The Afterword

Musings on the byways of popular culture

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Canadian glam rock, anyone?

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The discussion of Bad Co./ Free the other week, it got me thinking about glam rock, which was often the inverse of meat n’potatoes and greatcoats blues rock. Glam was affected, self-conscious, ironic, camp, and liked by big jessies, whether gay, girls, art ponces, or boys like me who preferred showy dramatics that were less macho. Little did I know there was a Canadian outcropping of this genre, and think on that a while: if being glam may have been difficult in Rotherham, you try it in Moosejaw. The pics here promise much, and that a young Bryan Adams was involved (definitely his high point as far as I am concerned) hakes it all the more intriguing. This is my best find since Zolar X, a space themed Devo from 1973.

https://thisiscanadianglam.tumblr.com/post/142860571049/sweeney-todd

Let’s Put Together A Glam Rock Playlist

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There are few music genres whose starting point can be so accurately pinpointed. It was 11th March 1971. T.Rex performed Hot Love on Top Of The Pops. Well, they mimed it. Drummer, Bill Legend, can clearly be seen thwacking his thigh with his fist rather than actually striking the snare drum and the cymbals remain strangely motionless. As a twelve year old, I was fascinated by the size of Steve Currie’s left ear. My dad probably enjoyed Pan’s People. Normally, they danced to a hit song when they couldn’t persuade the act to appear but, on this occasion, they performed a little prance to liven up the prolonged coda and keep the audience interested. The key thing was Marc Bolan’s face. It took a while to notice, but a couple of minutes in, he raised his eyes towards a spotlight above him and something caught the nation’s eye. Chelita Secunda had added two spots of glitter below his eyes. They looked like teardrops. He appeared to be conflicted with deep emotions. A million, young female hearts fluttered. Glam Rock was born.

Marc declared Glam Rock as dead in 1973, when he was promoting his soul influenced album, Tanx, but it » Continue Reading.

Love the music – Hate the artist.

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Having recently read & commented on the “Is the afterword a busted flush?” thread, I thought I would post about loving the music but hating the artist.

A quick word of explanation. I firmly believe that it is the music of your teenage years that stays with us throughout our life (Lives?). I am 59, & my teenage years were basically full of glam rock, & I make no apologies for loving it then, & loving it now.

However, this gave the world the Vile person known as Gary Glitter. I honestly cannot think of a finer example of loving the music but hating the artist.

Lay,jennelmen, I give you – THE LEADER…

https://youtu.be/8hPoOOhXg-k

https://youtu.be/8hPoOOhXg-k