The first question is from Birmingham and it goes: Would there be any chance you could make it to this years Sladefest?I would do it if I was around, if it fitted into my schedule
Then Bloxwich Baths asks: What was the biggest thrill…recording the Vendors tracks or having your 1st No1 record?That would be the same for both, really. With The Vendors that was the very first time we were in a recording studio so we were in awe of that, doing those four tracks in one afternoon. I’d say they are probably pretty equal.
From Holland comes the question: Who were the ladies in the Take Me Bak 'Ome video clip as on The very best of Slade DVD?I don’t know. They were probably just some dancers. The clothes were made for them and that was made without us knowing. We didn’t know about them until we were there.
Then a lady from Devon asks: If you had to give one good piece of advice about drumming/being a drummer, to another drummer just starting out in a band, what would that be (Apart from a set of drums!)? Also, out of interest do your arms ever ache after a gig, like is there any difference at your age now say compared to doing a gig twenty years ago, as looking at you and Dave on stage today, it looks like you still have the same energy as in gigs all them years ago.Ha-ha! [Don can’t stop laughing] Yeah, get some drums and keep at it! As for aching arms, the only time they do ache is when we haven’t been working for a number of weeks. The first night back they always ache a little bit.
Bolton asks: If you were to put one new Slade song of your choice (that hasn't ever been played by yourselves) into the group's set, what would it be and why?“Okay Yesterday Was Yesterday”. I heard a live recording of that recently and I don’t remember playing it live, but there was a really nice groove to it, especially the slide guitars. I’ve actually mentioned it to Dave.
From Leeds it says: When the Band/Manager sat down to discuss the single release Gypsy Roadhog did you consider the Drug references might kill/restrict airplay, even if you did manage to sneak it on to Blue Peter before the BBC cottoned on.No, we didn’t. The drug references were obviously there, but we didn’t really think about it at that time. So many things were going by that were probably a lot worse, but we weren’t considered that kind of band, so when that was heard it was probably more apparent to the powers that be.
Bournemouth then asks: If you could have a hit record again, what style would you prefer to record ballad or Rock and why?Rock. Because that’s really where we come from. I enjoy the ballads, especially My Oh My, Still The Same and a few of those, but I would prefer a rock song.
The same person goes on asking: Are there any plans to play in Bournemouth or other south coast areas in the future?I’ll have to wait until the date sheet comes in to see if we’re going there.
Someone from Kilmarnock has the following question: Which gig would you say was the highlight of your career in Slade? Was it Earls Court, or do you not have many memories of that coming as it did just days before the crash? Reading comeback 1980? Or something else?I think Reading and the Lincoln festival were the highlights. Reading was in a way the biggest highlight, because we had more or less broken up the band. We had two days rehearsal and went on and did it. We had everything to lose and nothing to prove and it went fantastic for us. But also the Lincoln festival when we were finally accepted by the more serious press, because at that time we were just considered a Top of The Pops band. I rate both gigs higher than Earl’s Court.
From Chicago comes the question: in which American city (or cities) did Slade enjoy live success similar to what you experienced in England?Chicago, Detroit, New York. I’d say the East Coast and the Mid West in general. The Mid West was always good for Slade, even on the first tours. It was the same as in the Mid West back in England and it probably had a lot to do with that. It felt the same way.
