The Glitter Band

The Glitter Band

The Glitter Band are a glam rock band from England, who initially worked as Gary Glitter's backing band, but in 1973 began releasing records of their own. They had 7 UK top 20 hits in the mid-1970s, and 4 hit albums. Three of the band members continue to tour in two separate Glitter Bands to this day.

History

When Gary Glitter's first single "Rock and Roll Parts 1 and 2" became a number 2 hit in the UK, his manager Mike Leander realised that he would need a backing band, and contacted John Rossall, who was then the musical director of the Boston Showband. With a few changes in personnel, the Boston Showband became The Glittermen, and later The Glitter Band, backing Glitter both on record (although Glitter claimed that Leander played all the instruments himself) and in live performances. The Glitter Band found themselves without a Bass Guitarist when in 1972, Ray Motsley was sacked for urinating in Glitter's beer during a gig. He was replaced by John Springate who had previously played with The Foundations.

In 1973, Rossall approached Leander with the suggestion that the band record some material without Glitter. Leander agreed, but rejected the first recordings. The band then went back into the studio and recorded "Angel Face", which met with Leander's approval, but not without some changes. The band played a few well-received live shows before their first single came out, mixing a few new songs with covers of 1950s and 1960s songs. In March 1974, "Angel Face" was released on Bell Records, immediately hitting the chart, and reaching #4, outselling Glitter's "Remember Me This Way". Further hits followed between 1974 and 1976, along with 4 albums. Rossall left the band at the end of 1974, Shephard and Springate taking over leadership, with Springate taking lead vocal duties on hits such as the ballad "Goodbye My Love", "The Tears I Cried", and "People Like You". Sales dropped in 1976, with the advent of Punk rock. Springate and Shephard saw the Sex Pistols perform at the Notre Dame Hall in 1976, and realized even then that their time was up. The band switched to CBS Records and later Epic Records, and changed their name to the G Band to dissociate themselves from Glitter, but failed to find another hit single, splitting after a final single, a cover of The Bee Gees' "Gotta Get a Message To You", in 1978. They regrouped in 1980, with further sporadic releases followed in the 1980s on a variety of labels. The band's profile was maintained with a slew of Greatest Hits releases, mainly concentrating on their peak mid-1970s era.

Guitarist/singer Gerry Shephard died in May 2003. The other members are all still involved in music, with John Rossall and Harvey Ellison still performing as The Glitter Band. Gerry Shephard and Pete Phipps guested on Denim's Back In Denim album in 1992, and Phipps also performs live with his own Glitterband.

Discography

Singles

• "Angel Face" (1974, Bell, BELL 1348) #4, Mar 1974
• "Just For You" (1974, Bell, BELL 1368) #10, Aug 1974
• "Let's Get Together Again" (1974, Bell, BELL 1383) #8, Oct 1974
• "Goodbye My Love" (1975, Bell, BELL 1395) #2, Jan 1975
• "The Tears I Cried" (1975, Bell, BELL 1416) #8, Apr 1975
• "Love In The Sun" (1975, Bell, BELL 1437) #15, Aug 1975
• "Alone Again" (1975, Bell, BELL 1442)
• "People Like You People Like Me" (1976, Bell, BELL 1471) #5, Feb 1976
• "Don't Make Promises" (1976, Bell, BELL 1481)
• "Lay Your Love On Me" (1976, CBS, CBS 4710)
• "Look What You've Been Missing" (1977, CBS, CBS 4974)
• "She Was Alright" / "Almost American" / "Love Street" EP (1977, CBS, CBS 5221)
• "Gotta Get a Message To You" (1977, Epic, EPIC 5665)
• "Until The Next Time" (1981, Polo, Polo 13) reissued (1985, Polo, Polo 36)
• "Heartbeat to Heartache" (1982, ?, CHEAP 101)
• "Nothing At All" (1984, Tempo, Tempo 001)
• "Angel Face" (1989, Switchback, SW002)

Albums

• Hey! (1974, Bell, BELL 241) reissued (2001, Cherry Red, GLAMCD8)
• Rock 'n' Roll Dudes (1975, Bell, BELL 253) reissued (Cherry Red, GLAMCD24) UK #17
• Listen To The Band (1975, Bell, BELL 259)
• Greatest Hits (1976, Bell, BELL 264)
• Paris Match (1977, CBS, CBS 81717)
• People Like You (1977, MFP, MFP 50354)
• Greatest Hits (1984, Autograph, ASK713) (cassette only)
• Live At The Marquee (1986, Quest, QUEST 7)
• The Collection (1990, ?, GRAB 1)
• Hits Collection (1990, Orbit, ORO114)
• Let's Get Together Again (1996, Bud Music, CMP62017)
• The Very Best Of (1996, Carlton, CD3036400062)
• Glitz Blitz Live (1998, MCPS, ETCD 032)
• 20 Glittering Greats (1998, MCI, MCCD357)
• The Best Of (1998, Repertoire, REP 4713-WG)
• Solid Silver: The Ultimate Glitter Band vol. 1 (1998, Edsel Records, MEDCD 577)
• Glitter Band - The Best Of (1999, Millennium Records, ROGER8)
• The Glitter Band: The Bell Singles Collection (2000, Cherry Red, GLAMCD1)
• Greatest Hits (2002, Newsound 2000, NST 157)

Film appearences

Never Too Young To Rock 1975, as themselves.

External links

• Official website
• John Rossall's Glitter Band
• The Glitter Band at discogs.com