title: Slade

text: The band members grew their hair long and allied themselves to the glam rock movement of the early 1970s. Hill's stage costumes also became notable during this period. Chandler now demanded the band write a follow-up single themselves which led to Lea and Holder writing "Coz I Luv You". The song was written in half an hour and started a writing partnership which would continue throughout Slade's career. Upon hearing the track played to him acoustically, a pleased Chandler predicted the song would make number one. While recording, the band felt the song's sound to be too soft, and so clapping and bootstamping were added. The song's misspelled title also became a trademark for Slade while causing a furore among British school teachers. The attendant appearance on BBC Television's "Top of the Pops" brought Slade to a wider audience as well as pushing "Coz I Luv You" to number one in the UK charts. In November 1971, "NME" reported that Slade had turned down a multimillion-dollar campaign, including a television series and a heavily promoted tour of the US. "But", commented Holder, "acceptance would have meant the cancellation of many commitments here – and the last thing we want to do is to mess around the people who have put us where we are".


title: Slade

text: A second single entitled "Look Wot You Dun", was released at the start of 1972, peaking at number four and a live album was released in March. The album "Slade Alive!" proved to be successful, spending 52 weeks in the UK Album charts, peaking at number two. It also did well abroad, topping the Australian charts and giving the band their first chart entry in America. The album was recorded over three nights at a newly built studio in Piccadilly in front of 300 fan-club members. Today the album is regarded as one of the finest live albums ever made.


title: Slade

text: Two months later, the band released "Take Me Bak 'Ome". The single became Slade's second UK number one and charted in a number of other countries, including America where it reached number 97 in the Billboard singles chart. Slade achieved their third number one when "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" was released later that year.


title: Slade

text: Released in November 1972, the album "Slayed?" peaked at number one both in the UK and Australia, where it relegated Slade Alive to the second spot; and reaching number 69 in America. Both "Slade Alive!" and "Slayed?" are widely considered to be two of the finest albums of the glam rock era. The final single of 1972, "Gudbuy T' Jane", was released shortly after, peaking at number two in the UK. The single was a big worldwide hit but only managed to reach number 68 in the American Billboard Chart.


title: Slade

text: In early 1973, "Cum on Feel the Noize" was released and went straight to number one, the first time a single had done so since The Beatles' "Get Back" in 1969. Another worldwide hit for Slade, the single again failed to impress in America where it made number 98. The follow-up single "Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me", again went straight to number one. Despite being a hit single, "Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me" was never performed on Top of the Pops because the producers of the show would not allow Slade to perform as a three-piece band. A promotional video with dancers was shown instead.


title: Slade

text: A car crash in Wolverhampton on 4 July 1973 left Powell in a coma and his 20-year-old girlfriend, Angela Morris, dead. The band's future was left in the balance as Slade refused to continue without their drummer although Lea's brother, Frank, covered Powell's position at the Isle of Man Festival to avoid disappointing fans. Powell, who'd suffered breaks to both ankles and five ribs, successfully recovered after surgery and was able to rejoin the band ten weeks later in New York, where they recorded "Merry Xmas Everybody" – in the middle of a heatwave. Powell still suffers with acute short-term memory loss and sensory problems as a result of the accident.


title: Slade

text: Whilst Powell was recovering, and in an attempt to keep up momentum, the band released a compilation album "Sladest", which topped the UK and Australian charts in the first week of its release. A new single, "My Friend Stan", was also released. It marked a change from previous records, being more piano based and sounding more like a novelty song. During the recording sessions, Powell who was walking with the aid of a stick, had to be lifted up to his drum kit. The single was successful, peaking at number two in the UK and number one in Ireland.


title: Slade

text: The Christmas-themed song "Merry Xmas Everybody" was Slade's last single of 1973 and became the band's last ever number one in the UK. Prompted by a challenge from Lea's mother in law to write a seasonal song, the chorus was the melody from a discarded song written by Holder six years previously. It became Slade's best-selling single ever. The song has remained popular and has been released many times since, charting on a number of occasions.


title: Slade

text: The band began to experiment with different musical styles, moving away from their usual successful rock anthems. Following the success of "My Friend Stan", Slade released the album "Old, New, Borrowed and Blue", in February 1974 which went to number one in the UK. Re-titled "Stomp Your Hands, Clap Your Feet", the album was another disappointment in the US, failing to break into the top 100. The following month saw a new single released. "Everyday" was a piano led ballad which made number three in the UK charts. The next single, "The Bangin' Man" saw a return to a more guitar-based sound, again reaching the number three position.


title: Slade

text: In the latter half of 1974, the possibility of making a film was being discussed. The band considered a number of screenplays before settling on "Slade in Flame", a gritty tale of the rise and fall of a fictional 1960s group called Flame; the story was based on true music business events involving Slade and various other groups of the time. A track from the film was released, "Far Far Away"; this reached number two in the UK and topped the charts in Norway and other parts of Scandinavia. Noddy Holder has cited the single as his favourite Slade song.


title: Slade

text: The soundtrack album was released in late November and despite a positive reception from the critics, the disappointing chart position of number six was seen by some as an indication of the band's decline in popularity. The film, released in January 1975, received a somewhat mixed reception. Critics loved it, but it was thought that its bleak, noir atmosphere confused Slade fans who were used to Slade delivering a good time. Directed by Richard Loncraine and written by Andrew Birkin, the film featured Tom Conti in his first major film role.


title: Slade

text: The number 15 position of the film's main theme song, "How Does It Feel", was seen as further proof of the band's decline. The ballad, featuring brass instruments and flute, was at the time thought to be too far from the fans' expectations. Noel Gallagher of the British band Oasis however has claimed the track to be, "one of the best songs written, in the history of pop, ever". The follow-up in May "Thanks for the Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam)" fared slightly better, peaking at number seven in the UK and doing well in a number of other European countries. The single became Slade's last top 10 hit of the 1970s.


title: Slade

text: By mid-1975, the band had become disillusioned with their lack of success in America. Feeling that they were becoming stale and had achieved all they could in Europe, Slade decided to a make a permanent move to the States and try to build a solid reputation from live performances; just as they had previously done in the UK. According to the Slade Fan Club newsletter of August and September 1975, the band took twelve tons of equipment, worth approximately £45,000 at the time. Throughout the remainder of 1975 and 1976, Slade toured the US, often with other bands such as Aerosmith, ZZ Top and Black Sabbath, only returning to the UK for TV performances of new singles.


title: Slade

text: Between tours Holder and Lea began writing for a new album which was heavily influenced by the US and aimed at an American audience. The group booked themselves into New York's Record Plant Studios in mid-1975 to record the album "Nobody's Fools". Featuring backing vocals from Tasha Thomas, it contained elements of soul, country and funk music.


title: Slade

text: The first two singles from the new album, "In For a Penny" and "Let's Call It Quits" were released in November 1975 and January 1976 respectively, both made number 11 in the UK charts although the latter made no impression outside of the UK. The album, released in March 1976, failed to make any impact in America and was also a disappointment in the UK where it peaked at number 14 and dropped out of the charts completely after only 4 weeks. The final track from the album was the title track "Nobody's Fool". Released in April, it failed to chart at all, the first to do so since the band's rise to fame in 1971. Fans within the UK accused the band of 'selling out' and forgetting about their fan base at home.


title: Slade

text: Overall, Slade's American venture was seen as a failure, although the band felt improved and rejuvenated. The live success in many cities such as St. Louis, Philadelphia, and New York was not translated into US airplay, however, and the band returned to the UK at the beginning of 1977 to find that punk rock was the new popular style of rock and that they were largely forgotten and out of fashion. Chandler decided not to renew the band's contract with Polydor Records, instead signing them to his own record label, Barn Records.


title: Slade

text: The band's first release with Barn Records was the single "Gypsy Roadhog", in January 1977. The track was performed on the children's show "Blue Peter", but complaints arose due to supposed drug references and the record was subsequently banned by the BBC. This in turn led to the single's stalling at number 48 in the charts. The title of the subsequent album was taken from a piece of graffiti seen in London, and made reference to the band's current position in the public eye: "Whatever Happened to Slade" was released in March and failed to make any chart appearance in the UK. Chandler was reportedly disappointed in the material that Holder and Lea were writing, claiming that the album was not commercial enough, but despite its lack of mainstream success, the album was met with critical praise and support from the English punk movement of the time. Since their return to the UK, the band continued to tour but mainly in smaller venues such as universities and clubs.


title: Slade

text: "Burning in the Heat of Love", released a month later, also failed to chart. In October, the band released an amalgamation of two Arthur Crudup songs, entitled "My Baby Left Me/That's All Right" as a tribute to the recent death of Elvis Presley. The single proved to be a moderate success, peaking at number 32 in the UK. Slade was unable to keep momentum for the next single, "Give Us a Goal", released in March 1978. Based on English football chants, it was intended to appeal to fans of the sport but failed to make any impact whatsoever, other than making the airplay-based charts of Radio Luxembourg and Manchester's Piccadilly Radio. It has however been used in successful advertising campaigns in recent years.


title: Slade

text: In August 1978, Noddy Holder was reportedly involved in a brawl with a bouncer (Desmond Brothers) backstage at The Stoneleigh Club in Porthcawl, South Wales. The bouncer was later jailed for three months for instigating the attack on Holder, after he had told the club bouncers to stop hurting the kids in the crowd who were pushed up against the stage, during the show. Holder showed his mettle by performing the next night as planned, although he had a broken nose, at a club in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire. The story of the attack would later be written into the 1981 single "Knuckle Sandwich Nancy", which Holder insisted would be released as a single. The band said in contemporary interviews that RCA and Chas Chandler objected to the single's release, so it came out on the Cheapskate label, rather than on RCA, the label that they were contracted to.


title: Slade

text: In late 1978, the band released "Rock 'n' Roll Bolero", which was another commercial failure. As the band were still a respected live act, and because the 1972 album "Slade Alive!" had been so successful, the group decided to release another live album. "Slade Alive, Vol. 2" consisted of performances recorded during the 1976 Autumn tour of America and the 1977 Spring tour of the UK.


title: Slade

text: In 1979, the band released a further three singles: "Ginny, Ginny", "Sign of the Times" and a cover of the party track "Okey Cokey". All failed to chart. The Slade newsletter of the time announced that "Ginny, Ginny" had made the top 200 in the UK but not the official top 100. In October 1979, the band released a new studio album "Return to Base", the first album not to have Chandler as producer. Disagreements between Lea and Chandler, centring on business problems and Lea's desire to produce Slade's material, had been brewing since the recording of "Whatever Happened to Slade" in 1977. Lea in particular disagreed with Chandler on production decisions. As a result, Chandler offered to sever his association with the band. Slade, not wishing to be rid of Chandler entirely, asked him to stay on for the time being as their manager, which Chandler agreed to do. The album was a failure in the UK but the following year it topped both the Telemoustique chart and the official album chart in Belgium. Released exclusively in Belgium, the album's version of Chuck Berry's "I'm a Rocker" also made number 1.


title: Slade

text: Slade's failures and lack of airplay led Lea to wonder if their material would be better received if recorded by another band. In late 1979, Lea formed The Dummies as a side project, with his brother Frank. They released three singles, which received plenty of radio airplay but sales suffered from distribution problems. In February 1980, Holder was briefly considered as a replacement for Bon Scott, the recently deceased singer of AC/DC. Holder was said to have turned the position down, despite Slade's current situation, because of his loyalty to the band. In mid-1980, Slade released their first extended play titled "Six of the Best" which featured three tracks from the "Return to Base" album and three brand new rock tracks. Even though it was being sold for a lower than usual price of £1.49, it still failed to sell enough to make a chart appearance. As a result, the band stopped working together and Hill started driving couples to their weddings in his own Rolls-Royce, to earn money. The business never really took off, as Hill only drove one couple (a pair of fans).


title: Slade

text: Hill later recalled that during this period Slade "played the difficult gigs, the gigs where people have chicken in a basket and then go on the dancefloor" but noted that they "had an armour of fantastic songs so nobody was going to argue with [them]."


title: Slade

text: 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.


title: Slade

text: 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" which peaked at number 70. 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 charts, peaking at number 21. The album was certified UK Gold in December, having by then sold over 200,000 copies.


title: Slade

text: 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 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" was written and released in January 1981. Aimed at the new audience which consisted of mainly heavy metal fans, it showed Slade's heavier rock sound. The single hit the number 10 spot in the UK, becoming Slade's first top ten hit since 1976. 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.


title: Slade

text: "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. Slade's success at the 1980 Reading festival was helping them fill large venues and led to their being asked about a return in 1981. The band refused to return so soon, and opted to play the Castle Donington Heavy Rock Festival instead.


title: Slade

text: 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 The new deal meant that Slade's records would get worldwide release except in the US and Canada. The next couple of UK singles would still be released under the Cheapskate label but with RCA pressing and distributing the records, then a full RCA release would start.


title: Slade

text: The band's first full release on the RCA label was the European hit single "Lock Up Your Daughters" in late 1981. The track continued to follow a more heavy metal sound and made number 29 in the UK. 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. 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. 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.


title: Slade

text: By early 1982, the band had released a new single from the "Till Deaf Do Us Part" album, "Ruby Red". Although a gatefold release with two extra live tracks, it only managed to reach 51 in the charts. The opening track from the album, "Rock and Roll Preacher" was released exclusively in Germany in April. The first Slade single to have a 12" single version, it peaked at number 49. 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. The band's version of the party track "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. December saw the release of Slade's third and final live album, "Slade on Stage" which peaked at number 58 in the UK and received a positive response from critics. Lea continued working on solo projects throughout despite the upturn in Slade's fortunes.


title: Slade

text: Although Slade enjoyed some minor success, RCA Records had higher expectations and sent them away to write songs to be considered for release in 1983. The band came back with two possible singles, "My Oh My" and "Run Runaway". A raw demo of Holder singing "My Oh My" over Lea's piano was received with particular enthusiasm by RCA. The label was delighted with both the tracks and hired outside producer John Punter to work with the band to record them. This was the first time the band had another producer since Chandler. Punter's methods differed from those Slade were used to, in that the band recorded all their parts separately. This method eventually met with the band's approval, except for Holder, who believed this method was ruining their unique chemistry and was losing their rock & roll edge. The power ballad "My Oh My" was released in November 1983, where it slowly climbed the charts and by December, Slade found themselves competing for the Christmas number 1 spot. The single peaked at number 2 behind a cappella group The Flying Pickets with their cover of Yazoo's "Only You". The single was a huge success across Europe and topped the charts in Norway and Sweden. "Merry Xmas Everybody", again re-released, made number 20 that year.


title: Slade

text: The album "The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome", co-produced by Lea and Punter, was also released in December but, despite the strength of "My Oh My", had only made number 74 by the end of the year. To try to push the album further up the charts, January 1984 saw the release of "Run Runaway", a Celtic-flavoured rock jig featuring the return of Lea's fiddle. The single peaked at number seven in the UK and was also successful in a number of other European countries.


title: Slade

text: In late 1983, Holder joined Lea in record production producing, among other things, Girlschool's cover of the T-Rex song "20th Century Boy" and the album "Play Dirty" which featured two Slade tracks, "Burning in the Heat of Love" and "High and Dry". Toward the end of the year, American glam metal band Quiet Riot released a cover version of "Cum on Feel the Noize" on Pasha Records and distributed by Columbia Records. It became a huge hit, peaking at number five in the Billboard charts and helping their debut album "Metal Health" to the top, selling seven million copies on the way. As a result, Slade's original was re-released in the UK but disappointingly it only reached number 98. However, the success of a Slade track in the US charts prompted CBS Records to sign Slade to their CBS Associated label and in mid-1984, released the single "Run Runaway". The single eventually peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a total of 17 weeks, and topped the American mainstream rock chart. It was Slade's first and only top 20 hit in the States. Its success, it has been suggested, was partly due to the accompanying music video which was filmed at Eastnor Castle in Ledbury, Herefordshire, England and was heavily shown on the MTV music channel. In August 1984, "My Oh My" was released in the US as a follow-up; it peaked at number 37 for a total of 11 weeks, again with the help of a heavily-rotated music video on MTV. Quiet Riot meanwhile released another Slade song, "Mama Weer All Crazee Now", which peaked at number 51.


title: Slade

text: "The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome" was reworked with a couple of alternative tracks and different artwork, and was released in North America as "Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply". The album was a success, getting to number 33 in the US and number 26 in Canada. The final single from the album was "Slam the Hammer Down" which peaked at number 92. A tour with Ozzy Osbourne was cancelled after several warm-up gigs, when Lea collapsed in the dressing room after a performance. He was later diagnosed with hepatitis C. The band returned to the UK and did not tour again, mainly due to differences within the band and problems in Holder's family life.


title: Slade

text: In mid-1984, Polydor released a new compilation, "Slade's Greats", which peaked at number 89, and during the autumn a full European tour was announced to promote the album. Tickets were being sold before the band had agreed that the tour would actually take place: shortly afterwards, it was cancelled because Holder, who was facing a divorce from his first wife, was furious arrangements for the tour had gone ahead without his agreement. In late 1984, a new single, similar in style to "My Oh My" was released in the UK. Entitled "All Join Hands", the song made number 15 in the charts. "Merry Xmas Everybody" was also re-released, peaking at number 47 in the UK.


title: Slade

text: At the beginning of 1985, Slade released the single "7 Year Bitch" which stalled at number 60 in the UK when it failed to make radio playlists. The band protested that there had been no reaction to Elton John's "The Bitch Is Back" which was a hit record. The single did make number 39 in German charts however. A following single was released in March entitled "Myzsterious Mizster Jones". The single marked a return for Slade's trademark of spelling titles incorrectly, which had not been done since the 1973 hit "Skweeze Me, Pleeze Me". Despite being a radio-friendly track, the single only peaked at number 50 in the UK Neither "7 Year Bitch" nor "Myzsterious Mizster Jones" was released in America but the single "Little Sheila" was, where it reached number 86 in the Billboard charts and number 13 in the American mainstream rock chart. It was also released in Canada, where it got to number 50, and Germany.


title: Slade

text: "Rogues Gallery", an album heavily reliant on Lea playing on synthesizer and the majority of instruments, was released in the UK during March, and in America during May. Reported to be one of the band's most polished productions, the band aimed to produce an album where all tracks were potential hit singles. Despite receiving critical acclaim in both Europe and America, the album failed to live up to commercial expectations, partly due to the lack of live appearances, and Slade were unable to retain their new-found American audience or rekindled British following, causing the band to largely fade from sight once more. In the UK, the album reached number 60, whilst in America it made number 132. The album was a big hit in Norway, peaking at number 5. It also charted in other European countries.


title: Slade

text: In November, the band released a party album called "Crackers - The Christmas Party Album" which peaked at number 34 and was certified UK Gold later that month. Repackaged on several occasions under various names such as "The Party Album" and "Slade's Crazee Christmas"; it contained Slade hits and songs that had been successful for other artists. Amazed at what Bob Geldof had achieved with Live Aid, Holder penned the lyrics to "Do You Believe in Miracles" which was also released in November. The single's earnings went to charity but it only peaked at number 54 in the UK. The final release of the year was another re-release of "Merry Xmas Everybody" which peaked at number 48 in the UK.


title: Slade

text: In 1986, two new Slade tracks, "We Won't Give In" and "Wild Wild Party", were used for the British film "Knights & Emeralds". That same year, the rock band The Redbeards From Texas released a cover of the 1972 Slade hit, Gudbuy T'Jane and in late 1986; "Okey Cokey" was re-released for the second time but failed to chart, whilst "Merry Xmas Everybody" was once again re-released, peaking at number 71. 1986 also saw Slade's first official fan convention at the Finsbury Leisure Centre, Old Street, London.


title: Slade

text: To avoid becoming a 'Christmas' hit band, Slade did not release the single "Still the Same" in December 1986 but left it until February 1987. The single was not a hit, reaching only number 73 in the UK, leaving RCA wondering whether it might have been a better idea to release it at Christmas. Released in April, "That's What Friends Are For" suffered a similar fate, peaking at number 95. Slade's final studio album, "You Boyz Make Big Noize", was released a week later. It was produced by Roy Thomas Baker, Lea and Punter. The album was poorly promoted with no accompanying tour or music videos and spent just one week in the UK chart, peaking at number 98. Like much of Slade's later material, it fared better in Norway where it got to number 12.


title: Slade

text: Following the album's failure, RCA agreed to let Slade return to their own Cheapskate Records label, although RCA still continued distributing. A new single, also called "You Boyz Make Big Noize" was released in August. Influenced by the Beastie Boys' musical style, it lacked the synthesiser sound of the album. It was another commercial failure, just creeping into the top 100 at number 94. The single did not feature on the European version of the album but became the title track for the American version which was also released in August. The album was not successful in America, neither was the single "Ooh La La in L.A." despite receiving radio play in the city of Los Angeles. In late 1987, "We Won't Give In" was released as a single in the UK, where it missed the top 100, peaking at No. 121. The band's 1987 official fan convention was held at The Royal Standard Convention, Walthamstow, London.


title: Slade

text: In 1988, Slade released a cover of the Chris Montez song "Let's Dance"; a re-mix of the track from "Crackers – The Christmas Party Album". The band held their third official fan club convention at Drummonds Convention, King's Cross, London. In late 1989, after what was initially supposed to be an 18-month break, Holder announced plans for a new album. Due to be released in 1990, the album never materialised, nor did the tour that would have followed had the album been a success. 1989 saw "Merry Xmas Everybody" make another new chart appearance, this time reaching number 99 the week after Let's Party by Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers, which sampled the song, topped the chart.


title: Slade

text: In 1989, Hill formed his own group "Blessings in Disguise" with Ex-Wizzard keyboard player, Bill Hunt, Craig Fenney and Bob Lamb. During 1990, Lea released his own version of Slade's "We'll Bring the House Down" under the name "The Clout". At the end of the year, "Merry Xmas Everybody" was again re-released and peaked at number 93.


title: Slade

text: In late 1990, both Holder and Lea produced a cover of "Merry Xmas Everybody" by the band The Metal Gurus, known mainly as The Mission. The single peaked at No. 55 in the UK and both Holder and Lea appeared in the song's music video, whilst Holder provided lead vocals on one of the single's b-sides, another Slade cover, "Gudbuy T'Jane". All artist royalties from the sale of the single were donated to Childline.


title: Slade

text: In April 1991, the Slade fan club-organised a 25th anniversary party. The band, who were invited, played one song, Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" which turned out to be their last live performance. In that same year, Lea produced the single "Where Have All the Good Girls Gone" for the Crybabys, which was not a success. Later, Polydor Records contacted Slade about a new compilation album. It was hoped that Slade would promote it by releasing two brand new singles and, if successful, would record a new studio album. The first single, "Radio Wall of Sound", written by Lea and originally intended for a solo project, was released in October. The compilation album, "Wall of Hits" was released the following month, along with a video compilation under the same name. Both the single and the album were moderately successful reaching number 21 and number 34 respectively. The album later went certified UK Silver and in an attempt to promote it further, a second single, "Universe" was released in December. Despite a number of TV performances, the single failed to reach the top 100. As a result, in January 1992, Polydor withdrew the option for a new album and future singles.


title: Slade

text: In March 1992, the band returned to Rich Bitch Studios to record a new house/dance-style version of "We'll Bring the House Down". However, by the end of the month, Holder had decided to finally leave the band. He had become weary of the constant arguing and discontent within the band, and effectively managing their day-to-day affairs. He left after 26 years with the band to explore other career paths. Believing Holder to be an integral member of Slade, Lea also effectively retired from the band, preferring to work alone in the studio, rather than continue without Holder. Powell filled the gap by helping out in a hotel his partner managed, but would soon re-join Hill to form Slade II later in the year.


title: Slade

text: Slade II was formed in 1992 by Hill with Powell and three other musicians - Craig Fenney (bass), Steve Makin (guitar) and Steve Whalley (lead vocals and guitar). The suggestion to call the group Slade II came from Holder, but Lea was not happy with the Slade name being used at all. The group's name was only shortened to Slade again ten years later. Working solidly on the UK theatre circuit during the winter months and throughout Europe the rest of the year, the band released one studio album in 1994 entitled "Keep on Rockin'", which featured Steve Whalley on vocals. The album was not successful, nor were the singles "Hot Luv" and "Black and White World". The band have seen many line-ups (including Dave Glover on bass, plus present incumbents Mal McNulty on guitar and vocals and John Berry on bass and vocals) but Hill and Powell have remained constant throughout.


title: Slade

text: Slade were reunited for two events during 1996: the funeral of long-time Slade manager Chas Chandler and an episode of the television show "This Is Your Life" which featured Holder as the subject. Also in 1996, a compilation entitled "The Genesis of Slade" was released, which contained rare and some previously unreleased material from The Vendors, Steve Brett & The Mavericks and The 'N Betweens. During 1997, a new Slade compilation, "Feel the Noize – Greatest Hits", reached number 19 in the UK, while in the following year, a remix of "Merry Xmas Everybody", released under the name Slade Vs. Flush, made number 30.


title: Slade

text: In 1999, BBC One broadcast a newly made documentary on the band, titled "It's Slade", which featured new interviews with all four members of the band, along with various other musical artists and celebrities such as Ozzy Osbourne, Noel Gallagher, Status Quo, Toyah Wilcox and Suzi Quatro. It was narrated by Radio One's Mark Radcliffe. In 2000, Holder was appointed as a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for his services to music and his voice was famously recorded for lift announcements at the Walsall New Art Gallery.


title: Slade

text: In 2002, Slade II shortened their name to Slade and re-released their album "Keep on Rockin' " with a handful of new tracks included, retitled "Cum on Let's Party". The band also released two new singles, titled "Some Exercise" and "Take Me Home". Both singles were released in Belgium through Virgin Records. In 2003, incarcerated serial killer Rosemary West announced her supposed engagement to bassist Dave Glover. The supposed engagement was called off shortly afterwards and Glover was summarily fired from Slade by Dave Hill. Glover admitted having written to her about the case, but denied any romantic involvement. An American compilation was released by Shout! Factory in 2004, titled "".


title: Slade

text: In 2005, Steve Whalley, original singer for Slade II, left the band and was replaced by Mal McNulty, who has sung for the band since. In November 2005, Polydor released a new Slade compilation, "The Very Best of Slade", which peaked at number 39 in the UK. A DVD was also released for the first time, featuring a collection of Slade videos and promos. From 2006 to 2007, music label Salvo remastered and released all of Slade's catalogue, including a four-disc anthology set entitled "The Slade Box (Anthology 1969–1991)" and a package of all live albums in one "Slade Alive! - The Live Anthology". The remastered series also included the release of a new compilation called simply "B-Sides", which featured all of the band's B-sides. Shout! Factory also released the compilation "" in 2007.


title: Slade

text: In late 2006, UK chart rules changed to allow downloads of old singles eligible to chart, which allowed "Merry Xmas Everybody" to return to the chart. It has re-entered the UK Top 75 every Christmas since then, most successfully in 2007 when it peaked at number 20. In 2009, a new compilation was released, "Live at the BBC". It featured songs recorded for BBC sessions between 1969 and 1972, Radio 1 jingles recorded in 1973 and 1974, and, on the second disc, songs recorded live at the Paris Theatre, London, in August 1972. In November 2009, Universal Music released a new compilation entitled "", which peaked at number 151 in the UK. In 2010, all four original members of Slade attended a business meeting hoping that maybe this could lead to the band reuniting for a farewell tour. However, the meeting soon dissolved into the same continued arguments on matters spanning back to the band's original break-up, and led to such an idea being dismissed.


title: Slade

text: In 2011, Salvo released a remastered version of "Sladest" which included a previously unreleased studio version of the live track "Hear Me Calling". On the evening of 21 December 2012, BBC Four held Slade Night, which consisted of a showing of the 1999 documentary "It's Slade", Slade at the BBC, and the band's 1975 film "Slade in Flame" respectively. "Slade at the BBC" is a compilation of the band's performances from the BBC archives throughout their career from 1969 to 1991, introduced by Noddy Holder. According to BARB, the viewing figure for "It's Slade" was 608,000 whilst "Slade at the BBC" had a total of 477,000 viewers.


title: Slade

text: After years of working with Lise Lyng Falkenberg, since 2006, Powell's biography "Look Wot I Dun – My Life in Slade" was released on 14 October 2013, by Omnibus Press (Music Sales Ltd). The book is based on more than 50 hours of interviews with Powell as well as his own 20 years of diaries and notebooks he kept due to his problems with short-term memory following his 1973 accident. Additionally the book featured contributions and quotes from interviews of 28 of Powell's friends, colleagues and family members. It looks in detail at Slade's long career and Powell's life, which included booze-ups with Ozzy Osbourne. To promote the book, Powell appeared at a number of Waterstones book signings, as well as a charity "Tea with Don Powell" event, a question and answer session, where Powell discussed his life with Clive Eakin of BBC Coventry & Warwick. It was in support of the National Autistic Society. In 2015, the box set "When Slade Rocked the World" was released.


title: Slade

text: On 3 February 2020, Powell announced on his official website that Hill had sent him a "cold email" informing him that his services were no longer required. Hill disputes this version of events, stating that the Don Powell's version of the circumstances of the break-up were inaccurate. Powell also announced that he would be forming "Don Powell's Slade" with former Slade II bassist Craig Fenney. Powell was replaced by Alex Bines. Don Powell's statement was removed from his website shortly afterwards.


title: Slade

text: During 2020 and 2021, Powell, Holder and Lea conducted an extensive series of Zoom video interviews for the www.slayed.co.uk website and its forum at www.sladeforum.co.uk - comments from which were mined for the expanded second edition of the book on their unauthorised discography, THE NOIZE.


title: Slade

text: Slade have been cited as influences on bands working in a number of genres including progressive rock, heavy metal, glam rock, hard rock and pop rock. Many Slade songs were written specifically for audience participation, such as "Get Down and Get With It", "Mama Weer All Crazee Now", "Cum on Feel the Noize", "Give Us a Goal", "We'll Bring The House Down", "Rock and Roll Preacher" and "My Oh My". In the days before Slade, Holder, Lea, Hill and Powell were influenced by American blues artists such as Sonny Boy Williamson II, John Lee Hooker and Howlin' Wolf but then became interested in the work of Little Richard. Later they were to draw artistic influence from contemporary rock acts including the Beatles, Chuck Berry, Joe Brown, Cream, the Kinks, Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, the Rolling Stones, Rufus Thomas, the Who, the Pretty Things, and Screaming Lord Sutch. Chas Chandler's connections with The Animals and Jimi Hendrix also had an influence.


title: Slade

text: The 1969 album "Beginnings", released under the name Ambrose Slade, featured many songs that basically comprised their live act with covers of psychedelic rock and classic 1960s rocksongs by Steppenwolf, Ted Nugent, Frank Zappa, The Moody Blues, The Beatles and Marvin Gaye.


title: Slade

text: "Play It Loud" (1970), the first album that was released as Slade, showed more of a progressive rock sound.


title: Slade

text: Their 1972 live album, "Slade Alive!", featured cover versions of songs by Ten Years After, The Lovin' Spoonful, Bobby Marchan and Steppenwolf and is considered a strong classic rock effort. Their sound was toughening up and they would soon find their classic sound and commence the tremendously successful Holder / Lea songwriting partnership.


title: Slade

text: The 1971 single "Coz I Luv You", and the 1973 B-side Kill 'Em At The Hot Club Tonite were inspired by the gypsy swing of the Quintette du Hot Club de France, especially the guitar and violin styles of Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli.


title: Slade

text: "Slayed?" (1972) merged glam rock with classic rock, and whilst the 1974 album, "Old New Borrowed and Blue", continued in this vein, it also featured pop-rock, rock ballads and novelty tracks. The next album was the 1974 soundtrack "Slade in Flame" which saw a return to 1960s classic rock, to fit with the theme of the film. The single from the album, "Far Far Away" had an acoustic rock sound, whereas the following single "How Does It Feel?" featured the use of brass and woodwind instruments.


title: Slade

text: In 1975, while residing in the States, Slade was influenced by Southern boogie rock bands and as a result, "Nobody's Fools" featured a wide mixture of styles including soul, country, rock, funk, folk and blues. The album also featured some soulful female backing vocalists. After the band returned to the UK in 1977, they began to merge their American influences with a classic, hard rock. "Return to Base" (1979) featured elements of classic rock, acoustic rock, rock ballads, ambient rock and rock and roll. Two albums, released in 1981; "We'll Bring the House Down" and "Till Deaf Do Us Part" adopted a hard rock and heavy metal sound, as a result of the band's revival amongst heavy metal fans, following their success at the Reading Festival.


title: Slade

text: The 1983 album "The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome" featured a change in musical direction, with a more commercial-friendly rock sound on some tracks, mixed with hard rock and glam metal influences. Some of the tracks hinted at a motor racing theme. One single from the album, "My Oh My" followed a power ballad sound, whilst the next single, "Run Runaway" was reminiscent of a Scottish jig. Slade's next album, "Rogues Gallery" featured a strong use of synthesisers, which were a popular instrument in the latter half of the 1980s as did the band's final album "You Boyz Make Big Noize", although this album had a slightly grittier hard rock sound.


title: Slade

text: Slade have influenced numerous artists including: Nirvana, the Smashing Pumpkins, the Ramones, Sex Pistols, the Clash, Kiss, Mötley Crüe, Quiet Riot, Poison, Def Leppard, Cheap Trick, Twisted Sister, the Undertones, the Replacements and the Runaways. Other artists include Hanoi Rocks, Queen, Kirka, Hot Leg, Candlebox, Cock Sparrer and Girlschool. Their anarchic attitude was adopted by the Damned, the Wonder Stuff, and Oasis, the latter of whom covered "Cum on Feel the Noize". Comedians Vic Reeves, Bob Mortimer, Paul Whitehouse and Mark Williams affectionately parodied the band in a number of what the band called 'hysterically accurate' "Slade in Residence" and "Slade on Holiday" sketches, in their "The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer" television programme in the early 1990s.


title: Slade

text: Joey Ramone stated "I spent most of the early 70s listening to "Slade Alive!" thinking to myself, "Wow – this is what I want to do. I want to make that kind of intensity for myself. A couple of years later I was at CBGB's doing my best Noddy Holder." Steve Jones of Sex Pistols stated "Slade never compromised. We always had the feeling that they were on our side. I don't know but I think we were right." NME commented on Slade's legacy in a review of a greatest hits album, "They embodied the glorious absurdity of the greatest pop, in the sideburns, the mirrored top hat and Dave Hill's pudding bowl haircut. As such they were the simplest, most effective possible, riposte to prog rock's bloated pretensions and pseudo-intellect." In 1981, Adam and the Ants' lead guitarist and co-songwriter Marco Pirroni, who now owns Dave Hill's original trademark 'Superyob' guitar, stated that he was greatly influenced by the first gig he ever attended which was Slade at Wembley Pool in 1973.


title: Slade

text: TV presenter Gareth Jones, also known as Gaz Top, is a known Slade fan who hosted the 1986 Slade documentary "Slade Perseverance". Jones also appeared at the 1986 and 1987 official Slade fan club conventions. Other famous Slade fans include English ex-football player Gary Lineker and Welsh football player Nigel Vaughan, whom Lea and Hill visited on Boxing Day 1989 at the football ground of Wolverhampton Wanderers.


title: Slade

text: Ozzy Osbourne commented during a Slade documentary, "Noddy Holder's got one of greatest voices in rock ever." On his show, 'Breakfast With Alice' on Planet Rock, Alice Cooper stated "I love Slade. One of the oddest-looking bands of all time... Twisted Sister lived on Slade, and so did Quiet Riot pretty much. They wrote the catchiest songs around." In 2008, Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe said, '"...like with Alice Cooper and Bowie and Slade – those fucking bands gave 150 percent. It was about fashion, it was about music, it was about pushing the envelope". Status Quo bassist John "Rhino" Edwards stated in a 2010 interview, "I thought the best violin player was Jimmy Lea out of Slade. Oh, he's just brilliant. He's a brilliant musician, that guy. He's a serious bass player. That band (Slade) are so underrated as players. So original." Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore said of them, "They are a good group because they don't care about the notes and there is a public wanting that. Another group might be too inhibited to do what they do."


title: Slade

text: Twisted Sister vocalist Dee Snider once described Twisted Sister as Slade meets the Sex Pistols. Twisted Sister's guitarist Jay Jay French stated "I would say our direct lineage these days is a bit of Slade and Alice Cooper."


title: Slade

text: On the 2011 final "Mark Radcliffe & Stuart Maconie" BBC Radio Two show, Manic Street Preachers bassist Nicky Wire stated that he believed Slade's post-Reading material was very underrated.


title: Slade

text: Kiss bassist Gene Simmons stated that his band's early songwriting ethos and stage performance was influenced by Slade. In his book "Kiss and Make-Up", Simmons wrote "... we liked the way they (Slade) connected with the crowd and the way they wrote anthems... we wanted that same energy, that same irresistible simplicity". Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick said that his band went to see Slade perform, and that they (Slade) used "every cheap trick in the book", thus inadvertently coining his group's name. Cheap Trick covered the song "When the Lights Are Out" on their 2009 release, "The Latest".


title: Slade

text: Quiet Riot had US hits with covers of "Cum on Feel the Noize" and "Mama Weer All Crazee Now". The origins of Slade's influence on Quiet Riot date back to the early 1970s, when Kevin DuBrow photographed Slade during their first Los Angeles appearance at the Whisky a Go Go. However, Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali claims that DuBrow was not a fan of Slade, favouring fellow British rock bands Queen and Humble Pie.


title: Slade

text: In 1971, "Record Mirror" magazine voted Slade number 10 in the top UK groups based on singles for the year. During 1972, the then popular teen magazine, "Fab 208", voted the band "Group of the Year" whilst in the "Record Mirror" magazine that same year; Slade were voted number two in the most promising British groups list, number five in the top 18 groups list and number 17 in the male groups category. Also in 1972, Slade were voted number one top band and leading recording act in the NME magazine chart points survey, and number one top live band. Radio Luxembourg presented Slade with the award for "Britain's act/group of the year" in 1973.


title: Slade

text: In February 1973, Slade were voted Best Live Band by the Disc Music Awards. The same year, the band were again voted the world's top group in the NME Poll and top group in the BBC World Service Poll. In April 1973, Record Mirror magazine ranked Slade at number three of top 10 in both the album and singles band chart. Record Mirror's exclusive chart survey was based on a point system allocated according to position and length of time in UK charts for the first three months of the year. In July 1973, Record Mirror magazine ranked Slade at number six of 10 in the UK group singles chart and number 3 in the UK group albums chart. In 1973 and 1974, the band received the Carl-Alan award for Top Group.


title: Slade

text: In early 1974, the band were voted the number one foreign group by Spain's biggest music magazine of the time and were voted best overseas group in Finland, Belgium and Ireland. The Disc Music Awards rated Slade as the best live group and top British group. Slade made number four in the "top groups in the world" category. Individual members were also acknowledged; Noddy Holder was number five in the best British male singers whilst Jim Lea made number nine in the top songwriter list. In the "Record and Radio Mirror" poll results of 1974, Slade were voted top British group, with Holder number two in the top British male singer list. Dave Hill and Jim Lea made the top British guitarist list at number one and seven respectively. Lea also appeared at number nine in the top British keyboardist list and number two in the miscellaneous instruments list. Don Powell was voted top British percussionist. The band collected the 1974 Belgian award for Best World Group.


title: Slade

text: In February 1976, Record Mirror magazine voted Slade the third best UK group with Noddy Holder number eight in the best male singer and number six in the best songwriter categories. In 1980, Record Mirror voted the band number one for the most inspired comeback of the year.


title: Uruk

text: Uruk, also known as Warka or Warkah, was an ancient city of Sumer (and later of Babylonia) situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates River on the dried-up ancient channel of the Euphrates east of modern Samawah, Al-Muthannā, Iraq.


title: Uruk

text: Uruk is the type site for the Uruk period. Uruk played a leading role in the early urbanization of Sumer in the mid-4th millennium BC.


title: Uruk

text: By the final phase of the Uruk period around 3100 BC, the city may have had 40,000 residents, with 80,000-90,000 people living in its environs, making it the largest urban area in the world at the time. The legendary king Gilgamesh, according to the chronology presented in the "Sumerian King List" (henceforth "SKL"), ruled Uruk in the 27th century BC. The city lost its prime importance around 2000 BC in the context of the struggle of Babylonia against Elam, but it remained inhabited throughout the Seleucid (312–63 BC) and Parthian (227 BC to 224 AD) periods until it was finally abandoned shortly before or after the Islamic conquest of 633–638.


title: Uruk

text: William Kennett Loftus visited the site of Uruk in 1849, identifying it as "Erech", known as "the second city of Nimrod", and led the first excavations from 1850 to 1854.


title: Uruk

text: Uruk (;) has several spellings in cuneiform; in Sumerian it is "unug"; in Akkadian, "Uruk" (). Its names in other languages include: , '; Syriac: ܐܘܿܪܘܿܟ,"‘Úrūk"; Hebrew: '; , Ὀρέχ "Orékh", "".


title: Uruk

text: Though the Arabic name of the present-day country of "al-ʿIrāq" is often thought to be derived from the name "Uruk", it is more likely loaned via Middle Persian ("Erāq") and then Aramaic "’yrg" transmission.


title: Uruk

text: In myth and literature, Uruk was famous as the capital city of Gilgamesh, hero of the "Epic of Gilgamesh". Scholars identify Uruk as the biblical Erech (Genesis 10:10), the second city founded by Nimrod in Shinar.


title: Uruk

text: In addition to being one of the first cities, Uruk was the main force of urbanization and state formation during the Uruk period, or 'Uruk expansion' (4000–3200 BC). This period of 800 years saw a shift from small, agricultural villages to a larger urban center with a full-time bureaucracy, military, and stratified society. Although other settlements coexisted with Uruk, they were generally about 10 hectares while Uruk was significantly larger and more complex. The Uruk period culture exported by Sumerian traders and colonists had an effect on all surrounding peoples, who gradually evolved their own comparable, competing economies and cultures. Ultimately, Uruk could not maintain long-distance control over colonies such as Tell Brak by military force.


title: Uruk

text: Geographic factors underpin Uruk's unprecedented growth. The city was located in the southern part of Mesopotamia, an ancient site of civilization, on the Euphrates river. Through the gradual and eventual domestication of native grains from the Zagros foothills and extensive irrigation techniques, the area supported a vast variety of edible vegetation. This domestication of grain and its proximity to rivers enabled Uruk's growth into the largest Sumerian settlement, in both population and area, with relative ease.


title: Uruk

text: Uruk's agricultural surplus and large population base facilitated processes such as trade, specialization of crafts and the evolution of writing; writing may have originated in Uruk around 3300 BC. Evidence from excavations such as extensive pottery and the earliest known tablets of writing support these events. Excavation of Uruk is highly complex because older buildings were recycled into newer ones, thus blurring the layers of different historic periods. The topmost layer most likely originated in the Jemdet Nasr period (3100–2900 BC) and is built on structures from earlier periods dating back to the Ubaid period.


title: Uruk

text: According to the "SKL", Uruk was founded by the king Enmerkar. Though the king-list mentions a king of Eanna before him, the epic "Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta" relates that Enmerkar constructed the "House of Heaven" (Sumerian: "e-anna"; cuneiform: E.AN) for the goddess Inanna in the Eanna District of Uruk. In the "Epic of Gilgamesh", Gilgamesh builds the city wall around Uruk and is king of the city.


title: Uruk

text: Uruk went through several phases of growth, from the Early Uruk period (4000–3500 BC) to the Late Uruk period (3500–3100 BC). The city was formed when two smaller Ubaid settlements merged. The temple complexes at their cores became the Eanna District and the Anu District dedicated to Inanna and Anu, respectively. The Anu District was originally called 'Kullaba' (Kulab or Unug-Kulaba) prior to merging with the Eanna District. Kullaba dates to the Eridu period when it was one of the oldest and most important cities of Sumer. There are different interpretations about the purposes of the temples. However, it is generally believed they were a unifying feature of the city. It also seems clear that temples served both an important religious function and state function. The surviving temple archive of the Neo-Babylonian period documents the social function of the temple as a redistribution center.


title: Uruk

text: The Eanna District was composed of several buildings with spaces for workshops, and it was walled off from the city. By contrast, the Anu District was built on a terrace with a temple at the top. It is clear Eanna was dedicated to Inanna from the earliest Uruk period throughout the history of the city. The rest of the city was composed of typical courtyard houses, grouped by profession of the occupants, in districts around Eanna and Anu. Uruk was extremely well penetrated by a canal system that has been described as, "Venice in the desert." This canal system flowed throughout the city connecting it with the maritime trade on the ancient Euphrates River as well as the surrounding agricultural belt.


title: Uruk

text: The original city of Uruk was situated southwest of the ancient Euphrates River, now dry. Currently, the site of Warka is northeast of the modern Euphrates river. The change in position was caused by a shift in the Euphrates at some point in history, which, together with salination due to irrigation, may have contributed to the decline of Uruk.


title: Uruk

text: The great Anu district is older than the Eanna district; however, few remains of writing have been found here. Unlike the Eanna district, the Anu district consists of a single massive terrace, the Anu Ziggurat, dedicated to the Sumerian sky god Anu. Sometime in the Uruk III period the massive White Temple was built atop of the ziggurat. Under the northwest edge of the ziggurat an Uruk VI period structure, the Stone Temple, has been discovered.


title: Uruk

text: The Stone Temple was built of limestone and bitumen on a podium of rammed earth and plastered with lime mortar. The podium itself was built over a woven reed mat called "ĝipar", which was ritually used as a nuptial bed. The ĝipar was a source of generative power which then radiated upward into the structure. The structure of the Stone Temple further develops some mythological concepts from "Enuma Elish", perhaps involving libation rites as indicated from the channels, tanks, and vessels found there. The structure was ritually destroyed, covered with alternating layers of clay and stone, then excavated and filled with mortar sometime later.


title: Uruk

text: The Anu Ziggurat began with a massive mound topped by a cella during the Uruk period (ca. 4000 BC), and was expanded through 14 phases of construction. These phases have been labeled L to A (L is sometimes called X). The earliest phase used architectural features similar to PPNA cultures in Anatolia: a single chamber cella with a terazzo floor beneath which bucrania were found. In phase E, corresponding to the Uruk III period (ca. 3000 BC), the White Temple was built. The White Temple could be seen from a great distance across the plain of Sumer, as it was elevated 21 m and covered in gypsum plaster which reflected sunlight like a mirror. For this reason it is believed the White Temple is a symbol of Uruk's political power at the time. In addition to this temple the Anu Ziggurat had a monumental limestone-paved staircase, which was used in religious processions. A trough running parallel to the staircase was used to drain the ziggurat.


title: Uruk

text: The Eanna district is historically significant as both writing and monumental public architecture emerged here during Uruk periods VI-IV. The combination of these two developments places Eanna as arguably the first true city and civilization in human history. Eanna during period IVa contains the earliest examples of cuneiform writing and possibly the earliest writing in history. Although some of these cuneiform tablets have been deciphered, difficulty with site excavations has obscured the purpose and sometimes even the structure of many buildings.


title: Uruk

text: The first building of Eanna, Stone-Cone Temple (Mosaic Temple), was built in period VI over a preexisting Ubaid temple and is enclosed by a limestone wall with an elaborate system of buttresses. The Stone-Cone Temple, named for the mosaic of colored stone cones driven into the adobe brick façade, may be the earliest water cult in Mesopotamia. It was ritually demolished in Uruk IVb period and its contents interred in the Riemchen Building.


title: Uruk

text: In the following period, Uruk V, about 100 m east of the Stone-Cone Temple the Limestone Temple was built on a 2 m high rammed-earth podium over a pre-existing Ubaid temple, which like the Stone-Cone Temple represents a continuation of Ubaid culture. However, the Limestone Temple was unprecedented for its size and use of stone, a clear departure from traditional Ubaid architecture. The stone was quarried from an outcrop at Umayyad about 60 km east of Uruk. It is unclear if the entire temple or just the foundation was built of this limestone. The Limestone temple is probably the first Inanna temple, but it is impossible to know with certainty. Like the Stone-Cone temple the Limestone temple was also covered in cone mosaics. Both of these temples were rectangles with their corners aligned to the cardinal directions, a central hall flanked along the long axis flanked by two smaller halls, and buttressed façades; the prototype of all future Mesopotamian temple architectural typology.


title: Uruk

text: Between these two monumental structures a complex of buildings (called A-C, E-K, Riemchen, Cone-Mosaic), courts, and walls was built during Eanna IVb. These buildings were built during a time of great expansion in Uruk as the city grew to 250 hectares and established long-distance trade, and are a continuation of architecture from the previous period. The Riemchen Building, named for the 16×16 cm brick shape called "Riemchen" by the Germans, is a memorial with a ritual fire kept burning in the center for the Stone-Cone Temple after it was destroyed. For this reason, Uruk IV period represents a reorientation of belief and culture. The facade of this memorial may have been covered in geometric and figural murals. The Riemchen bricks first used in this temple were used to construct all buildings of Uruk IV period Eanna. The use of colored cones as a façade treatment was greatly developed as well, perhaps used to greatest effect in the Cone-Mosaic Temple. Composed of three parts: Temple N, the Round Pillar Hall, and the Cone-Mosaic Courtyard, this temple was the most monumental structure of Eanna at the time. They were all ritually destroyed and the entire Eanna district was rebuilt in period IVa at an even grander scale.


title: Uruk

text: During Eanna IVa, the Limestone Temple was demolished and the Red Temple built on its foundations. The accumulated debris of the Uruk IVb buildings were formed into a terrace, the L-Shaped Terrace, on which Buildings C, D, M, Great Hall, and Pillar Hall were built. Building E was initially thought to be a palace, but later proven to be a communal building. Also in period IV, the Great Court, a sunken courtyard surrounded by two tiers of benches covered in cone mosaic, was built. A small aqueduct drains into the Great Courtyard, which may have irrigated a garden at one time. The impressive buildings of this period were built as Uruk reached its zenith and expanded to 600 hectares. All the buildings of Eanna IVa were destroyed sometime in Uruk III, for unclear reasons.


title: Uruk

text: The architecture of Eanna in period III was very different from what had preceded it. The complex of monumental temples was replaced with baths around the Great Courtyard and the labyrinthine Rammed-Earth Building. This period corresponds to Early Dynastic Sumer 2900 BC, a time of great social upheaval when the dominance of Uruk was eclipsed by competing city-states. The fortress-like architecture of this time is a reflection of that turmoil. The temple of Inanna continued functioning during this time in a new form and under a new name, 'The House of Inanna in Uruk' (Sumerian: e-inanna unu-ga). The location of this structure is currently unknown.


title: Uruk

text: Although it had been a thriving city in Early Dynastic Sumer, especially Early Dynastic II, Uruk was ultimately annexed by the Akkadian Empire and went into decline. Later, in the Neo-Sumerian period, Uruk enjoyed revival as a major economic and cultural center under the sovereignty of Ur. The Eanna District was restored as part of an ambitious building program, which included a new temple for Inanna. This temple included a ziggurat, the 'House of the Universe' (Cuneiform: E.SAR.A) to the northeast of the Uruk period Eanna ruins.


title: Uruk

text: The ziggurat is also cited as Ur-Nammu Ziggurat for its builder Ur-Nammu. Following the collapse of Ur ( 2000 BC), Uruk went into a steep decline until about 850 BC when the Neo-Assyrian Empire annexed it as a provincial capital. Under the Neo-Assyrians and Neo-Babylonians, Uruk regained much of its former glory. By 250 BC, a new temple complex the 'Head Temple' (Akkadian: "Bīt Reš") was added to northeast of the Uruk period Anu district. The "Bīt Reš" along with the "Esagila" was one of the two main centers of Neo-Babylonian astronomy. All of the temples and canals were restored again under Nabopolassar. During this era, Uruk was divided into five main districts: the Adad Temple, Royal Orchard, Ištar Gate, Lugalirra Temple, and Šamaš Gate districts.


title: Uruk

text: Uruk, known as Orcha (Ὄρχα) to the Greeks, continued to thrive under the Seleucid Empire. During this period, Uruk was a city of 300 hectares and perhaps 40,000 inhabitants. In 200 BC, the 'Great Sanctuary' (Cuneiform: E.IRI.GAL, Sumerian: eš-gal) of Ishtar was added between the Anu and Eanna districts. The ziggurat of the temple of Anu, which was rebuilt in this period, was the largest ever built in Mesopotamia. When the Seleucids lost Mesopotamia to the Parthians in 141 BC, Uruk again entered a period of decline from which it never recovered. The decline of Uruk may have been in part caused by a shift in the Euphrates River. By 300 AD, Uruk was mostly abandoned, but a group of Mandaeans settled there, and by 700 AD it was completely abandoned.


title: Uruk

text: "In Uruk, in southern Mesopotamia, Sumerian civilization seems to have reached its creative peak. This is pointed out repeatedly in the references to this city in religious and, especially, in literary texts, including those of mythological content; the historical tradition as preserved in the Sumerian king-list confirms it. From Uruk the center of political gravity seems to have moved to Ur."<br> —Oppenheim


title: Uruk

text: Uruk played a very important part in the political history of Sumer. Starting from the Early Uruk period, the city exercised hegemony over nearby settlements. At this time ( 3800 BC), there were two centers of 20 hectares, Uruk in the south and Nippur in the north surrounded by much smaller 10 hectare settlements. Later, in the Late Uruk period, its sphere of influence extended over all Sumer and beyond to external colonies in upper Mesopotamia and Syria. Uruk was prominent in the national struggles of the Sumerians against the Elamites up to 2004 BC, in which it suffered severely; recollections of some of these conflicts are embodied in the Gilgamesh epic, in the literary and courtly form.


title: Uruk

text: The recorded chronology of rulers over Uruk includes both mythological and historic figures in five dynasties. As in the rest of Sumer, power moved progressively from the temple to the palace. Rulers from the Early Dynastic period exercised control over Uruk and at times over all of Sumer. In myth, kingship was lowered from heaven to Eridu then passed successively through five cities until the deluge which ended the Uruk period. Afterwards, kingship passed to Kish at the beginning of the Early Dynastic period, which corresponds to the beginning of the Early Bronze Age in Sumer. In the Early Dynastic I period (2900–2800 BC), Uruk was in theory under the control of Kish. This period is sometimes called the Golden Age. During the Early Dynastic II period (2800–2600 BC), Uruk was again the dominant city exercising control of Sumer. This period is the time of the First Dynasty of Uruk sometimes called the Heroic Age. However, by the Early Dynastic IIIa period (2600–2500 BC) Uruk had lost sovereignty, this time to Ur. This period, corresponding to the Early Bronze Age III, is the end of the First Dynasty of Uruk. In the Early Dynastic IIIb period (2500–2334 BC), also called the Pre-Sargonic period (referring to Sargon of Akkad), Uruk continued to be ruled by Ur.


title: Uruk

text: Dynastic categorizations should be considered arbitrary, as they are only known from the "SKL", which is of dubious historical accuracy; the organization might be analogous to Manetho's. The following list should not be considered complete.


title: Uruk

text: In 2009, two different copies of an inscription were put forth as evidence of a 19th-century BC ruler of Uruk named Naram-sin


title: Uruk

text: Uruk continued as principality of Ur, Babylon, and later Achaemenid, Seleucid, and Parthian Empires. It enjoyed brief periods of independence during the Isin-Larsa period, under kings such as (possibly) Ikūn-pî-Ištar (c. 1800 BC), Sîn-kāšid, his son Sîn-irībam, his son Sîn-gāmil, Ilum-gāmil, brother of Sîn-gāmil, Etēia, Anam, ÌR-ne-ne, who was defeated by Rīm-Sîn I of Larsa in his year 14 (c. 1740 BC), Rīm-Anum and Nabi-ilīšu. It is now believed that another king, Narām-Sîn, briefly ruled before Sîn-kāšid. The city was finally destroyed by the Arab invasion of Mesopotamia and abandoned c. 700 AD.


title: Uruk

text: Uruk has some of the first monumental constructions in architectural history, and certainly the largest of its era. Much of Near Eastern architecture can trace its roots to these prototypical buildings. The structures of Uruk are cited by two different naming conventions, one in German from the initial expedition, and the English translation of the same. The stratigraphy of the site is complex and as such much of the dating is disputed. In general, the structures follow the two main typologies of Sumerian architecture, Tripartite with 3 parallel halls and T-Shaped also with three halls, but the central one extends into two perpendicular bays at one end. The following table summarizes the significant architecture of the Eanna and Anu Districts. Temple N, Cone-Mosaic Courtyard, and Round Pillar Hall are often referred to as a single structure; the Cone-Mosaic Temple.


title: Uruk

text: It is clear Eanna was dedicated to Inanna symbolized by Venus from the Uruk period. At that time, she was worshipped in four aspects as Inanna of the netherworld (Sumerian: inanna-kur), Inanna of the morning (Sumerian: inanna-hud), Inanna of the evening (Sumerian: inanna-sig), and Inanna (Sumerian: inanna-NUN). The names of four temples in Uruk at this time are known, but it is impossible to match them with either a specific structure and in some cases a deity.


title: Uruk

text: The site, which lies about northwest of ancient Ur, is one of the largest in the region at around in area. The maximum extent is north/south, and east/west. There are three major tells within the site: The Eanna district, Bit Resh (Kullaba), and Irigal.


title: Uruk

text: The location of Uruk was first scouted by William Loftus in 1849. He excavated there in 1850 and 1854. By Loftus' own account, he admits that the first excavations were superficial at best, as his financiers forced him to deliver large museum artifacts at a minimal cost. Warka was also scouted by archaeologist Walter Andrae in 1902.


title: Uruk

text: The GOS returned to Uruk in 1928 and excavated until 1939, when World War II intervened. The team was led by Jordan until 1931, then by A. Nöldeke, Ernst Heinrich, and H. J. Lenzen.


title: Uruk

text: The German excavations resumed after the war and were under the direction of Heinrich Lenzen from 1953 to 1967. He was followed in 1968 by J. Schmidt, and in 1978 by R.M. Boehmer. In total, the German archaeologists spent 39 seasons working at Uruk. The results are documented in two series of reports:


title: Uruk

text: Most recently, from 2001 to 2002, the German Archaeological Institute team led by Margarete van Ess, with Joerg Fassbinder and Helmut Becker, conducted a partial magnetometer survey in Uruk. In addition to the geophysical survey, core samples and aerial photographs were taken. This was followed up with high-resolution satellite imagery in 2005. Work resumed in 2016 and is currently concentrated on the city wall area and a survey of the surrounding landscape.


title: Uruk

text: Proto-cuneiform clay tablets were found at Uruk with Sumerian and pictorial inscriptions that are thought to be some of the earliest recorded writing, dating to approximately 3300 BC. Later cuneiform tablets were deciphered and include the famous "SKL", a record of kings of the Sumerian civilization. There was an even larger cache of legal and scholarly tablets of the Neo-Babylonian, Late Babylonian, and Seleucid period, that have been published by Adam Falkenstein and other Assyriological members of the German Archaeological Institute in Baghdad as Jan J. A. Djik, Hermann Hunger, Antoine Cavigneaux, , and , or others as Erlend Gehlken. Many of the cuneiform tablets form acquisitions by museums and collections as the British Museum, Yale Babylonian Collection, and the Louvre. The later holds a unique cuneiform tablet in Aramaic known as the Aramaic Uruk incantation.


title: Uruk

text: The oldest known writing to feature a person's name was found in Uruk, in the form of several tablets that mention Kushim, who (assuming they are an individual person) served as an accountant recording transactions made in trading barley - "29,086 measures barley 37 months Kushim".


title: Uruk

text: Beveled rim bowls were the most common type of container used during the Uruk period. They are believed to be vessels for serving rations of food or drink to dependent laborers. The introduction of the fast wheel for throwing pottery was developed during the later part of the Uruk period, and made the mass production of pottery simpler and more standardized.


title: Uruk

text: The Mask of Warka, also known as the 'Lady of Uruk' and the 'Sumerian Mona Lisa', dating from 3100 BC, is one of the earliest representations of the human face. The carved marble female face is probably a depiction of Inanna. It is approximately 20 cm tall, and may have been incorporated into a larger cult image. The mask was looted from the Iraq Museum during the fall of Baghdad in April 2003. It was recovered in September 2003 and returned to the museum.


title: Godfather of Harlem

text: Godfather of Harlem is an American crime drama television series which premiered on September 29, 2019, on Epix. The series is written by Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein, and stars Forest Whitaker as 1960s New York City gangster Bumpy Johnson. Whitaker is also executive producer alongside Nina Yang Bongiovi, James Acheson, John Ridley and Markuann Smith. Chris Brancato acts as showrunner. On February 12, 2020, the series was renewed for a second season which premiered on April 18, 2021. On January 13, 2022, the series was renewed for a third season which is scheduled to premiere on January 15, 2023.


title: Godfather of Harlem

text: A docu-series based on the series titled "By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem" premiered on November 8, 2020.


title: Godfather of Harlem

text: "Godfather of Harlem" tells the "true story of infamous crime boss Bumpy Johnson, who in the early 1960s returned from ten years in prison to find the neighborhood he once ruled in shambles. With the streets controlled by the Italian mob, Bumpy must take on the Genovese crime family to regain control. During the brutal battle, he forms an alliance with Muslim minister Malcolm X – catching Malcolm's political rise in the crosshairs of social upheaval and a mob war that threatens to tear the city apart."


title: Godfather of Harlem

text: On April 25, 2018, it was announced that Epix had given the production a series order for a first season consisting of ten episodes set to premiere in 2019. The series will be written by Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein who will also executive produce alongside Forest Whitaker, Nina Yang Bongiovi, James Acheson, and Markuann Smith. Brancato will also act as showrunner. Production companies involved with the series include ABC Signature Studios and Significant Productions.


title: Godfather of Harlem

text: On January 13, 2022, the series was renewed for a third season which is scheduled to premiere on January 15, 2023.


title: Godfather of Harlem

text: Alongside the initial series announcement, it was confirmed that Forest Whitaker would star in the series as Bumpy Johnson. In September 2018, it was announced that Vincent D'Onofrio, Ilfenesh Hadera, Antoinette Crowe-Legacy, Nigél Thatch, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Lucy Fry and Paul Sorvino had been cast in starring roles. In October 2018, it was reported that Giancarlo Esposito and Rafi Gavron had joined the cast in a series regular capacity. On January 8, 2019, it was announced that Kathrine Narducci had been cast in a recurring role.


title: Godfather of Harlem

text: For the second season in 2021, Justin Bartha, Annabella Sciorra, Ronald Guttman, Isaach de Bankolé, Method Man, Michael Rispoli and Grace Porter were added to the cast. In May 2021, it was announced that actress Whoopi Goldberg will appear in a guest role. On July 25, Paul Sorvino died shortly before starting filming began third season, prior to recast of Frank Costello.


title: Godfather of Harlem

text: For the first season, the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an 92% approval rating with an average rating of 7.50/10, based on 25 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads: "As sharply dressed as it is smartly written, "Godfather of Harlem" walks familiar blocks to its own beat and makes a strong first impression." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the season a score of 72 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".


title: Godfather of Harlem

text: Cheryl Kahla of "The South African" said: ""The Godfather of Harlem" is an excellent example of what modern television is capable of today. Whitaker’s character Bumpy is a drug kingpin but also just a man trying to make sense of the world and connect with his family".


title: .44 Magnum

text: The .44 Remington Magnum, also known as .44 Magnum or 10.9x33mmR, is a rimmed, large-bore cartridge originally designed for revolvers and quickly adopted for carbines and rifles. Despite the ".44" designation, guns chambered for the .44 Magnum round, and its parent, the .44 Special, use diameter bullets. The .44 Magnum is based on the .44 Special case but lengthened and loaded to higher pressures for greater velocity and energy.


title: .44 Magnum

text: Famously called "the most powerful handgun [cartridge] in the world" by Clint Eastwood in "Dirty Harry", the .44 Magnum has since been eclipsed in power by the .454 Casull, .460 S&W Magnum, .480 Ruger, .50 Action Express, .500 S&W Magnum, and the .500 Bushwhacker; nevertheless, due in part to its more manageable recoil it has remained one of the most popular commercial large-bore magnum cartridges.


title: .44 Magnum

text: The .44 Magnum cartridge was the end result of years of tuned handloading of the .44 Special. In the early 20th century, experimenters loaded the .44 Special and other large-bore handgun cartridges with heavy bullets and higher than normal powder charges to achieve superior ballistics and better hunting performance. One of these hand-loaders was Elmer Keith, a prominent writer and outdoorsman of the 20th century.


title: .44 Magnum

text: Keith settled on the .44 Special cartridge as the basis for his experimentation, rather than the larger .45 Colt. At the time, the selection of .44 caliber projectiles for hand-loaders was more varied, and the .44 Special's brass was thicker and stronger than the dated .45 Colt case. Also, the .44 Special case was smaller in diameter than the .45 Colt case. In revolvers of the same cylinder size, this meant that the .44 caliber revolvers had thicker, and thus stronger, cylinder walls than the .45. This allowed higher pressures to be used with less risk of a cylinder failure.


title: .44 Magnum

text: Keith and his associates successfully lobbied Smith & Wesson and Remington to produce a commercial version of this new high-pressure loading, along with revolvers chambered for it. Smith & Wesson's first .44 Magnum revolver, the precursor to the Model 29, was built on December 15, 1955, and the gun was announced to the public on January 19, 1956 for a price of US$140 ($1,330 in 2020 dollars) Julian Hatcher (technical editor of "American Rifleman") and Keith received two of the first production models. Hatcher's review of the new Smith & Wesson revolver and the .44 Magnum cartridge appeared in the March 1956 issue of the magazine. Smith & Wesson produced 3,100 of these revolvers in 1956.


title: .44 Magnum

text: By the summer of 1956, Sturm, Ruger became aware of this project and began work on a single action Blackhawk revolver for the new .44 Magnum cartridge. There is a popular rumor that a Ruger employee found a cartridge case marked ".44 Remington Magnum" and took it to Bill Ruger, while another says a Remington employee provided Ruger with early samples of the ammunition. Ruger began shipping their new revolver in late November 1956.


title: .44 Magnum

text: The .44 Magnum case is slightly longer than the .44 Special case. This alteration was not primarily intended to increase the propellant capacity of the cartridge, but rather to prevent the far higher pressure round from being chambered in older, weaker .44 Special firearms and potentially causing injury or death to shooters.


title: .44 Magnum

text: The .44 Magnum was an immediate commercial success. The direct descendants of the S&W Model 29 and the .44 Magnum Ruger Blackhawks are still in production, and have been joined by numerous other makes and models of .44 Magnum revolvers and even a handful of semi-automatic models, the first being produced in the 1960s. The film "Dirty Harry", prominently featuring the S&W M29 shooting .44 Special ammo, contributed to that model's popularity.


title: .44 Magnum

text: Ruger introduced its first long gun, a semi-automatic carbine called the Ruger Model 44 chambered for .44 Magnum, in 1959. Marlin followed soon after with the lever action Model 1894 in .44 Magnum. Having a carbine and a handgun chambered in the same caliber is an old tradition; the .44-40 Winchester was introduced by Winchester in a lever action in 1873, and Colt followed in 1878 with a revolver in the same caliber. The .38-40 Winchester and .32-20 Winchester were also available in both carbines and revolvers, allowing the shooter to use one type of ammunition for both firearms.


title: .44 Magnum

text: Although improved modern alloys and manufacturing techniques have allowed even stronger cylinders to be made, leading to larger and more powerful cartridges such as the .454 Casull and .480 Ruger in revolvers the same size as a .44 Magnum, the .44 Magnum is still considered an exceptional weapon. In 2006, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the .44 Magnum, Ruger introduced a special 50th anniversary Blackhawk revolver, in the "Flattop" style.


title: .44 Magnum

text: The .44 Magnum fires a large, heavy bullet at a high velocity for a handgun. In its full-powered form, it produces so much recoil and muzzle blast that it is generally considered to be unsuitable for use as a police weapon. Rapid fire is difficult and strenuous on the user's hands, especially for shooters of smaller build.


title: .44 Magnum

text: Although marketed as a .44 caliber, the .44 Magnum and its parent .44 Special are actually .429-.430 caliber. The .44 designation is a carryover from the early measurements of heeled bullets used in the late 19th century. In those times, bullet diameter typically matched the external dimension of its respective cartridge, not the interior of the round. After the .44 Russian was developed, the forefather of the .44 Special and thus the .44 Magnum, the measurement of bullet caliber was taken from inside of the cartridge, resulting in .429 caliber.


title: .44 Magnum

text: Some gun styles are more comfortable to use when shooting this caliber. Many shooters find the rounded grip shape of the single action better for handling heavy recoil than the grip shape of double-action revolvers, which have a shoulder on top of the grip. Many shooters consider the ideal type of grip for heavy recoiling guns to be the longer "Bisley" style single action grip, and it can be found on single actions from Ruger (models marked "Bisley") and Freedom Arms, as well as many custom makers.


title: .44 Magnum

text: The concept of a dual-purpose handgun/rifle cartridge has been popular since the Old West, with cartridges like the .44-40 Winchester, whose "high-speed" rifle loadings were precursors to magnum loads. Other dual-use rounds were the .32-20 Winchester and the .38-40 Winchester.


title: .44 Magnum

text: Some past dual-purpose cartridges, like the .44-40 Winchester, gave their manufacturers trouble when people loaded the "high-speed" versions designed for rifles into handguns. Since the .44 Magnum was designed from the start as a revolver cartridge, there are no such issues, and SAAMI-compliant ammunition fires from any handguns or rifles chambered for the .44 Magnum.


title: .44 Magnum

text: As a rifle or carbine cartridge the .44 Magnum is sufficiently powerful for medium-sized game, yet fits easily into a compact, lightweight package. In 1961, Ruger introduced their .44 carbine, the first .44 Magnum carbine. The lever-action Marlin Model 1894, and many other firearms are currently available in this caliber. With significantly longer barrels than revolvers and no cylinder gap (except in revolving rifles), carbines will generate a significantly higher velocity than a revolver loaded with the same ammunition. Tests with various ammunition in the Ruger Deerfield yielded a velocity of over with a bullet, comparable to the muzzle velocity out of a revolver. Loads using slow burning powders maximize performance in both short and long barrels, with one published load generating from a revolver, and from a carbine with a bullet.


title: .44 Magnum

text: The .44 Magnum is well suited for game up to elk size. With precise shot placement and deep-penetrating cartridges, it has even been used to take the largest of game, including Cape Buffalo. Publisher Robert E. Petersen took a record-setting polar bear with a Smith & Wesson Model 29 .44 Magnum. It has even been used against elephants with success.


title: .44 Magnum

text: In addition to beating the ballistics of the old .44-40 rifle loads, long considered a top deer cartridge, the heavy, flat-point bullets typically used in the .44 Magnum have an additional advantage. Tests performed where bullets are shot through light cover, intended to represent twigs and brush, have shown that the high-velocity, lightweight, thin-jacketed, pointed bullets used by most hunting cartridges today are easily deflected by contact with the brush. The ideal bullets for penetrating brush with minimal deflection are heavy, flat-point bullets at moderate velocities.


title: .44 Magnum

text: The accuracy of the .44 Magnum is very good, with models from Colt, Smith & Wesson, and Ruger producing bullet groups of at , with most ammunition. The limiting factor of the .44 Magnum cartridge is not terminal ballistics. When fired from a revolver, a typically loaded .44 Magnum bullet will have more impact energy at than a .44 Special has at the muzzle, when fired from the same weapon. When loaded with a heavy, non-expanding bullet, the .44 Magnum will easily shoot through large game such as elk and even bison.


title: .44 Magnum

text: The limiting factor is the bullet's trajectory: the best hunting bullets are heavy, so they are relatively slow. This means the projectile's trajectory will drop significantly at ranges beyond ; there will be virtually zero significant drop at , so the gun's aimed "line of sight" can meet the "bullet's trajectory" at the same point. When drop-out at is about , the drop-out at is more than ; with a zero drop-out, the drop-out at will still measure more than . Experts limit hunting ranges to when shooting .44 Magnum cartridges, less if practical accuracy requires it.


title: .44 Magnum

text: The .44 Magnum remained mildly popular among shooters for many years after its introduction, but did not come to the attention of the general public until 1971, when it was prominently featured in the American feature film "Dirty Harry" starring Clint Eastwood. In one of the classic lines in cinema, title character "Dirty" Harry Callahan describes his Smith & Wesson Model 29 as "the most powerful handgun in the world". Although the more powerful .454 Casull wildcat cartridge was announced in 1959, the .44 Magnum was the most powerful production cartridge until the 1980s when the first production .454 Casull revolver was produced. The .44 Magnum was also bought and used by the character Travis Bickle in the 1976 film "Taxi Driver" during his assault on a brothel. The "Taxi Driver" soundtrack by Bernard Herrmann also features a song titled "The .44 Magnum is a Monster".


title: .44 Magnum

text: Demand for the Model 29 increased so much that they were selling for up to three times suggested retail price. When the Model 29 could not be obtained, customers sought other handguns chambered in this caliber, such as the Ruger Redhawk.


title: Peter, Paul and Mary

text: Peter, Paul and Mary was an American folk group formed in New York City in 1961 during the American folk music revival phenomenon. The trio consisted of tenor Peter Yarrow, baritone Paul Stookey, and contralto Mary Travers. The group's repertoire included songs written by Yarrow and Stookey, early songs by Bob Dylan, and covers of other folk musicians. They were enormously successful in the early- and mid-1960s, with their debut album topping the charts for weeks, and helped popularize the folk music revival. After the death of Travers in 2009, Yarrow and Stookey continued to perform as a duo under their individual names.


title: Peter, Paul and Mary

text: Mary Travers said she was influenced by Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and the Weavers. In the documentary "Peter, Paul & Mary: Carry It On — A Musical Legacy", members of the Weavers discuss how Peter, Paul and Mary took over the torch of the social commentary of folk music in the 1960s.


title: Peter, Paul and Mary

text: The group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999. Peter, Paul and Mary received the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2006.


title: Peter, Paul and Mary

text: Manager Albert Grossman created Peter, Paul and Mary in 1961, after auditioning several singers in the New York folk scene, including Dave Van Ronk, who was rejected as too idiosyncratic and uncommercial, and Carolyn Hester. After rehearsing Yarrow, Stookey and Travers out of town in Boston and Miami, Grossman booked them into The Bitter End, a coffee house, nightclub and popular folk music venue in New York City's Greenwich Village.


title: Peter, Paul and Mary

text: The group recorded their debut album, "Peter, Paul and Mary", and it was released by Warner Bros. the following year. It included "Lemon Tree", "500 Miles", and the Pete Seeger hit tunes "If I Had a Hammer" (subtitled "The Hammer Song") and "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" The album was listed in the "Billboard Magazine" Top Ten for 10 months, including seven weeks in the No. 1 position. It remained a main catalog-seller for decades to come, eventually selling over two million copies, earning double platinum certification from the RIAA in the United States alone.


title: Peter, Paul and Mary

text: In 1963 the group released "Puff, the Magic Dragon", with music by Yarrow and words based on a poem that had been written by a fellow student at Cornell, Leonard Lipton. Despite rumors that the song refers to drugs, it is actually about the lost innocence of childhood. That same year, they appeared as the "mystery guest" on the CBS TV game show "What's My Line?"; Dorothy Kilgallen correctly guessed their identity.


title: Peter, Paul and Mary

text: That year the group performed "If I Had a Hammer" and "Blowin' in the Wind" at the August 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, best remembered for Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. The Bob Dylan song "Blowin' in the Wind" was one of their biggest hit singles. They also sang other Dylan songs, such as "The Times They Are a-Changin'", "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right", and "When the Ship Comes In". Their success with Dylan's "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" helped Dylan's "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" album rise into the top 30; it had been released four months earlier.


title: Peter, Paul and Mary

text: In December 1969 "Leaving on a Jet Plane", written by the group's friend John Denver, became their only No. 1 single (as well as their final top 40 pop hit) and the group's sixth million-selling gold single. The track first appeared on their million-selling platinum certified "Album 1700" in 1967 (which also contained their No. 9 hit "I Dig Rock and Roll Music"). After Eugene McCarthy's strong showing in the 1968 New Hampshire presidential primary, the group recorded "Eugene McCarthy For President (If You Love Your Country)" endorsing McCarthy, which was released without a record label. "Day Is Done", a No. 21 hit in June 1969 from the trio's Grammy Award-winning album "Peter, Paul and Mommy", was the last Hot 100 hit the trio recorded.


title: Peter, Paul and Mary

text: The trio broke up in 1970 to pursue solo careers. Also that year, Yarrow was convicted of making sexual advances toward a 14-year-old girl. Years later, he received a presidential pardon from Jimmy Carter.


title: Peter, Paul and Mary

text: During 1971 and 1972 Warner released a debut solo album, with the same style cover, by each member of the group. Travers did concerts and lectures across the United States. She also produced, wrote, and starred in a BBC-TV series. Stookey formed a Christian music group, the Body Works Band, and wrote "The Wedding Song (There Is Love)" for Yarrow's marriage to Marybeth McCarthy, the niece of Eugene McCarthy. Britain's Petula Clark also recorded a version of the song, which in 1973 charted strongly in the UK, Australia and others. Yarrow co-wrote and produced Mary MacGregor's "Torn Between Two Lovers" (No. 1, 1977) and earned an Emmy for three animated TV specials based on "Puff the Magic Dragon".


title: Peter, Paul and Mary

text: While the group was de facto broken up and touring separately, it still managed to come together for a series of reunions before officially coming back together again. In 1972, the trio reunited for Together for McGovern, a concert at Madison Square Garden to support George McGovern's presidential campaign, and again in 1978 for a concert to protest nuclear energy. This concert was followed by a 1978 summer reunion tour, including a September 3 evening performance at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. An album, "Reunion", was released by Warner in 1978.


title: Peter, Paul and Mary

text: Their 1978 summer reunion tour was so popular that the group decided to reunite more or less permanently in 1981. They continued to record albums and tour, playing around 45 shows a year, until Travers's 2009 death. After their reunion, double-bassist Dick Kniss (who had been their bassist in their studio recordings and with their 1960s tours) rejoined the group. Starting in 1990, multi-instrumentalist Paul Prestopino also joined the group.


title: Peter, Paul and Mary

text: According to the flow of the times, they derived a way to change the lyrics of their songs; "boys" in the ”Puff” became "boys and girls", and "dark side" in the ”Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" became "black side". Some of their new songs, like "Don't Go Down To The Quarry" that criticizes an evil bet, continue the tradition of protest songs. The trio received the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience award on September 1, 1990.


title: Peter, Paul and Mary

text: In 2004, Travers was diagnosed with leukemia, leading to the cancellation of that year's remaining tour dates. She received a bone marrow transplant. She and the rest of the trio resumed their tour on December 9, 2005, with a holiday performance at Carnegie Hall.


title: Peter, Paul and Mary

text: The trio canceled several dates of their summer 2007 tour, as Travers had to undergo a second surgery. She was unable to perform on the trio's tour in mid-2009 because of the effects of leukemia, but Yarrow and Stookey performed the scheduled dates as a duo, calling the show "Peter & Paul Celebrate Mary and 5 Decades of Friendship".


title: Peter, Paul and Mary

text: On September 16, 2009, Travers died at age 72, of complications from chemotherapy, following treatment for leukemia. It was the same year Peter, Paul and Mary were inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.


title: Gram-positive bacteria

text: In bacteriology, gram-positive bacteria are bacteria that give a positive result in the Gram stain test, which is traditionally used to quickly classify bacteria into two broad categories according to their type of cell wall.