Noddy Holder Awarded the Freedom of the Borough in Walsall
On June 24, 2014, Noddy Holder, the former frontman of Slade and one of Britain’s most recognizable rock voices, received the Freedom of the Borough from Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council. The ceremony marked a moment of civic pride for the West Midlands town where Holder was born and raised, and where his musical journey first began.
The Freedom of the Borough is one of the highest honors a local authority can bestow, reserved for individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to the community or brought lasting recognition to the area. In honoring Noddy Holder, Walsall acknowledged not only a successful musician, but a cultural figure who helped shape British popular music in the 1970s and beyond.
As the charismatic lead singer of Slade, Holder became synonymous with a run of chart-topping hits that defined the glam rock era. Songs such as Cum On Feel the Noize, Mama Weer All Crazee Now, and Merry Xmas Everybody made Slade one of the most successful British bands of their time, while Holder’s unmistakable voice and stage presence turned him into a national icon. Yet despite international success, his connection to Walsall has remained central to his identity.
Footage from the official YouTube channel of Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council captures the warmth and pride of the occasion. The event was not framed as a rock-and-roll spectacle, but as a genuine civic celebration, recognizing how a local working-class background could produce an artist whose impact reached far beyond his hometown.
For many residents, Holder’s recognition symbolized more than personal achievement. It reflected Walsall’s place within Britain’s cultural landscape and highlighted the importance of music as a source of local and national identity. Holder himself has often spoken openly about his roots, and the honor reinforced the idea that success does not require leaving one’s origins behind.
The awarding of the Freedom of the Borough to Noddy Holder stands as a reminder that rock history is not only written on stages and in studios, but also in the communities that shape the artists themselves. In Walsall, that legacy was formally and proudly acknowledged.