Holder stated, "I'm proud of the songs although I'd admit that the production wasn't all it might have been." [11] He also recalled of the album's recording process in a 1990 fan club interview, "It became a bit of a saga, it took a lot of time and eventually turned out to be a great album although I feel there was something missing - something that is the Slade trademark was missing." [12] Guitarist Dave Hill recalled his mixed feelings about the album in a 1986 interview for the Slade fan club, "I personally think it lacked something. I mean it was a good sounding LP, but maybe it had a bit too much quality. I think it lacked a certain amount of soul, or maybe guts. I think that maybe too many of the songs on Rogues Gallery sounded like pop hits, so the album began to lean too much to being regarded as a sort of 'poppy' album, and there is nothing worse than that for me." [13]

Recording

The album was recorded at Angel Recording Studios, Portland Studios, RAK Studios and Utopia Studios. It was mixed at Air Studios and The Workhouse. Before the album's release, the album's working title was Partners in Crime and the original sleeve design was conceived with this title. [14] [15]

Promotion

During autumn 1984 and spring 1985, a full European tour was announced and tickets were put on sale. However, the band had not actually confirmed that they would tour, nor had any contracts been signed. Owing to Holder's existing stance on touring, the tour was soon cancelled. Had the 1985 leg of the tour taken place, Lea was considering adding a keyboard player to Slade's stage show. [16] [17]

Noddy Holder spoke about the tour in a 1986 fan club interview: "Although it was virtually me that cancelled it for the personal reasons - that tour was never confirmed. The agent and promoter started promoting it and selling the tickets, and we hadn't even confirmed that we were going to do the tour. The tickets had already been on sale for two months and nobody bothered to tell us!" [18]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [19]
Deseret News Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [20]
Kerrang! Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [21]
Record Mirror Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [22]
Record-Journal B [23]
Smash Hits 5.5/10 [24]
Sounds Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [25]

Upon its release, Garry Johnson of Sounds noted that Rogues Gallery is "chock-a-block with high quality power pop, glorious hooks, instant singalongs, ultra-catchy terrace-style chants and anthemic, hymn-like ballads". He added, "No matter how corny Slade become, they just never seem to lose that all-purpose pop knack for goodtime r 'n' r. Personally, I can give them no higher compliment than this: they are the band that young rock bands should model themselves on, instead of the likes of Judas Priest or US FM." [25] Robin Smith of Record Mirror praised it as "another glorious celebration from Britain's answer to ZZ Top" and "unbridled mayhem of the best kind", with Holder's voice "still one of the most powerful weapons known to man". He also noted that Slade "have been plundering other people again in the nicest possible way and this time you might just find a few touches of Foreigner here and there". [22] Dave Dickson of Kerrang! summarised, "What we're presented with here is ten songs that are each hung around totally brilliant choruses; you just can't help but want to singalong [with] Noddy every time he wraps his sandpaper vocals around one. Over the years that this particular 'rogues gallery' have been cranking it out, they've honed their art to perfection. This band has always been about hooks and here they're dripping aplenty!" [21] Music Week wrote, "These old rogues display with this album their now 20-year-old commitment to persuading people to sing, dance and shout. Rogues Gallery, flirting on the edges of heavy metal, should achieve its desired effect nicely." [26] Tom Hibbert of Smash Hits noted the band's "petty musical thievery" across the album, but added, "Never mind, though; those stupid spellings, crunching guitars, boozy lyrics and footer terrace growls are still intact and so Slade continue to preserve the status quo." [24]

In the US, reviews were positive overall. Billboard recommended the album and commented: "Modern, muscular and metallic, Slade can hold their own on the present hard rock scene." [27] Deseret News stated: "Slade is the epitome of a rock band: catchy melodies, infectious rhythms and the most enjoyable lyrical pacing in contemporary music. Rogues Gallery is one of the finest examples of rabble-rousing rock 'n' roll to come along in years... [and] a guaranteed winner." [20] Record-Journal concluded: "The main problem with the album is getting past the first song. If you hang in, however, what follows on Rogues Gallery is some of the most enthusiastic hard rock in recent years, and some of the least annoying." [23] The Press-Courier wrote: "Veteran quartet is long of toothe but still capable of blowing out amplifiers and speakers." [28]

The Canadian Leader-Post felt that Rogues Gallery was a "neater effort" than the preceding Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply, and concluded: "They may be long in the tooth, but they haven't lost their bite." [29] Rich Harry of The Morning Call said: "Slade let non-of that I'm-old-there-fore-I-hurt guff gem up their fine new LP. Resembling Geritol on plastic, the album is a fine pop primer for enjoying life while approaching the gloomy pit stop of middle age." [30] Mark Peel of Stereo Review commented, "Rogues Gallery is the musical equivalent of pub grub – a healthy wallop of bangers and mash washed down with a half-dozen pints of bitter. The songs slosh merrily around, their horsy rhythms and singsong lyrics spilling frothily forth in invitation to sing along. The more the merrier." He also noted the band were "derivative", with the album showing signs of the band having "plundered most of BMI and started in on ASCAP", but felt "familiarity is essential to bar-room anthems". [31]

AllMusic retrospectively reviewed the album, which summarised: "Unfortunately for everyone, the decision was made to lay on a whole pile of keyboards this time out; the end result was an album that was far less endearing than Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply. The rogues' gallery concept probably would have been a lot more convincing if the music had been stripped of the keyboards and overly slick production and given more of a rock & roll edge." [32]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Hey Ho Wish You Well"5:18
2."Little Sheila"3:56
3."Harmony"3:43
4."Myzsterious Mizster Jones"3:35
5."Walking on Water, Running on Alcohol"4:57
Side two
No.TitleLength
6."7 Year Bitch"4:15
7."I'll Be There"4:31
8."I Win, You Lose"3:31
9."Time to Rock"4:08
10."All Join Hands"5:31
2007 Salvo remaster bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
11."Here's to..." (B-side of "All Join Hands")3:10
12."Leave Them Girls Alone" (B-side of "7 Year Bitch")3:14
13."Mama Nature Is a Rocker" (B-side of "Myzsterious Mizster Jones")2:52
14."My Oh My (Piano & Vocal)" (B-side of "Myzsterious Mizster Jones" (12" vinyl only))3:12
15."Do You Believe in Miracles" (1985 non-album single)4:10
16."My Oh My (Swing Version)" (B-side of "Do You Believe in Miracles")3:02
17."7 Year Bitch (Extended 12" Version)"5:38
18."Myzsterious Mizster Jones (Extended 12" Version)"4:47
19."Do You Believe in Miracles (Extended 12" Version)"6:14

Charts

Chart (1985)Peak
position
Canada Top Albums/CDs ( RPM ) [33] 64
European Albums ( Eurotipsheet ) [34] 46
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista) [35] 26
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [36] 38
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) [37] 5
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [38] 27
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [39] 13
UK Albums (OCC) [40] 60
UK Heavy Metal Albums (Spotlight Research) [41] 10
US Billboard 200 [42] 132
US AOR Albums ( Radio & Records ) [43] 17

Personnel

Slade
Additional personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slade</span> British rock band

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.

<i>You Boyz Make Big Noize</i> 1987 studio album by Slade

You Boyz Make Big Noize is the fourteenth and final studio album by the British rock group Slade. It was released on 27 April 1987 and reached number 98 in the UK Albums Chart. The album was largely produced by bassist Jim Lea, with two tracks produced by John Punter and another two by Roy Thomas Baker. It was the last studio album by the original lineup, prior to their split in 1992.

<i>Slade on Stage</i> 1982 live album by Slade

Slade on Stage is the third live album by the British rock band Slade. It was recorded at Newcastle City Hall on 18 December 1981 and released almost a year later in December 1982. The album, produced by the band, reached No. 58 in the UK.

<i>The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome</i> 1983 studio album by Slade

The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome is the eleventh studio album by the British rock group Slade. It was released on 3 December 1983 and reached No. 49 in the UK charts. The album was produced largely by bassist Jim Lea. The two UK Top 10 singles released from the album, "My Oh My" and "Run Runaway", were produced by John Punter.

<i>Crackers</i> (album) 1985 studio album by Slade

Crackers is a studio/compilation album by the British rock band Slade. It was released on 18 November 1985 and reached No. 34 in the UK charts. It was certified Gold by the BPI that same month. The album was produced by bassist Jim Lea except "All Join Hands", "Do You Believe in Miracles", "My Oh My" and "Run Runaway", which were all produced by John Punter. The album contained a mix of the band's previous hits, some re-recorded songs and a selection of covers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Run Runaway</span> 1984 single by Slade

"Run Runaway" is a song by British rock band Slade, released in 1984 as the third single from the band's 11th studio album, The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome, and as the lead single from the album's US counterpart, Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply. The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea and produced by John Punter. It reached No. 7 in the United Kingdom and was the band's first, and only, top 20 hit in the United States, where it reached No. 20.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Oh My (Slade song)</span> 1983 single by Slade

"My Oh My" is a song by British rock band Slade, released in November 1983 as the second single from the band's 11th studio album, The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome, and in 1984 as the second single from the album's US counterpart, Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply. The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea and produced by John Punter. "My Oh My" reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart, topped the charts of Norway and Sweden, and peaked at No. 37 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myzsterious Mizster Jones</span> 1985 single by Slade

"Myzsterious Mizster Jones" is a song by English rock band Slade, released in 1985 as the third single from their twelfth studio album, Rogues Gallery. The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and was produced by John Punter. "Myzsterious Mizster Jones" reached number 50 in the UK Singles Chart and remained in the top 100 for five weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Sheila</span> 1985 song by Slade

"Little Sheila" is a song by English rock band Slade, released in 1985 as the fourth and final single from the band's twelfth studio album, Rogues Gallery. The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and was produced by John Punter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All Join Hands</span> 1984 single by Slade

"All Join Hands" is a song by English rock band Slade, released in 1984 as the lead single from the band's twelfth studio album, Rogues Gallery. The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and was produced by John Punter. It reached number 15 in the UK Singles Chart and remained in the top 100 for ten weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">7 Year Bitch (song)</span> 1985 single by Slade

"7 Year Bitch" is a song by English rock band Slade, released in 1985 as the second single from their twelfth studio album, Rogues Gallery. The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and was produced by John Punter. It reached number 60 in the UK Singles Chart and remained in the top 100 for three weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Do You Believe in Miracles</span> 1985 single by Slade

"Do You Believe in Miracles" is a song by English rock band Slade, released in 1985 as a single. It was also included on the band's studio/compilation album Crackers (1985). The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and was produced by John Punter. It reached number 54 in the UK Singles Chart and remained in the top 100 for six weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Still the Same (Slade song)</span> 1987 single by Slade

"Still the Same" is a song by English rock band Slade, released in 1987 as the lead single from their fourteenth and final studio album, You Boyz Make Big Noize. The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and was produced by John Punter. "Still the Same" peaked at number 73 in the UK Singles Chart and remained in the top 100 for four weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">(And Now the Waltz) C'est La Vie</span> 1982 single by Slade

"(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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Boyz Make Big Noize (song)</span> 1987 single by Slade

You Boyz Make Big Noize is a song by English rock band Slade, released in 1987 as a non-album single. It was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and was produced by Lea. Named after the band's 1987 album of the same name, the song reached number 94 in the UK Singles Chart and remained in the top 100 for the one week.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">That's What Friends Are For (Slade song)</span> 1987 single by Slade

That's What Friends Are For is a song by English rock band Slade, released in 1987 as the second single from their fourteenth and final studio album, You Boyz Make Big Noize. It was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and was produced by Roy Thomas Baker. "That's What Friends Are For" reached number 95 in the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slam the Hammer Down</span> 1984 single by Slade

"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.

<i>Slades Greats</i> 1984 compilation album by Slade

Slades Greats is a compilation album by the British rock band Slade. It was released by Polydor on 25 May 1984 and reached No. 89 in the UK charts. The compilation, a revised re-issue of the 1980 compilation Slade Smashes!, was released following the band's late 1983-early 1984 success with the singles "My Oh My" and "Run Runaway".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">We Won't Give In</span> 1987 single by Slade

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burning in the Heat of Love</span>

"Burning in the Heat of Love" is a song by English rock band Slade, released in 1977 as a non-album single. It was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and was produced by Chas Chandler. The song failed to make an appearance in the UK Singles Chart.

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