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Dave Hill - thoroughly nice bloke!


JapanAxe
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Mrs Axe and I went to Cambridge at the weekend. Whilst checking in at our hotel I noticed a chap talking on his mobile and realised it was Dave Hill from Slade! Another guest got a selfie with him, then I went up and shook his hand and told him about the 'Dave Hill haircut' (i.e. curved fringe) that I had in 1975. He laughed and gave me a hug, and told me that Slade (non-Noddy line-up) were at the Big Weekend free festival that night. We caught the second half of their performance, which was brilliant (Noddylessness nothwithstanding), and saw him again on our way to breakfast next morning.

I am playing at a party for the wife of Slade's manager in August, so I do hope he will be there too. What a down-to-earth and friendly bloke.

Before someone demands pictorial evidence - my word is my bond!

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[quote name='Donnyboy' timestamp='1436781705' post='2820594']
What about the 1975 hairdo? :blink:
[/quote]

Actually this was 1976. It had grown out a fair bit but the curvature of the fringe is still clearly visible:



[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1436782035' post='2820597']
What's his hairstyle like now?
[/quote]

Side parting and pretty long. Let's just say the hat covers up a certain deficiency. Here he is on stage that evening with his 'Super Yob':

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[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1436784834' post='2820641']
Did they play the Christmas song ?
[/quote]

In July? Of course they did!

[quote name='JellyKnees' timestamp='1436785243' post='2820647']
Was he having cuppa soup for his breakfast?
[/quote]

I didn't say we saw him [i]having[/i] his breakfast, I think he'd been out to get a paper. Anyway it's not on the Travelodge breakfast menu.

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[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1436785512' post='2820649']


In July? Of course they did!



I didn't say we saw him [i]having[/i] his breakfast, I think he'd been out to get a paper. Anyway it's not on the Travelodge breakfast menu.
[/quote]

It's the only song of there's I know 😁 they were playing sleigh ride in the snow for some bizarre reason yesterday on classic FM.

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If we are going to be rating the niceness (or not) of Midland musicians shell, I can vouch for Raymond Froggatt. Thoroughly nice guy,and Hartley Cain. In fact the whole band were brilliant with me and my mates when we met them in the Seventies.

Ray always remembered me and shared a pint or two when I went to see him a few times around Notts in the eighties and nineties too.

Mind you he did nearly kill my girlfriend with a pool ball back in 1976! ;)

Edited by Raymondo
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[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1436786137' post='2820661']
It's great when you find out someone you admire is actually likeable in real life! B)
Not so good the other way round though. As I found out with another Midlands musician recently. [b]My lips are sealed[/b]. :ph34r:
[/quote]

Alright how much to keep mine the same way? ;)

Edited by KevB
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[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1436784676' post='2820637']
Actually this was 1976. It had grown out a fair bit but the curvature of the fringe is still clearly visible:
[/quote]

The 'Tupperware' jug also dates the photo. We still have one, use it to top up the garden bird bath. Never saw Slade live, to my regret, but the first time I was aware of them they played Shape Of Things To Come live on ATV (Midlands news program). They were skinheads then. Must have been '69/'70

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[quote name='pfretrock' timestamp='1436788274' post='2820699']
The 'Tupperware' jug also dates the photo. We still have one, use it to top up the garden bird bath. Never saw Slade live, to my regret, but the first time I was aware of them they played Shape Of Things To Come live on ATV (Midlands news program). They were skinheads then. Must have been '69/'70
[/quote]

Yes, Tupperware jug it was, intended to hold the blackberries we were picking.

'69/70? The band might still have been known as Ambrose Slade.

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Oooooh a scandal! Do tell Kev.


Saw Slade back in 74.....feck me they were loud!! Utterly brilliant too.
Also saw Dave 'n' Don last year, still bashing out the good stuff :)

I would have loved to meet Jim Lea too, was my earliest Bass hero, especially when I try to play Slade songs now and find out some of those bass lines weren't as simple as I thought!

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ah yes. Super Yob guitar. Classic. Man I really tried to get the dave hill hair cut, but even taking photos in was no good. Used to always be interested to see what letter they turned round or changed in their titles. IE Cum on feel the noize etc

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[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1436786137' post='2820661']
As I found out with another Midlands musician recently. My lips are sealed. :ph34r:
[/quote]

It was Jeff Lynne, wasn't it? Did he do that thing where he unleashes a trouser cough and then blames someone else? He's a bastard like that.

Anyway, Slade. When I was a youth we often used to see them driving round Sutton Coldfield in their limo(s). We were terribly proud of Slade. :)

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My mate met Dave Hill in PMT Birmingham a few years ago (when he was returning his 2nd faulty Blackstar head) Dave commented on his homemade trolley for said amp.... Was a thoroughly nice bloke apparently.

When I was a kid, a couple of Showaddywady lived in our village, I used to queue up in the butchers with the singer on a Saturday morning and the guitarist lived just down the street from my mate. He was mowing his lawn once as I walked by carrying my bass, so he stopped and chatted for about 20 minutes. Both nice blokes, but I couldn't stand their records!

They do say you should never meet your heroes, but every single one of mine that I've met has been brilliant....

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[quote name='JellyKnees' timestamp='1436785243' post='2820647']
Was he having cuppa soup for his breakfast?
[/quote]

Washed down with a kipper tie ?[quote name='Donnyboy' timestamp='1436781705' post='2820594']

What about the 1975 hairdo? :blink:
[/quote]

I always thought it was a combover, probably why he wears a hat these days

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Great to hear some positive 'star' stories for a change!

Slade always come across as genuine and likeable, so it's nice to hear it's true.

On a side note, I met Gerry Marsden (from the Pacemakers) years ago, and he was so down to earth and friendly, it was unbelievable. Had time for everybody. :)

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