| Rogues Gallery | ||||||||||||||||
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| Studio album by Slade | ||||||||||||||||
| Released | March 29, 1985 | |||||||||||||||
| Genre | Rock | |||||||||||||||
| Length | 43:29 | |||||||||||||||
| Label | RCA | |||||||||||||||
| Producer | Jim Lea, John Punter | |||||||||||||||
| Slade chronology | ||||||||||||||||
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Rogues Gallery is the 12th studio album by the British rock group Slade. It was released on March 29, 1985 and reached number 60 in the UK charts. The band tried hard to make this album contain radio-friendly hit singles and quality material, but because the album was released more than a year after their two Top 10 singles had been riding high, many critics claimed the momentum and public interest in Slade were waning. In fact, this album contained more singles than any of their others, including their Seventies efforts.
The album was released in the US on the CBS label, with a re-worked version of "Lock Up Your Daughters" (the original of which had appeared on the Till Deaf Do Us Part album four years earlier) replacing "All Join Hands." The tracks also had a slightly different sequence.
Noddy Holder explained in a New Zealand television interview at the time of release that the band had set out to write an album where all tracks could be a single. The band believed they achieved this and Holder stated the band hoped to release all tracks as singles somewhere in the world.[1]
Contents |
In a 1986 interview with guitarist Dave Hill for the Slade fan club, Hill recalled his feelings about the album. "There were very mixed opinions of the last album, from 'I like it' to 'I don't like it' - very, very bizarre. I personally think it lacked something. I mean it was a good sounding LP, but maybe it had a bit too much quality. I think it lacked a certain amount of soul, or maybe guts. It wasn't a particularly enjoyable event for me personally. That wasn't anybody's particular fault in the band, it was just the process of things. Maybe it took too long. Perhaps it should have been much easier. I enjoyed making the tracks for 'Crackers' a lot more than those for 'Rogues Gallery'. I think that maybe too many of the songs on 'Rogues Gallery' sounded like pop hits, so the album began to lean too much to being regarded as a sort of 'poppy' album, and there is nothing worse than that for me."[2]
In a 1990 interview for the Slade fan club newsletter, Holder spoke of the album's production. "It became a bit of a saga, it took a lot of time and eventually turned out to be a great album although I feel there was something missing - something that is the Slade trademark was missing."[3][4]
Before the album's release, the album was due to be titled "Partners In Crime". The artwork was also originally designed with the title in mind, and, although it featured the same photo as used on the "Rogues Gallery" album, it had a thick black border around all four edges, with "Slade" printed at the top, and "Partners In Crime" at the bottom. This writing was printed in white.[2][5]
During Autumn 1984 and the following Spring of 1985, the band had announced a full European tour to promote the album. Tickets began selling however the band had never confirmed the tour would actually take place.
Noddy Holder spoke about the tour in a fan club interview "The UK tour, although it was virtually me that cancelled it for the personal reasons - that tour was never confirmed. The agent and promoter started promoting it and selling the tickets, and we hadn't even confirmed that we were going to do the tour. The tickets had already been on sale for two months and nobody bothered to tell us!"[6]
If a UK tour had taken place for the album in March 1985, Jim Lea had seriously considered bringing a keyboard player into the Slade line-up. The keyboardist would not have been visible to the audience though, but would have played at the side of the stage on some of the more recent tracks of the time, such as "All Join Hands" and "My Oh My".[2][7]
After the success of Slade's American hit singles Run Runaway and My Oh My, the band were to go on tour in 1984 with Ozzy Osbourne for 6 weeks. Sadly, after a handful of successful warm up shows, bassist Jim Lea collapsed after the first gig and was diagnosed with hepatitis. Most bands would have simply waited for Jim to recover and then get back out to tour. However, this disappointment coincided with Noddy Holder losing his enthusiasm for the back-breaking work of Slade on the road. Holder's tireless devotion to Slade had taken its toll and he'd reached the end of his rope. "I've got to put my priorities in the right order now, I've given the band 20 years of priority and now I can't. I've got to give my kids priority", he told the Slade fanzine Percy in the mid-80s.
Regardless of no touring, the band were still contracted to RCA and the band set out to record their 12th studio album. The release of the single All Join Hands at Christmas 1984 wasn't the smash hit that the band hoped for but it did make a respectable #15 in the UK.
However, the following single in January 1985 was a disaster. 7 Year Bitch was virtually banned by the UK broadcast due to its title and lyrics. This caused a backslash that could be argued Slade never quite recovered. Myzsterious Mizster Jones was released shortly after but stalled at #50 in the UK. Slade would not trouble the top 40 UK singles chart again for six years.
The album was also released in March 1985 and though in the circumstances it was never going to set the world alight, it was nevertheless an interesting record with some strong moments. Glossy, poppy and thoroughly professional.[8]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Hey Ho Wish You Well" | Noddy Holder, Jim Lea | 5:18 |
| 2. | "Little Sheila" | Holder, Lea | 3:56 |
| 3. | "Harmony" | Holder, Lea | 3:43 |
| 4. | "Myzsterious Mizster Jones" | Holder, Lea | 3:35 |
| 5. | "Walking On Water, Running On Alcohol" | Holder, Lea | 4:57 |
| 6. | "7 Year Bitch" | Holder, Lea | 4:15 |
| 7. | "I'll Be There" | Holder, Lea | 4:31 |
| 8. | "I Win, You Lose" | Holder, Lea | 3:31 |
| 9. | "Time To Rock" | Holder, Lea | 4:08 |
| 10. | "All Join Hands" | Holder, Lea | 5:31 |
| 2007 Remastered edition bonus tracks | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length | ||||||
| 11. | "Here's To..." (b-side of "All Join Hands") | Holder, Lea | 3:10 | ||||||
| 12. | "Leave Them Girls Alone" (b-side of "7 Year Bitch") | Holder, Lea | 3:14 | ||||||
| 13. | "Mama Nature Is A Rocker" (b-side of "Myzsterious Mizster Jones") | Holder, Lea | 2:52 | ||||||
| 14. | "My Oh My (Piano & Vocal)" (b-side of "Myzsterious Mizster Jones" 12") | Holder, Lea | 3:12 | ||||||
| 15. | "Do You Believe In Miracles" | Holder, Lea | 4:10 | ||||||
| 16. | "My Oh My (Swing Version)" (b-side of "Do You Believe In Miracles") | Holder, Lea | 3:02 | ||||||
| 17. | "7 Year Bitch (Extended 12" Version)" | Holder, Lea | 5:38 | ||||||
| 18. | "Myzsterious Mizster Jones (Extended 12" Version)" | Holder, Lea | 4:47 | ||||||
| 19. | "Do You Believe in Miracles (Extended 12" Version)" | Holder, Lea | 6:14 | ||||||
"Hey Ho Wish You Well" starts the album with a guitar intro and an uptempo start, the track revisits the jig-rock style of Slade's 1984 hit Run Runaway. The track was mimed by the band on Saturday Superstore shortly before the album's release. Radio DJ Mike Read mimed with guitar too. Apparently, people tried to buy the track after it was played although it was never issued as a single. The track is also a recommended track by allmusic.
"Little Sheila", a synth-based track shares the distinction of not sounding very Slade-like with the single Myzsterious Mizster Jones. The track inspired by a Van Halen sound, the track was released as a single in the United States, Canada and Germany only, entering the US billboard at #86.
"Harmony" is a mid-tempo track using big vocal harmonies and unusual for Slade, astringent lyrics containing the kinds of things a disappointed lover might say to an errant partner.
"Myzsterious Mizster Jones", similar to Little Sheila with its synth-based sound became a single after the commercial failure of 7 Year Bitch, it was released in early 1985 and peaked at #50. The lyrics refer to a fictional character. In an interview with Ken Sharpe, bassist Jim Lea admitted that although he liked the track, it was never going to be a hit. The track is also a recommended track by allmusic.
"Walking On Water, Running On Alcohol" features a personal set of lyrics by lyricist and vocalist Noddy Holder. Holder had originally wanted the track to be released as a single. The record company and other band members disagreed. Holder commented in an interview from 1986, "If I had the choice, 'Walking on water' would have been released as a single between 'Myzster Jones' and 'Miracles', but I was the only one who thought so. RCA and the other band members weren't keen, so obviously it didn't get released. Everybody I spoke to on the streets loved that bloody song, and felt that it should have been the single."[9]
"7 Year Bitch" is a intricately constructed and acutely observed song about older men taking on younger mistresses. The song however was banned from broadcast due to the title and lyrics. The single peaked at #60.
"I'll Be There" is an upbeat, anthemic song. Chris Ingham of Rock Backpages stated "the track is a anthemic song of unconditional support to the style of a Celtic rock sound, the track shows a closer inspection of a tale of hopeless devotion to a partner, an equivocal sentiment which probably counted against the otherwise worthy song being considered as a single."
"I Win, You Lose" is an intricately arranged medium-tempo rocker, following the sound of Walking On Water, and features a personal and bitter lyric.
"Time To Rock" is a monolithic marching home anthem with Don Powell's kick drum bolstered by the sound of stamping feet, his snare drum by handclaps. It is also the only Slade track in their history to feature whistling.
"All Join Hands" was Slade's last single in 1984. Another anthem with a nostalgic feel, it heralded Slade's effective retirement from stage work. The track peaked at #15, the last UK top 20 hit for Slade.
"Do You Believe In Miracles" is a tribute to Bob Geldof which appeared as a single in 1985 for charity. Holder had sat and watched Live Aid, amazed at what Geldof was achieving with some rock ‘n’ roll, some organisation and a vision. The track also featured on Slade's festive album Crackers – The Christmas Party Album.
"Here's To" is a reworking of the band's 1975 hit Thanks For The Memory but changed to fit into a festive based track. The track also featured on Slade's festive album Crackers – The Christmas Party Album but was originally the b-side to Slade's single "All Join Hands".
"Leave Them Girls Alone" is largely notable by being the first time Lea and Holder are heard exchanging lines on lead vocal. Chris Ingham stated "The insistent backing chant and the anthemic hook of the chorus suggest this was aiming to be a contender for the single." The song originally appeared as the b-side to Slade's single "7 Year Bitch".
"Mama Nature Is A Rocker" is a ZZ Top influence. Chris Ingham stated "the song shows the 80s synth-based sound wasn't a trend that escaped Slade. This flipside is very similarly textured to its original a-side Myzsterious Mizster Jones."
"My Oh My (Piano & Vocal)" is a re-working of Slade's 1983 hit. This version features piano solely carrying Holder's vocal until backing vocal makes an appearance by the end of the track. This version appeared on the 12" vinyl single of Myzsterious Mizster Jones.
"My Oh My (Swing Version)" is a reworking of Slade's 1983 hit. The song was originally the b-side to Slade's "Do You Believe in Miracles" single.
Holder was interviewed in London 5 June 1986 by Trevor Slaughter and Paul Lythe about the track. "It came about originally because a few people asked us for demo's of songs to cover. A lot of people wanted to cover 'My oh my'. I mean 'middle of the road' sort of people. Colin actually suggested it, saying we couldn't send them our own version, because they've all heard that. Anyway, we had people like Frank Sinatra saying that we ought to do a 'swing version' of it. Well, we weren't going to do it, so we got a mate of ours - Monty Babson - to sing it on the original demo, which went out to all these 'middle of the road' people. When I heard it, I really liked it, so as an added extra on the 12", I said 'Why don't we put my voice with Monty Babson's band?' and that's what we did. I just had a couple of drinks in the pub and went and sang with him in one take. We didn't spend any time on it or anything. There is actually a 'swing version' of 'All join hands', which I haven't put the vocal on yet."[2]
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | [10] |
| Get Ready To Rock! | [11] |
| Kerrang! | [12] |
At the time of release, reviews were overall mixed.
Kerrang stated "louder than Ozzy Osbourne when he can't find his socks in the morning and faster than the record mirror staff down the pub on pay day, 'Rogues Gallery' is another glorious celebration from Britain's answer to ZZ Top. This is unbridled mayhem of the best kind - the Holder voice is still one of the most powerful weapons known to man. Of course Slade have been plundering other people again in the nicest possible way and this time you might just find a few traces of Foreigner here and there. I'd love to strap Morrissy into a chair and force him to listen to it for at least ten hours."[12]
Another Kerrang review stated "What we're presented with here is ten songs that have totally brilliant choruses; you just can't help but want to sing along with Noddy every time he wraps his sandpaper vocals around one. This band has always been about hooks and here they're dripping aplenty!"[13]
Joe Geesin of Get Ready to Rock wrote of the remaster "By 1984 Slade had stopped touring, and the following year's Rogues Gallery was a fine polished set. Fat choruses as you'd expect, the top line to 'Hey Ho Wish You Well' is classic Slade within a solid melodic rock song. This is Slade turned state-of-the-art, something you would never have expected. Synths too, a sound bigger than Noddy's perm. Between single B-sides and remixes, a whopping 9 bonus tracks."[11]
| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
Total weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Albums Chart[14] | 64 | 12 |
| German Albums Chart[15] | 38 | ? |
| New Zealand Albums Chart | 50 | ? |
| Norwegian Albums Chart[16] | 5 | 18 |
| Swedish Albums Chart[17] | 27 | 2 |
| Swiss Albums Chart[18] | 13 | 3 |
| UK Albums Chart[19] | 60 | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard 200[20] | 132 | 6 |
