Two years ago an English rock group named Slade came to Louisville during their American tour, playing small halls like Louisville Gardens, so their high decibel could be fully appreciated, in hopes of spreading "Slademania" to America.

Last night, the four member group again played the Louisville Gardens, but this time they played second bill to American group, J Geils Band.

In 1973, Slade's record company held a cocktail party for the Louisville press to introduce the group, which may very well have been the hottest group in England, but was little known in America.

This time in Louisville, two members of the group discussed their new approach of winning American attention by exposure, not promotion - which has meant second billing to groups such as ZZ Top, Black Sabbath and Aerosmith they said.

Bass guitarist Jimmy Lea, 24, and singer Noddy Holder, 25, discussed their role as an 'established' rock group in England and Europe, and the challenge to conquer American audiences. They did so yesterday afternoon in quiet, soft spoken English accents - a contrast to the voices that would be heard over the loud rock and roll music later that night.

They expressed dissatisfaction with the image promoted in 1973 - an image that Jimmy Lea said prompted American audiences to "sit back and say, oh, impress me."

Holder said the group was not aware of the promotional plans until they got here and "Didn't necessarily agree with it. There was a big ruckus with the record company," he said.

"We've gone about it in a different way this time," Lea siad. "We have been second bill, guests, which has been great......we've appeared before huge audiences." and those audiences, he said have been "great." It has been a challenge to win over a crowd who had come to see the headliner group." he said.