Ambrose Slade (9 May 1969) Beginnings – Album Release

Slade
May 9, 1969
3 min read

A raw, wide‑ranging debut blending originals with bold, eclectic covers, Beginnings introduced Ambrose Slade with a mix of garage grit, psychedelic edges, and early hints of the power that would later define Slade.

Artist: Ambrose Slade

Album: Beginnings

Release Date: 9 May 1969

Label: Fontana

Format: LP

Catalogue Number: TF 1015 / 267 936 TF (single); album catalogue varies by territory

Length: Approx. 40 minutes

Beginnings is the debut album by Ambrose Slade, released one week after their single Genesis. The album failed to chart in the UK but later gained cult status for its mixture of self‑penned material and adventurous cover versions. In the United States, the album was retitled Ballzy. A 1975 reissue titled Beginnings of Slade was briefly issued by Contour before being withdrawn due to copyright issues. The album’s cover, shot on Pouk Hill in Walsall, became infamous after the band were forced to pose shirtless in freezing conditions, inspiring the later song Pouk Hill on their 1970 album Play It Loud.

TRACK LISTING

LP – Fontana – 1969

Side 1:

Genesis

Everybody's Next One

Knocking Nails Into My House

Roach Daddy

Ain't Got No Heart

Pity The Mother

Side 2:

Mad Dog Cole

Fly Me High

If This World Were Mine

Martha My Dear

Born To Be Wild

Journey To The Centre Of Your Mind

FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS

Event: Album release

Era: Late 1960s British rock

Tone: Raw, eclectic, garage‑rock with psychedelic influences

Artwork: Band photographed on Pouk Hill, Walsall, shirtless in cold weather

Audience: Early Slade collectors, 60s rock listeners, completists

CD DETAILS

Original CD Version: Not issued at the time; later reissues vary by label

Notes: US version retitled Ballzy; 1975 Contour reissue withdrawn shortly after release

Index Points: Standard track indexing on later CD editions (1991)

PRIMARY QUOTE

The album cover session on Pouk Hill was so cold it later inspired the lyrics to Pouk Hill on their next album.

THE STORY BEHIND IT

Recorded during the band’s early transition from The N’ Betweens to Ambrose Slade, Beginnings captures a group still searching for its identity. The album mixes originals with covers by Steppenwolf, The Moody Blues, Frank Zappa, The Amboy Dukes, Lennon–McCartney, and Marvin Gaye, reflecting the band’s wide influences. Although commercially unsuccessful, the album laid the groundwork for the harder, more distinctive sound they would develop as Slade. The Pouk Hill cover shoot became part of band folklore and directly inspired a later song.

PUBLICATION

Release Type: Album

Date: 9 May 1969

Country: United Kingdom / United States (as Ballzy)

Formats: LP; later CD reissues

Catalogue Number: Varies by territory

WHAT THE CLIPPING SHOWS

Event: Release of Ambrose Slade’s debut album

Era: 1969

Tone: Raw, formative, exploratory

Artwork: Iconic Pouk Hill photograph

Audience: Early fans, collectors, 60s rock enthusiasts

CONTEXT AND NOTES

Beginnings did not chart but has since become a sought‑after early document of the band. The album’s mix of originals and covers highlights their influences before their breakthrough as Slade. The 1975 Contour reissue was withdrawn due to copyright complications. The US Ballzy version featured alternate artwork and sequencing.

SINGLES

Genesis — 2 May 1969

Roach Daddy — B‑side of Genesis

CHART PERFORMANCE

United Kingdom:

Did not chart

International:

US release as Ballzy; no chart placements recorded

DISCOGRAPHY SIDEBAR

You Better Run (as The N’ Betweens) — 1966

Beginnings (as Ambrose Slade) — 1969

Play It Loud — 1970

ERA MINI-TIMELINE

Early 1969 — Recording sessions at various UK studios

2 May 1969 — Genesis single released

9 May 1969 — Beginnings album released

1975 — Contour reissue withdrawn

GLAM FLASHBACK

Long before Slade’s glam‑rock dominance, Beginnings captured the band in its raw, formative state. Its mix of heavy covers, youthful energy, and early songwriting sparks makes it a fascinating snapshot of a group on the verge of transformation.

SOURCES

Slade discography archives

Fontana Records documentation

Slade In Flame and Play It Loud era interviews

Wikipedia summary (for contextual reference)

All album artwork, photographs, and original text excerpts remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This entry is a transformative, non‑commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.