If the reputation of bands hardly relies on the flipsides to their singles, in some cases it is certainly enhanced by them. As an obvious example, many Beatles connoisseurs cherish the tracks originally released only as the B-side of 7-inch vinyl singles at least as much as the Fabs more famous core output. Think of Yes It Is , Rain and even You Know My Name (Look Up The Number) . Of course, a knowledge and enthusiasm for the substrata of a group s repertoire is always part of what cognoscenti fans will do to distinguish themselves from everyone else. But with some bands, this cultish archaeology can be more than justified by the quality of the music. So it is with Slade. In the wider world, the group will always be affectionately remembered as the stompin , hollerin , goodtime rockin hit-making machine who dominated the UK singles charts 1971-1974. But there was always more to Slade than Mama Weer All Crazee Now , Cum On Feel The Noize and Merry Xmas Everybody and on their B-sides was much of the evidence. While the country chanted along to every boisterous singalong hit single, Slade s B-sides boasted oddball progressive rockers, left-field offcuts, chunky ravers and madcap nuggets a-plenty. With the large majority of these tracks appearing on CD for the first time, this B-Sides collection spanning the group s recording career 1969-1991 is the long overdue final piece in the jigsaw of Slade s canon. Naturally, many of the tracks have been vinyl-only cult favourites among discerning fans for years, but for everyone else they will form an invaluable, often surprising insight into an underexposed aspect of a still peculiarly underrated British band.