Initially managed by the corrupt, greedy and unpleasant Ron Harding (Johnny Shannon), the group have their first gig at a small club, which is seen by a talent scout called Tony Devlin (Kenneth Colley). After the show Stoker (Noddy Holder), the lead singer of Flame has an argument with Harding, which results in Harding dropping the band from his agency. However, shortly afterwards the band receive a letter from Devlin inviting them down to London in order to sign then to a management agency and record label run by Robert Seymour (Tom Conti).
Now under contract to Seymour, the band release their first single, which quickly becomes a hit, and after an incident when the band are promoting their record at a pirate radio station and are attacked by gunfire and have to escape via helicopter further boosts the success of the record, the band quickly find the fame and success they had been trying to attain.
However, over the years, the pressures of fame and constant touring and recording begin to put strain on the band, and at a party to celebrate the band's fifth hit record going silver, Harding, now wanting to manage the group again after seeing their success, informs Seymour that they are still under contract to him and tries to stake a claim to their earnings. Seymour responds by setting up a meeting with Harding at Harding's office, and pays Jack Daniels (Alan Lake), a former member of one of the bands the members of Flame came from, to steal Flame's contract. Daniels succeeds, and as Harding cannot produce proof of Flame's contract to him in the meeting with Seymour he is unable to stake a claim in their earnings.
Unfortunately, Harding discovers Daniels' involvement in stealing Flame's contract, and sends his thugs to sever Daniels' toes in revenge. Meanwhile, the tensions between Flame's members are increasing as the band continue to record and tour. During a fractious recording session, their friend and chief roadie Russell (Anthony Allen) is sent out to buy some drinks when he is confronted by Harding's thugs, who give him photos of Daniels' injuries. Russell returns and gives these photos to Seymour, who decides to ignore the threat, causing Russell to quit as chief roadie.
Harding then shows up unexpectedly at Seymour's office, and Seymour angrily orders him out. Flame meanwhile are on a sell-out tour, and on the final date of the tour tensions within the band reach a breaking point and the bassist Paul (Jim Lea), having finally had enough, returns home after the final show of the tour. The remaining members of Flame have a party with their entourage. Seymour, having briefly appeared backstage at the show, returns home with his family only to find out that Harding has sent his thugs to trash his young daughter's bedroom, including ripping up a teddy and painting 'rock a bye baby' in red paint on the wall. The next day, Harding shows up at Flame's hotel, finding Stoker and gloating that the band are now under his management, Seymour appearing to have relinquished management of the band to him after his threats against Seymour's daughter; however he is infuriated when Stoker reveals that the band have split up and leaves the room.
Upon Slade In Flame's initial release in 1975, it received a mixed response, particularly from Slade's teenage fanbase, who weren't expecting them to release a film as dark and gritty as this, and while the band are proud of the film, they have said that it probably did more harm than good to their career at the time. However in recent years, the film has become reappraised and critically acclaimed, hailed by critic Mark Kermode as 'the Citizen Kane of rock musicals', and the soundtrack, released in late 1974 ahead of the film, was a commercial success and is hailed as one of Slade's best albums.
These kinda tropes can't swing:
- Asshole Victim: Harding arguably becomes this at the end of the film. And boy does he ever deserve it.
- Bald of Evil: Harding. Well, bald-ing of evil at least.
- Bittersweet Ending: Emphasis heavily on 'bitter', as Flame acrimoniously break up under the stresses of constantly touring, recording and the music industry as a whole, and Harding is able to scare Seymour into giving him control of the band again, but thankfully his plans are thwarted by the band's breakup.
- Book Ends: The film both opens and closes with the song "How Does It Feel?"
- British Rock Star
- Celebrity Is Overrated: One of the major themes of the latter part of the movie.
- Cold-Blooded Torture: Jack Daniels ends up on the receiving end of this, courtesy of Harding's thugs.
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: Harding, dear god, is he ever this trope.
- Seymour and his associates have shades of this and are initially believed to be this by the members of Flame as well, but mostly avert this trope.
- Crapsack World: The film depicts the music industry to be this.
- Darker and Edgier: Than anything else Slade had done up to this point and have done since.
- This trope also applies to the soundtrack album, which had a moodier, more melancholy feel than their previous albums,fitting with the tone of the film.
- Deadpan Snarker: Stoker would be this if he were actually deadpan.
- On the other hand, Don Powell's character Charlie is definitely this trope.
- Fingore: Well, toegore.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Robert Seymour can come across as a bit of a flashy Corrupt Corporate Executive at times, however he does seem to genuinely care about Flame (at least more than Harding does), doing his best to stop Harding from trying to steal a percentage of their earnings or trying to bully his way into becoming their manager again, and is a devoted and caring family man. It's this fact that Harding eventually uses to scare him into submission and force him to hand over Flame's contract.
- Large Ham: Both Stoker (at least when he was in The Undertakers) and Jack Daniels are this on stage.
- Barry, Flame's guitarist is also this trope onstage.
- Mutilation Interrogation: Happens to Jack Daniels.
- No Indoor Voice: Stoker.
- Oop North: Flame (much like Slade who play them) hail from the north of England.
- Real Life Writes the Plot: Many events in this film are based off of Slade's own anecdotes about themselves and other bands in the mid-60s to early-70s.
- Precision F-Strike: Stoker manages one with the word 'ponce'.
- Video Credits
- Wham Line: tell you what Ron, we've all had enough.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: Jack Daniels disappears after the scene where Harding's thugs sever his toes which implies he has either fled to somewhere Harding and his thugs cannot find him or worse died of his injuries.
- Would Hurt a Child: Harding.
- At least his actions towards Seymour's daughter imply this trope.
