GLAM ROCK The Glam Rock Legacy

Europe played it’s part in the glam aftermath, carrying the glam imagery through into the disco explosion epitomised in the mid-late 70’s through such home-grown acts and American imports as AMANDA LEAR (who graced the cover of the 2nd Roxy Music album), GRACE JONES, LABELLE, SYLVESTER, DEE D. JACKSON, AMII STEWART, CRISTINA, EARTH WIND & FIRE, PARLIAMENT, P-FUNK, VILLAGE PEOPLE, THE RITCHIE FAMILY, SARAH BRIGHTMAN AND HOT GOSSIP (saints preserve us), and John Waters trashy movie stars DIVINE and EDITH MASSEY.

The glam image first carried through into the disco mainstream in the late Seventies, was maintained through new wave artists such as NINA HAGEN, ADAM AND THE ANTS (who included one time Roxy bassist Gary Tibbs), BAUHAUS, GARY NUMAN, THE B52'S, THE REZILLOS/REVILLOS, THE ONLY ONES and TOYAH, then re-appeared in the Eighties both with the New Romantics (SOFT CELL, DURAN DURAN, VISAGE, ABC, CULTURE CLUB, CUDDLY TOYS, MYSTERY GIRLS, JAPAN, MARILYN) and the US Glam Metal scene (POISON, MOTLEY CRUE, HANOI ROCKS (actually Finnish), DAVID LEE ROTH). Odd acts who’s heritage has been undoubtedly influenced by glam continued to appear, amongst them the likes of MARI WILSON, DEAD OR ALIVE, TRANSVISION VAMP, PRINCE, ZODIAC MINDWARP, ARMY OF LOVERS, CYNDI LAUPER, DR. & THE MEDICS and SIGUE SIGUE SPUTNIK. Also largely ignored is the influence glam had on Eighties rockabilly bands such as THE POLECATS and ROMAN HOLLIDAY, whose releases included several glam covers.

Those Seventies glam stars who soldiered on into the Eighties met with mixed fortunes. For every QUEEN or JOAN JETT who went on to greater stadium-filling glories, there were a dozen Mud’s and Sweet’s who found themselves on the nostalgia circuit.

Glam sensibilities made another appearance during the Britpop explosion of the mid Nineties through bands such as SUEDE, MENSWEAR, MANIC STREET PREACHERS (2 camp guitarists, until one disappeared!) and PLACEBO. At the same time MARILYN MANSON was carrying forward the great shock rock tradition in the US started two decades earlier by ALICE COOPER and KISS.

There are currently a number of bands operating on the glam revival circuit, such as tribute supremos T-REXTASY alongside the likes of HELLO, LES GRAY'S MUD, ANDY SCOTT'S SWEET and more.

With the interest sparked by these revivalist acts, together with the film VELVET GOLDMINE, and the multitude of seventies nostalgia shows on television, glam’s glorious legacy will be around for a long time to come.