The Bangin' Man (1974)
The Bangin' Man is a non-album single, released by Polydor on 28 June 1974. It reached No. 3 in the UK and remained in the charts for seven weeks. That year it received a Silver certification from BPI. The song was written by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea, and produced by Chas Chandler.
Background
After the release of the ballad "Everyday" as a single in March 1974, the band soon returned to the studio to record a follow-up. Opting for a more rock-based sound, "The Bangin' Man" was announced as the band's new single in May 1974 and was released in June. It reached No. 3 in the UK, giving the band their twelfth UK hit.
"The Bangin' Man" was written while the band were touring Australia. Although some fans believe the song's titular character to refer to Don Powell, the song actually refers to Slade's tour manager Graham "Swinn" Swinnerton. Swinn had the job of waking each band member up in their hotel rooms, ready to head on to the next destination on their tours.
Release
"The Bangin' Man" was released on 7" vinyl by Polydor Records in the UK, Ireland, across Europe, Scandinavia, Yugoslavia, America, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. The B-side, "She Did It to Me", was exclusive to the single and would later appear on the band's 2007 compilation B-Sides. Although the song was a non-album single elsewhere, "The Bangin' Man" was included on the United States Warner Bros. Records release of Slade in Flame in 1975.
Promotion
No music video was filmed to promote the single as the band were busy on a world tour. The band performed the song on the UK ITV show Supersonic and the German TV show Disco. The band also performed the song on the Dutch AVRO TV show TopPop. The song was not performed on the UK music show Top of the Pops due to a BBC strike. It was believed that the song suffered chart-wise due to its lack of coverage on the show.
Critical reception
Contemporary reviews
Retrospective reviews
Chart performance
Australian Singles Chart: #21
Belgian Singles Chart: #18
Dutch Singles Chart: #18
German Singles Chart: #7
Irish Singles Chart: #3
New Zealand Singles Chart: #11
Norwegian Singles Chart: #4
UK Singles Chart: #3
Formats
7" single
Personnel
Slade
Additional personnel
Background
After the release of the ballad "Everyday" as a single in March 1974, the band soon returned to the studio to record a follow-up. Opting for a more rock-based sound, "The Bangin' Man" was announced as the band's new single in May 1974 and was released in June. It reached No. 3 in the UK, giving the band their twelfth UK hit.
"The Bangin' Man" was written while the band were touring Australia. Although some fans believe the song's titular character to refer to Don Powell, the song actually refers to Slade's tour manager Graham "Swinn" Swinnerton. Swinn had the job of waking each band member up in their hotel rooms, ready to head on to the next destination on their tours.
Release
"The Bangin' Man" was released on 7" vinyl by Polydor Records in the UK, Ireland, across Europe, Scandinavia, Yugoslavia, America, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. The B-side, "She Did It to Me", was exclusive to the single and would later appear on the band's 2007 compilation B-Sides. Although the song was a non-album single elsewhere, "The Bangin' Man" was included on the United States Warner Bros. Records release of Slade in Flame in 1975.
Promotion
No music video was filmed to promote the single as the band were busy on a world tour. The band performed the song on the UK ITV show Supersonic and the German TV show Disco. The band also performed the song on the Dutch AVRO TV show TopPop. The song was not performed on the UK music show Top of the Pops due to a BBC strike. It was believed that the song suffered chart-wise due to its lack of coverage on the show.
Critical reception
Contemporary reviews
- Record Mirror said: "Here the lads are counted in with a one-two-three, and Noddy sets the scene of a man in a hotel, unable to recall much of what happened the night before, and the lady beside him locks herself in the bathroom, and enter the banging man, hammering away on the door. Ah, the joys and perils of pop-scene touring! It's a dramatically direct commercial song, by Noddy and Jim, plenty of space for guitar work, and with Noddy working fir to raise the dead. Good flip, too - "She Did It to Me" is slower, more deliberate - chart certain."
- Sounds commented: "With "Merry Xmas Everybody", "Everyday" and now "The Bangin' Man", yer Slade have enriched our drab, miserable lives with pop singles as good as any made during the past decade. Messrs Holder and Lea have crafted some memorable tunes and welded them singable yet observant lyrics. Slade are getting very good at getting the details right these days. All the playing is excellent; strong direct drumming, forceful bass and some lead guitar that would knock spots off some of our guitar heroes, and Noddy is singing better than he has ever before."
- Dave Lewis of Acton Gazette stated: "After their brief flirtation with down-tempo ballads, the lads are back to the old routine with a crashing, bashing hurricane of a song. Noddy's back to screaming his head off, and the rest of the band unite into a solid wall of sound that overwhelms everything in its path. A number one hit, of course."
- John Hutson of Thanet Times wrote: "It's a good song with more than a hint of John Lennon influence. The 'B' side is also good."
Retrospective reviews
- In a 1979 fan club poll, Slade fans voted the song at No. 2 of the top three Slade songs fans most want to hear live.
- In a retrospective review of Slade in Flame, Geoff Ginsberg of AllMusic commented: ""The Bangin' Man" is definitely one of Slade's best, and worth seeking out on a greatest-hits CD."
Chart performance
Australian Singles Chart: #21
Belgian Singles Chart: #18
Dutch Singles Chart: #18
German Singles Chart: #7
Irish Singles Chart: #3
New Zealand Singles Chart: #11
Norwegian Singles Chart: #4
UK Singles Chart: #3
Formats
7" single
- "The Bangin' Man" - 4:10
- "She Did It to Me" - 3:16
Personnel
Slade
- Noddy Holder - lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Dave Hill - lead guitar, backing vocals
- Jim Lea - bass, backing vocals
- Don Powell - drums
Additional personnel
- Chas Chandler - producer