Glam Greats: 20 Seventies Stompers

This wonderfully-nostalgic CD for people like me, whose teenage years had glam rock as its soundtrack, was released in 2000. I remember that Woolworth's stores were still open and they used to sell CD like this one, along with lots of similar compilations from various genres - funk, reggae, punk etc. I couldn't get enough of them, often coming away with several on a Saturday morning. They retailed for only about a fiver each so it was great value. 

There were three CDs in this series - what does this first one give us?

It kicks off with a real glam barnstormer in T. Rex's gloriously riffy and totally infectious Telegram Sam, where Marc Bolan showcased his ability to turn a few seemingly inane lyrical couplets into a big, classic number one chart hit. Rivals to T. Rex in 1972-73 were lovable yam-yams* Slade, and they serve up the mighty Cum On Feel The Noize, introduced by Noddy Holder's "baby, baby, baaaby!!!" vocal and subsequently covered by Oasis and many a football crowd. Two better glammers to open with it would be difficult to beat. Further down the collection we get the chunky, powerful, riff-heavy rock of Children Of The Revolution from T. Rex and another copper-bottomed Slade classic in Mama Weer All Crazee Now. all four of these tracks are absolute killers. Glam Heaven.

He who cannot even be named (Gary Glitter), is, of course, conspicuously absent. Rock 'n' Roll Part 1 was a huge 1972 hit and would have been ideal here, but instead we get his band-mates' first solo hit single in the typically glam but somewhat chugging Angel Face. Another Glitter Band track included is the even less impressive Just For You. 

Never mind - The Sweet are up next with another slice of glam treasure in the stonking Blockbuster!, a song which used RCA label-mate David Bowie's Jean Genie riff to great effect on a piece of total singalong nirvana. The Sweet also give us the lyrically amusing and incredibly catchy and riffy Little Willy, from 1971, later on. I have a huge weakness for that song, however ludicrous it is. 

Rock 'n' roll retro nostalgia was really big in the 1973-75 period and we get a shedload of it here in Wizzard's Spectoresque "throw in the kitchen sink" wall-of-sound majesty that was Angel Fingers. Lots of saxophones and fairground melodies here. Unfortunately the other Wizzard number included is the slightly underwhelming Rock 'n' Roll Winter, another retro pastiche that just doesn't quite make it in the take-no-prisoners way that Angel Fingers did. 

Showaddywaddy's stomping, enjoyable Hey Rock 'n' Roll continued that retro thing, as indeed did The Rubettes' high-voiced number one hit, Sugar Baby Love. Despite the somewhat lack of originality in the whole backward-looking vibe, I really love both these songs.  

A late-to-the scene arrival (1975) on the glam stage were Hello, fronted by long-haired and bug-eyed singer Bob Bradbury, and here they contribute two really good glam singles - a poppy, lively cover of The Exciters' 1963 rock 'n' roller, Tell Him, and the stomping glory of the Russ Ballard-penned New York Groove. The latter is one of my favourite glam rock deep cuts.

Also absolutely huge in 1974-75 were Scotland's teen heart-throbs, the tartan-clad Bay City Rollers. Here we get the wonderful singalong Shang-A-Lang. It is another one with a sixties, poppy sound to it, in some ways, as indeed was Suzi Quatro's massive number one hit, Devil Gate Drive. At the risk of repeating myself, the whole rock 'n' roll throwback thing, mixed with big thumping drums, was so much the sound of 1973-75 in glam rock. That is backed up by the presence of Barry Blue's muscular, drum-driven Do You Wanna Dance and Mud's get on down and do that bloody silly dance number one hit, Tiger Feet. It amazing how many number ones are on here, isn't it? I reckon eight, possibly nine. 

A couple of oddities amongst all this stomping are Mungo Jerry's leery jugband rocker, Baby Jump and Sparks' totally off-the-wall, uncategorisable This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us, a madcap ending to a thoroughly enjoyable romp of pure seventies fun. 

* yam-yams - natives of the "black country" area of the UK's industrial West Midlands (name 'black" due to the smoke-stained buildings). They are known for their whiny, peculiar accent. I should know, I had a yam-yam girlfriend once.