Slade - Alive at Reading 1980

I first saw Slade in 1974 – “Slade’s Crazee Nite” at Colston Hall in Bristol -and then saw them in many venues around the country in the following years. Small places such as Hucknall Miners Welfare, Stroud Leisure Centre etc. They always put on a great show.

1980 was my fourth year at the Reading Festival – and Slade weren’t on the bill. It must have been Sounds magazine in which I read they had been added at the last minute. I wore a Slade t-shirt and boy did I get some stick all weekend. Slade were viewed as a pop band by most and had no business being at the festival.

When the gates opened on the Sunday morning I made sure I was at the front of the stage and waited there for several hours. I had an 8mm cine camera with me – the type which took 3 minute silent films. I took about a minute or so of Slade that day.

A couple of years after Reading I lent the cine film to Central Television as they were making a documentary on Slade. I don’t think it was ever made. Anyway, they managed to lose the film but had already transferred it on to VHS tape. They gave me a copy of this which I promptly put in a box. I came across this tape about six weeks ago.

This is the first time this recording of Slade has been seen in 35 years.

I have tried to match audio to the film but I believe the first song was Dizzy Mama. I cannot find a copy of this from Reading so have had to use a different source. I’ll re-edit it if I can find the right audio. The rest of the film has been matched to the Reading Festival soundtrack.

This really is it. I don’t believe any other film of Slade at Reading exists.