Background
In 1974, Slade left behind a remarkable year in which they saw three number one singles and sell-out tours attended by hordes of near-hyserical fans. Slade had peaked all over Europe and the group sensed that 'more of the same' was not the way forward. When manager Chas Chandler suggested a movie as the next step, Slade agreed. The subject matter was to be the gritty tale of the rise and fall of a fictional 1960s group called Flame with the story based on various true music business events that had occurred to Slade and other groups of the time.
The accompanying soundtrack album was naturally Slade's responsibility and a perfect opportunity for the group to flex their musical muscle. Although the album would be marketed as Slade's next record, it gave the group a chance to use the Slade/Flame hybrid to step back a little from their massively successful hit formula of stomping grooves and rowdy choruses and re-establish their versatility.
The audience had been tipped off that the forthcoming Slade In Flame album would feature an evolving Slade sound by the release of Far Far Away, a month before the album and movie. A swaying, acoustic track featuring the musings of a man who has seen the world but still feels the pull of his roots, it was a personal song written largely by Holder. However, nothing in Slade's catalogue to date quite prepared the listener for "How Does It Feel" including a huge horn section, flutes and haunting piano. The piece was nothing less than the sound of Slade coming of age. Having just returned from a fifth US tour and finally agreeing a script, Slade had a month to record an album of songs designed for the film.
While Slade In Flame was clearly a distinct step forward for Slade, it also marked the end of their reign as the UK's favourite band. Far Far Away performed respectably in the UK however How Does It Feel had such an indifferent sound that it reflected the gap between where Slade were at and what was expected of them. Although regarded, thirty years on, as one of the greatest rock films, at the time the movie itself hardly helped matters. Slade's audience were used to Slade delivering a rollicking good time whereas the movie's bleak, sour atmosphere had understandably confused rather than enthused fans.
Read more about this topic: Slade In Flame (album)
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