The Genesis of Slade
| The Genesis of Slade | ||||
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| Compilation album by Slade | ||||
| Released | 3 March 1996 June 2000 (Cherry Red release) |
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| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 62:41 | |||
| Label | The Music Corporation (1996) Cherry Red (2000) |
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| Slade chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    |
| Record Collector | mixed |
The Genesis of Slade is a compilation album by the British rock band Slade. It was first released in 1996 by The Music Corporation and was later re-issued by Cherry Red in 2000.
Compiled by John Haxby, The Genesis of Slade is the complete collection of 25 pre-Slade recordings ranging from 1964 to 1966. It features studio recordings by The Vendors (tracks 1-4), Steve Brett & the Mavericks (track 5-11), The 'N Betweens (Mk. 1) (tracks 12-19) and The 'N Betweens (Mk. 2) (tracks 20-25).
The first four tracks were recorded by The Vendors in June 1964, featuring Dave Hill on guitar and Don Powell on drums. They appeared on a privately pressed extended play. The seven tracks by Steve Brett & The Mavericks were recorded in 1965 and featured Noddy Holder on guitar and backing vocals. Six of the songs were featured across three singles, released by Columbia, while "Hurting Inside" was unreleased at the time. The 'N Betweens (Mk. 1) recorded eight tracks in 1965, featuring Hill and Powell. Four were pressed onto a private acetate and the other four were released extended play by Barclay. The 'N Betweens (Mk. 2) was made up of the four members that would later form Slade. All six songs were recorded in 1966. "Security" was released as a promotional single in America by Highland Records, while "You Better Run" was released as a UK single by Columbia. The compilation's last four tracks were recorded by the band with Kim Fowley, but were unreleased at the time.
One omission from the pre-Slade recordings is the 1967 unreleased recording "Delighted to See You". Produced by Norman Smith, the song first surfaced on the 1994 various artists compilation Psychedelia at Abbey Road - 1965 to 1969. The compilation's Cherry Red re-issue accidentally omitted "Hurting Inside", although it was listed as a track on the album.
Richie Unterberger of AllMusic said: "The idea behind this compilation is one that's extremely useful to Slade fans trying to track down rarities recorded by groups in which the members played prior to Ambrose Slade's formation in the late '60s. This 24-track CD includes all of them. Still, the overused cliché "of historical interest only" applies here, although some of the 'N Betweens tracks are fairly decent. The Vendors' EP is dominated by just-professional oldies covers. The Steve Brett & the Mavericks singles are pretty limp and corny mainstream pop/rockers heavily influenced by Elvis Presley ballads and sub-Elvis British crooners like Adam Faith. The first lineup of the 'N Betweens boasted a far tougher R&B-rock British Invasion sound, but most of the tunes here are far below the standards of the Yardbirds, the Pretty Things, and the like. Best of all on the disc, though not great by any means, are the two 1966 singles by the 'N Betweens' second lineup, which are fair but not very imaginative period British soul-blues-rock."
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