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 » Continue Reading.