Glamour Glitz and all that Glitter...: October 2010

With the turn of the 70s decade came an androgynous rock style riddled with sequined flairs, platform shoes and bright lipstick, sure to make any straight rock star look like a transvestite, drag queen or at least of a feminised ‘camp’ persuasion. This Popular musical style was known as ‘Glam (or glitter) Rock’. It was a visual mesh of 1930s Hollywood glamour, 1950’s pin-up sex appeal, pre-war Cabaret theatrics, Victorian literary and symbolist styles, science fiction, horror, and ancient and occult mysticism and mythology. Musically it was very diverse, varying from simple rock and roll to complex art rock to a slicker form of heavy rock.

In separate parts of the world, Glam Rock emerged in both the US and UK at a similar time despite the different influences and motivations. The origins of Glam Rock in the US can be traced back as far as the early 60s during the psychedelic resurgence of artistic experimentation, introducing the evolution of ‘pop art’. This visual art movement was lead by avant-garde painter, filmmaker and printmaker, Andy Warhol (Dancing in the Street 1996).

Above: Iggy Pop

Warhol decided to channel his artistic talent into music, but he needed a ‘guinea pig'. In 1965, his project took flight when he found American rock band ‘The Velvet Underground’ and began to manage them in his studio based in New York. The five-person band, fronted by renowned artist ‘Lou Reed’, released their first album ‘The Velvet Underground & Nico’ in 1967. It did not receive critical acclaim during its release but has since been listed by the Rolling Stone (2003) as the ‘most prothetic rock album ever made’ (Wikipedia 2010). The album was coincidentally released around the same time as The Beatles' controversial and artistically acclaimed ‘Sgt Peppers Lonely Heart Club Band’ album in the UK.

Above: The Velvet Underground

Andy Warhol’s conception to amalgamate the content and stylisation behind his pop art with musical expression is what gave birth to the idea of incorporating radical visuals and performance with music, a fundamental aspect of Glam Rock. The combination of contemporary art, along with nihilistic themes of isolation, sexual promiscuity and provocation, paved the way for artists such as Iggy Pop, and later, David Bowie. These two artists, along with Lou Reed, encouraged and influenced each other to experiment with Glam Rock styles.

Andy Warhol can be seen as a highly influential contributor in promoting the Glam Rock industry through supporting and encouraging artists to pursue their experimentation with artistic expressions of performance such as glam rock. He taught Lou Reed “it’s the 70s so you can be anyone or anything” (Dancing in the Street 1996), and helped The Velvet Underground secure a recording contract with MGM’s Verve Records.

Meanwhile, 230miles across the sea, a confident and charismatic star was in the making. Soon to bombard the UK with an entire new level of style and performance for rock, featuring; top hats and feather boas, Marc Bolan and his band T. Rex became the initial jaws of glitter and glam. Perhaps it was Bolan’s flamboyant and mystical ways cast upon him by the so-called wizzard with whom he lived in Paris for five months. Or maybe his teenage modelling days got the best of him. He just loved himself a bit too much and was inclined to share it with the audience, accentuating and flaunting his assets on stage. Whatever the case, Bolan’s sparkly cheekbones and satin chest baring shirts were adored, especially by British pubescent girls, on BBC One television series ‘Top of the Pops’ where he performed his first number one hit, ‘Hot Love’ (1971). Due to Bolan’s large teenage following as a result of being aired on television numerous times, he continued to ‘camp up’ the costume and performance of T. Rex (Frith 1978, p.41).

Above: Marc Bolan from T. Rex

Top of the Pops (1964-2006) was a largely influential media based industrial move that helped to publicise and promote bands throughout the UK. It was a fundamental supporter of Glam Rock in the 70s, featuring other Glam artists such as - David Bowie, Rod Stewart, Queen, Slade etc. It helped to keep the trend alive and encouraged viewers to experience a bit of glam themselves through broadcasting to those unable to attend concerts for whatever reason. Glam Rock began purely as a characteristic style of dress and performance rather than a specific sound. However, as new Glam groups dragged up in their jewelled trousers and spiky porcupine hair quiffs, they began to continually emulate the rock music as well so that Glam Rock soon developed distinct variations of sound. Glam band Slade adopted a slightly heavier sound, producing 6 number ones. Weekly Top of the Pops became their stage (BBC 2006).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pvwLdgJwag

Next to hit the scene became the King (or rather Queen) of Glamour, David Bowie or ‘Ziggy Stardust’, the rock god title he was formally saluted for. Bowie wasn’t just part of the Glam trend. He invested a distinct individual affiliation with both the music and the look. It wasn’t just his obscure vision either; the clothes, the performances, the records, and the composing were ‘all part of the total experiment in living that Bowie carried with him in every moment of his life’ (Phoebus 1974, p.235). After he released his first record ‘The Man Who Sold the World’, he came out of the closet, so to speak, in a dress, ironically admitting his bi-sexuality to the public, “I’m gay…and always have been, even when I was David Jones” (Dancing In The Street, 1996). The album cover depicts Bowie reclined languidly on a chaise-lounge, enticingly clad in a long flowing dress resembling Lauren Bacall. His image was to portray a swishy queen, a gorgeously effeminate boy. His flare for coming up with and embodying imaginative fronts such as gay vandals from a horrific future can be attributed to his training growing up in theatre and mime. Also, during early attempts to penetrate the music scene after being an art school dropout, he ran an Arts Laboratory in Beckenham. These experiences contributed to the foundations of his creative and innovative nature.

Above: David Bowie as 'Ziggy Stardust'

When Bowie moved to America and met up with Andy Warhol, the pieces of the puzzle all fitted together. He drew a considerable amount of inspiration from a group of Warhol’s actors and soon adopted more of a ‘Warhol’ look and a New York sound. He became influenced by The Velvet Underground - a mixture of rock and avant garde musical experimentation, and Iggy Pop who was beginning to cover himself with glitter onstage. To Bowie, Lou Reed and Iggy Pop represented the evil side of existentialist America, and he said, “everything I thought we should have in England I didn’t know if we had so I was borrowing it” (Dancing In The Street, 1996). After teaming up with Tony Defries and signing a new recording contract with RCA, he produced his second album ‘Hunky Dory’ with ‘Queen Bitch’ as a tribute track to Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground. In 1972 Bowie made the definitive change, cutting his long hair into a feathery Mod cut and dying it fluorescent orange, - ‘Ziggy Stardust’ was born, or rather fell from outer-space with his ‘Spiders from Mars’ (Glam and Glitter 2008).

Ziggy epitomised the stranger we all fear we are, living in a tangent world, a different reality, and Bowie lived with this perspective. He began to wear tight quilted jumpsuits that looked like they’d been left over from a gay version of Star Trek. The instance Ziggy Stardust and The Spider from Mars stepped on stage, every other group in Britain looked completely out of date. Both girls and boys faithfully reproduced his hairstyles, clothes and make-up as part of a familiar pattern of teen adulation that has been part of the rock ‘n’ roll experience. Bowie says, “Tony DeFries had this idea that if we just told the world that I was super-huge, and then treated me as though I were, then something might happen," David later explained. “As we know, DeFries was right” (Ziggy Stardust Companion, 2002). DeFries was a great promoter of the Glam Rock movement, representing Bowie through his rise to stardom as well as helping to launch the solo careers of Iggy Pop, Lou Reed and Mott the Hoople.

Above: (left to right) David Bowie, Iggy Pop and Lou Reed

American record producer, Tony Visconti is another important figure that contributed to spreading and promoting Glam Rock. Visconti worked largely with Marc Bolan and his band T. Rex to invent the style that would become known as Glam Rock. Tony Visconti however, spent the lengthiest involvement with David Bowie, producing 12 of his albums. (Tony Visconti 2010) Additionally, the partnership of songwriters/record producers Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn became fundamentally responsible for producing several number one hits during the Glam Rock period. The duo wrote musical material for artists such as The Sweet, Mud, The Rubettes, and Suzi Quatro. From 1973 to 1974 alone the pair had 19 hits in the Top 40 of the UK Singles Chart, including five number ones (Wikipedia 2010).

Above: Gary Glitter

By the end of 1973 it had become quite clear that it had certainly been a ‘glitter’ year. Rock star Gary Glitter and his Glitter Band epitomised the height of glitz. His all-enveloping drum beats and lyrics were very simple yet catchy, and his floating stage acts, as well as his exaggerated pelvic movements, made his performances a fun spectacle for everyone. Among other musical artists and bands that adopted the Glam Rock style were; Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music, The Sweet, New York Dolls, Alice Cooper, Alvin Stardust, The Wizzards, The Osmonds, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Suzi Quatro, KISS and Queen (Phoebus 1974, p.241).

Above: Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music

In 1976 the Glam Rock momentum deflated when its shock value was superceded by a new style of Punk Rock, which seemed to manifest itself overnight. The Sex Pistols were all about revolt and sadomasochism with ripped jeans, shady eyes, and multiple repugnant piercings. Fashions of silver lycra and platform shoes were passed on to subsequent disco genres and but the combination of glam and rock became merely a lingering memory, or an opportunity to head on down to a karaoke pub night and whip out the glittery blouse.

References:

BBC 2006, Top of the Pops 2 – Trivia, viewed October 7, 2010 <http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp2/trivia/history/history2.shtml>

Dancing in the Street 1996, video recording, BBC Worldwide Ltd, Village Roadshow Corporation

Frith, S 1978, The Sociology of Rock: Communication and Society Series, Constable, London, U.K

Glam and Glitter 2008, YouTube, viewed October 5 2010, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0yalcu-qxI>

Phoebus Publishing 1974, Story of Pop: Soul, Pop, Rock stars, Superstars, Octopus Books Limited, London, U.K

The Ziggy Stardust Companion 2002, The Complete David Bowie: Ziggy Stardust, viewed October 6, 2010 <http://www.5years.com/completedb.htm>

Toni Visconti 2010, Artists: David Bowie, viewed October 6, 2010 <http://www.tonyvisconti.com/artists/bowie.shtml>

Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia 2010, Mike Chapman, viewed October 5, 2010 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Chapman>

Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia 2010, The Velvet Underground, viewed October 5, 2010 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velvet_Underground>

Bibliography:

Auslander, P 2006, Performing Glam Rock: gender and theatricality in popular music, University of Michigan, U.S.A

BBC 2006, Top of the Pops 2 – Trivia, viewed October 7, 2010 <http://www.bbc.co.uk/totp2/trivia/history/history2.shtml>

Cateforis, T 2007, The Rock History Reader, Routledge, New York, U.S.A

Dancing in the Street 1996, video recording, BBC Worldwide Ltd, Village Roadshow Corporation

Dettmar, K.J.H & Richey, W 1999, Reading Rock and Roll: Authenticity, Appropriation, Aesthetics, Columbia University Press, New York, U.S.A

Dodd, P 2001, The Book of Rock, Hardie Grant Books, Victoria, Australia

Friedlander, P 2006, Rock & Roll: A Social History, 2^nd Edition, Westview Press, U.S.A