148:" was originally announced as the next single, the idea was scrapped once they had more material recorded. One of the songs, "Didn't You Use to Use to Be You?", was specifically written by Jim and Holder. Featuring Jim's wife Louise on backing vocals, the single was released in August 1980 on Cheapskate. Again the single generated much airplay. It was placed on BBC Radio 1's 'A' playlist and was listed a "Bullet Record" on Radio Luxembourg. In September, the trio appeared on the UK BBC1 show
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Wonder". Rather than the
Dummies, the artist name chosen was the China Dolls. During the late 1980s, Frank was surprised how much second-hand copies of the Dummies singles were selling for. He decided to gather the Dummies recordings, which were released in 1992 by Receiver Records Limited on the album
121:. Frank wanted to prove that any independent label, with the right promotion and distribution, could release a hit single. Released in December 1979, the pair chose the name The Dummies for their project. The single's B-side, "She's the Only Woman", was a 1975 recording by a band Frank Lea was in.
101:
After returning to the UK from the United States in 1976, Slade found their popularity in decline. During the "lean years" of the late 1970s, the band continued recording and touring, but were met with limited chart success and resistance on radio. Jim Lea wished to find out whether it was his and
182:
In May 1982, the
Dummies recording "Poland", a reworking of Slade's "Lemme Love into Ya", was released by Jim Lea under the pseudonym Greenfields of Tong on Speed Records. Later in December that year, "Didn't You Use to Use to Be You?" was re-released on Speed Records under the new title "One Hit
106:'s songwriting or simply a reluctance from DJs to play Slade material. He recalled to Chris Charlesworth in 1984: "Slade were passé and couldn't get any radio play at all. I wanted to see whether I could get radio play on my own without people realising the Slade connection."
168:
Of the songs recorded along with "Didn't You Use to Use to Be You?" were two further Holder-Lea compositions specifically written for the project; "Maybe Tonite" and "The Minute I Lost
Control". Although the remaining songs were covers of Slade originals, one track,
179:, released in 1985. "Maybe Tonite" was released as the band's third and final single in February 1981, which gained airplay but did not chart. Jim later recalled: "It proved that the songs I was writing were still viable. That was all I needed to know."
124:
With 1,000 copies of the single pressed, Frank embarked on a promotional tour across
Britain in the effort to generate radio play of the single. He was successful in having the single play-listed on many regional stations. DJ
113:" as a demo in 1978. Frank took the recording to London where it gained the interest of a major record label, who requested a proper recording be made. The pair then re-recorded the song in March 1979, with Slade drummer
87:
and his brother Frank Lea in 1979. Between 1979 and 1981, they released three singles and recorded a number of original and Slade songs, which were collected on the 1992 album
161:
s "Pick of the Week" during that month. However, distribution issues again resulted in the single's failure to chart. While it still retained airplay, Dave
Robinson of
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providing tambourine. However, when the song was presented to the record label, they opted not to release it. Deciding to release it themselves, the Leas then formed
141:
in
January 1980, "When the Lights Are Out" was at the end of its airplay run and subsequently failed to chart. In April, it was given a release in Germany.
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The extensive airplay of the single convinced the pair to record more material as the
Dummies and release a follow-up. Although their version of Slade's "
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chose the song as his "Record of the Week", with the station actively playing the song for three months. It was also
137:'s "Record of the Week". However, the single suffered from distribution problems. By the time it was re-released on
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173:", was not recorded by Slade until a few years later, when it featured on their twelfth studio album
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Trucking magazine - Reviews: CD and books - Connors' cruising classics - February 2008 - page 102
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487:"The Dummies - Didn't You Use To Use To Be You? / Miles Out To Sea - Cheapskate - UK - CHEAP 3"
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589:"The China Dolls - One Hit Wonder / Ain't Love Ain't Bad - Speed Records Ltd. - UK - FIRED 1"
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547:"Dummies - Maybe Tonite / When I'm Dancin' I Ain't Fightin' - Cheapskate - UK - CHEAP 14"
439:"The Dummies - When The Lights Are Out / She's The Only Woman - Pye - Germany - 101 518"
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340:"Dummies - When The Lights Are Out / She's The Only Woman - Cheapskate - UK - FWL 001"
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568:"Greenfields Of Tong - Poland / (Instrumental) - Speed Records Ltd. - UK - FIRED 2"
526:"Slade - Little Sheila / Lock Up Your Daughters - CBS Associated - USA - ZS4 04865"
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418:"Vinyl Album - The Dummies - A Day In The Life Of The Dummies - Receiver - UK"
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By this time, Frank Lea had already convinced his brother to record "
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offered to release the single, but negotiations broke down.
631:"Day in the Life - Dummies | Songs, Reviews, Credits"
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515:Slade Fan Club Newsletter - November-December 1980
506:Slade Fan Club Newsletter - September-October 1980
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298:"Don's 1979 Diary - Don Powell Official Website"
270:Slade, Feel the Noize!: an illustrated biography
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610:"SLADE Discography @ www.collectadisc.co.uk"
467:Slade Fan Club Newsletter - March-April 1980
359:Slade Fan Club Newsletter - July-August 1980
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154:to perform the song. It was also chosen as
476:Slade Fan Club Newsletter - May-June 1980
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663:Musical groups disestablished in 1981
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658:Musical groups established in 1979
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201:- vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards
221:A Day in the Life of the Dummies
186:A Day in the Life of the Dummies
90:A Day in the Life of the Dummies
79:was a musical project formed by
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151:Multi-Coloured Swap Shop
300:. Donpowellofficial.com
236:When the Lights Are Out
111:When the Lights Are Out
633:. AllMusic. 1999-05-11
394:"1980 Press Cuttings"
244:"Maybe Tonite" (1981)
612:. Collectadisc.co.uk
668:Pye Records artists
591:. 45cat. 2013-12-26
549:. 45cat. 1981-02-06
342:. 45cat. 2017-01-27
266:Charlesworth, Chris
119:Cheapskate Records
61:Cheapskate Records
396:. Slade Scrapbook
372:. jimleamusic.com
204:Frank Lea - drums
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127:Paul Burnett
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104:Noddy Holder
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48:Years active
209:Discography
139:Pye Records
131:BBC Radio 1
77:The Dummies
65:Pye Records
20:The Dummies
652:Categories
637:2017-10-17
616:2017-10-17
595:2017-10-17
574:2017-10-17
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532:2017-10-17
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304:2017-10-17
272:. London:
249:References
115:Don Powell
319:"History"
52:1979–1981
41:Hard rock
32:, England
268:(1984).
238:" (1979)
83:bassist
570:. 45cat
528:. 45cat
489:. 45cat
441:. 45cat
229:Singles
199:Jim Lea
193:Members
97:History
85:Jim Lea
280:
224:(1992)
214:Albums
57:Labels
37:Genres
26:Origin
81:Slade
278:ISBN
129:of
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