Beginnings (Ambrose Slade album)

Untitled

Beginnings is the debut album by the English rock band Ambrose Slade, before they achieved fame as Slade. It was released on 9 May 1969, but failed to enter the charts. It was released as Ballzy in the U.S. It was also re-released years later under the title Beginnings of Slade.

Beginnings was remastered in 2006 and released with their second album Play It Loud on a single CD. Bonus tracks are the singles "Wild Winds Are Blowing" and "Get Down And Get With It".

The artwork for the album featured a photo of the band on the Pouk Hill in Wolverhampton. The band didn't enjoy the photo session due to the cold weather.

Background

In February 1969, the group (then known as The 'N Betweens) managed to get a deal with Fontana Records. A&R boss Jack Baverstock teamed the band with engineer Roger Wake to record an album. Reluctantly the band agreed to Baverstock's condition that they adopted the name Ambrose Slade. "His secretary was a bit loopy, she named everything she owned," lead singer Noddy Holder later revealed. "Her handbag was called Ambrose, her powder compact Slade. Jack just put them together, we hated the name."

Fontana's other stipulation was the engagement of a reputable manager. In former Animals bassist Chas Chandler, who had already discovered Jimi Hendrix and guided the guitarist to worldwide fame, the band found the perfect choice.

Ambrose Slade's debut (and only) album 'Beginnings' was a mixture of self-penned songs, instrumentals and cover versions including two tracks by Steppenwolf ('Born to be Wild' and 'Everybody's Next One'). As to confirm the diversity of the group's influences, they also cut Ted Nugent & The Amboy Dukes' 'Journey to the Centre of Your Mind', 'Ain't Got No Heart' by Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention, The Moody Blues' 'Fly Me High', Lennon and McCartney's 'Martha My Dear' and 'If This World Were Mine' by Marvin Gaye.

Its one and only single was 'Genesis', an instrumental piece that the band later rewrote as 'Know Who You Are'. There was also another instrumental 'Mad Dog Cole', plus self-penned tracks 'Roach Daddy' and 'Pity the Mother'. Issued in April 1969, 'Beginnings' failed to dent the British or US charts (titled 'Ballzy' in America, it was later reissued by budget label Contour as 'Beginnings of Slade', with a different sleeve and revised track listing). An original vinyl copy in decent condition now fetches anything up to £500 at online auction.

A Promo Video was filmed on London's Euston Station to promote the album's release in April 1969. Overdubbed with "Mad Dog Cole" The promo video exists, the video was filmed in the style of a Benny Hill sketch.

Recording

In 1980, Jim Lea was interviewed for the Slade fan club newsletter. He spoke of the band first recording the album. "This was our first major crack at making a record, so it was all important now to let it slip. So we did "Roach Daddy", "Mad Dog Cole" and "Genesis" out of total fear."

Lea was asked how the cover versions of numerous tracks ended up being recorded. "They were all numbers that we were doing live on stage at the time. We had started to move away from the Flower Power thing then, but we were still doing unusual numbers. You can see by all the writers of the songs, they are all big names now, but at the time they were unheard of. Frank Zappa - he was totally unknown, he had only recorded one album, but we recorded his "Ain't Got No Heart".

Lea was also asked how "Pity The Mother" was written. "It was another one of the songs that Bavistock "forced" us to write. We wrote it in Nod's parents' kitchen, the day before we went down to do some recording in the studio. Louise (Lea's wife) was there, and she helped me and Nod write the song."

Originally, the band were introduced and recorded with producer Irving Martin through their London Booking Agent Roger Allen. The band and Martin recorded "Journey To The Centre of Your Mind" and "Mad Dog Cole". Bavistock heard the demos and thought "Mad Dog Cole" was great, and insisted if the group wanted a contract they would have to write more of their own material. Out of total fear, and realising this would be the big chance, they sat down and wrote "Roach Daddy", "Pity The Mother" and "Genesis" within days of Bavistock's request. Bavistock and Co. were suitably impressed with the results and, together with a suggested name change to Ambrose Slade, a contract was agreed upon.

Release

For a 1980 fan club interview, Lea was asked how the album did upon release. "It dropped drastically. But that wasn't the point, you see it got us the footing in London, so it was a case of mission accomplished for us. Chas Chandler took us over. We still had some time to run on our contract with Bavistock, so we released our next two singles "Wild Winds are Blowing" and "Shape of Things to Come" on Fontana. There were some internal hassles between Chas and the new boss of Fontana, and the next thing that I knew was that we were out of the Fontana deal. Chas had connections with Polydor, due to when he managed Jimi Hendrix, so we signed a contract with them."

In a September 1997 article from Mojo Magazine, the magazine stated the value of an original vinyl copy of Beginnings was £380, also stating the vinyl had become a prime counterfeit item. The text wrote "Three years had passed since Noddy Holder, Jimmy Lea, Dave Hill and Don Powell had last appeared on record, as The In Betweens. Then, almost out of nowhere, Fontana released this album, produced by Roger Wake. Initially, it was to have been called Genesis and it was even suggested that the band should be known as Nicky Nacky Noo. Thankfully, common sense prevailed and Ambrose Slade made their brief appearance before linking with Chas Chandler, abbreviating their moniker to Slade, and moving to Polydor. At which point Wolverhampton breathed a sigh of relief. Though this debut has been reissued both as the budget vinyl Beginnings of Slade (Contour) and on CD (Polydor), original copies remain sought after. So much so that it became a prime counterfeit item at one point."

Track listing

1. "Genesis" (Holder, Lea, Hill, Powell) - 3:17
2. "Everybody's Next One" (John Kay, Gabriel Mekler) (Steppenwolf cover) - 2:47
3. "Knocking Nails into My House" (Jeff Lynne) (The Idle Race cover) - 2:25
4. "Roach Daddy" (Holder, Lea, Hill, Powell) - 3:05
5. "Ain't Got No Heart" (Frank Zappa) (The Mothers of Invention cover) - 2:38
6. "Pity the Mother" (Holder, Lea) - 3:59
7. "Mad Dog Cole" (Holder, Lea, Hill, Powell) - 2:43
8. "Fly Me High" (Justin Hayward) (Moody Blues cover) - 2:57
9. "If This World Were Mine" (Marvin Gaye) (Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell cover) - 3:18
10. "Martha My Dear" (Lennon–McCartney) (Beatles cover) - 2:20
11. "Born to Be Wild" (Mars Bonfire) (Steppenwolf cover) - 3:25
12. "Journey to the Centre of Your Mind" (Ted Nugent, Steve Farmer) (The Amboy Dukes cover) - 2:56

Track listing (Beginnings of Slade)

'Beginnings of Slade' album cover

1. "Born to be Wild"
2. "Genesis"
3. "Martha My Dear"
4. "Ain't Got No Heart"
5. "Roach Daddy"
6. "Everybody's Next One"
7. "Fly Me High"
8. "If This World Were Mine"
9. "Pity the Mother"
10. "Knocking Nails into My House"
11. "Mad Dog Cole"
12. "Journey to the Center of your Mind"

Song information

Genesis

"Genesis" is an instrumental track, being the first of four original compositions on the album, written by all four members of the band. It was the only single from the Beginnings album, failing to make any impact. This single featured the band in their first promotional music video.

Allmusic.com wrote "But the opening Genesis will be familiar to anyone who rocked out to the second album's Know Who You Are, proving that the band already knew a great song when they wrote one." Allmusic.com also wrote "The innovative Genesis as the first instrumental. Hearing Genesis alongside early Steppenwolf is a trip."

Allmusic.com spoke of the song in a review for the 2006 Salvo double remaster of the Beginnings album and the following 1970 album Play It Loud. "There is little here that will strike an immediate chord with listeners who know only the hits. Dig deeper, however, and any number of Slade classics are on hand, beginning with Beginnings' opening instrumental, Genesis."

Everybody's Next One

"Everybody's Next One" was written by John Kay and Gabriel Mekler, originally performed by the Canadian-American rock group Steppenwolf from their self-titled album in 1968.

Allmusic.com wrote "Holder does an impressive John Kaye, and the inclusion of two tracks from the first Steppenwolf album indicate the real influence behind Slade. They were Britain's Steppenwolf. Everybody's Next One and Born to Be Wild sound great in the hands of these U.K. rockers."

Knocking Nails into My House

"Knocking Nails into My House" was written by Jeff Lynne and originally performed by the British rock group The Idle Race as a 1968 b-side to the single The Skeleton and the Roundabout.

Allmusic.com wrote "Bringing Jeff Lynne's Knocking Nails Into My House, from his Idle Race/Move period, was a very classy idea."

Roach Daddy

"Roach Daddy" is the second original composition on the album, written by all four members of the band. It was also used as the b-side to the only single Genesis.

The track is a recommended track by allmusic.com.

Ain't Got No Heart

"Ain't Got No Heart" was written by Frank Zappa, originally performed by the American band The Mothers of Invention in 1966.

Allmusic.com wrote "A suitably deranged romp through Frank Zappa's Ain't Got No Heart, demonstrates the band's musical versatility." Allmusic.com also wrote "And though they would inspire Quiet Riot the way they were influenced by Steppenwolf, including Frank Zappa's Ain't Got No Heart gives another indication of what they were listening to."

The track is a recommended track by allmusic.com.

Pity the Mother

"Pity the Mother" is the third original composition on the album, written by Holder and Lea, together for the first time, who both went on to write the majority of Slade’s material. The song features the use of electric violin, played by Lea.

Allmsuic.com wrote "The songwriting duties are split between well-executed covers and full band compositions - the Noddy Holder/Jim Lea team of future renown has still to crystallize itself, and their one joint effort, the hauntingly folky Pity the Mother, has little in common with anything the future held." Allmusic.com also wrote "Listen to how musical the Holder/Lea original Pity the Mother is to hear how inspired and truly underrated these artists were and still are."

Mad Dog Cole

"Mad Dog Cole" is the final original composition on the album, another instrumental like the opener Genesis, again written by the entire band.

The song had a working title of My Cats Got Fleas and a one sided single accetate exists.

Originally, the band were introduced to and recorded with producer Irving Martin. The band and Martin recorded two tracks including Mad Dog Cole. Bavistock heard the demos and thought Mad Dog Cole was great, and insisted if the group wanted a contract they would have to write more of their own material.

Fly Me High

"Fly Me High" was written by Justin Hayward, originally released as a single by the English rock group The Moody Blues in 1967. Slade would also later perform the band’s song Nights in White Satin for an early 70s BBC studio session, aired live at the time.

Allmusic.com wrote "Bringing a post-Denny Laine Moody Blues single to the world, Justin Hayward's Fly Me High, was a very classy idea."

If This World Were Mine

"If This World Were Mine" was originally performed as a duet by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell from their album United, releasing in 1967. It was written solely by Gaye, and despite being more of a soulful song, Ambrose Slade decided to cover it.

Allmusic.com wrote "However, this album of tasteful covers is charming, even if Holder has trouble reaching the notes on Marvin Gaye's often covered but still somewhat obscure If This World Were Mine."

Martha My Dear

"Martha My Dear" was written by Paul McCartney although credited to John Lennon and McCartney together. It was originally performed by The Beatles in 1968, from their studio album The Beatles [aka The White Album].

The band performed the song with the 1969 single Wild Wind are Blowing on BBC One's Children show Monster Music Mash show which was hosted by Alan Price. This was the band’s first appearance on national TV.

Allmusic.com wrote "And while there are a handful of disappointments (Martha My Dear is almost heinous), still Beginnings stands as, indeed, a fine beginning." Allmusic.com also wrote "Slade bassist Jim Lea should have employed a bit more of Velvet Underground bassist John Cale's insanity on the violin. He brought an exciting element to his playing while Lea goes by the book on Martha My Dear."

Born to be Wild

"Born to be Wild" was written by Canadian musician Mars Bonfire, first performed by Canadian-American rock group Steppenwolf who released it as a single from their self-titled album in 1968. The b-side to the Steppenwolf single was Everybody’s Next One - that Ambrose Slade also recorded for this album.

Slade would later record Born to be Wild for their 1972 live album Slade Alive!, where the song would also be frequently performed in the band’s live set list, both before and after the recording of this studio version.

Allmusic.com wrote "Holder does an impressive John Kaye, and the inclusion of two tracks from the first Steppenwolf album indicate the real influence behind Slade. They were Britain's Steppenwolf. Everybody's Next One and Born to Be Wild sound great in the hands of these U.K. rockers, the essential keyboards ripped away from Born to Be Wild giving us a garage rock version full of life. If only Jim Lee put some wild and crazy violin on this to replace the missing keys. Slade Alive doubled the length, turning Born to Be Wild into one of their hard rock show stoppers, but the original incarnation here has more charm." Allmusic.com also wrote "A cover of Born to Be Wild sets them up for the definitive version featured on the first live album."

Journey to the Centre of Your Mind

"Journey to the Centre of Your Mind" was written by Ted Nugent and Steve Farmer, originally performed by the American rock band The Amboy Dukes, from their 1968 album Journey to the Center of the Mind.

Originally, the band were introduced and recorded with producer Irving Martin. The band and Martin recorded two tracks including Journey to the Centre of Your Mind.

Allmusic.com wrote "Following that Steppenwolf classic Born to Be Wild with the Ted Nugent/Amboy Dukes' masterpiece Journey to the Center of your Mind is brilliant - the two songs both hit in July of 1968 and both had a similar vibe, although Journey to the Center of your Mind is almost a note for note copy on this Fontana debut where some of the other songs display signs of what Slade would evolve into." Allmusic.com also wrote "A floor-shaking slam through the Amboy Dukes' Journey to the Center of Your Mind, demonstrates the band's musical versatility."

Allmusic.com spoke of the song in a review for the 2006 Salvo double remaster of the Beginnings album and the following 1970 album Play It Loud. "Covers of The Shape of Things to Come and Journey to the Centre of Your Mind are all dynamite, with the originals as indicative of the band's innate ear for a melody and the covers representing Slade at their floor-shaking, foot-stamping hardest."

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Phonograph Record	unfavourable
Q-Magazine
Allmusic

Upon release, reviewer Lester Bangs of Phonograph Record described the album as "a real dud."

In August 1991, Q Magazine reviewed CD re-issues of Beginnings, Play It Loud and Slade Alive! in one review, using the opening line "Three re-issues from the Slade archive that cover their pre-Merry Xmas japery". For Beginnings, a rating of two stars was given, with the review stating "Beginnings (1969) offers a brace of self-penned originals from the psychedelically-hewn foursome. Interspersed are covers of Zappa's 'Ain't Got No Heart', The Move's 'Knocking Nails into My House' and Steppenwolf's 'Born to be Wild'. It's an odd but pleasant album, which sees the quartet nervously relax in The Small Faces' shoes."

Record Mirror reviewed the lead single "Genesis", "Rather weird sound effects et al, but this is a group who have made a fine debut album "Beginnings", and I think they have very substantial talent. Distinctly freaky."

Personnel

Slade

• Noddy Holder - lead vocals, rhythm guitar, producer
• Dave Hill - lead guitar, producer
• Jim Lea - bass guitar, producer
• Don Powell - drums, producer

Additional credits

• Roger Wake - producer, engineer
• Richard Stirlin - photographer
• Linda Glover - artwork