🔘 SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME – Single: Mar. 1970

b/w “C’Mon, C’Mon”

7" Single — Fontana TF 1079

Released: March 6, 1970 (UK)

Slade’s first single under the Fontana name — a fierce, sharp‑edged cover produced by Chas Chandler, marking the earliest stirrings of the band’s classic sound.

Released on March 6, 1970, Shape of Things to Come was Slade’s debut single for Fontana and the first release issued under the shortened name Slade, following their Ambrose Slade period. Produced by Chas Chandler, the track is a high‑energy cover of the 1968 Max Frost & The Troopers song, written by Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil. Chandler’s production gives the track a tougher, more urgent edge, foreshadowing the raw power that would define Slade’s breakthrough years.

🔘 – Key Highlights

• First Slade single under the shortened name

• Released March 6, 1970

• Produced by Chas Chandler

• Backed with an early Holder‑penned original

• Multiple UK variants including rare acetates

🔘 – Overview

Released on March 6, 1970, Shape of Things to Come was Slade’s debut single for Fontana and the first release issued under the shortened name Slade, following their Ambrose Slade period. Produced by Chas Chandler, the track is a high‑energy cover of the 1968 Max Frost & The Troopers song, written by Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil. Chandler’s production gives the track a tougher, more urgent edge, foreshadowing the raw power that would define Slade’s breakthrough years.

The single was backed with “C’Mon, C’Mon,” written by Noddy Holder and showcasing the band’s early songwriting instincts — melodic, punchy, and already leaning toward the anthemic style they would soon perfect.

Although Shape of Things to Come did not chart, it played a crucial role in establishing Slade’s identity. The band were still experimenting with image and sound, but Chandler’s guidance pushed them toward a heavier, more distinctive direction. The single received a promotional push in the 18 April 1970 Fontana/Philips/Vertigo advert, where Slade appeared alongside Dusty Springfield, Dave Dee, Blue Mink, and Black Sabbath — a sign that the label saw real potential in the group.

Pressed by Phonodisc Ltd., the single exists in multiple UK variants, including promo copies, large‑centre editions, and rare acetates from both Emidisc and IBC Studios. Today, it is a highly collectible early chapter in Slade’s evolution, valued for its rarity and its place in the band’s pre‑glam history.

🔘 – The Story

Released on March 6, 1970, Shape of Things to Come was Slade’s debut single for Fontana and the first release issued under the shortened name Slade, following their Ambrose Slade period. Produced by Chas Chandler, the track is a high‑energy cover of the 1968 Max Frost & The Troopers song, written by Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil. Chandler’s production gives the track a tougher, more urgent edge, foreshadowing the raw power that would define Slade’s breakthrough years.

The single was backed with “C’Mon, C’Mon,” written by Noddy Holder and showcasing the band’s early songwriting instincts — melodic, punchy, and already leaning toward the anthemic style they would soon perfect.

Although Shape of Things to Come did not chart, it played a crucial role in establishing Slade’s identity. The band were still experimenting with image and sound, but Chandler’s guidance pushed them toward a heavier, more distinctive direction. The single received a promotional push in the 18 April 1970 Fontana/Philips/Vertigo advert, where Slade appeared alongside Dusty Springfield, Dave Dee, Blue Mink, and Black Sabbath — a sign that the label saw real potential in the group.

Pressed by Phonodisc Ltd., the single exists in multiple UK variants, including promo copies, large‑centre editions, and rare acetates from both Emidisc and IBC Studios. Today, it is a highly collectible early chapter in Slade’s evolution, valued for its rarity and its place in the band’s pre‑glam history.

🔘 – Track List

UK 7" Single — Fontana TF 1079

Shape of Things to Come – Mann/Weil — 2:19

C’Mon, C’Mon – Holder — 2:40

Produced by Chas Chandler.

Published by Screen Gems–Columbia Music Ltd. / Montgrove Music.

Pressed by Phonodisc Ltd.

℗ 1970 Fontana Records.

🔘 – Variants (UK)

7" Single, Mono — TF 1079

7" Promo — TF 1079

7" Single, Large Centre — TF 1079

7" Acetate — Emidisc (single‑sided)

7" Acetate — IBC Sound Recording Studios (single‑sided)

All variants physically verified.

🔘 – Chart Performance

This release did not enter the UK Singles Chart.

🔘 – Context & Notes

Artist: Slade

Label: Fontana (UK)

Release Date: March 6, 1970

Format: 7" vinyl single

Catalogue: TF 1079

Shape of Things to Come marks the beginning of Slade’s transformation from a hard‑gigging Midlands band into one of Britain’s most distinctive rock acts. Chandler’s production sharpened their sound, and the single’s inclusion in a major April 1970 advert shows Fontana’s early confidence in the group. Though commercially overlooked, the record is now recognised as a key stepping stone toward the explosive glam‑rock success that would follow.

🔘 – Visual Archive

Slade — Shape of Things to Come — UK Fontana TF 1079 (1970).

🔘 – Related Material

Beginnings (Ambrose Slade, 1969)

Play It Loud (1970)

“Wild Winds Are Blowing” (1969)

Early Chas Chandler productions

See tabs at the foot of the post for navigation.

🔘 – Discography

Shape of Things to Come (1970 single)

C’Mon, C’Mon (1970 B‑side)

Play It Loud (1970 album)

🔘 – Mini‑Timeline

1969: Ambrose Slade release Beginnings

Early 1970: Name shortened to Slade

March 6, 1970: Shape of Things to Come released

April 1970: Featured in major Fontana/Philips/Vertigo advert

Late 1970: Play It Loud released

🔘 – Glam Flashback

Before the mirrored hats, stomp‑along choruses, and chart‑dominating glam era, Slade were already building momentum — loud, raw, and unmistakably themselves.

🔘 – Closing Notes

A fierce, overlooked early single that captures Slade on the brink of reinvention, Shape of Things to Come remains a cornerstone of their pre‑glam identity.

🔘 – Hashtags

#Slade #ShapeOfThingsToCome #FontanaRecords #1970

🔘 – Sources

• Your supplied site text

• Contemporary press references

• Wikipedia (contextual background)

• Physically verified variants

🔘 – Copyright Notice

All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle 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.