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Jim Lea – time for a reappraisal?

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For decades, Noddy Holder’s media profile combined with former Slade co-writer Jim Lea’s seclusion – partly for health reasons (which Jim has been open about) – has perhaps allowed the impression to build up that Noddy was the central force in Slade’s creativity. The rumour is that Jim felt it was time to address any slight skewing of appreciation for his contribution to the magic of Slade – and fair enough, say I.

He now has a Facebook page and over the last few months whoever runs it has voraciously mobilised fans to keep voting for various tracks from Jim’s 2007 album ‘Therapy’ (his only post-Slade solo release to date) in something called ‘the Heritage Chart’. During that period, Jim has filmed a couple of promos for these old tracks. It seems a lot of effort for some contrived and pointless chart, but it has undoubtedly energised his fans and given him/them a new sense of purpose – and if he isn’t in good enough health to perform in public, or at least not in any sustained capacity, then I suppose whipping up fans to vote on multiple occasions for something he did 16 years ago in a chart that doesn’t matter is a harmless alternative in keeping your (Slade in) flame burning.

A few days ago, Jim seems to have ramped things up a bit by recording/filming a version of 60s British blues standard ‘Train Kept A-Rolling’ with Don Powell on drums – using the name of their pre-Slade band The Nbetweens! Don has a Facebook fanbase too, and seems to run two or three retro-focused bands.

I’ve always been a huge fan of Jim Lea’s bass playing – a more melodic but no less blistering version of Entwistle (although the hit songs/recordings tended to simplify his virtuosic approach for the masses) – and I think his musical contribution to Slade probably *has* been underappreciated.

I’m not entirely sure where Jim wants to go with this revival of interest he’s been whipping up, but if it’s only a sort of victory lap, so be it. Hats off to Jim Lea! 🙂

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Comments

  1. Here’s Jim’s bass playing at its sensational best – a clever combination of the 7.5 minute ‘Slade Alive’ (1972) audio with the 2.5 minutes of film from Granada TV’s ‘Set of Six’ that year, bolstered with other shots from that show etc. Let’s rock!

  2. Yeah, absolutely agree and have for a long time. Jim was the musical heart of Slade, and I know he became disillusioned with the cartoon image overshadowing their genuine, prodigious talent. In turn, Noddy came to find Jim’s desire to manage their studio sessions unbearable (shades of George and Paul), which brought about their final schism.

  4. At the end of the 70s, Slade couldn’t get arrested.
    Jim wondered if it was the songs or the name that led to this downfall. With his brother Frank he formed The Dummies as a vehicle for his and Nods songs.
    With no interest from record companies he formed Cheapskate Records and out out re-recorded songs under The Dummies name.
    There was interest from DJs, even making it to the Radio 1 Playlist, but Cheapskate (with no real backing or distribution) could not meet demand and The Dummies moment passed.
    The next single “Didn’t You Use to Use to Be You?” was newly written, and even got The Dummies on Swap Shop – but Cheapskate again were unable to meet demand.

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