70's Glam saved the 70's in some respects, Bolan built a bridge between the ending 60's (woodstock) and into the 70's. Also David Bowie, he is also a major part in the Glam scene, with Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Bowie and Bolan were somewhat rivals, competing for the Crown of Glam Rock, in 77' Bowie went on Bolan's show and they sung toghther Bolan never saw the show as he died a few days later. Bowie in my opinion is one of the greatest artist evre, he's a genuis and is still going.
Lyrically glam rock tended to be laughable (Can The Can, Do You Want To Be In My Gang, Blockbuster - the list goes on), but it cranked rock music up to another level. Tiger Feet actually inspired me to take up electric guitar.
One of my favourite glam tracks was Sweet's "Turn It Down" - any metal fans who haven't heard it should check it out. There's definite shades of the Darkness in that track.
Best moments in glam TOTP history? Gary Glitter being wheeled onstage spread eagled behind a wooden screen, Wizzard performing I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday, and The Sweet using the whole of Avon's make-up collection performing Blockbuster.
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When I was little in the 70s, my dad used to buy me singles, and I had a few sweet singles.
Anyhow, If you listen to the B sides of one of the sweet's 7" you will find a balls to the wall blues rock performance worthy of the likes of led zep. They were obviously a serious band who got their break doing the glam thing.
On the whole 70s glam was an interesting progression of musical style. 70s glam GOOD
Originally posted by muddycoffee When I was little in the 70s, my dad used to buy me singles, and I had a few sweet singles.
Anyhow, If you listen to the B sides of one of the sweet's 7" you will find a balls to the wall blues rock performance worthy of the likes of led zep. They were obviously a serious band who got their break doing the glam thing.
On the whole 70s glam was an interesting progression of musical style. 70s glam GOOD
Glam rock was fantastic fun.
A lot of it was effectively the 70s version of "Pop Idol" and the like, artists being controlled like puppets by songwriters Chinn and Chapman, but it was QUALITY. The acts had charisma, the songs were brilliant, and it was great fun.
The artists, like the Sweet, had a sense of humour about what they were doing, and didn't mind sending themselves up. "Top of the Pops" was certainly never boring!! Like Muddycoffee says, the 'real' band often appeared on B sides and album tracks, while the singles were just part of the day's Pop Factory. But they were generally bloody good singles!
Mud, Suzi Quatro, the Sweet - they're all still being played and enjoyed today. Will the same be said of Gareth Gates?
And the more independent of the Glam Rock brigade - like Bowie and Bolan - would've been huge stars in any era.
StarSparkle - celebrating the era when sparkle ruled!
Glam rock was an experience to say the least, it was loud it was brash, it was in your face and it was so much fun. As starsparkle says it is still being played today and is usually what will get the party going and people out strutting their stuff. When it was on TOTP originally I wasn't a fan as in those days I preferred progressive rock but as the years have passed and we have all the apalling clone like singer/bands of today you begin to rrealise just how good glam rock was and is.
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I was a child of the 60's and my formative years were the glam rock years of the early 70's.
I think that Marc Bolan was simply incomparable, in his looks, his sound, his talent, and his fantastic, far-out lyrics. it was a great loss to british music when he died. his music is definitely music that stands the test of time. when you listen to T-rex, today, it is still fresh and funky, even now, thirty years on.
I liked Slade, The Sweet, the Glitter Band... this music was so much a part of my growing up.
Originally posted by Plain Talker I was a child of the 60's and my formative years were the glam rock years of the early 70's.
I think that Marc Bolan was simply incomparable, in his looks, his sound, his talent, and his fantastic, far-out lyrics. it was a great loss to british music when he died. his music is definitely music that stands the test of time. when you listen to T-rex, today, it is still fresh and funky, even now, thirty years on.
I liked Slade, The Sweet, the Glitter Band... this music was so much a part of my growing up.
PT
Without wishing to seem like I'm obsessed with death PT (if you get my drift ), I lived in Barnes for a while in the late 70s and the famous tree that claimed Marc's life was just a short walk away. Every year on the anniversary of his death it was decorated with ribbons, cards & messages by his fans (and possibly still is).
It was a sight to behold and quite macabre in many ways
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Quote:
Originally posted by mojoworking Without wishing to seem like I'm obsessed with death PT (if you get my drift ), I lived in Barnes for a while in the late 70s and the famous tree that claimed Marc's life was just a short walk away. Every year on the anniversary of his death it was decorated with ribbons, cards & messages by his fans (and possibly still is).
It was a sight to behold and quite macabre in many ways
Only as macabre as folks being daft enough to pay a small fortune to go to the arena, to watch a band play along to footage of someone like Elvis Presley on a big screen! :- him being dead for almost thirty years, and (she said with a wink) I believe that the tickets are in the region of fifty quid? What's that saying about fools and their money beiong soon parted?
It's not something I'd be silly enough to do (But then again, I am not an elvis fan...)
I honestly thought Bolan's death was by far the bigger loss to music, yet it didn't get anything like the coverage that Elvis Presley's death did...
The most significant artists to emerge from Glam, in terms of musical influence, creativity and the dissemination of ideas from art, are undoubtedly David Bowie and Roxy Music [especially Brian Eno]. Both were, and remain, highly intelligent artists who built bridges between popular music and the ideas of the avant garde in art, literature, music, and in Bowie's case, modern dance.
It is hard for people today to fully appreciate how otherworldly Roxy Music's 'Pyjamarama' and 'Virginia Plain' sounded at the time of release, and how truly surrealistic and bizarre the band looked 'live'. I saw them at the City Hall in their early seventies glory, with the lipstick and make-up adorned Eno 'patching' his synthesisers wearing gloves, and Ferry like some futuristic Noel Coward/Alien hybrid. They were the Velvet Underground of their generation, and had a huge influence upon many future Sheffield bands [Cabaret Voltaire, Human League etc], some of whose members were present at that legendary gig.
Of course, as Ant and others have said, there were many other less-arty Glam acts who were great fun. I do not think that T.Rex, Slade, The Sweet and Gary Glitter are as important in terms of ideas as are Bowie and Roxy, but then again 'great ideas' do not always equal great music. The latter four acts made some great singles that I thoroughly loved. It is a great shame that Gary Glitter is such an appalling, loathsome pervert because his sound was actually very original. The use of two drummers, and the treated Saxophones made for some simple, but very stirring and unusual pop of the time.
Glam good or bad? Are you kidding? It was great to hear direct, exciting, intelligent singles in an age of often turgid 'concept' albums. Believe me, it was a wonderful age to grow up in, especially in Sheffield.
I was only a nipper, but can still remember watching TOTP and seeing some wonderful bands.
As Timo rightly points out, the sounds of early Bowie and Roxy Music were at the top of the tree. Virginia Plain, with its piano and wonderful guitar sounds, along with that distinct vocal still sounds so unique. But make no mistake, Bryan Ferry could sing. I too liked the sounds of Gary Glitter (and his Glitter Band). The two drummers idea was quickly taken up in 1980 with Adam and the Ants, along with a similar amount of make-up and over-the-top dress sense. (Talking of Virginia Plain, anyone else remember Sailor with their Glass of Champagne - not to mention Girls? Not quite Glam Rock, but still fun!)
What I like above all, is the fact that the people concerned didn't take themselves so seriously. That's not to say they weren't great musicians - most of them were. But from Roy Wood's multicoloured hair and beard, to Noddy Holder's torn larynx 'It's Chrrrriiiiissssstmas' and Dave Hill's mirrored top-hat; to Suzi Quattro's tom-boy sexuality (? well, kindof) and the utter nauseating dance routines of Mud, it was all 'a bit of a laff'.
And on the other side of the coin, were the squeeky cleaners: David Cassidy, the Osmonds, Leo Sayer, Gilbert O'Sullivan. Add to them ofcause, Pete Skellern with his beautiful 'You're A Lady' song.
Fun groups with a fair amount of talent.
Even Jimmy Saville looked sexy.
Ish.
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Saville was not always the ludicrous grotesque that presented Top of the Pops, and now is largely involved in charity work. At one time, he was a man not to be crossed. In fact, he probably still isn't, despite his advanced years. He was an ex-miner who, at one time, 'ran the doors' at various Leeds nightclubs. Tales of his alleged brutal methods with troublecausers have circulated for years. These allegations include references to basements, people strapped in chairs, and severe beatings. Of course, allegations is all they might be.
However, I recall an interview with Mick MacManus, a wrestling star of the sixties and early seventies, known for his great skill and strength. Saville was himself a successful professional wrestler for a while. When asked who he would 'not like to take on' outside the ring, MacManus replied, 'Jimmy Saville'. How's about that then?
Panda,
I think Alvin Stardust came in at the 'tag' end of Glam, as a kind of Gary Glitter-lite. The Rubettes were, I think, after Glam and at their height around 75/76. No idea about the others.
Originally posted by timo Panda,
I think Alvin Stardust came in at the 'tag' end of Glam, as a kind of Gary Glitter-lite. The Rubettes were, I think, after Glam and at their height around 75/76. No idea about the others.
i saw the rubettes in a film called never 2 young to rock it also starred the glitter band and mud its well worth watching if your into 70s nostalga
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My ex husband was in to SWEET so for 10yrs I had to listen to Block Buster & Ball Room Blitz. It sort of grows on you after a while and rate Love is Like Oxygen as one of my all time favourite (bring back memories) songs. Not too sure about Wig Wam Bam.
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