SLADE's legendary comeback performance at the 1980 Reading Festival is to enjoy a full vinyl release for the first time ever.
The glam-rock chartbusters were on their uppers by the end of the 70s, reduced to playing colleges and working-men's clubs and on the verge of throwing in the towel.
That year's Reading had meant to showcase the grand unveiling of Ozzy Osbourne's new solo band Blizzard Of Ozz, but a lack of preparedness forced the ex-Sabbath singer to pull out, leaving the organisers with a last-minute call-out for a replacement.
Not doing much that weekend, Slade were only too happy to fill the early-Sunday-evening gap, delighting the 40,000-strong crowd by delivering a career-defining set of hits, live favourites and new songs, and ruining the evening for Def Leppard and UFO who had to follow them. The impact of the event saw Slade return to the charts and major venues for several more years to come.
Released on orange-and-black splatter vinyl and CD digipak on 15 September through BMG, Alive! At Reading features ten tracks including hits such as 'Take Me Bak ‘Ome' and 'Cum On Feel The Noize' as well as new songs 'When I’m Dancin’ I Ain’t Fightin’' and 'Wheels Ain’t Coming Down'.
The same date will also see the vinyl and CD reissue of the band's 1969 debut album Beginnings. Released under the name Ambrose Slade, the album features a clutch of originals together with covers from Steppenwolf, Frank Zappa, Marvin Gaye, The Amboy Dukes and The Beatles and comes in yellow-and-orange splatter vinyl and deluxe mediabook CD.
Both albums are available to pre-order here.
Pic by Barry Plummer