We'll Bring the House Down

Background

After four years of commercial failure, We'll Bring The House Down made Slade big news once again; back in larger venues for live performances, back on UK music show Top of The Pops and back in the charts.

With a three-quarters full 1977 theatre tour and after the unsuccessful 1977 album Whatever Happened to Slade, the band were taking any gig they could. The band could still sell out performances at University student union bars and draw respectable crowds at small to average sized venues. However, it was only four years since the band had headlined Earls Court and even the earthiest band had to admit it was a bit of a comedown. Bassist Jim Lea however was unfazed. "I still thought the band was great," he told Chris Charlesworth in 1983, "We were playing as well if not better than we ever had...Now we had something to prove again." The band would prove their worth night after night in clubs and colleges up and down the country, often running at a loss bringing their own PA and lightshow. The band were still releasing singles through manager Chas Chandler's Barn Records which sold little.

The band's luck changed when Slade found themselves in front of 65,000 rock fans at the Reading festival in August 1980 (thanks to a late cancellation by Ozzy Osbourne. In the aftermath of the Reading triumph, the band rush-released the Live at Reading E.P. on the band's own label Cheapskate Records in October 1980, which became the band's first chart showing in three years, while Polydor records issued the compilation Slade Smashes which went on to sell 200,000 copies.

In January 1981, Slade released the single We'll Bring the House Down which took Slade to the upper reaches of the charts. Shortly after, the album with the same name was released, consisting of previous tracks from Slade's little known Return to Base album with a few new tracks. The follow-up single Wheels Ain't Coming Down stalled at #60 but was just enough to keep the momentum until the fresh campaign later in the year.

Release

Just weeks before the release of the album, guitarist Dave Hill was interviewed for the Slade fan club newsletter where Hill explained why the album consisted of mainly previously used tracks. "Obviously a lot of the fans that have bought 'Return to Base', 'Six of The best' and one or two other things - they are going to have a lot of this material. But it is a compilation LP of a lot of the material that we have recorded over the last 18 months, which as the fans know, the majority of the public have never even heard. It's really for the benefit of the new fans that are coming along and who are in the fan club and have none of the old material. It won't be the same as 'Return to Base' as it will have a lot of the tracks pulled out and other numbers such as 'Dizzy Mamma' and 'Night starvation' and 'When I'm Dancin' I Ain't Fightin' added, making up a more rocky album. It will basically consist of the live act at the moment, so anyone who's into the live act should like the album. But for the benefit of the old fans, new material is in the pipeline. After this tour we shall be making a new single and a new album."

After the success of the album, Hill was asked in a fan club interview about trying to extend the band's new-found success in Europe. Hill responded "It's got to follow on. What we suffer from at the moment is that we haven't sorted a record deal abroad. There's only Belgium where we have actually got something sorted out - and we have had a bit of success there already. I think that over the next few weeks we have got to be very seriously sorting something out for Europe. I mean we want to be as big as far away as Australia, like we used to be."

After the album's release, drummer Don Powell was asked in a fan club interview as to why he no longer writes any Slade material. Powell replied "Well, the trouble is as I don't play any instruments, I can only write lyrics. And when I used to write with Jim, I used to have to try and sing to him how I thought the song should go, and he'd sing it back to check that he'd got the right thing, and then write it down. It would take a hell of a long time to get a song together. So as Nod and Jim write songs a lot quicker and better, I leave it to them."

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 sleeve, We’ll Bring the House Down placed at #2.

Promotion

During the band's 1980 tour, an independent film company created a documentary film about the band's life on the road. This film was never shown on TV, as originally intended. The same film company recorded the promotional video for the "We'll Bring the House Down" single. This video was filmed at the band's Ipswich Gaumont Concert on 17 January 1981.

We'll Bring the House Down

"We'll Bring the House Down" is the opener from the album. The track was Slade's first hit single since 1976. It peaked at #10 in the UK, the style of the track shown Slade's sound heading towards a heavier rock genre. The track became part of Slade's live song set. Allmusic wrote "The title track is automatic. One listen and you'll be chanting along, just as Slade audiences did ever since the band started playing the song. An absolute must-hear."

Night Starvation

"Night Starvation" is another new track from the album. The track became part of Slade's live song set. Chris Ingham of Rock Backpages stated "Night Starvation is a lusty piece of oompah rock." The track was released as a promo 7" single as well.

Wheels Ain't Coming Down

"Wheels Ain't Coming Down" is the opener from the album. It tells the tale of a near death flying experience suffered by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea when travelling to Los Angeles. The track was later released as a single in 1981 after Slade's 1980 Reading Festival performance which put them back in the public eye. It peaked at #60. The track also became part of the band's live set list. Geoff Ginsberg for allmusic stated the track ranked among the band's best work.

Hold on to Your Hats

"Hold on to Your Hats" was recycled from Slade's previous album Return to Base. The track is a mid-tempo track influenced by a more rock 'n' roll sound. The track uses backward reverb effects. The track features a question and answer technique between Noddy Holder and the other band member Dave Hill and Jim Lea during the chorus.

When I'm Dancin' I Ain't Fightin'

"When I'm Dancin' I Ain't Fightin'" is another new track from the album. It was released as the main track on the E.P. Live at Reading. The song became part of Slade's live set. Chris Ingham stated "'When I'm Dancin' I Ain't Fightin' is a catchy rock song with a sing-a-long hook." Allmusic wrote "'When I'm Dancin' I Ain't Fightin' is pure classic Slade. This is just the type of song that made people go crazy over this band in the first place, and it stacks up to their chart-topping singles."

Dizzy Mamma

"Dizzy Mamma" was originally the b-side from the 1979 failed single "Ginny, Ginny". The track is influenced and similar to ZZ Top's song "Tush". It became part of the band's live set and was for some time, the band's stage opener. Ingham wrote "Dizzy Mamma is a Southern 12-bar boogie number" Allmusic stated "Dizzy Mama" was the Reading show-opener, and it grabbed that crowd by the throat even though the audience had never heard it."

Nuts Bolts and Screws

"Nuts Bolts and Screws" was taken from Return to Base. It is a rock-based track which allmusic states the track ranked among the band's best work.

My Baby's Got It

"My Baby's Got It" is a track influenced by rock 'n' roll and boogie rock. The track was originally from Return to Base. The track was performed on the UK TV show Get It Together along with a cover of Okey Cokey in 1979.

Lemme Love into Ya

"Lemme Love into Ya" is a minor-key ballad which became used as part of the band's live set list. Record Mirror stated "The production is by the band and Andy Miller which really is excellent, especially the little tricks like the backwards tremeloed guitar intro to 'Lemme Love into Ya' and the very ambient sound throughout." It was taken from the previous album Return to Base.

The song was re-worked by Lea, re-titled "Poland". It was released under the artist name Greenfields of Tong in 1982. It was also the b-side to the 1983 Sue Scadding single "Simple Love" which was written by Holder and Lea, produced by Lea. The "Poland" song also appeared on the 1992 album "A Day in the Life of the Dummies", a collection of all the demos and recordings that Lea recorded with his brother Frank Lea and wife Louise Lea, under the name "The Dummies".

"Lemme Love Into Ya" was voted #2 of the top three Slade album tracks in the Slade Fan Club Poll of 1979.

I'm a Rocker

"I'm a Rocker" is a cover version of a Chuck Berry track. Allmusic stated "The version of Chuck Berry's "I'm a Rocker" is catchy as all get out." James Parade for Record Mirror stated "Noddy's vocal prowess certainly hasn't dimmed on I'm a Rocker." The track, originally from Return to Base, was mimed on UK TV to promote the We'll Bring the House Down album which I'm a Rocker was reused to close the album. A video of the band at Portland Studios in London also showed the band originally recording the track in 1979.

Critical reception

Joe Geesin of Get Ready to Rock wrote of the remaster "Following the successful 1980 Reading rejuvenation, 1981 saw We'll Bring The House Down. Kicking off with the title track, a real rocker, it's almost as metal as Slade could get. 'Night Starvation' a modern chunky rocker with a catchy riff and vocal harmonies. A rightful return to the charts. The album combined some of the rockier tracks from the long overlooked/forgotten 1979 album Return To Base with some new numbers, and this CD comes bolstered by the remaining Return To Base numbers (to complete that album too) and some bonus cuts. A mixture of metal, rock'n'roll and new wave pop that worked remarkably well. Highlight is 'Dizzy Mama', a lengthy southern style boogie, a kind of nod at ZZ Top at their best. And for a bit of fun there's also Slade's rendition of 'Okey Cokey'. Left me smiling, but not sure in what context. Oh and Dave Hill with a shaven head - not a pretty sight."

Daily Star wrote "Their new album, called 'Well Bring The House Down' is in the same old Slade style - thumping, no-nonsense, high-decibel rock."

Record Mirror wrote "The Slade revival has been something of an ongoing affair, stretching back at least as far as 79's commendable 'Return To Base' and a sprinkling of dynamic Music Machine dates around that time. These conveyed a refreshing circa '72 all-'avin-fun-together atmosphere a million miles away from the current gang war attitude that dictates one must be a futuristic / rockabilly / skinhead / headbanger etc. So why are they continuing to gain ground now? Well, whatever the escapist merits of New Romanticism, there's still a fair bit to be said about the properties of getting down and getting with it, the kind of grass roots entertainment that Slade personify. Plus however loud and raucous they are they can still write songs - y'know, those old-fashioned, well-rounded things with structures, story-lines and neat, irresistible hooks. Here the latter are represented by 'Wheels Ain't Coming Down' and 'Lemme Love Into Ya'. The first is about the relief of finding out that the aircraft you're on isn't so dodgy after all and thus is an honest evocation of the good to be alive feeling so beloved by us all. The second is a surprisingly progressive ballad, slow, splintery and swash with more synthesised effects. Yep, Slade can be experimental but since their ace card has always been to seduce with the most banal of football terrace chants, it's there that they really excel. Not even the remorseless 'Nuts Bolts And Screws / I Heard It On The News' grates too badly though 'When I'm Dancin' I Ain't Fighting' does truly become a bit of a pain. The concept of 'It's so bad that it's good' also rears it's [sic?] head on 'Hold On To Your Hats' which with a bit of luck won't be released as their next 45. Elsewhere Noddy, Dave and the boys show a good capacity for variety, their manager's 'My Baby's Got It' a reasonably rockabilly rip-off and Chuck Berry's I'm A Rocker' a vindication of their pub rock roots. At the same this is something of a double-edged sword. Too untamed for parties and too undanceable for discos. It's difficult to justify a record like this on it's [sic?] own terms. Slade are essentially a live act and on vinyl the vital ingredient of spilt beer is sorely missed. But all things considered the pros outweigh the cons, a point which is unlikely to escape the attention of the fans who've put them back in the singles chart."

Sounds Magazine wrote "Hey kids, bored with all this so-called futuristic disco dross? Tired of doing the old Two-Tone two step? Wanna change from the foolishness of current top fashions? Then Slade (gawd bless 'em) have produced a pole-axing panacea which is just up your street. Ten tracks of rejuvenated roguery guaranteed to cause severe structural damage to the sturdiest of dwellings and delight the most surly of yobs. 'We'll Bring The House Down' is both a monumental triumph for the band who over the last few months have swept spectacularly back into favour, and a real treat for those kids who've moved unreservedly behind 'em. It is, in short, a corker, brimming with a knowing confidence and expertise that has far from withered through age. The title track opens the show. I must confess to being wholly unimpressed by it when it was first crammed down my lug'oles pre-chart smash time. 'Not a touch on't earlier 'un' could be heard muttered sagely about Neasden. Well of course time and sales have proved me completely off the ball, the single has capitulated Noddy and Co firmly back into the charts. Anyway it quickly careers into the splendidly sexist 'Night Starvation' wherein young Holder postulates on the potential pleasures of the horn. It is quite possibly the album's standout, or should that be stand-up, track. With a faultless hook and breezy beat it'd make a brilliant single, even if it's saucy subject isn't exactly staid TOTP fare. 'I Wanna feel her, hold her, squeeze her,' drools the lecherous Nod, to which the Sladettes in the background coo, They like it, you like it, we want it/more oh yeah!' - marvellous stuff. There's an apparently re-recorded version of the live stunner 'Wheels Ain't Coming Down' - it was you may recall one of the more formidable cuts from the 'Return To Base' elpee - as well as a studio version of the 'When I'm Dancin' I Ain't Fighting single, both of which feature some tremendous axe work from Dave (well pied on TISWAS) Hill. In fact he excels himself throughout, giving the sound a distinctive and stylish muscle. The second side is more out and out heavy metal, what with the almost AC/DCish 'Dizzy Mama' and a thunderous 'Nuts Bolts And Screws'. And such is their power that they even breath a sort of life into that horrible old Chuck Berry chestnut 'I'm A Rocker', a considerable feat in itself, I'd say. 'We'll Bring The House Down' is when all's said and done an invaluable addition to the realms of demolition rock. Slade are back with a vengeance!"

Melody Maker wrote "Even when we were cold as ice we didn't worry too much," Noddy Holder told me last year. "We always knew we could blow any band off stage." The irresistible thing about Nod and the rest of the chaps is that they can, and actually do, substantiate what their considerable mouths are saying. At Reading last year they decimated a succession of lank haired gods in gaudy satin and aged poses, and have now hurtled into public acclaim. Yeah, Slade leer and lurch back into favour with exactly the raucous flair and amiable irreverence that plucked them from the pack in the first place. And if, this time round, they come with the healthy cynicism and philosophical abandon of any group who have experienced the various extremes of media whim and fashion fickleness, then they're the stronger for it. Its almost pointless to review their new album. They don't gush with subtlety, they make no leaps for mankind. What they do have is an awful lot of front which they flaunt with joyous brashness and a sense of self-parody. Their whole approach is built around the simple philosophy that you find your limitations and stick well within them; and you focus on your target and head straight to it without deviation. If the most direct path happens to be blocked by a forest, then you just plough right through it aboard the Slade trademark: Nod's voice screaming like a chain- saw, a flurry of explosions from the guitar atop Dave Hill's stacked heels, and Jim Lea and Don Powell committing extreme and violent flagellation on bass and drums.

Slade are a great live band, and they've issued more classic singles than anyone has the right to pray for. Albums have always been something of an irrelevance to them. A fancy device dreamed up by record company executives to make more money; a way of laying down several singles in one bash. This album fulfils a function. No more. The title track has already put them back in the charts after that long miserable absence, but they've come up with at least four far better tracks to ensure the stay wont be short-lived.-- 'Lemme love into ya', "Night Starvation.", "When I'm Dancin' I aint Fighting (already recorded on the Reading EP), and "Wheels Aint Coming Down", this best of all for the colourful manner it portrays the approaching panic of an imminent plane disaster. Of the others, their version of Chuck Berry's "I'm A Rocker" is an obvious stage killer, and "My Baby's got it" and "Dizzy Mama" carry a similarly brazen clout that must be dynamic live, but here, are no more than noisy blurs. It's par for the course. My only real concern is that all this unsolicited HM adulation is leading them into the same self-conscious clichés of many of the mad axe bands. "Night Starvation"—a song of glorious immediacy rich in humour—will undoubtedly invoke the traditional HM jibe of boorish sexism; and the sheer unrelenting pace of it all makes me wish for more melodic touches from their "Far Far Away" period. Are they really calculatingly catering for the more moronic end of their new breed of supporters? Probably.....but while they continue to do it with that huge self-mocking grin on Nod's face, then I'll still be wearing my "I Luv Slade" Tee shirt."

Daily Mirror wrote "They were always the loudest. But five years after Slade were written off, they have proved they are a band that can last. And once again Noddy Holder and his boys are bringing the house down with their brash, basic brand of rock. They are in the charts for the first time since 1978 with the single 'We'll Bring the House Down'. For many pop fans the new success is a big surprise - except to Slade. Holder, 31, says "We knew we could come back, we never doubted it. Sure we had a few lean years and went through a period when we were unfashionable. But we never thought of splitting up. When the hits stopped coming it made us all the more determined to go out and fight our way back to the top." The band - Noddy, Jim Lea, 28, Dave Hill, 29, and Don Powell, 30 - this year celebrate a fifteen-year partnership. Holder says "We always said we could carry on playing together as long as we were enjoying ourselves. Well, we still are. And we are still as loud!" Slade have just finished a British tour in which they belted out old hits and new at no less than 90 gigs. They found they were playing to new fans and hundreds of faithful followers who remembered Slade a decade ago led by Holder in top hat, platform boots and half-mast trousers. Their new album, also called 'We’ll Bring the House Down' is in the same old Slade style - thumping, no-nonsense, high-decibel rock. And if you hear Holder screaming a little louder than usual on the band's new single he has a very good reason. The song is called 'The Wheels ain't Coming Down' and was written about a ride he had in a plane in America when he thought he had just 45 minutes to live. He says "Jim and I were on the way to a radio station when the captain told us he could not get the wheels down to land. We were diverted to another airport for a crash landing. It's not a great feeling knowing you might have only 45 minutes left in life. We drank all the booze there was going. Happily the pilot brought the plane down safely."

In early 2010, Classic Rock magazine featured Slade as part of their ‘The Hard Stuff Buyers Guide’ where the magazine reviewed numerous Slade albums. As part of the ‘Superior: Reputation Cementing’ section, a review of We’ll Bring the House Down wrote "Heralded by Don Powell’s frantic drum tattoo and the football terrace cry of ‘Woooah-oh-oh-oh-ohhhhhh!’, Slade’s ninth studio album brought their wilderness years to a close. ‘We’ll Bring the House Down’ was cobbled together quickly after the band’s Reading triumph, largely from the contents of their previous (overlooked) album, ‘Return to Base’, but ‘When I’m Dancin’ I ain’t Fightin', ‘Dizzy Mama’ and ‘Wheels ain’t Coming Down’ cleverly transported the band’s live show into the living room, also endearing them to the mushrooming New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement.”

Slade

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