Slade Alive, Vol. 2
{{Use British English|date=September 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Slade Alive, Vol. 2
| type = live
| artist = Slade
| cover = Slade - Slade Alive, Vol. 2 album cover.jpg
| alt =
| released = 20 October 1978
| recorded = USA autumn 1976 & UK spring 1977
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = {{flatlist|
}}
| length = 41:01
| label = Barn
| producer = Chas Chandler
| prev_title = Whatever Happened to Slade?
| prev_year = 1977
| next_title = Return to Base
| next_year = 1979
}}
Slade Alive, Vol. 2 is the second live album by the British rock band Slade. It was released on 20 October 1978 and did not enter the charts.{{cite magazine |title=Record News |magazine=New Musical Express |date=7 October 1978 |page=4 |issn=0028-6362}}{{cite web |url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/30945/slade/ |title=slade | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company |publisher=Officialcharts.com |access-date=2017-07-12}} Titled as the follow-up to the band's commercially and critically successful 1972 album Slade Alive!, the performances on Slade Alive, Vol. 2 were taken from the band's autumn 1976 tour of the United States and their spring 1977 UK tour.{{cite web |url=http://www.45worlds.com/vinyl/album/2314106 |title=Vinyl Album - Slade - Slade Alive Vol Two - Barn - UK |publisher=45worlds.com |access-date=2017-07-12}} The album was produced by Chas Chandler.
Background
Returning from the US in late 1976, Slade found the UK music business much changed from when they had left in 1975 to try and crack the American market. Punk rock had exploded to become the dominant influence on youth culture and the music press. Despite Slade's reputation as one of the great high-energy bands of their day, in this environment they had become irrelevant. Regardless, they were determined that they were now a better live act than ever and refused to call it a day. Their 1977 album Whatever Happened to Slade was a commercial failure, and on their UK spring tour they found they could no longer fill large venues.
By 1978, the band continued to suffer from a lack of commercial success. Despite being successful at filling small venues for their live performances, their new records were barely selling. With their new output no longer being released on Polydor Records but instead on manager Chas Chandler's label Barn Records, singles such as "Burning in the Heat of Love", "Give Us a Goal", "Rock 'n' Roll Bolero" and "Ginny, Ginny" were all chart failures. In the hope their live reputation would translate to success when released on record, the band released Slade Alive, Vol. 2 in October 1978. However, it too was a commercial failure, and Slade would only regain popularity after performing at the Reading Festival in 1980.We'll Bring the House Down – 2007 Salvo remaster booklet liner notesSlade Alive! – 2006 Salvo anthology booklet
Track listing
All songs written by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea except "My Baby Left Me" by Arthur Crudup.
{{Track listing
| headline = Side one
| title1 = Get on Up
| length1 = 6:01
| title2 = Take Me Bak 'Ome
| length2 = 4:19
| title3 = My Baby Left Me
| length3 = 2:41
| title4 = Be
| length4 = 3:50
| title5 = Mama Weer All Crazee Now
| length5 = 3:58
}}
{{tracklisting
| headline = Side two
| title6 = Burning in the Heat of Love
| length6 = 3:45
| title7 = Everyday
| length7 = 3:35
| title8 = Gudbuy T'Jane
| length8 = 4:58
| title9 = One Eyed Jacks with Moustaches
| length9 = 3:24
| title10 = Cum On Feel the Noize
| length10 = 4:20
}}
Critical reception
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1Score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web |last=Ginsberg |first=Geoff |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/slade-alive-vol-2-r49492/review |title=Slade Alive, Vol. 2 - Slade |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=2011-08-10}}
| rev2 = Record Mirror
| rev2Score = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.sladeinengland.co.uk/press/lp/slade_alive_vol_2.htm |title=Slade alive vol 2 |publisher=Sladeinengland.co.uk |access-date=2011-08-10}}
| rev3 = Superpop{{cite web |url=http://www.sladescrapbook.com/cuttings-1978.html |title=1978 Press Cuttings |publisher=Slade Scrapbook |access-date=2017-07-12}}
| rev3Score = {{rating|4|5}}
}}
Upon the album's release, Record Mirror described it as a "worthwhile, if not exactly essential purchase, and enough possibly, to get the group back on an even keel". They added: "Slade are essentially a live band, no matter how good their records are, they'll never match up. All they will ever be are plastic souvenirs of a great live show." Superpop felt the album captured "exactly what [was] actually going on" with the band at the time, adding that the album was a "neat little package".{{cite web |url=http://www.sladescrapbook.com/cuttings-1978.html |title=1978 Press Cuttings |publisher=Slade Scrapbook |access-date=2017-07-12}}
AllMusic retrospectively said: "Slade Alive, Vol. 2, like all live Slade, is searing. The album is excellent, both in terms of performance and sound quality. They also did a great job of selecting material for this disc. A nice balance of classics and newer material that hadn't really been heard before. Slade has by this point developed into a full-fledged heavy metal band while retaining everything that made them great in the first place."{{cite web |author=Geoff Ginsberg |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/slade-alive-vol-2-mw0000466744 |title=Slade Alive, Vol. 2 - Slade | Songs, Reviews, Credits |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=2017-07-12}}
Personnel
;Slade
- Noddy Holder - lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Dave Hill - lead guitar, backing vocals
- Jim Lea - bass, backing vocals
- Don Powell - drums
;Additional personnel
- Chas Chandler - producer
- Alwyn Clayden - design (cover)
- Alex Agor - photography
- Alan Goldberg - stage lighting
References
{{reflist}}
{{Slade}}