The Iconic Voice of Slademania: NODDY HOLDER shares his story
Published 2024-07-03
Curious as to whether he still sings? Or how he survived a terminall cancer diagnosis? Tune in to find out.
Neville ‘Noddy’ Holder is one of the great institutions of British rock. As the garishly trousered, top-hatted frontman of West Midlands glam yobs Slade, he helped soundtrack the early 70s with a string of Top 10 hits that peaked with the immortal festive anthem Merry Xmas Everybody. Since leaving the band in the early 90s, Noddy branched out into acting, most notably in sitcom The Grimleys, and writing (his 1999 autobiography Who’s Crazee Now? was followed by 2014’s The World According To Noddy). He is also the voice for the elevator announcements at his local Walsall art gallery.
Born in 1946 in the Midlands, Noddy formed his first band, The Rockin’ Phantoms, at the age of 13 and left school after O levels to take a job in a car parts firm while pursuing a music career. The band became The Memphis Cut-Outs and they became popular enough on the local scene for Noddy to quit the day job. He went on to join The Mavericks, who were signed to a record label in 1965, and his stablemates were The N’ Betweens, a band that included future Slade members guitarist Dave Hill and drummer Don Powell. The two bands shared bills and bonded, laying the foundations for Noddy's next move.
In 1966, Dave and Don convinced Noddy to join their new group, along with multi-instrumentalist Jim Lea. They called the band Ambrose Slade. After their debut album flopped, they changed their name to Slade and adopted a skinhead image for the following year’s Play It Loud. When that failed to catch the public’s imagination, the band turned to glam rock and swiftly became one of Britain’s biggest bands, with Slayed? (1972) reaching No 1 after their breakthrough single Get Down And Get With It.
The next few years saw Slademania take Britain by storm with a run of classic, hit singles (mostly chart-toppers) that gave English teachers the nation over sleepless nights including Coz I Luv You, Take Me Bak ’Ome, Mama Weer All Crazee Now, Gudbuy T’Jane, Cum On Feel The Noize, Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me and Merry Xmas Everybody.
Noddy Holder left Slade in 1992 but remained a familiar figure on BritishTV screens, most notably as a team captain on BBC1’s music series A Question Of Pop and playing the music teacher Neville Holder in the ITV comedy drama The Grimleys. In 2000, Noddy was awarded the MBE for his services to showbusiness.
Late in 2023, Noddy revealed that he’d been diagnosed with oesophageal cancer five years earlier and had been given six months to live. Thanks to some experimental chemotherapy treatment, Noddy has survived and is back on the stage doing what he loves to do best.
Noddy Holder joins us this week to walk us through his illustrious career and talks warts and all.
For more information about Noddy www.noddyholder.com/
All Comments (21)
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That man noddy holder has the best rock voice ever and slade were a very underrated band to for how big the were
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Noddy is forever immortalised every Xmas. Best Xmas song ever.
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I bow my head to Noddy and Slade. They showed everyone how it was done at Reading.
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Noddy is Pure Genius! When Ozzy says He's One of the Very Best, that says something! Get your Docs on and Start them Boots a Stompin'! 🇬🇧🎼🎵🎶🎸🎶🎵🇬🇧
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My first record I bought was " Goodbye T Jane" in 72 great band and Noddy had a great rocknroll voice .Still love Slade
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worshipped Noddy and Slade in the 70's
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Fantastic! Love this thank you 🙌 I saw his show last year in Manchester and met my life time hero for the first time after the show to fulfill a lifetime ambition! KOR Nod! 🤞🙌
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My daughter when she watched the old comedy series the Grimleys saw Noddy playing the headteacher .when he was strumming a guitar in the series she says that actor does that pretty well for an actor me and the Mrs looked at each other and smiled,later playing Slade to her quoting sales stats.
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Another great interview Sandy
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So many great songs.
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He's right about the live thing...I saw them open for someone, and can't remember the headliner. SLADE was so good they stole the show. I am very attentive at music events, so for them to make me forget the headliner is amazing. I can still picture Noddy standing there screaming louder and more melodically than any other rocker around. And yes, I did FEEL THE NOISE, and yes I DID say GOODBYE TO JANE!!!😁😎
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Saw Slade 12 times 73 to 82, always great live even in the clubs 78-9. Got all the singles, albums, cds etc, they were more than just the hit singles.
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It's not Xmas until Noddy screams it is.
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Great interview Sandy, keep them coming !👍
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Thanks Neville many more good years in you yet
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Noddy comes from a time when we had great frontman vocalist eg, Steve Marriott, Paul Rogers, rob plant, and Noddy and loads more,😊
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Even though noddy is famous,when they mention iconic figures,he never gets a mention,I think he was one of the greatest entertainers to come out of this country,as well as all the great singles slade released the songs on their albums were brilliant songs,I think noddy and slade were a rare talent I saw them on the royal court in liverpool years ago which turned out to be their last ever gig as slade
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I remember Slade as a young kid in the 70's when we used to go school Discos. You either liked Slade or Sweet (i liked both ) but you didnt let on to your mates 😂. Some kid at the disco had a glow in the dark marker pen and he'd write Slade or Sweet on ya arm, which at the time we thought was pretty cool lol .🎶
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Noddy, the voice of a very “Merry Chrisssssstmassssss!!”
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Noddy was one of the STRONGEST most powerful voices in Rock History. I remember hearing Noddy's live voice on SLADE ALIVE on KEEP ON ROCKIN' & I thought he was INCREDIBLE ......& I remember the BURP .....As a kid I would fall off the chair....lol (Paul)
