Editing Slade (section)

===Comeback and heavy metal following (1980–1982)===
[[File:Slade at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff.jpg|thumb|left|Slade performing at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff in December 1981.]]
[[Ozzy Osbourne]] was due to play the Reading Festival in August 1980, during his [[Blizzard of Ozz]] tour, but cancelled at short notice as his band was not ready, leaving the organisers searching for a last-minute replacement. Slade were suggested, but Hill, still demoralised, had effectively left the band and initially refused to take part when asked by the other band members. Eventually, Chandler went to his home and convinced Hill to play what should have been a farewell performance in front of 65,000 rock fans, instead of Slade's disbanding and disappearing without a trace. To Hill's astonishment, the band stole the show and quickly became the darlings of the music press and radio. Highlights of their performance were broadcast on [[BBC Radio 1]]'s ''[[Friday Rock Show]]'' Reading special. Afterwards, the band signed to Cheapskate Records, owned by Chandler, Lea and his brother Frank, which gave the band more control of their material and products.<ref name="Charlesworth"/><ref name="Holder" />

The band's new-found success led to a hurriedly released extended play, ''[[Alive at Reading]]'', which reached number 44, the band's first chart action in the UK since 1977. Another extended play followed in November, titled "[[Xmas Ear Bender (EP)|Xmas Ear Bender]]" which peaked at number 70.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/cheap11 |title=Various Artists – Xmas Ear Bender – Cheapskate – CHEAP 11 |website=45cat.com |access-date=15 July 2011}}</ref> Polydor Records also saw an opportunity to capitalise on the band's new success and released the compilation ''[[Slade Smashes!]]'' at the beginning of November. The album was given plenty of promotion and spent 15 weeks in the UK chart, peaking at number 21.<ref name="officialcharts.com"/> The album was certified UK Gold in December, having by then sold over 200,000 copies.<ref name="autogenerated11">We'll Bring the House Down remaster booklet</ref>

Keen to keep momentum with their new fans, the band set out to write a song with hit potential. The idea for the new track came after a performance in [[Amsterdam]] at the [[Paradiso (Amsterdam)|Paradiso]] Club. An enthusiastic audience who would not go home were overheard chanting by Lea, who was downstairs in the dressing room. Realising the potential of the chant, the song "[[We'll Bring the House Down (song)|We'll Bring the House Down]]" was written and released in January 1981. Aimed at the new audience which consisted of mainly [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]] fans, it showed Slade's heavier rock sound.<ref name="Charlesworth"/><ref name="autogenerated18">Greatest Hits compilation booklet</ref> The single hit the number 10 spot in the UK, becoming Slade's first top ten hit since 1976.<ref name="officialcharts.com"/> In March, an album consisting of four new tracks and six tracks from the previous album ''Return to Base'' was released. Also called ''[[We'll Bring the House Down]]'' it peaked at number 25.<ref name="officialcharts.com"/><ref name=autogenerated11 />

"[[Wheels Ain't Coming Down]]", which originally appeared as the opening track on the album ''Return to Base'', was released in March 1981 and reached number 60 in the UK. Although not a hit, it served to keep Slade in the public eye while they were writing new material and planning a European tour.<ref name="Charlesworth"/> Slade's success at the 1980 Reading festival was helping them fill large venues<ref name=autogenerated15 /> and led to their being asked about a return in 1981. The band refused to return so soon, and opted to play the Monsters of Rock festival at Castle Donington.

In May, the band released "[[Knuckle Sandwich Nancy]]" which featured lyrics commenting on the assault on Holder in the Welsh nightclub. Although eagerly wanted as a single by the band, Chandler was not entirely convinced and thus it was half-heartedly released and failed to chart. The band blamed Chandler for losing interest, and began to manage themselves. Chandler sold his share of Cheapskate Records and negotiated a favourable deal for the band with [[RCA Records]].<ref name="Charlesworth"/><ref name="autogenerated15">Till Deaf Do Us Part remaster booklet</ref> The new deal meant that Slade's records would get worldwide release except in the US and Canada. The next couple of UK singles were still released under the Cheapskate label but with RCA pressing and distributing the records, then a full RCA release could start.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sladefanclub.com/uploads/7/6/6/0/7660950/5494355_orig.jpg|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714230258/http://www.sladefanclub.com/uploads/7/6/6/0/7660950/5494355_orig.jpg|url-status=dead|title=5494355_orig.jpg (534x800 pixels)|archive-date=14 July 2012|access-date=27 September 2019}}</ref>

The band's first full release on the RCA label was the European hit single "[[Lock Up Your Daughters (song)|Lock Up Your Daughters]]" in late 1981. The track continued to follow a more [[heavy metal music|heavy metal]] sound and made number 29 in the UK.<ref name="officialcharts.com"/> The album ''[[Till Deaf Do Us Part]]'' followed in November 1981 and peaked at number 68. It remains Slade's most metal-directed and heaviest sounding album to date.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ginsberg |first=Geoff |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/till-deaf-do-us-part-r49496 |title=Till Deaf Do Us Part – Slade |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=15 July 2011}}</ref> An article in ''[[NME]]'' shortly after release claimed Slade were in trouble over the album cover, which featured an 'offensive' picture of a nail piercing an ear drum, and that many dealers were refusing to stock it.<ref name="NME Rock 'N' Roll Years 2">{{cite book| first= John| last= Tobler| year= 1992| title= NME Rock 'N' Roll Years| edition= 1st| publisher= Reed International Books Ltd| location= London| page= 364| id= CN 5585}}</ref> The cover was later changed on the CD reissue to a picture of the band in flames. In December, RCA released "[[Merry Xmas Everybody]]" for the first time since its initial outing. This time, however, it only managed to get to number 32.<ref name="officialcharts.com"/>

By early 1982, the band had released a new single from the ''[[Till Deaf Do Us Part]]'' album, "[[Ruby Red (song)|Ruby Red]]". Although a [[gatefold]] release with two extra live tracks, it only managed to reach 51 in the UK chart.<ref name="officialcharts.com"/> The opening track from the album, "[[Rock and Roll Preacher]]" was released exclusively in Germany in April.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/pb5466 |title=Slade - Rock And Roll Preacher (Hallelujah I'm On Fire) / Knuckle Sandwich Nancy - RCA Victor - Germany - PB 5466 |website=45cat.com |date=23 October 2017 |access-date=8 January 2018}}</ref> The first Slade single to have a [[12-inch single|12" single]] version, it peaked at number 49.<ref name="musicline1">{{cite web|url=http://musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/SLADE/single|title=Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts|date=19 December 2013|access-date=28 October 2017|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219051613/http://musicline.de/de/chartverfolgung_summary/artist/SLADE/single|archive-date=19 December 2013}}</ref> The song also became Slade's new show opener. In November, the band released a new single, "[[(And Now the Waltz) C'est La Vie]]", which was aimed directly at the Christmas market. It only made number 50 in the UK but was a hit in Poland where it reached number two.<ref name="officialcharts.com"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.polskieradio.pl/ |title=Polskie Radio – najlepsze radio online w internecie |website=Polskieradio.pl |access-date=15 July 2011}}</ref> The band's version of the party track "[[Hokey Cokey|Okey Cokey]]" was also re-released that year but failed to make an impact, much like the original release in 1979. Lastly, "[[Merry Xmas Everybody]]" was again re-released, this time only managing to get to number 67.<ref name="officialcharts.com"/> December saw the release of Slade's third and final live album, ''[[Slade on Stage]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.45worlds.com/vinyl/album/rcalp3107 |title=Vinyl Album - Slade - Slade On Stage - RCA - UK |website=45worlds.com |access-date=8 January 2018}}</ref> which peaked at number 58 in the UK but received a positive response from critics.<ref name="officialcharts.com"/> Lea continued working on solo projects throughout despite the upturn in Slade's fortunes.