Bell Singles Collection, The - Glitter Band (The) > Reviews > Listen to the band (again)

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Average
Lyrics	Standard
Quality and consistency of tracks	Mixed
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Not applicable
Value for Money	Good

Advantages:	Some stonking 70's hit singles
Disadvantages:	B sides are a little ropey soundwise

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

The Glitter Band were best known for supporting Gary Glitter, AKA Paul Gadd AKA Paul Raven AKA convicted nonce, back in the glory days of Glam Rock, where brain-fried ex-pyschadelic musos donned shiny jumpsuits and high heeled boots to produce thumping neo-HM 45RPM singles usually revolved around the subject of getting off with someone at the Saturday nite "discoteque". Reverberating major chords and repetitive chanted choruses helped to make some of Britain's finest ever pop songs. When their erstwhile "leader" went solo in 1974, presumably to make lots of money and molest some more young children, the Band went out and did their own thing, bringing out a string of hits that together with their orignal B sides make up this album.

Anyone who remembers the Band will instantly think of the star guitar wielded by Gerry Sheperd and the double drumming attack of Pete Phipps and Tony Leonard. Whilst not the only band with two drummers (and Adam & The Ants would later take up the mantle in the early 80's) it did give them a distinctive sound and put down the rythym track for lots of big, brassy Boys Own type of songs, though laced with some wistful lyrics provided mostly by Shepherd but also bassist John Springate. Roping in Glitter's old producer Michael Leander was a sharp move as it gave the sound its continuity, and teamed with the brass section of John Rossall and Harvey Ellison they proceeded to storm the charts from 1974 to 1976.

Opening the album is the top 5 smash hit Angel Face with its military style drumbeat and heavy fuzz guitar. This has a really cool break just before the last chorus where the drums pause for a halfbeat before launching into a roll up to the key change. Great stuff. Just For You which hit the top 10 soon after is a faster paced number with ringing chords and big singalong chorus. Probably their most remembered song is Let's Get Together Again, a UK no 8 which is a slower song, with sliding chords and one of those classic early 70's "hands in the air" choruses so favoured by such as the Bay City Rollers. Many of the band's themes were optimistic love songs and this is one "please come home, I'm on my own" and a great piece of production brings the guitars and drums right to the top of the mix at the last verse.

So three top 10 hits in a row meant the Band were major chart players and this was stiffened with their No 2 hit the sounds of Goodbye My Love, a descending chord 3/4 drumbeat provides the background to a sad tale of airport departure lounges, engines screaming and last goodbyes. For me however this outfits defining moment is the superb The Tears I Cried (yet another top 10 hit) sung by John Springate, a real marker that this was a real band not just a hit machine, where they show they could be just at home on big epic sounding "AOR" numbers as well as the tried and trusted hit formula.

Love In The Sun again shows the group moving in the direction of album song material as does the slightly slower version of People Like You And People Like Me, their last hit in early 1976. This is a real pop sound with a lighter feel than the earlier stomp.

Well that's the hits, as for the B sides watch out, they aren't remastered like the A sides, and their label was Bell, never famous for its soaring production. So you get some muffled sounds and a couple of near mono recordings in You Wouldn't Leave Me Would You and I'm Celebrating, uh oh, but Jukebox Queen is a fun 50'sish pastiche and the fab funky Tuna Biscuit is worth hearing for the timing and range on display. Otherwise the remainder of the B sides are somewhat forgettable but worth a listen just to hear what else the Band were capable of.

The Glitter Band made three studio albums; Hey (1974), Rock & Roll Dudes (1975) and Listen To The Band (1976) the latter of which is more than worth a repeated listen. But punk and New Wave were on the horizon and it was over. A revised Band began touring with Glitter again in the mid 80's before, well, you know, and having seen them myself they are a more than capable live act still able to tear it up. It's a good CD but don't pay over the odds.