10 Songs That Changed Me – Song 5

Today, it’s the completely over the top costumes and music of the 1970s, brought to you by Glam Rock. Now, the whole point about these blog posts is the honesty about what I really listened to. I am happy to admit to boybands as I did in the last post in this series, so there is nothing I am going to hide from. Accordingly, I will address the foil covered elephant in the room before going on to my five choices. As a child, like so many others, I was a massive Gary Glitter fan, and he knew how to put a song together that would appeal to a huge audience. With songs like Leader of the Gang, Always Yours and Oh Yes, You’re Beautiful he made a massive impact on music and popular culture. His crimes are clearly heinous and have justifiably made him a musical pariah, but it is only right that I acknowledge his central role in my childhood music development.

I have decided to go chronologically on this journey, so our first stop is in 1973 which was the real start of glam rock for me. At the start of that year of three day weeks and strikes, The Sweet who had a hard rocking style on their albums put that together with the trappings of glam rock. Their image was far tougher than later glam rock icons, which sometimes led to them being described as resembling a group of ‘brickies’ and put them in the same type of category as Slade. However, their bassist Steve Priest decided that he wanted to experiment with a more androgynous look and make-up, and one of the most iconic and controversial musicians of the era came into the public eye. With eye shadow, glitter and outrageous costumes, including an incredibly ill advised (even by the standard of the 70s!) military uniform complete with Hitler moustache and swastika, he was prepared to do anything to get The Sweet talked about. Like Dave Hill of Slade, he pretty much always succeeded. On occasions this overshadowed quite what a brilliant band they were. The first glam classic that made the crossover into the playground was their million selling classic that stayed at Number 1 for 5 weeks. It was, of course, Blockbuster.

1973 was also unquestionably the high point of the magnificent Slade with their incredibly catchy and full blooded rock songs. Noddy Holder had one of rock’s great voices and was actually offered lead singer duties by AC/DC in 1980 after the untimely death of Bon Scott. He decided to stay with his Wolverhampton bandmates and never regretted it, but it is beyond question that he would have absolutely smashed it with the Aussie heavy rock icons. Anyway, 1973 was Slade’s Annus Mirabilis with three tracks that went straight in at Number 1, Cum On Feel The Noize, Sqweeze Me Pleeze Me and, of course, Merry Xmas Everybody. So which of those makes my list? None of them! My choice for the first glam rock singalong that I took to my heart is their third release of the year which stalled at Number 2. It was a chorus made for belting out in the playground, the overlooked but rather brilliant My Friend Stan from October 1973.

The rather lovely New Seekers song, You Won’t Find Another Fool Like Me interrupted a run of stone cold glam rock classics that started with Slade’s Merry Christmas Everybody, and featured a simply outstanding trio of hits from the first two months which all earn a place in place in my personal countdown. The first of these featured a group from Carshalton who had the seemingly obligatory publicity savvy musician. The band was Mud and the musician was guitarist was Rob Davis whose earrings became a familiar feature of Mud’s Top of the Pops appearances. 1974 saw them at their height, finishing the year with the Christmas Number 1, Lonely This Christmas, but no other song, or dance routine matched the impact of the insanely catchy Tiger Feet. Performances of the song saw the group wearing tiger slippers and being joined by their roadies, whose dance was definitely part of the appeal. It was a dance that was copied, usually badly, in classrooms and playgrounds and along with the brilliant singalong chorus it was an absolute favourite for the whole of 74 and indeed beyond.

For the most part, glam rock was an all male preserve, as indeed most rock music was at the time. However, one artist set the pulses of boys and men racing in her all leather jumpsuit. Suzi Quatro had bags of attitude and the air of a prize fighter, unsurprisingly given the sexism she faced. Against the odds, however, she became the first lady of glam rock and is still playing to adoring audiences five decades later. Her fourth hit was her second Number 1 and her signature track. Devil Gate Drive was a song that just exploded out of the speakers and caught you in a wave of sound. There was no defence against such a great record from such an iconic artist. Her bass playing was urgent and pounded through all her songs. If you’ve never heard it before you’re in for a treat, and if you have, ‘Let’s do it one more time for Suzi’!

The final glam icon was a leather clad 60s rocker called Shane Fenton. Not ringing a bell? Well perhaps his alter ego with huge rings on his gloved hands and tons of moody attitude might be more familiar to you. He went by the name of Alvin Stardust and, for a year or so, he was at the forefront of many minds with his stage presence and his, sometimes unsettling, songs. The one I have fondest memories of was released in February 1974, the follow up to My Coo Ca Choo, his first record as Alvin Stardust which reached Number 2 and spent an amazing 11 weeks in the Top 10. Jealous Mind was his only Number 1, but he was to visit the Top 10 again on a number of occasions with Pretend in 1981 reaching Number 4 and I Feel Like Buddy Holly and I Won’t Run Away both getting to Number 7 in 1987. So, check out a sometimes forgotten giant of glam when you have a chance. Jealous Mind showcases his vice perhaps better than any other song, a mix of Elvis like sections and a sudden skip up the octaves which gave his records their unique character.

I hope you enjoyed this tour through some of the highlights of glam rock. See you next time!