Riff Raff was a legendary rock magazine based in London in the late 80s and 90s. A genuine working class rock mag, written and edited by "the lads" in a drug-N-Jack-D-fuelled haze, it was just too R n’R for its own good, falling behind more trainspotterly publications like Q, Kerrang, and Mojo. This website is an archive and kind of shrine to the writing of its greatest "hacks," most of whom have faded in embarrassing middle age, with at least one of them having a Smule account.
Slade are probably best known for their Xmas hit, "Merry Xmas Everybody" and for being part of the glam rock phalanx of the early 70s, but it wasn't always so. When the band kicked off in the late 60s they had a leaner, meaner almost skinhead look and a more stripped down robust side. Obviously this was ideal for playing the rough, tough working class venues where they started their career.
Well, first they were the N Betweens, dressed like mods, and released a couple singles in 1966/67, then they became Ambrose Slade, dressed like hippies, and released the album Beginnings in 1969, and THEN they started to dress like skinheads at the behest of their manager under their shortened name Slade and released the album Play It Loud in 1970. However, seeing as psychedelic bluesy hard rock wasn't the kind of music skinheads listened to, they were never part of the culture, and the skinhead kids immediately scoffed at this poser rock band that dressed like them. Within a year they dropped the skinhead look, grew their hair out, and slapped on the funny colorful costumes.
True, but ironically, modern day neo-trad-fun-non-racial-skinhead groups like Giuda play in the Slade style. And skinhead revivalists see Slade as a legit part of skinhead history.
Well, first they were the N Betweens, dressed like mods, and released a couple singles in 1966/67, then they became Ambrose Slade, dressed like hippies, and released the album Beginnings in 1969, and THEN they started to dress like skinheads at the behest of their manager under their shortened name Slade and released the album Play It Loud in 1970. However, seeing as psychedelic bluesy hard rock wasn't the kind of music skinheads listened to, they were never part of the culture, and the skinhead kids immediately scoffed at this poser rock band that dressed like them. Within a year they dropped the skinhead look, grew their hair out, and slapped on the funny colorful costumes.
ReplyDeleteDisgusting how unprincipled they were, LOL
DeleteTrue, but ironically, modern day neo-trad-fun-non-racial-skinhead groups like Giuda play in the Slade style. And skinhead revivalists see Slade as a legit part of skinhead history.
ReplyDelete