But it did not take long for other bands to follow suit and visual styles, for some, quickly became an intrinsic part of the overall performance. This was certainly seen as the period when Glam Rock was developing and when bands and artists were positioning themselves as to which side of the rock music fence they fell on.Īt the time this type of stage attire complete with makeup, platform boots and corkscrew hair was all seen as fairly outrageous. And by the time T.Rex appeared at the Lanchester Polytechnic Arts Festival in 1971 those seeds had grown into roots. Rex released 'Ride a White Swan' that the seeds of Glam Rock were planted. Looking back though, it was arguably from when Marc Bolan and T. Glam Rock did have its serious side and brought with it some very good music indeed. That's not to say the musicianship diminished in any way. And, as if to counter that I guess, some musicians emerged during the same period and took it all a little light heartedly by keeping rock and roll at the heart of things. Apparently it was only a coincidence that these two long remembered tunes were issued during the same year.Īnother coincidence was that both bands had been products of the industrial Midlands with Wizzard being born out of Birmingham's Electric Light Orchestra while the members of Slade all originating from Walsall and Wolverhampton.īy the early 1970s rock had become a fairly serious business and that resulted in some pretty intense music. The idea for Slade's song happened when bass player Jimmy Lea's mother-in-law had mentioned, tongue in cheek, that despite the band's huge success Bing Crosby's 'White Christmas' was still more popular than any of their hit records had ever been. The only song I can remember before ours was Brenda Lee's 'Rocking around the Christmas Tree'" which, incidentally, is still rolled out on all those Christmas compilations and TV adverts. He told Q Magazine in 1996, "There's nothing rock and roll about Christmas at all. In answer to a question about other artists who had adopted his lead he said, "I think glam rock is a lovely way to categorise me and it's even nicer to be one of the leaders of it.'" Wizzard's song came about as a result of their leader Roy Wood having spotted a gap in the market in as much that a full on rock 'n' roll Christmas song hadn't been released for years. But it certainly was a description applied to this form of rock music and was mentioned by David Bowie in a 1972 interview. I must admit though that I, personally, must have been living in a bubble back then as I really cannot remember the term 'Glam Rock' being used at the time. Of course Slade came out on top in that instance but Wizzard did have their moments and had claimed a number one hit earlier in the year. For it was at the tail end of 1973 when Slade's 'Merry Xmas Everybody' and Wizzard's 'I Wish it Could be Christmas Everyday' fought it out for the top spot in the nation's top 10. I was surprised to be reminded that, in actual fact, the lead up to Christmas 2013 just happened to be the fortieth anniversary of those particular songs. AS the embers of another Christmas and festive period smoulder away and the distinctive voices of Noddy Holder and Roy Wood are packed away into their CD cases for another 12 months it is at this time of year when I can't help but think back to those heady 'Glam Rock' days of the mid 1970s.
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