Noddy Holder Reflects on Slade’s Enduring Legacy in Noise11 Home Interview
In a wide ranging and candid conversation with Paul Cashmere for Noise11.com, Noddy Holder offered a thoughtful reflection on the remarkable career and lasting cultural impact of Slade. Speaking from home as part of the Noise11 Interviews from Home series, the former Slade frontman revisited the band’s rise, their creative process, and the music that continues to resonate with audiences decades later.
Holder acknowledged that during Slade’s early years, the band had little sense of the historical footprint they were creating. While they were aware of their strong stage presence and growing record sales, success did not arrive quickly. Slade spent five years together before securing their first major hit, enduring a long period of uncertainty that tested their commitment. According to Holder, everything changed once that first hit connected. Momentum built rapidly, and the band entered an extraordinary run that produced seventeen consecutive UK Top Twenty singles, six number one hits, and global record sales exceeding fifty million.
A significant turning point in Slade’s story was their partnership with manager Chas Chandler, formerly of The Animals and renowned for his work with Jimi Hendrix. Holder described how Chandler was immediately struck by the band’s live energy after seeing them perform in a London club. His decision to sign Slade the following day provided the group with invaluable guidance from someone who understood both the realities of band life and the demands of international success.
The interview devoted particular attention to Slade Alive, the album that broke the band worldwide. Recorded over three nights in a small London venue, the album captured the raw power of their live performances at a minimal cost. Holder recalled that the entire project cost only four hundred pounds, yet it remained on charts around the world for over a year. In Australia, its impact was especially profound, helping establish Slade as a major international act almost overnight.
Holder also discussed the songwriting partnership between himself and Jim Lea, which produced a string of iconic singles. He explained how songs such as Because I Love You were written quickly and instinctively, often emerging from simple ideas developed in rehearsal rooms and dressing areas. These songs, combined with Slade’s distinctive dialect spelling and communal stomp and clap rhythms, became central to the band’s identity.
Looking back, Holder spoke with warmth rather than nostalgia. He emphasized that Slade’s music was always intended to lift spirits and bring joy, a quality he believes remains relevant today. The release of the compilation Cum On Feel The Hitz, which brings together the band’s definitive singles from 1970 to 1991, stands as both a celebration of their achievements and a reminder of why Slade’s songs continue to connect across generations.