The band's 1977 album Whatever Happened to Slade proved a commercial failure while their tour that spring had shown that they could no longer fill large venues.

Slade's waning success soon led to the band playing small gigs after that, including universities and clubs.

Despite being successful at filling small venues for their live performances, the band's new records were barely selling.

[3] The band's fortunes changed after they were offered a headlining slot at the Reading festival in August 1980, following a late cancellation by Ozzy Osbourne.

[3] Slade's entire performance at the festival was recorded by BBC and forty-five minutes of their set was soon broadcast on the Friday Rock Show.

Both this EP and its November follow-up, Xmas Ear Bender, along with the Polydor compilation Slade Smashes!

The second was a cover of Steppenwolf's "Born to Be Wild", while the third was a medley of three tracks; "Somethin' Else, Pistol Packin' Mama, Keep a Rollin'".

In a 1980 fan club interview, lead vocalist Noddy Holder spoke of the EP: "Well, it was just a matter of fact really.

Tommy Vance played 40 minutes of our set on his show and got a fantastic response from it - thus it was public reaction really that prompted us to release something from the Reading Festival.

They show they can still get a few asses wiggling with these three cuts from Reading, where they wiped the floor with Whitesnake, UFO et all by all accounts."