Rogues Gallery (album)

Background

After the success of Slade's American hit singles "Run Runaway" and "My Oh My", the band were to go on tour in 1984 with Ozzy Osbourne for 6 weeks. Unfortunately, after a handful of successful warm up shows, bassist Jim Lea collapsed after the first gig and was diagnosed with hepatitis. Most bands would have simply waited for Lea to recover and then get back out to tour. However, this disappointment coincided with Noddy Holder losing his enthusiasm for the back-breaking work of Slade on the road. Holder's tireless devotion to Slade had taken its toll and he'd reached the end of his rope. "I've got to put my priorities in the right order now, I've given the band 20 years of priority and now I can't. I've got to give my kids priority", he told the Slade fanzine Percy in the mid-80s.

Regardless of no touring, the band were still contracted to RCA and the band set out to record their 12th studio album. The release of the single "All Join Hands" at Christmas 1984 wasn't the smash hit that the band hoped for but it did make a respectable No. 15 in the UK.

However, the following single in January 1985 was a disaster. "7 Year Bitch" was virtually banned by the UK broadcast due to its title and lyrics. This caused a backslash that could be argued Slade never quite recovered. "Myzsterious Mizster Jones" was released shortly after but stalled at No. 50 in the UK. Slade would not trouble the top 40 UK singles chart again for six years.

The album was also released in March 1985 and though in the circumstances it was never going to set the world alight, it was nevertheless an interesting record with some strong moments. Glossy, poppy and thoroughly professional.

Recording

The album was recorded at Angel Studios, Portland Studios, RAK Studios and Utopia Studios. It was mixed at Air Studios and The Workhouse.

Produced by John Punter, the album was arranged by Jim Lea, whilst Lea produced the tracks "Harmony", "I Win, You Lose" and "Time to Rock".

In a 1986 interview with guitarist Dave Hill for the Slade fan club, Hill recalled his feelings about the album. "There were very mixed opinions of the last album, from 'I like it' to 'I don't like it' - very, very bizarre. 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. It wasn't a particularly enjoyable event for me personally. That wasn't anybody's particular fault in the band, it was just the process of things. Maybe it took too long. Perhaps it should have been much easier. I enjoyed making the tracks for 'Crackers' a lot more than those for 'Rogues Gallery'. 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."

In a 1990 interview for the Slade fan club newsletter, Holder spoke of the album's production: "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."

Before the album's release, the album was due to be titled Partners in Crime. The artwork was also originally designed with the title in mind, and, although it featured the same photo as used on the Rogues Gallery album, it had a thick black border around all four edges, with "Slade" printed at the top, and "Partners in Crime" at the bottom. This writing was printed in white.

Release

In the September–December 1986 Slade fan club magazine, the poll results were announced for the 1986 opinion poll based on Slade’s material. For the best album of the 80s, Rogues Gallery placed at No. 2. The poll result notes explain that there was almost a tie between The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome and Rogues Gallery, also stating that not many fans chose Slade’s latest album at the time Crackers: The Christmas Party Album.

Promotion

During Autumn 1984 and the following Spring of 1985, it was announced that a full European tour was going to take place to promote the album. Tickets began selling however the band had never confirmed the tour would actually take place.

Noddy Holder spoke about the tour in a fan club interview: "The UK tour, 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!"

If a UK tour had taken place for the album in March 1985, Jim Lea had seriously considered bringing a keyboard player into the Slade line-up. The keyboardist would not have been visible to the audience though, but would have played at the side of the stage on some of the more recent tracks of the time, such as "All Join Hands" and "My Oh My".

Hey Ho Wish You Well

"Hey Ho Wish You Well" starts the album with a guitar intro and an uptempo start, the track revisits the jig-rock style of Slade's 1984 hit Run Runaway. The track was mimed by the band on Saturday Superstore shortly before the album's release. Radio DJ Mike Read mimed with guitar too. Apparently, people tried to buy the track after it was played although it was never issued as a single. The track is also a recommended track by allmusic.

Little Sheila

"Little Sheila", a synth-based track shares the distinction of not sounding very Slade-like with the single Myzsterious Mizster Jones. The track was released as a single in the United States, Canada and Germany only, entering the US billboard at #86.

Although the track had a similar theme to the Van Halen sound of the time (notably the 1984 hit song Jump), the song itself dated from 1979, with a version recorded around 1980 by The Dummies, a band involving Jim Lea and his brother Frank Lea. This version appeared on the 1991 album A Day in the Life of the Dummies which summed up the band's entire work.

Harmony

"Harmony" is a mid-tempo track using big vocal harmonies and unusual for Slade, astringent lyrics containing the kinds of things a disappointed lover might say to an errant partner.

For the September–December 1986 Slade fan club magazine, Lea was interviewed and was asked to share where he was when he wrote various Slade tracks. For Harmony, Lea stated it was written while he was urinating.

Myzsterious Mizster Jones

"Myzsterious Mizster Jones", similar to Little Sheila with its synth-based sound became a single after the commercial failure of 7 Year Bitch, it was released in early 1985 and peaked at #50. The lyrics refer to a fictional character. In an interview with Ken Sharpe, bassist Jim Lea admitted that although he liked the track, it was never going to be a hit. The track is also a recommended track by allmusic.

Walking on Water, Running on Alcohol

"Walking on Water, Running on Alcohol" features a personal set of lyrics by lyricist and vocalist Noddy Holder. Holder had originally wanted the track to be released as a single. The record company and other band members disagreed. Holder commented in an interview from 1986:

"If I had the choice, 'Walking on Water' would have been released as a single between 'Myzster Jones' and 'Miracles', but I was the only one who thought so. RCA and the other band members weren't keen, so obviously it didn't get released. Everybody I spoke to on the streets loved that bloody song, and felt that it should have been the single."

In the September–December 1986 Slade fan club magazine, the poll results were announced for the 1986 opinion poll based on Slade’s material. For the best album track, "Walking on Water, Running on Alcohol" placed at No. 2.

7 Year Bitch

"7 Year Bitch" is an intricately constructed and acutely observed song about older men taking on younger mistresses. The song however was banned from broadcast due to the title and lyrics. The single peaked at #60.

I'll Be There

"I'll Be There" is an upbeat, anthemic song. Chris Ingham of Rock Backpages stated "the track is a anthemic song of unconditional support to the style of a Celtic rock sound, the track shows a closer inspection of a tale of hopeless devotion to a partner, an equivocal sentiment which probably counted against the otherwise worthy song being considered as a single."

I Win, You Lose

"I Win, You Lose" is an intricately arranged medium-tempo rocker, following the sound of Walking On Water, and features a personal and bitter lyric.

Whilst the track was produced by Lea, it was mixed by producer John Punter.

Time to Rock

"Time to Rock" is a monolithic marching home anthem with Don Powell's kick drum bolstered by the sound of stamping feet, his snare drum by handclaps. It is also the only Slade track in their history to feature whistling.

All Join Hands

"All Join Hands" was Slade's last single in 1984. Another anthem with a nostalgic feel, it heralded Slade's effective retirement from stage work. The track peaked at #15, the last UK top 20 hit for Slade.

Do You Believe in Miracles

"Do You Believe in Miracles" is a tribute to Bob Geldof which appeared as a single in 1985 for charity. Holder had sat and watched Live Aid, amazed at what Geldof was achieving with some rock ‘n’ roll, some organisation and a vision. The track also featured on Slade's festive album Crackers – The Christmas Party Album.

Here's to... (The New Year)

"Here's to... (The New Year)", a.k.a. "Here's to...", is a reworking of the band's 1975 hit "Thanks for the Memory" but changed to fit into a festive based track. The track also featured on Slade's festive album Crackers – The Christmas Party Album but was originally the b-side to Slade's single "All Join Hands".

Leave Them Girls Alone

"Leave Them Girls Alone" is largely notable by being the first time Lea and Holder are heard exchanging lines on lead vocal. Chris Ingham stated "The insistent backing chant and the anthemic hook of the chorus suggest this was aiming to be a contender for the single." The song originally appeared as the b-side to Slade's single "7 Year Bitch".

Mama Nature Is a Rocker

"Mama Nature Is a Rocker" is a ZZ Top influence. Chris Ingham stated "the song shows the 80s synth-based sound wasn't a trend that escaped Slade. This flipside is very similarly textured to its original a-side Myzsterious Mizster Jones."

My Oh My (Piano & Vocal)

"My Oh My (Piano & Vocal)" is a re-working of Slade's 1983 hit. This version features piano solely carrying Holder's vocal until backing vocal makes an appearance by the end of the track. This version appeared on the 12" vinyl single of Myzsterious Mizster Jones.

My Oh My (Swing Version)

"My Oh My (Swing Version)" is a reworking of Slade's 1983/1984 hit. The song was originally the b-side to Slade's "Do You Believe in Miracles" single.

Holder was interviewed in London 5 June 1986 by Trevor Slaughter and Paul Lythe about the track. "It came about originally because a few people asked us for demo's of songs to cover. A lot of people wanted to cover 'My oh my'. I mean 'middle of the road' sort of people. Colin actually suggested it, saying we couldn't send them our own version, because they've all heard that. Anyway, we had people like Frank Sinatra saying that we ought to do a 'swing version' of it. Well, we weren't going to do it, so we got a mate of ours - Monty Babson - to sing it on the original demo, which went out to all these 'middle of the road' people. When I heard it, I really liked it, so as an added extra on the 12", I said 'Why don't we put my voice with Monty Babson's band?' and that's what we did. I just had a couple of drinks in the pub and went and sang with him in one take. We didn't spend any time on it or anything. There is actually a 'swing version' of 'All join hands', which I haven't put the vocal on yet."

Critical reception

The UK music magazine Kerrang! stated that the album was "louder than Ozzy Osbourne when he can't find his socks in the morning and faster than the record mirror staff down the pub on pay day, 'Rogues Gallery' is another glorious celebration from Britain's answer to ZZ Top. This is unbridled mayhem of the best kind - the Holder voice is still one of the most powerful weapons known to man. Of course Slade have been plundering other people again in the nicest possible way and this time you might just find a few traces of Foreigner here and there. I'd love to strap Morrissy into a chair and force him to listen to it for at least ten hours."

Another Kerrang! review stated: "What we're presented with here is ten songs that have totally brilliant choruses; you just can't help but want to sing along with Noddy every time he wraps his sandpaper vocals around one. This band has always been about hooks and here they're dripping aplenty!"

Sounds magazine gave the album four and a half stars, writing that "the Fab Four Wolverhampton wonders are back with another resurrection shuffle of an album, chock-a-block with high quality powerpop, glorious hooks, instant singalongs and ultra-catchy terrace-style chants. Not forgetting the anthemic, hymn-like ballads. And the whole luscious lot is held together by a hard rock edge more solid than a concrete block. Slade are about mass communication, not ghettoised stagnation, and even when they slip in something dated - like the dodgy Hendrix-style beginning to 'Hey Ho Wish You Well' - they soon make up for it, in this case by launching into a rousing Big Country-with-grins singalong. The band are back on full power for side one's closers: 'Myzsterious Mizster Jones' is almost a throwback to the halcyon daze of 'Coz I Luv You', while 'Walking on Water' shows that a slow rock ballad needn't be a Foreigner wimp-out. 'I Win, You Lose' had Noddy in sombre mood and builds into something that's just crying out to be sung by a massed choir on the terraces come Cup Final day; 'Time to Rock' is like a Slade version of Queen's 'We are the Champions'. 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."

In the American Billboard of 13 April 1985, a positive review of Rogues Gallery was included under the 'Recommended' section of the 'Pop' albums section. The review wrote "Hard rock geezers continue their strong comeback bid, proving that age does indeed go before beauty. Modern, muscular and metallic, Slade can hold their own on the present hard rock scene."

On 21 June 1985, Deseret News, a daily newspaper of Salt Lake City, Utah in America, gave the album four out of five stars and wrote: "The English band Slade has been churning out some of the world’s best rock ‘n’ roll for 20 years now, though few but the most ardent rock fans can chronicle the band’s history or hits. In fact, the heavy metal band Quiet Riot received more fame singing Slade songs (“Cum on Feel the Noize”, “Mama Weer All Crazee Now”) than Slade ever did. That’s a shame because Quiet Riot pales in comparison to Slade. There are no extended guitar solos in Slade’s music, no screams or yelps, none of the monotony so typical of modern heavy metal. Slade is the epitomy [sic] 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. It is a collection of 10 enjoyable cuts all tamped with the distinctive Slade sound. It’s doubtful that Slade’s latest LP will be a big box-office success; American’s [sic] are slow to accept the British brand of rock. Chances are, though, Quiet Riot will be picking of several of these tunes for use on future albums. If you’re unfamiliar with Slade, but appreciate good old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll, “Rogues Gallery” is a guaranteed winner."

On 16 June 1985, Record-Journal, a daily newspaper of Meriden, Connecticut in America, gave the album a B grade and wrote: "The main problem with the newest album by perennial British metalers Slade is getting past the first song. Entitled “Hey Ho Wish You Well” this cut is a near-exact copy of last year’s almost-hit “Run Runaway”. Now, that wasn’t a bad groove, it was kind of fun, in fact. But once was enough. 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. Songs such as “Harmony” and “I’ll Be There” are rousing pop anthems, even if they are a bit on the mindless side. The thing that still distinguishes Slade, who wrote and originally recorded “Cum on Feel the Noize” long before Quiet Riot turned it to gold, is a rollicking, breathless sound that just screams of guitars. That’s the type of music that makes much of “Rogues Gallery” as entertaining as it is."

On 16 June 1985, The Press-Courier, a daily newspaper of Oxnard, California in America, reviewed the album, writing: "Veteran quartet is long of toothe but still capable of blowing out amplifiers and speakers. Sinister-looking bunch of characters who pride themselves as working-class louts from English Midlands. One of the earliest metal-benders. Caution advised."

On 20 April 1985, Leader-Post, a daily newspaper of Regina, Saskatchewan in Canada, highlighted a review of the album under the headline "Slade is rocking again", with a sub-heading "Slade producing for a new generation". The review reads: "The British rock foursome Slade, productive again following years of sporadic album output, are forging a career for the ‘80s that threatens to overwhelm whatever success they first enjoyed in the early ‘70s. Last year’s release of Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply, the group’s first North American album in a decade, seemed a rushed product issued for no other reason than to ride the popularity of Quiet Riot’s version of the old Slade tune Cum On Feel the Noize. But rushed or not, Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply yielded two hit tunes - Run Runaway and My Oh My - and these provided these old-timers with a perfect letter of introduction to a new generation of rock fans. Now there’s Rogues Gallery (CBS Associated), an album that should at least match, and probably surpass, the success of its predecessor. Not only is Rogues Gallery a neater effort, but it smacks of the sort of thing Slade hoped to accomplish last year on a much tighter budget. The results may be music to radio programmers’ ears, but it’s not 100 per cent admirable from a creative point of view. The group’s writers, singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, are too obvious with the leadoff Hey Ho Wish You Well, a thinly disguised rehash of the galloping Run Runaway. They overdo the stadium rock anthem bit on the closing Time to Rock, with the whistling rogues section providing the only twist. To further promote the album’s marketability, they dredge up the song Lock Up Your Daughters, a proven hit for the band in Britain four years ago. Still, Slade’s penchant for uncomplicated rock that never takes itself too seriously is the group’s biggest asset. Accents are on keen melody and a healthy dollop of humour on such items as Myzsterious Mizster Jones (their spelling) and Walking on Water, Running on Alcohol. Singer Noddy Holder figures Slade holds some sort of record for rock band longevity two decades without a single change in personnel. They may be long in the tooth, but they haven’t lost their bite."

Joe Geesin of the webzine Get Ready to Rock wrote of the remaster: "By 1984 Slade had stopped touring, and the following year's Rogues Gallery was a fine polished set. Fat choruses as you'd expect, the top line to 'Hey Ho Wish You Well' is classic Slade within a solid melodic rock song. This is Slade turned state-of-the-art, something you would never have expected. Synths too, a sound bigger than Noddy's perm. Between single B-sides and remixes, a whopping 9 bonus tracks."

Track listing

All tracks written by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea.

Slade

Noddy Holder - lead vocals, backing vocals

Dave Hill - lead guitar, backing vocals

Jim Lea - lead guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, guitar, violin, backing vocals

Don Powell - drums

Additional credits

John Punter - mixing, producer

Frank Barretta - assistant engineer (not credited)

Brian Aris Design - photography

Estuary English - artwork (design)