Slade Rock Legends 2003 A Candid Television Portrait of a Working Class Rock Phenomenon
In December 2003, Carlton Television broadcast the final episode of its Rock Legends documentary series, dedicating the closing installment to Slade. Presented by Noddy Holder, the program aired on ITV1 Carlton Central on 12 December 2003 and offered a concise but revealing overview of one of Britain’s most commercially successful and enduring rock bands of the nineteen seventies.
The documentary features contributions from all four classic members of Slade, Noddy Holder, Jim Lea, Dave Hill, and Don Powell. Additional commentary is provided by Noel Gallagher and veteran publicist Keith Altham, both of whom place the band within a broader cultural context. As the final episode in the series, the program carries a reflective tone, balancing humor with clear acknowledgment of the band’s achievements and setbacks.
Central to the narrative is Slade’s extraordinary peak in 1973. The band achieved a rare chart record that year, with three singles entering the UK charts at number one on the first day of release. These included Cum On Feel the Noize, Skweeze Me Pleeze Me, and Merry Xmas Everybody. The documentary underscores how unprecedented this accomplishment was at the time and how it confirmed Slade’s dominance in the British market.
The program also revisits the band’s Wolverhampton roots, emphasizing their working class background and the formative local venues where the group developed its powerful live reputation. Members recall early lineup changes, their association with manager Chas Chandler, and deliberate image shifts that moved from skinhead styling to the flamboyant glam rock aesthetic that became their trademark.
A significant portion of the documentary addresses the near collapse of the band following Don Powell’s serious car accident in 1973, which claimed the life of his girlfriend and left him with long term memory impairment. The film presents this period with restraint, allowing Powell and his bandmates to describe the challenges of returning to recording and touring while adapting to his condition. Their decision to continue is portrayed as a defining test of resilience.
The program also touches on later career developments, including Slade’s struggles in the American market, the impact of the punk movement, and renewed visibility after Oasis covered Cum On Feel the Noize in the nineteen nineties. Recognition from Wolverhampton University in 2002 further illustrates the band’s lasting local and national significance.
As a television document, Slade Rock Legends offers a compact yet substantive account of a band whose success was built on songwriting strength, live intensity, and collective endurance. It stands as a fitting conclusion to the series and a measured tribute to Slade’s place in British rock history.