Slade Revisited at the BBC: The True Story Behind “My Friend Stan” and the St Helens Recording
A clarification is essential regarding the widely circulated video of Slade performing My Friend Stan that is often labeled “Wiggy St Helens UK 2005.” The performance did not take place in 2005. Nor does “Wiggy” refer to a venue. In fact, “Wiggy” is the nickname of veteran BBC sound engineer Graham “Wiggy” Archer. The footage commonly tagged “Wiggy’s St Helens” originates from a BBC special recording in St Helens in December 1999, staged as part of a celebratory television event often associated with Slade Night and related retrospective programming.
This distinction is significant because by 2005 the classic Slade lineup had long since changed. Frontman Noddy Holder left the band in 1992, followed by bassist and songwriter Jim Lea. Any performance featuring Holder therefore cannot date from 2005. The St Helens recording includes Holder and represents one of the notable late appearances of the original era lineup in a commemorative broadcast setting.
“My Friend Stan” itself dates back to 28 September 1973, when it was released as the lead single from the album Old New Borrowed and Blue. Written by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea and produced by Chas Chandler, the song reached number two on the UK Singles Chart and remained in the Top 40 for eight weeks. It marked a subtle stylistic shift for Slade. Built around a prominent piano motif and melodic structure, it differed from the more aggressive stomp of earlier hits such as Cum On Feel the Noize and Mama Weer All Crazee Now. The track demonstrated the band’s versatility at the height of the British glam rock era.
The historical context surrounding its creation adds further depth. Earlier in 1973, drummer Don Powell was seriously injured in a car accident. His recovery period coincided with recording sessions for Old New Borrowed and Blue. Although Powell returned to the studio, the circumstances inevitably shaped the atmosphere of the sessions. “My Friend Stan” reflects a slightly more measured, melodic approach while maintaining Slade’s trademark vocal power and singalong accessibility.
The 1999 BBC recording in St Helens served as a retrospective celebration of Slade’s impact on British popular music. By that time, the band’s legacy was firmly established. During the early 1970s, Slade achieved 17 consecutive UK Top 20 singles and six UK number one hits, placing them among the most commercially successful British acts of their era. Their influence extended beyond glam rock into later generations of hard rock and pop performers.
Understanding the correct date and context of the St Helens performance allows the footage to be appreciated properly. Rather than a mid 2000s concert appearance, it represents a late 1990s BBC tribute moment featuring the voice and presence most closely associated with Slade’s golden period. In that light, the performance of “My Friend Stan” stands not simply as nostalgia, but as a documented celebration of a band whose chart dominance and cultural imprint remain part of British rock history.