Mark George , I almost forgot about the "Buddy Holly "album that turns out to be Richie Valens !!!! THAT'S ALL KINDS OF WRONG . Maybe they could'nt get permission to actually use a Buddy Holly NUMBER (EXCEPT FOR A TITLE) , AND RINGO'S FORMER BANDMATE WAS A FEW YEARS AWAY FROM OWNING HOLLY'S BACK CATALOGUE. In any case , why not just show the record , but not play it , or say "Hey , This is the Richie Valens record I waited for."
It's not Rocket Surgery. I REMEMBER READING SOME REVIEWS OF "SLADE in "FLAME" " , complaining that it was'nt the latter day " Hard Day's Night" fans expected....But , maybe , it's that it WAS'NT what anyone had a right to expect that makes it a better film , today.
I just say , to anyone who's never seen it , look at it with an open mind. They were exposing their distaste with an industry that had opened so many doors for them , but , now, was showing them the door. They kept making good records. I'm not saying they were remarkably consistent , but their early 80's "All guns blazing" comeback with Reading , "Slade on Stage " , "We'll Bring The House Down" , etc., took no prisoners , I don't think even their hardcore fans saw it coming. They almost became stars in America soon after, too , with "Run , Run Away" , but were'nt able to tour, in earnest , to capitalize on it's success. Rather, they refused to , Jimmy Lea , I think , was in a car crash , and they refused to tour, with a stand -in , until he recovered.
I think the movie flopped in America , not because Slade were unknown. I knew 'em , and I was 10 or 11 years old , but , they did have a limited audience , and they fought harder than Bolan or Sweet to get ahold of a US following and KEEP it. It flopped because we don't speak Geordie ! Of course , today , Viz comics have proven a great boon to me in that department.
Mark George Harrison said:
never seen the Roky film, shall have a look for it.
Stardust is ok for its time, took me a while to realise Ringo had been replaced with Adam Faith, with a limp from when he got beaten up in TBTD!
My favourite bit in TBTD is when David Essex picks up a Buddy Holly album and says he's waited ages to play it, puts it on the dansette and Richie Valens starts crooning Donna!
Slade in Fame was dark as you say JB, I remember it coming out at the time and Slade fans were really disappointed because it wasn't what they expected, it is as you say really well acted, might have a look on Amazon for a copy.
John Battles said:
The Stray Cats in "That'll Be The Day" was a fictional band built around Dave Edmunds. I know you knew that , but , it reads like you were referring to the well known band of that name (SADLY , The Rockabilly Revival pretty much began and ended in America with them .). I've never seen "Stardust " , though. "The Stray Cats " were credited on the soundtrack.
Setzer claims it was a coincidence that his future producer's movie band had the same name as his real - life band. If you liked that band, though , you'll love Nilsson's pub band in "Son of Dracula "- Moon , Bonham , Frampton and Entwistle or Voorman , I forget , they all go by so fast , except Keith , who gets , like , a minute - long drum solo.
You know , I've only watched "Slade in Flame", once. I was surprised that they could really ACT. It's got a very dark tone for a good - timey band like Slade , though they were about to enter their own Dark Ages. They were getting heavily into not - so heavy tunes , but , the soundtrack holds up well. You've got to love Noddy's Screaming Lord Sutch parody , too.
There was serious talk of a biopic on Roky , several years ago , but , it never came about. Perhaps it will , someday.....
It's true , if they really told his story , a lot of people would'nt believe it.
Roky's Son , Jegar , did a very good short film , in which he portrays his Dad. Even though he favors his Mom , Dana , he went to great lengths to make himself look uncannily like Roky.
