GLAM ROCK The Camp Guitarist Factor

SLADE can lay claim to the position as the most successful singles artists of the glam rock era. Emerging from skinhead beginnings, following a swift image change they were also the group who initiated the peculiar glam rock phenomena of the ‘camp’ lead guitarist, in this case Dave Hill, who, while the rest of the group maintained relatively macho stances (or at least as much as could be allowing for seventies flamboyant fashions), Hill wore glitter on his face and in his hair, mirrored hats, and generally looked outrageous. SLADE were named as the No.1 glam act (based on chart performance) in Channel 4's Glam Rock Top 10.

Following an inauspicious (but commercially successful) start as bubblegum popsters, THE SWEET, in their initial adoption of the glam look, for a while all wore the make-up and outrageous clothing, starting with their dressing up for TV appearances to promote their 'Little Willy' and 'Wig Wam Bam' singles. As the band slowly edged away from glam (an image largely foisted upon them by producers/songwriters Chinn & Chapman), towards a harder image and sound, bassist Steve Priest continued for a while to adopt the camp posturing and add his vocal asides to their records, while the rest of the group worked towards a moderately more macho image.

MUD’s Rob Davis took the look one step further, wearing the largest dangly earrings and widest flares possible. Musically Mud progressed from bubblegum popsters into rock and roll revivalists, with a credible stop at glam on the way, but their glam rock credentials (other than Rob's appearance) rest largely on their Mickie Most / Chinnichap connections.

THE SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND, who’s place in the mid-seventies glam rock firmament is often ignored, built their reputation around elaborately theatrical stage routines, aided in no small part by the outrageous make-up and costumes worn by guitarist Zal Cleminson.