Friday, August 17, 2007

Slade in Pain


In the summer of 1978 Slade played a gig at the Stoneleigh Club in Porthcawl. With punk in the ascendancy Slade's popularity was firmly on the wane. Nevertheless 700 punters turned out to watch them and sing along to such hits as: Cum on Feel the Noize; Mama Weer all Crazee Now; and the perennially annoying Merry Xmas Everybody.

As the gig reached its climax lead singer Noddy Holder invited members of the crowd onto the stage. The glam rockers liked to involve the audience in their riotous finales. Unfortunately the venue's security people took umbrage at their actions.

Four burly bouncers made their way onto the stage and waded into the punters. Noddy Holder singled out one heavy and accused him of picking on people half his size. The bouncer promised to sort him out after the gig.

And he did. When the performance finished the angry bouncer sought out Holder backstage and punched him in the face. The singer fell backwards onto the floor covered in blood, his nose shattered. He was taken to Bridgend Hospital for treatment.

Twelve months after the assault Holder continued to suffer nasal troubles and had to have his nose re-broken to cure the problem. As for the 29-year-old bouncer from Pyle, he was jailed for three months. It emerged after his trial that he'd already served time for malicious wounding and was a former police cadet.