SLADE are back for Christmas!

SLADE play NEWCASTLE - O2 Academy on Wednesday 5^thDecember!

(45 Years since the release ‘Merry Christmas Everybody’)!

SLADE - Without doubt one of the most exciting bands to come out of Great Britain in the past 30 years. With their unique blend of perfect pop-rock 'n' roll, outrageous flamboyance and pure fun, and no less than 23 Top-20 singles of which 6 were No-1 smash hits....plus 6 smash albums, Slade have become a firm favourite in the hearts of pop fans all over the world.

SLADE'S chart career has spanned 3 decades and their enduring songs "Cum On Feel The Noize" and "Coz I Luv You" are still featured today in TV commercials for some of the Worlds biggest companies.

SLADE first hit the road in 1966, touring throughout Great Britain and Europe and becoming a regular concert attraction. Joining forces with the former Animals bass guitarist and Jimi Hendrix Experience manager, Chas Chandler, Slade achieved their first chart hit in May 1971 with the Bobby Marchan song "Get Down And Get With It" then, released in October of the same year "Coz I Luv You" was the bands first No-1 and a huge hit across Europe.

Throughout the seventies, Slade became one of Europe's biggest bands, touring and recording continually and making regular trips to America, Japan and other parts of the world. Slade's catalogue of hits are synonymous with the era:- "Take Me Bak 'Ome", "Mama We'er All Crazee Now", "Cum On Feel The Noize", "Gudbye T' Jane", along with the many others provided a soundtrack to the Glam Generation and are still today, heavily featured on any retrospective of the time.

At the beginning of the eighties, Slade were invited to appear at the Reading Rock Festival, a massive annual event which attracted over 100,000 people. They literally stole the show, giving some of the worlds biggest rock bands a serious run for their money whilst kindling new interest from a whole new audience. As result, the band signed a new record deal and unleashed the anthem "We'll Bring The House Down", which reached the Top 10 in the UK in January 1981.

Slade were back!

Not content to rest on their Glam laurels, Slade began forging a new path through the hugely influential British heavy rock scene. A second successful appearance at Castle Donnington in 1981, before a crowd of over 200,000

2 people, consolidated the bands position and paved the way for the single "Lock Up Your Daughters", and the album "Til Deaf Do Us Part".

While Slade were busy in the UK releasing the massive hit "My Oh My" to huge acclaim, LA metal band Quiet Riot were spreading the word Stateside with their version of "Cum On Feel The Noize", which proved so successful that they followed it up with "Mama We'er All Crazee Now". Throughout the rest of the eighties Slade toured and recorded due to them once again being a major force in British pop'n'rock.

The early ninties saw the bands "Radio Wall Of Sound" hit the UK Top-30 and thereby give Slade a solid 20 year chart run!

In 1993, due to the continual demand from around the world, founder Slade members Dave Hill and Don Powell decided to return to touring by playing a few select dates in Europe prior to embarking on what turned out to be a very successful two month tour of Australia.

SLADE have continued to tour the world. They are firm favourites on the lucrative German festival scene and undertake an annual UK "Merry Christmas Everybody" tour in December. They also have a huge following of fans and regularly play concert dates in Russia, Poland, Belgium, Holland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, France and the Czech Republic.

Led by founder members Dave Hill and Don Powell, the bands latest additions are ex Mud bass guitarist John Berry, frequently spied in the guise of the Big Issue seller in Eastenders, and new lead vocalist Mal McNulty. Mal has had an extensive career, he featured with Rockin Horse in the 70s, heavy rock band Golden Night, German rock band Hazzard, and he was a founder member of London fun-pub band Paddy Goes To Holyhead. Having formed The Wandering Crutchless with Tino Troy of Preying Mantis, Bruce Bisland of Sweet and occasional guest Andy Scott, Mal joined Sweet in which he eventually became lead vocalist.

Slade today is still one of the most exciting bands on the road, and their stage performance is a dynamic, powerful and exhilarating roller-coaster ride of pure unadulterated rock'n'roll.

A date for your diary, Slade are back for Christmaaaas!

SLADE HITS & CHART POSITIONS

Get Down & Get With It (16)

Coz I Luv You (1)

Look Wot You Dun (4)

Take Me Bak 'Ome (1)

Mama Weer All Crazee Now (1)

Gudbuy T'Jane (2)

Cum On Feel The Noize (1)

Skweeze Me Pleeze Me (1)

My Friend Stan (2)

Merry Christmas Everybody (1)

Everyday (3)

Bangin' Man (3)

Far Far Away (2)

How Does It Feel (15)

Thanks For The Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam) (7)

In For A Penny (11)

Let's Call It Quits (11)

We'll Bring The House Down (10)

My Oh My (2)

Run Run Away (7)

MUD2 (Support from Mud2 play the following shows only – Oxford, Hull, Leicester, London & Manchester)

The sad passing of Les Gray left a massive void on the 70’s circuit, but now the sound and hits so well nurtured and performed by Les will continue courtesy of his estate and members of the band who played and performed alongside him.

Syd Twynham became a professional musician in 1974 when he joined pop rock band Hector, with whom he toured extensively in the UK and Scandinavia. In 1976 he joined rock band Babe Ruth, with Ellie Hope (Ellie was the female singer featured on Oh boy) and Ray Knott. When Babe Ruth split Syd and other members formed Liquid Gold who went on to achieve world wide chart success with a string of hits, it was during this time that Syd first met Les Gray, Rob Davis, Ray Stiles and Dave Mount, collectively known as MUD. Syd joined the line-up of MUD in the early eighties playing alongside Les, Rob, Dave, and Ray, unfortunately due to his commitments with Liquid Gold who were by then at No.2 in the UK singles chart with “Dance Yourself Dizzy”, Syd had to take a break from MUD. In 1987 Syd re-joined Les with fellow Liquid Gold member Wole Rothe on drums and bassist John Berry, together as Les Gray’s Mud they toured all over the UK, Europe and as far as the Middle East. In 1998 Phil Wilson replaced Wole Rothe on drums and alongside Les, Syd and John this line up continued up until Les Gray’s last performance in Belgium on 7^th December 2002, after a lengthy illness sadly Les passed away on 21^st February 2004.

After consultation with original members and Les Gray’s estate it was decided to put the current line up together and tour as MUD II featuring members of Les Gray’s Mud.

PHIL WILSON’s first introduction to touring as a professional musician was a lengthy tour of Switzerland, he has played with a number of 60’s and 70’s bands including Brian Poole, Screaming Lord Sutch and Brian Connolly’s Sweet. Phil has made numerous appearances on TV both in the UK and Europe, he has also played many of the top venues including the NEC Arena, Wembley Arena, Hammersmith Apollo and the Sport Paleis in Antwerp. Phil is a powerhouse of a drummer whose style suits Mud’s music perfectly keeping that driving beat going and making people stomp their feet, they just can’t help it!

CHRIS SAVAGE’S relationship with Les Gray’s Mud spans over 18 years, during this time he played with Syd Twynham, John Berry and Wole Rothe in The Escorts. He was initially introduced to the music industry in the Mike Batt/Abba production of Abracadabra, during which he worked alongside Elaine Paige and B A Robertson. He has worked extensively in the studio and is credited on many albums, including Spencer James from the Searchers and many other 60’s acts. In 1996 Chris joined the Glen Mitchell band who’s albums were produced by the legendary Chip Young (Elvis’s Producer) and reached No.1 in the country charts. During these times Chris has always continued to be involved in all things Mud! and is at his happiest meditating in his Tigerskin creepers. Chris never fails to keep the band amused on countless long journeys and while sitting around in dressing rooms with his anecdotes and stories.

MARC MICHALSKI is the newest member of the band joining just before the 2005 Christmas tour, he has been playing bass guitar for over twenty years, working with the likes of Chris Andrews, Clive Bunker, (Jethro Tull, Blodwyn Pig) and Andy Pyle (Gary Moore, BB King, Paul McCartney). A lot of this time has been studio based, engineering and producing such acts as Bernie Marsden (of Whitesnake fame). His no nonsense solid bass playing style fits perfectly with Mud’s music. He has appeared at the SECC, Eindhoven Jazz and Blues festival, Sports Paleis, Antwerp and the world famous 100 Club in London.