"...and when I am fitter, say, the bells of Gary Glitter"

Hopefully you are all down enough to understand the title of this post, it is a lyric from "Clash City
Rockers", in totallity, (since I think it's such a great lyric) "Come on, and show me, say the bells of old Bowie...and when I am fitter, say, the bells of Gary Glitter...."damn fine lyric, and perhaps the best way to creep up on this subject matter.....

Obviously, from his name, Gary Glitter was a big part of the British glitter/glam scene of the early 70's......(reminds me of saying "punk/new wave" in the late 70's, or saying "grunge/alternative" in the early 1990's.....history is SO cyclical).....this stuff was a MUCH bigger deal in Eurpoe than in the US, and it really was a strange "movement" (glitter/glam, I am talking about)......some of that stuff, though is among my faves......Slade, Sweet, T. Rex, and of course much "better" acts, David Bowie and Roxy music, defined the era as "pop" music for me (not that it trumps my fave NON-pop stuff of the early 70's, that wonderful heavy-psych!)

Gary Glitter, in this glitter suits, ridiculous makeup, and platform boots, churned out music that was FAR FROM the "best" music of this scene/era, but it was among the most "atypical" or representatie of it.....he had a few comebacks, and made other records, and, really, I would rather drink Pepsi (I DESPISE Pepsi) than listen to them, but offered here for your observation are his "classic" albums of the 1970's, in re-issue format for the most part.

Glitter cranked out simple, riff-based slammers, with a poppish-gloss finish, for an identifyable early 70's trademark sound. the first album, 1972's "Glitter", is the prototype, the singles here likely are what you're after, such as "I'm the Leader of the Gang (I Am)" and "I Didn't Knew I loved You (til I Saw You Rock n Roll"), as well as, of course, his mark upon the world, line it or not part of the soundtracks of our lives, the infamous "Rock N Roll (Parts 1 & 2)", which, really, I am NOT down for a discussion of, suffice to say it is one of the most recognized rock songs out there, maybe not the lyrical equivelent of Talking Heads, nor the musical equivelent of the greatest band in the history of the world King Crimson, but, certainly a song that your grandmother has probably heard at some time (a sporting event, likely), relegating it to the veritable dust bin of "pop culture 'standards'", but, anyway, if you be lookin for the definitive Gary Glitter album, likely this is the one for ya, and, despite the shots I've taken, it REALLY IS pretty damn good.

Next up, the sophomore effort, "Touch Me", is  not as scene-defining as its predecessor but still gives us a fine single, "Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)",which was,  later, of course, covered by Joan Jett in what I sonsider to be a superior version...it's not a BAD album, for glam fans there is stuff here like "Come In Come In Get On" and "I'm Right, You're Wrong, I Win". Here it is if you desire it.

Pretty much over with after that (MUSICALLY speaking, trust me, we are going to get to the other
stuff in a minute), he released a 1975 album called "G.G.", it's pretty lame (I'm sure it works if you are a fan of Mr. Glitter), and another effort in 1977, "Silver Star".......the glam era, perhaps than any more of my favorite "breakout scenes" probably provided less "depth" of good music than any other, as a shrewd programmer could contain ALL of Mr. Glitter's "worth keeping" output onto a single CD.

GLITTER-01 Rock N Roll Part 1/02 Baby Please Don't Go/03 The Wanderer/04 I Didn't Know I Loved You Til I Saw You Rock n Roll/05 A'int that a Shame/06 School Day/07 Rock on/08 Donna/09 The Famous Instigator/10 The Clapping Song/11 Shaky Sue/12 Rock n Roll Part 2/13 I'm the Leader of the Gang (I Am)/14 It's Not a Lot/15 Just Fancy That/16 Thank You Baby

TOUCH ME-01 Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)/02 Come On, Come In, Get On/03 Happy Birthday/04 Hard on Me/05 To Know You Is To Love You/06 Money Honey/07 Hello Hello I'm Back Again/08 Sidewalk Sinner/09 Didn't I Do it Right/10 Lonely Boy/11 Hold On To What You Got/12 IQU/13 Oh Yes, You're Beautiful/14 I Would If I Could But I Can't/15 I'm Right, You're Wrong, I Win/16 I'll Carry Your Picture Everywhere

GG-01 Too Late To Put It Down/02 Satan's Daughter/03 Easy Evil/04 Baby I Love Your Way/05 Papa Oom Mow Mow/06 Finder's Keepers/07 Basic Lady/08 Cupid/09 I'll Carry Your Picture Everywhere/10 Personality/11 Love Like You and Me/12 Doing Alright With the Boys/16 She Cat Alley Cat

SILVER STAR-01 You Belong to Me/02 Haven't I Seen You Somewhere Before/03 I Dare You To Lay One On Me/04 Roll of the Dice/05 Hooked on Hollywood/06 Summertime Blues Out/07 It Takes All Night Long/08 Oh What A Fool I Have Been/09 Heartbreaking Blue Eyed Boy/10 Rock N Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)/11 A Little Boogie Woogie/12 Treat of 42nd Street/13 365 Days/14 I'm the Leader of the Gang (I Am) (with Girlschool)

Links are in the comment section.....oh, I forgot to say.....Gary Glitter is basically a piece of filth, a wretched, mulitiple-convicted child molester/rapist/general piece of garbage.....the last line of his Wikipedia bio is "Glitter has become a figure of public hatred"......justafiably so, IMO.....

BUT SCOTT, aren't you supporting his insane lifestyle by posting his albums? You must be a pedophile yourself!  MAYBE (I doubt it) THIS example will he4lp lay out to people that I DO NOT SUPPORT the beliefs of ANYONE I have posted here......technically, I have posted THIS stuff for different reasons as the racist stuff, I post this because despite the filthy truth, "Rock N Roll Part 2", like it or not, is woven into American culture.....sorry, you can't change that....I just heard it being played at a football game I was watching 2 days ago.......is anyone outraged that the music of this piece of scum is being given "exposure"? Are all of those people at the sporting events that happily use his music "supporting" his abysmal lifestyle? Of course not......but no amount of ignoring his existence will change that his recorded work is a part, and a somewhat significant part, of the history of the vast spider web that IS rock n roll............