The Nice Britain of the 70s might be a colorless, monochrome place. The excitement of the Summer season Of Love had lengthy pale and as a substitute, it appeared, got here the escalating tensions in Northern Eire, financial and political disaster, and a way that the nation’s second had handed. Glam rock (or “glitter rock,” because it was higher identified within the US) added a uncommon splash of colour and sparked a really totally different form of cultural evolution. Partially a response to that turgid zeitgeist of the time, and partially additional proof that the music scene nonetheless had some stable boundaries to press towards, the extra forceful the pushing behind glam rock, the extra the teenyboppers appeared to love it. This was about thrilling music, for certain, but in addition the spectacle of id, dressed up in spectacular costume, and that essential ingredient: a frisson of provocative sexual rigidity.
Take heed to the very best glam rock songs on Spotify.
Glam’s fermenting floor lay in a maturing rock market, the place the prevailing temper had grown extra statesmanlike and critical. The predominance of earnest younger males, posturing in denim and lengthy hair however lethal critical about their musical craft, might need developed from the Flower Energy motion of the late 60s, however they’d misplaced all their sparkle alongside the best way. The glam rockers, against this to that breed and even the hippies that predated them, didn’t need to change the world; they wished to flee it, making a wealthy, out-there theatricality that strayed thrillingly near efficiency artwork territory.
Marc Bolan and T.Rex, Glam Superstars
The flamboyance of acts comparable to Chuck Berry and Little Richard had been, maybe, the genesis of the glam motion, however whereas The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger appropriated a lot of these 50s icons’ type, it was Marc Bolan who was the actual deal and glam rock’s first true star. Londoner Mark Subject had spent a lot of the 60s on the lookout for a break within the music enterprise, however by 1970, with a brand new identify and a band constructed round him, Bolan and T.Rex had been beginning to get observed.
The poppy “Ride A White Swan” climbed the UK charts that autumn and would peak at No.2, providing a small foothold on the stateside charts the next yr. The subsequent single, “Hot Love” – famously written in 10 minutes – was a six-week British chart-topper and actually sparked the signature glam rock sound. Bolan’s electrifying type – half Oscar Wilde dandy, half working-class wide-boy – transfixed viewers of the BBC’s High Of The Pops, and a string of smash hits made him a bonafide celebrity. “Get It On” (his largest worldwide hit), “Jeepster,” “Telegram Sam,” “Bang A Gong (Get It On),” “Metal Guru” and “Children Of The Revolution” grew to become the UK’s soundtrack to 1971 and ’72.
Whereas his US success was patchier, Bolan reveled in worldwide adulation and balanced a relentless recording schedule with a ferocious touring program and promotional tasks, together with the 1972 movie Born To Boogie (directed by Ringo Starr). It was maybe inevitable that this tempo would result in burn out, and, because the hits started to pack much less chew in the course of the last decade, Bolan’s well being began to endure. His demise in a automobile crash, in 1977, put an finish to a outstanding legacy of labor accomplished earlier than he had even turned 30.
David Bowie and Ziggy Stardust
One other chameleon that briefly grew to become central to the glam rock motion was David Bowie. In fact, it was inevitable that such a prodigious expertise as his would quickly drive him in several instructions however, in his Ziggy Stardust persona, he created a caricature that felt solely of the time.
Enormously influenced by the avant-garde work by New York artist Andy Warhol, Bowie described himself as a “tactile thinker who picked up on things”, and this theatrical pseudonym, launching hits comparable to “Starman” and “The Jean Genie” in 1972, additionally borrowed a lot from the glam stars breaking by that yr. The look was androgynous, however the riff-heavy pop-rock mix appealed to youngsters and the extra conformist, mature music fan.
By the summer season of 1973, Bowie was prepared to maneuver on from glam rock and Ziggy was retired at a legendary Hammersmith Odeon gig. Many years later, Bowie’s efficiency of “Starman” on High Of The Pops, together with his arm slung round his guitarist Mick Ronson in a pseudo-sexual tease, stays a cultural touch-point for your entire period. It was definitely provocative stuff. Bowie, who had been mates with Bolan, claims that 50s rocker Vince Taylor supplied a lot of the inspiration for Ziggy, nevertheless it was clear that Bolan’s T.Rex had additionally helped form the persona. Tellingly, legendary producer, and one in all Bowie’s most revered collaborators, Tony Visconti, labored with them each throughout this era.
So whereas Bowie might need borrowed from others, his personal affect on the scene is indeniable. He had lengthy admired British cult band Mott The Hoople and, when he heard that they had been planning to separate after a present in Switzerland, in March 1972, he supplied the group one in all his new songs in a bribe to maintain them collectively. It labored (briefly) and, signed to a brand new file label, the Bowie-produced “All The Young Dudes” grew to become a serious success and a glam rock basic, peaking at No.3 within the UK singles chart and spearheading a Bowie- and Ronson-produced album of the identical identify. Mott had at all times loved a ferociously sturdy reside fame, however factions continued within the group and there grew to become an ever-faster revolving door of latest members till, after six extra hits, the band lastly break up on the finish of 1974.
Slade
Having hits like these was the scorecard for glam rock, and the sound was quickly thought of a fast-pass to the British charts. By 1972, the weekly listings had been awash with acts that had seized on that musical hook and look to get them observed. Slade had been a skinhead band as late as 1969, however, by the top of 1971, “Coz I Luv You” had topped the UK charts and silk jackets and shoulder-length hair had changed their braces. Appropriately sufficient, the four-piece had beforehand had a small hit with a Little Richard cowl, however this was in a wholly totally different league.
It’s maybe arduous to think about now, however Slade had been a home pop phenomenon and have become the primary act to have three singles enter the UK charts at No.1. Their college teacher-infuriating, intentionally illiterate jams the likes of “Take Me Bak ’Ome,” “Mama Weer All Crazee Now,” “Cum On Feel The Noize” (later lined in 1983 by US rockers Quiet Riot, after which once more in 1995 by Britpop dangerous boys Oasis, whose guitarist Noel Gallagher took to carrying a “Quoasis” T-shirt in response to a slight from Blur frontman Damon Albarn) and “Skweeze Me Pleeze Me” all managed to prime the British charts inside simply 24 months. The costumes obtained extra colourful because the hits saved coming, however the perennial Christmas basic, “Merry Xmas Everybody,” out on the finish of 1973, was to show the band’s peak, with their success largely over by the point the punks had been getting began a number of years later. However a bunch this a lot cherished wasn’t going to go away for lengthy: there was a sturdy chart revival within the early 80s, and Slade have loved a sporadic recording and touring schedule within the years since.
Candy
Candy gave Slade a run for his or her cash – within the make-up stakes, even when they weren’t fairly in a position to match the latter’s chart statistics. The four-piece made their TV debut on ITV’s early reply to High Of The Pops, Raise Off, and hit their stride throughout 1971 with frothy concoctions the likes of “Co-Co” and “Funny Funny,” however peaked with the anthemic “Blockbuster,” a five-week British chart-topper initially of 1973.
Largely seen as a singles act, the band had been signed with Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, who perfected a glam-pop sound that will dominate the British hit parade. “Blockbuster,” as soon as once more written by Chinn-Chapman, had a barely tougher rock sound than earlier hits and marked the primary time the entire band had even all performed on one in all its personal information. Three consecutive UK No.2 successes adopted, “Hell Raiser,” “Ballroom Blitz” and “Teenage Rampage,” earlier than the inevitable rigidity between the rock act and their Svengali writing-and-production staff grew bitter. With the band craving wider credibility, the partnership break up and, regardless of an excellent begin with 1975’s “Fox On The Run” (just lately revived within the Guardians Of The Galaxy film), the hits began to dry up, regardless of ongoing success in continental Europe and a remaining flourish with 1978’s “Love Is Like Oxygen.”
Flirting with glam rock: Elton John
It’s maybe a stretch to think about now, however Elton John’s early profession additionally flirted with the sounds and appears of glam rock. With the predominance of the softer balladry that was to dominate his later profession some years away, his hits of the period included stompers comparable to “Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting)” and, in fact, “Crocodile Rock.” Crucially, Elton regarded the half and his droll theatricality performed into the motion’s subversive tease.
The Who’s masterpiece rock opera Tommy was filmed for a 1975 function and featured the Rocket Man because the Pinball Wizard. John’s memorable look, filmed at a grand playhouse within the south of England, noticed him decked out in monumental Doc Marten boots, braces, and the compulsory glitter shirt. The star’s trademark glasses – oversize and glowing within the stage gentle – helped form one other of his basic photos. The identical yr’s Captain Unbelievable And The Brown Dust Cowboy album additionally included songs and the kind of sleeve art work solely relaxed with acts comparable to The Candy and Slade.
The RAK label
Whereas the components could have regarded easy, collectors of the style will inform you that, for all of the successes, there have been loads of failed releases too. Labels the likes of RAK seized on acts comparable to Iron Virgin, Screemer, and Jimmy Jukebox, who then did not chart with songs now routinely categorized as “junkshop glam,” whereas Hi there, who did rating two different hits, had been a gang of youngsters who additionally missed with the misplaced anthem “Another School Day” on the opposite nice glam file label of the day, Bell.
The Chinn-Chapman juggernaut did make an RAK star of Suzi Quatro when “Can The Can” topped the UK chart in 1973. Suzi’s early work had been firmly within the rock style, together with a spell with progressive act Cradle, and it’s attention-grabbing how simply these rock-oriented acts sprinkled their sound with a glam rock gloss to monumental success. That success was principally throughout Europe, although Suzi would obtain a complimentary nod from Elvis Presley for her cowl of “All Shook Up,” a minor hit of their shared homeland in 1974.
Suzi’s second UK chart-topper, “Devil Gate Drive,” was to show her final, however her profession soldiered on (with an enormous US Chinn-Chapman country-tinged hit duet with Smokie’s Chris Norman in 1978 with “Stumblin’ In”) and she or he maintains a powerful profile to at the present time. Different Chinn-Chapman acts that benefited from their Midas contact that decade included Mud and the aforementioned Smokie, however these had been predominantly pop acts. Likewise, Gary Glitter’s partnership with Mike Leander struck gold with a string of huge hits for him and The Glitter Band, who made No.4 with “Angel Face” in 1974 and had been to attain 5 additional UK High 10 hits within the following two years.
The affect of glam rock
The affect of glam may also be seen in different pop acts from the period, together with the Scottish boy-band Bay Metropolis Rollers and Slik, an early automobile for future Ultravox front-man Midge Ure. “Forever And Ever” topped the UK singles chart in February 1976. Ure didn’t write this brooding ballad; however one thing of “Vienna”’s orchestrated pomp can definitely be traced again right here. Wizzard, Alvin Stardust, and The Rubettes additionally scored sizeable glam-oriented pop hits with tracks comparable to “Angel Fingers (A Teen Ballad),” “My Coo Ca Choo” and “Sugar Baby Love.”
One act resolutely not pop-oriented was Roxy Music. Led by Fantastic Arts graduate Bryan Ferry, his partnership with synth wizard Brian Eno started in 1971 and, by the top of the next yr, “Virginia Plain” had made UK No.4 on the again of acres of constructive music press. Whereas band members rotated at velocity in the course of the improvement years, albums comparable to their self-titled debut and its follow-up, For Your Pleasure, saved up stable business and significant momentum.
Ferry juggled a extra sedate solo profession (together with his first LP, These Silly Issues, hitting the retailers in 1973) however the band’s art-school credibility did a lot to broaden the enchantment of a style that, over time, seemed to be largely focusing on the poppier finish of the market. Because the band mellowed throughout the last decade, and with later releases comparable to Avalon (musically, no less than) 1,000,000 miles away from Roxy’s scruff-of-the-neck early stompers, the wealthy theatricality of the band’s starting comfortably carried their followers with them. Roxy Music had created glam for grown-ups, and their viewers was to show resiliently loyal.
One other band steeped within the artistry of efficiency was Sparks. Brothers Ron and Russell Mael relocated from America’s West Coast to the UK in 1973, and the next yr’s Kimono My Home album was an formidable, eccentric oddity that spawned a large hit with “This Town Ain’t Big Enough For The Both Of Us.” With distinctive styling, the pair proved a pure draw for the TV programmers and, in time, the brothers would additionally flip their consideration to the films, with appearances in hits comparable to Rollercoaster. However not earlier than they’d rating additional hits with Beginner Hour and Get In The Swing, whereas Sparks stay some of the high-profile cult bands nonetheless in enterprise to at the present time.
Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, and The New York Dolls
If Sparks and Roxy Music saved their visible presentation simply the correct facet of tasteful, Alice Cooper did simply the other with a showy, OTT edge that helped his notoriety soar. For people who obtained past the freak present, Cooper was clearly a consummate showman who might additionally pen an important tune. “School’s Out” appeared on his fifth album and gave him a breakthrough within the US and in Britain, the place it topped the chart. Subsequent hits comparable to “Hello Hurray” and “No More Mr. Nice Guy” confirmed that “School’s Out” was no one-off, although in reality that anthem would show a tough hit to higher.
Cooper was a comparatively uncommon American glam success, however London would proceed to draw acts like Sparks, drawn to the town’s buzzing scene. The late Lou Reed, who had left The Velvet Underground in August 1970 and signed to RCA, got here to the UK capital to file his self-titled solo debut. Although that did not make a lot headway, its Bowie- and Mick Ronson-produced follow-up, Transformer, was a masterpiece, topped with the basic hit “Walk On The Wild Side.” Throughout the Atlantic, Jobriath drowned within the enormous hype surrounding the launch of his recording profession, and his debut was a shock flop for the glam star and, by 1975, Jobriath had introduced his retirement. The 2 information he recorded in that interval, nevertheless, got here in for a essential re-evaluation within the new century and at the moment are thought of “lost” glam classics.
The sexual politics of glam at all times made it a tougher promote stateside, however pockets of higher unbiased considering, just like the east coast, had been to show extra fertile floor. The New York Dolls, fashioned in early 1972, fused the stomp of glam with extra excessive songwriting, and their 1973 self-titled debut, produced by Todd Rundgren, was an enormous essential success. In 2010, Morrissey named it his favourite album of all time.
Glam rock’s echoes within the mainstream
So if the work of The Stooges and hits comparable to The Kinks’ gender-switching “Lola” could be marked because the songs that provide the opening chapter of glam’s heady catalogue, it’s tougher to mark any type of tidy conclusion. Actually, the period’s pop-oriented hits (David Essex’s “Rock On” and Elton John’s “Bennie And The Jets,” for instance) owed one thing to the sound, whereas The Rocky Horror Image Present, which began life as a cult piece of musical theatre, had its West Finish debut in 1973, most likely marking the second that glam was firmly established within the mainstream – and in detectable decline. By 1975, the stage present had been tailored for the silver display.
By that point, pop had clearly moved on and glam rock’s affect seeped into the counterculture motion of punk, which was quickly to rework the music trade endlessly. Blondie’s early single “Rip Her To Shreds” is definitely a powerful instance of a punk-glam hybrid. Fellow People The Runaways borrowed from glam for his or her charismatic debut “Cherry Bomb,” with Joan Jett recalling that she heard singles from bands comparable to Slade and T.Rex at The English Disco, an LA membership that will show massively influential in retaining the legacy of the glam rock sound alive.
You may also hear echoes of glam within the period’s different nice singles, comparable to Ramones’ “Sheena Is A Punk Rocker.” In Britain, Billy Idol’s Era X appropriated the punk-glam hybrid, whereas metallic grew to become its most blatant successor, with the likes of Judas Priest and, later, Def Leppard and Hanoi Rocks, clearly being influenced by its sound. It additionally doesn’t take a lot creativeness to identify one thing of the theatricality of glam in these basic information by Adam & The Ants or synth-pop pioneers comparable to The Human League, who lined Mike Leander’s Rock’n’Roll on an early single.
Glam rock’s lingering results
Whereas tracks comparable to Sigue Sigue Sputnik’s “Love Missile F1-11” threw up the occasional pop hit within the later 80s, glam’s first large renaissance got here the next decade, with Britpop bands Suede and Pulp borrowing closely from the sooner period’s field of tips. Suede’s “Metal Mickey,” a No.17 UK chart entry in 1992, supplied the band its large High 40 breakthrough, and Pulp wrote “We Are The Boys” for the 1998 cult Todd Haynes movie Velvet Goldmine, which fictionalized the story of a glam star within the 70s.
New York nightlife revived glam for normal nights from the flip of this century, whereas the BowieBall launched in 2006 and have become an enormous annual occasion. Bands like The Darkness, who scored an enormous UK hit with “I Believe In A Thing Called Love” in 2003 (and whose frontman, Justin Hawkins, later launched a canopy of Sparks’ “This Town Ain’t Big Enough For The Both Of Us” two years later), regarded like they’d simply stepped out of a time machine, whereas Goldfrapp layered the glam rock sound in a extra up to date electro sheen. Even the period’s pop acts, Rachel Stevens amongst them, borrowed from the hooks of Chinn-Chapman for “I Said Never Again (But Here We Are).” At this time, you’ll find glam rock nights on each coasts of the US and throughout Europe.
Glam rock’s transient imperial section initially of the 70s could have handed shortly, like all the greatest pop actions do, however these glitter-encrusted boots had left an imprint on the creativeness of future generations of musicians. And people teenyboppers who entered the High Of The Pops studio for performances by Slade are largely pensioners now. “What did you do when you were young back then?” their grandkids probably ask at the moment. Nicely, they danced, wore glitter, questioned the established order, and had a ton of enjoyable. When you assume that sounds as very like a utopian manifesto for tomorrow because it does any type of assertion on the previous, you wouldn’t be alone…
