Hill, Dave: So Here It Is (E-Book)

No Slade = No Oasis. Its as devastating and as simple as that Noel Gallagher

Slades music and style dominated and defined the 1970s. With six consecutive number one singles they were the UKs number one group and sold millions of records all over the world. At their peak, Slade enjoyed success and adulation not seen since The Beatles. Now, for the first time, the man whose outlandish costumes, glittering make-up and unmistakable hairstyle made Slade the definitive act of Glam Rock tells his story.

Growing up in a council house in 1950s Wolverhampton, Dave always knew he wanted to be a musician and in the mid-sixties, with Don Powell, founded the band that in 1970 would settle on the name Slade. Their powerful guitar-driven anthems formed the soundtrack for a whole generation, and theirTop of the Popsperformances, led by their flamboyant, ever-smiling lead guitarist, became legendary.

ButSo Here It Isreveals that theres much more to Daves life thanTop of the Popsand good times. Packed with previously unseen personal photos, the book uncovers surprising family secrets, tells the inside story of the original bands painful break-up, explores Daves battles with depression, his decision to reform Slade and go back on the road and his recovery from the stroke that threatened to cut short his career.

Told with great heart and humour,So Here It Isis the story of the irresistible rise of Dave Hill, Superyob; the definitive account of his journey from working-class lad to global rock star.

'No Slade = No Oasis. It's as devastating and as simple as that' Noel GallagherWith six consecutive number one singles and the smash hit 'Merry Xmas Everybody', Slade were unstoppable. Now, the man whose outlandish costumes and unmistakable hairstyle made Slade one of the definitive acts of the Glam Rock era tells his story.But there's more to Dave's life than rock 'n' roll and good times. So Here It Is also covers the band's painful break-up, Dave's subsequent battle with depression, and his recovery from the stroke that threatened to cut short his performing career.If you've ever wondered what it feels like to be a working-class lad from the Midlands suddenly confronted by unimaginable fame, So Here It Is is the definitive account, told with heart and humour and filled with never-before-seen photos.

Dave Hill was born in a castle in Devon and moved back with his parents to Wolverhampton when he was a year old. As a teenager he taught himself to play guitar and formed his first band, The Young Ones while at school. In 1964 he joined drummer Don Powell in local R&B band, The Vendors. They became the The N Betweens and when Jim Lea and singer Noddy Holder joined in 1966, the band renamed itself Slade.

In the early 70s Slade went on to have 23 Top 20 hits and six number one singles. Three of these singles entered the chart at number one (an achievement that even eluded the Beatles). Released in 1973,Merry Xmas Everybodywent on to sell a million copies and has charted every year since. Their filmSlade in Flame(1975) was also a hit regarded by some as theCitizen Kaneof rock musicals.

After the break-up of the original band, Dave Hill eventually reformed Slade with Don Powell. Twenty-five years later, they are still regularly touring the world, playing to hundreds of thousands of fans. Dave married his wife Jan in 1973, and they have three children and four grandchildren. They still live in Wolverhampton.