Xmas Ear Bender
Xmas Ear Bender | ||||
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EP by Slade | ||||
Released | 28 November 1980[1] | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 10:54 | |||
Label | Cheapskate | |||
Producer | Slade | |||
Slade chronology | ||||
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"Xmas Ear Bender" is an extended play (EP) by the British rock band Slade, released in 1980. Xmas Ear Bender includes three tracks; two of which were recorded at the band's performance at the 1980 Reading Festival. The EP was produced by Slade and reached No. 70 in the UK, remaining in the charts for two weeks.[2] The EP was later included in its entirety on the 2006 Salvo compilation Slade Alive! – The Live Anthology.
Background
Having returned to the UK from the United States in August 1976, Slade found themselves out-of-favour at the time of the UK's Punk rock explosion. The band's 1977 album Whatever Happened to Slade proved a commercial failure while their tour that spring had shown that they could no longer fill large venues. Slade's waning success soon led to the band playing small gigs after that, including universities and clubs. Despite being successful at filling small venues for their live performances, the band's new records were barely selling. After the commercial failure of the band's 1979 album Return to Base and 1980 EP Six of the Best, the band were on the verge of disbanding.[3] The band's fortunes changed after they were offered a headlining slot at the Reading festival in August 1980, following a late cancellation by Ozzy Osbourne. The band's performance in front of the 65,000-strong crowd was a triumph and the band found themselves back in the public eye. The music press began to take an interest in the band again, while heavy metal followers also began deeming the band 'cool'.[3]
Slade's entire performance at the festival was recorded by BBC and forty-five minutes of their set was soon broadcast on the Friday Rock Show. In order to capitalise on their new-found success, and in response to the many requests made for a Reading-related release, the band decided to release the Alive at Reading EP. Released in October 1980, it reached No. 44 in the UK, giving the band their first chart action since 1977. In November, its follow-up, Xmas Ear Bender, was released and peaked at No 70. Both EPs, along with the Polydor compilation Slade Smashes! continued public interest in the band, allowing them time to plan their next steps for 1981. The band would return to the UK Top Ten with "We'll Bring the House Down" in early 1981, while the album of the same name would also be a UK Top 30 success.[2]
Xmas Ear Bender was released on 7" vinyl in the UK only on Cheapskate Records.[4][5] The EP featured two songs from the Reading Festival. The first was a forty-second, crowd singalong version of "Merry Xmas Everybody", which was credited to "Slade and the Reading Choir". The other Reading track was "Get Down and Get With It". The EP's version of "Okey Cokey" was not performed at Reading, but was the band's 1979 studio recording of the song with crowd noise added at the beginning and end to fit in with the other tracks.[6]
Track listing
- "Merry Xmas Everybody" (with the Reading Choir) – 0:39 (Noddy Holder, Jim Lea)
- "Okey Cokey" – 3:24 (Jimmy Kennedy)
- "Get Down and Get With It" – 6:48 (Bobby Marchan)
Chart performance
Chart (1980) | Peak position |
---|---|
UK Singles Chart[2] | 70 |
Personnel
- Slade
- Noddy Holder – lead vocals, guitar, producer, mixing
- Dave Hill – lead guitar, backing vocals, producer, mixing
- Jim Lea – bass, backing vocals, producer, mixing
- Don Powell – drums, producer, mixing
- Additional personnel
- Audience on "Merry Xmas Everybody" – The Reading Choir
- Mike "Mad Robbo" Robinson – mixing
References
- ^ 45cat – Slade – Xmas Ear Bender – Cheapskate – UK
- ^ a b c slade | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company
- ^ a b We'll Bring the House Down – 2007 Salvo remaster booklet liner notes
- ^ ALL Discography @ www.collectadisc.co.uk
- ^ Slade – Xmas Ear Bender at Discogs
- ^ Slade Alive! – The Live Anthology – 2006 Salvo remaster booklet liner notes
- v
- t
- e
- Dave Hill
- Don Powell
- Noddy Holder
- Jim Lea
- John Berry
- Russell Keefe
- Steve Whalley
- Steve Makin
- Craig Fenney
- Trevor Holliday
- Dave Glover
- Mal McNulty
- Beginnings (Ambrose Slade, 1969)
- Play It Loud (1970)
- Slayed? (1972)
- Old New Borrowed and Blue (1974)
- Slade in Flame (1974)
- Nobody's Fools (1976)
- Whatever Happened to Slade (1977)
- Return to Base (1979)
- We'll Bring the House Down (1981)
- Till Deaf Do Us Part (1981)
- The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome (1983)
- Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply (1984)
- Rogues Gallery (1985)
- Crackers (1985)
- You Boyz Make Big Noize (1987)
- Slade Alive! (1972)
- Slade Alive, Vol. 2 (1978)
- Slade on Stage (1982)
- Coz I Luv You (1972)
- Sladest (1973)
- Slade Smashes! (1980)
- Slades Greats (1984)
- The Slade Collection 81–87 (1991)
- Wall of Hits (1991)
- The Slade Collection Vol. 2, 79–87 (1993)
- The Genesis of Slade (1996)
- Feel the Noize – Greatest Hits (1997)
- Get Yer Boots On: The Best of Slade (2004)
- The Very Best of Slade (2005)
- Slade Alive! – The Live Anthology (2006)
- B-Sides (2007)
- Rockers (2007)
- In for a Penny: Raves & Faves (2007)
- Live at the BBC (2009)
- Merry Xmas Everybody: Party Hits (2009)
- Cum On Feel the Hitz: The Best of Slade (2020)
- The Slade Box (2006)
- When Slade Rocked the World (2015)
- Six of the Best
- Alive at Reading
- Xmas Ear Bender
- "You Better Run" (The N' Betweens)
- "Wild Winds Are Blowing"
- "Shape of Things to Come"
- "Know Who You Are"
- "Get Down and Get with It"
- "Coz I Luv You"
- "Look Wot You Dun"
- "Take Me Bak 'Ome"
- "Mama Weer All Crazee Now"
- "Gudbuy T'Jane"
- "Cum On Feel the Noize"
- "Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me"
- "My Friend Stan"
- "Merry Xmas Everybody"
- "Everyday"
- "When the Lights Are Out"
- "The Bangin' Man"
- "Far Far Away"
- "How Does It Feel"
- "Thanks for the Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam)"
- "In for a Penny"
- "Let's Call It Quits"
- "Nobody's Fool"
- "Gypsy Roadhog"
- "Burning in the Heat of Love"
- "My Baby Left Me - That's All Right"
- "Give Us a Goal"
- "Rock 'n' Roll Bolero"
- "Ginny, Ginny"
- "Sign of the Times"
- "Okey Cokey"
- "We'll Bring the House Down"
- "Wheels Ain't Coming Down"
- "Knuckle Sandwich Nancy"
- "Lock Up Your Daughters"
- "Ruby Red"
- "Rock and Roll Preacher (Hallelujah I'm on Fire)"
- "(And Now the Waltz) C'est La Vie"
- "My Oh My"
- "Run Runaway"
- "Slam the Hammer Down"
- "All Join Hands"
- "7 Year Bitch"
- "Myzsterious Mizster Jones"
- "Little Sheila"
- "Do You Believe in Miracles"
- "Still the Same"
- "That's What Friends Are For"
- "You Boyz Make Big Noize"
- "Ooh La La in L.A."
- "We Won't Give In"
- "Let's Dance '88"
- "Radio Wall of Sound"
- "Universe"
- Slade in Flame
- Wall of Hits
- Discography
- List of songs recorded by Slade
- The Dummies
- A Day in the Life of the Dummies
- "Shooting Me Down"
- Keep On Rockin' (Slade II album)
- Therapy (James Whild Lea album)