GLAM ROCK Glam - US Style

ALICE COOPER were initially a band, although the name nowadays is seen as the alter-ego of singer Vince Furnier. More theatrical shock-rock than glam, they were nevertheless one of the few US acts to break it big in Europe on the wave of glam, scoring worldwide success with 72's 'School's Out'. They are notable as being possibly the only act who actually had to tone down their image to find acceptance in the glam era.

NEW YORK DOLLS seemed to go by the belief that dressing like a bunch of old tarts was what it took, and while this ploy garnered them plenty of attention, it was some time before they were taken seriously as a musical act (which never hindered many glam artists), but more crucially they never managed to break the ice commercially in Europe. The Dolls supported Mott The Hoople on their last US tour, and The Faces in Britain. However unsuccessful they may have been commercially, their influence on the US glam scene and, later, the British punk scene, should not be underestimated.

LOU REED had been a vital part of the group often looked on as being the grandfathers of glam, Andy Warhol’s VELVET UNDERGROUND. Teaming with Bowie (who was in turn strongly influenced by the Warhol 'Factory') who produced 1972’s ‘Transformer’ album, he took the image to it’s extreme, photographed on the albums cover both as mascared macho male and feminine drag. Reed was also one of the first to rebel against the image which had led to his success.

Reed’s partner in V.U., JOHN CALE, toyed with glam from a distance, having albums produced by Roxy’s Eno and Phil Manzanera, and Dolls producer Todd Rundgren.

Always on the fringes of the glam scene, IGGY AND THE STOOGES were just too raw and outrageous (even when aided by some Bowie production) to break through commercially, not reaching the UK charts until some 15 years late.

JOBRIATH, the former Bruce Campbell, who had appeared as Woof in Hair, was notable as being the only openly gay star in glam's outrageous firmament. The music was passable Bowie pastiche, but the image and over-hype was too much for the American public, and he became one of glam's most notable commercial failures (see also Jet). Even so, it is an outrage that his recordings remain unreleased on CD. Jobriath sadly died of AIDS in 1983 (other glam AIDS victims include Freddie Mercury and Pilot's Billy Lyall).

BETTE MIDLER may at first seem an unlikely inclusion, but her outrageous stage antics (and her affair with New York Doll Jerry Nolan) place her firmly within the scene.

KISS were the acceptable face of glam in the US, i.e.: men wearing make up as characters (or caricatures), and forged themselves a highly lucrative career in their homeland (one of the few glam acts to do so). ALICE COOPER did the glam theatrics shock rock thing a whole lot better.

ANGEL were one of the first American bands to adopt bigger hair than Nashville women and foot-wide flares with tighter than tight crotches. No make up though, and the music was rather M.O.R., but at least they made an effort. There was also a lesser known Irish glam group by the same name.

Key Glam Tracks

ALICE COOPER

Under My Wheels

School’s Out

Elected

Hello Hooray

Billion Dollar Babies

No More Mr. Nice Guy

Teenage Lament ‘74

NEW YORK DOLLS

Jet Boy

Personality Crisis

Stranded In The Jungle

Puss In Boots

Who Are The Mystery Girls

LOU REED

Walk On The Wild Side

Vicious

Satellite Of Love

Make Up

Goodnight Ladies

Caroline Says

Sally Can’t Dance

Rock & Roll Heart

IGGY AND THE STOOGES

I wanna be your Dog

Gimme Danger

Search & Destroy

The Passenger

JOBRIATH

I’maman

Scumbag

Street Corner Love

BETTE MIDLER

Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy

KISS

Strutter

Kissin’ Time

Iggy Pop

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