Rock 'n' Roll Bolero
"Rock 'n' Roll Bolero" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Slade | ||||
B-side | "It's Alright Buy Me" | |||
Released | 6 October 1978[1] | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 3:50 | |||
Label | Barn | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Slade | |||
Slade singles chronology | ||||
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"Rock 'n' Roll Bolero" is a song by English rock band Slade, released in 1978 as a non-album single. It was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea, and was produced by Slade. The song failed to make an appearance in the UK Singles Chart.
Background
"Rock 'n' Roll Bolero" featured the return of Jim Lea's electric violin; the first time on a Slade single since "Coz I Luv You" in 1971. "Rock 'n' Roll Bolero" was originally recorded on 28 and 29 June 1978 under the working title "I've Been Rejected". The band then re-recorded the song under its final title at Portland Studios in London on 3, 4 and 5 July 1978.[2][3] It was the first single the band had produced themselves, instead of by their manager and producer of nine years, Chas Chandler.
In a radio interview conducted backstage at the Watford nightclub Baileys in September 1978, Noddy Holder spoke of the song and the band's decision to produce the song themselves,
"It's the first single we produced ourselves. We felt we were [in] a bit of a stalemate and we had a chat with Chas [Chandler] who has produced our records for the last nine years. We talked it over and Chas said to us, 'It's about time you started producing yourselves [and] get into the production side of it.' What we wanted to do was to make a record, the next single, [which would] give people a shock and I think that's what we've achieved with 'Rock 'n' Roll Bolero'. I think people are going to say 'that don't sound like Slade', but it's a commercial sound and it's very different for us. We've used a lot of violin on it and things like that, and it's just not us."[4]
In a 1979 fan club interview, Lea spoke of the song's reception, "The comment on 'Rock 'n' Roll Bolero' is that it was different for Slade, but it was ordinary compared to everything else that was going around at the time. But I really dig the record myself! You see, when we walk on stage we can rip the arse off straight rock, but we can't do the same with 'Rock 'n' Roll Bolero'. It's great on record, but it's us thinking, it's not us being ourselves."[5]
Release
"Rock 'n' Roll Bolero" was released at a time when Slade, having returned to the UK from the United States in 1976, found themselves out of favour in the UK music scene, particularly with the explosion of punk rock. The single was another commercial disappointment and was Slade's fourth since 1976 not to enter the UK Singles Chart.[6]
Critical reception
Upon its release, Steve Gett of Record Mirror commented, "A more mellow Slade here: gone are the raucous Noddy Holder vocals and the crashing guitars. The fact remains that they're in dire need of a hit and this could be the one."[7] John Pidgeon of Melody Maker remarked, "Same as ever, apart from the Syn-drum, sole concession to modernity. How can a group who strung so many hits together a few years back fade so completely? It wasn't them who changed, so it must be us."[8] Geoff Ginsberg of AllMusic, in a retrospective review of the bootleg album Gospel According to Noddy!, praised the B-side, "It's Alright Buy Me", as "unbelievably catchy and just cooks".[9]
Formats
7-inch single (UK, Germany and Belgium)[10]
- "Rock 'n' Roll Bolero" – 4:04
- "It's Alright Buy Me" – 3:20
7-inch single (France)[11]
- "It's Alright Buy Me" – 3:20
- "Rock 'n' Roll Bolero" – 4:04
Personnel
Slade
- Noddy Holder – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Dave Hill – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Jim Lea – electric violin, bass, backing vocals
- Don Powell – drums
Production
- Slade – production ("Rock 'n' Roll Bolero")
- Chas Chandler – production ("It's Alright Buy Me")
References
- ^ John Shearlaw, ed. (7 October 1978). "News: Just Released". Record Mirror. p. 5. ISSN 0144-5804.
- ^ Powell, Don; Falkenberg, Lise Lyng (2013). Look Wot I Dun: Don Powell of Slade. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9781783230006.
- ^ Powell, Don. "Don's 1978 Diary". Don Powell Official Website. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ^ "Slade Interview 1978". September 1978. Retrieved 31 August 2023 – via YouTube.
- ^ Kemp, Dave (March–April 1979). "The Slade Interview: Jimmy Lea". Slade News. No. 2. pp. 4, 5. Retrieved 31 August 2023 – via sladefanclub.com.
- ^ We'll Bring the House Down (UK 2007 CD reissue liner notes). Slade, Chris Ingham. Salvo. 2007. SALVOCD007.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Gett, Steve (14 October 1978). "Singles". Record Mirror. p. 10. ISSN 0144-5804.
- ^ Pidgeon, John (14 October 1978). "Singles". Melody Maker. p. 17.
- ^ Ginsberg, Geoff. "Slade - Gospel According to Noddy! Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
- ^ Rock 'n' Roll Bolero (UK, German and Belgian 7-inch single sleeve/label notes). Slade. Barn. 1978. 2014 127.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ It's Alright Buy Me (French 7-inch single sleeve notes). Slade. Barn. 1978. 2014 127.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
- 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)