The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome

The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome is the eleventh studio album by the British rock group Slade. It was released on 3 December 1983 and reached No. 49 in the UK charts. The album was produced largely by bassist Jim Lea. The two UK Top 10 singles released from the album, "My Oh My" and "Run Runaway", were produced by John Punter. In 1984, the album was re packaged and released as Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply by CBS Associated records in the United States and Canada. Both "Run Runaway" and "My Oh My" were US Top 40 hits that year, giving the band their long awaited breakthrough there.

Following Slade's performance at the Reading festival in 1980, interest in the band was revived and a major record deal with RCA signed. The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome was the band's second studio album for the label and had mostly been recorded in 1982. In November that year, the album's first single, "(And Now the Waltz) C'est La Vie", was released and reached No. 50 in the UK. However, in early 1983, RCA felt the recorded tracks for the album lacked potential chart hits and in the effort to amend that, RCA suggested the band work with producer John Punter. Lead vocalist Noddy Holder and Lea then wrote and demoed two songs; "My Oh My" and "Run Runaway". Both were received with enthusiasm by RCA and Punter was hired to work on the two tracks. Released in November 1983, "My Oh My" became a UK No. 2 hit over the Christmas period. The success of the single led to RCA rush releasing The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome in December, rather than February 1984. The album reached No. 49 in the UK and was a success across Europe. In January 1984, the second single "Run Runaway" reached No. 7. The success of Quiet Riot's version of "Cum on Feel the Noize" in late 1983 led to Slade signing with CBS, who would repackage The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome into Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply in 1984.

In a 1986 fan club interview, Holder spoke of the band's wish that a follow up single from the album had been released following "Run Runaway". He said: "We all felt that there should have been a single out on the back of "Run Runaway". The album was our first big success in America, it was Top 5 all over Europe and Number 1 in Scandinavia for months. Britain was the only place it wasn't a big album. We could have, theoretically, had another single off it. It would have been a hit. There was plenty of good stuff on that album."

During the album's release in December, the band had already embarked on a UK college tour. With the success of "My Oh My", the band were also appearing on UK and European TV regularly, followed by the success of "Run Runaway". As the album was originally to be released in February 1984, plans for a major concert tour had been discussed. However, the tour never took place and after a few concerts in America during 1984, the band would never perform live again, except for a one song performance at the band's 25th Anniversary party, organised by the fan club.

Upon its release, Chris Welch of Kerrang! called The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome "all very loud, fast and boisterious" and noted the range of tracks show the band "bent on proving anything the newer boys can do, they can do better". He also praised the "sharp production", for which he felt Lea should be "congratulated [for] getting a modern ambient sound – a cross between Japan and Led Zeppelin", and the "sort of links and programming that hasn't been attempted much since the days of Sgt. Pepper". Robin Smith of Record Mirror described it as "no nonsense stuff to leave you with a throb in your pinkies and a wide smile" and "breathtaking entertainment guaranteed". Anne Lambert of Number One commented: "Slade still carry the same sound – enormous distorted guitars topped by Noddy belting it out for dear life. It will be cherished by Slade fanatics, and tolerated by everyone else."