Looking to the future the newly invigorated Glitter Band are thinking big. Original Glitter Band bandleader John Rossall died on October 2, 2021, a year after releasing a comeback album, The Last Glam in Town; he was 75 years old. Their choice of bandleader also reached back to that earlier era -- baritone sax player John Rossall had previously played with Leander's own eponymous orchestra, and with Glitter in the subsequent Boston International. It got no airplay and failed to chart. But Pete said since Gadd was revealed as a paedo in the 1990s, they have been frozen out because of their association with him. They were unofficially known as the Glittermen on the first four hit singles by Gary Glitter from 1972 to 1973. Are the Glitter Band capable of making rock n roll part3? I keep throwing names at him, I tell him to get Marilyn Manson to mix a track, Mark Smith to do something, Marco from the Ants on guitar - after all, these people have borrowed those Leander drums for excellent use of their own enough times. It was to no avail as the single failed to crack to the top 50. Devotion) of Spacer fame. In 1985, Phipps recorded with Hugh Cornwell playing on the single "One in a Million". Guitarist/vocalist Gerry Shephard, bassist/vocalist John Springate, drummers Pete Phipps and Tony Leonard, and horn players John Rossall and Harvey Ellison came together in 1972 . RIP those no longer with us. "It was nerve wracking. Ive picked Games Up from this LP as it was also recorded by Hello and, although their version wasnt a hit, it is considered a great glam tune. They were brilliant! However, in 1981, they reconvened with a little heard single, Until The Next Time. [6][7] He was also a member of Lawrence Hayward's post-Felt band Denim, which has been described as "self-consciously ironic glitter-pop revivalist project", playing on the 1992 album Back in Denim and the 1996 album Denim on Ice. Pete Phipps still performs live as The Glitter Band. Drummers Pete Phipps and Tony Leonard eventually completed the line up. I read in one of glitters bios, he really did only regard them as employees the piss tho? "Mike played all instruments apart from the brass which me and Gerry did. In 2009, drummer Pete Phipps (who had taken ownership of the name "The Glitter Band") and original bassist and vocalist John Springate put together a new version of the group with the addition of Dominic Rodgers on guitar and vocals, and Eddie Spence on keyboards and vocals. . Phipps was then asked to join Random Hold, a band he had already worked with a year or two before. Read Full Biography. The Glitter Band released their debut LP, called Hey! Just look at all the Christmas songs from the 70s still being played! Leander died ten years ago at the age of 55 and is now mainly forgotten or his legacy forever tainted by his association with Glitter. [3][5] The band, now working as a separate entity with Tony Leonard having replaced Pete Gill, as well as continuing to back Glitter, played a few well-received live shows before their first single came out, mixing some new songs with cover versions of 1950s and 1960s songs. Nowadays they have become music pariahs as the tabloids froth themselves into indignation over the sad and disturbing sexual tastes of their convicted paedophile former front man Gary Glitter. Pete Gill detoxed in 2004 after having a problem with alcohol for two years, and is unable to play anymore due to severe arthritis which "has spread to my hands and my legs and my back".[5]. This article on a British drummer is a stub. He then rejoined Gary Glitter for UK, Middle East and US tours. Mark E. Smith. Could this be the most unlikely comeback in pop history? Playing hard-stomping glam rock with singalong choruses as well as more straightforward romantic pop, the Glitter Band were named for their association with glam idol Gary Glitter. Glitter was difficult to work with even when we first met him in 1964/65 when we were his backing band in the Starr Club in Germany. In 2009, drummer Pete Phipps (who had taken ownership of the name "The Glitter Band") and original bassist and vocalist John Springate put together a new version of the group with the addition of Dominic Rodgers on guitar and vocals, and Eddie Spence on keyboards and vocals. Saw the Glitter Band at Margates Dreamland Ballroom when they were at their peak. Joyce tweets. They guested on Denims glam rock themed 1992 album, Back In Denim with Shephard and his star guitar featuring in the video for Middle Of The Road. With John Rossall having quit for a solo career, the remaining members signed with CBS and, shortening their name to the G Band, set to work on their most ambitious collection yet, Paris Match. It had the distinctive glitter sound and while not quite as strong as Angel Face, its still a great glam record. The story of the Glitter Band begins in the mid 1960s. Rossall describes an album that sounds quite interesting, if he has the nerve to go against his commercial instincts and make the sort of record that Mike Leander would approve of then he could really be onto something. And while the band's original sound was firmly cut in the style of their namesake, by the end of their career, they'd developed into a wholly original and utterly captivating act in their own right. I was never embarrassed that Id been a fan of theirs when I was so young, which wasnt the case with a lot of my childhood music idols. The music group originally came jointly in 1972, pursuing Glitter's very own breakthrough using the strike "Stone.". In 1976, they returned with Dont Make Promises (You Cant Keep) and started calling themselves The G Band in the hope of being taken more seriously. At the time it was the worst performing UK Eurovision entry, which Shephard said was a badge of honour. Read the choicest cuts from the Quietus archive: reviews, features and opinion, New Weird Britain In Review For November By Noel Gardner, Gary Glitter, Re-Writing Musical History & The Danger Of Censorship, John Robb On Massive Attack's Blue Lines - 21 Years On, Discussing Uganda: John Robb Visits East Africa, A Spotify Playlist To Celebrate The Launch Of Louder Than War, The Last Of The True Believers: Ian Astbury Interviewed, The Sea, The Sea: An Interview With Lankum, Use Your Days: An Interview With Gina Birch, The Horrors Of Britpop: An Interview With Heavenly, Maternity Beat: An Interview With Hedvig Mollestad. Finally Springate, Phipps and Shephard released "Gotta Get a Message Back To You" in September 1977, under the new name of Air Traffic Control. The band switched to CBS Records and later Epic Records, and changed their name to The G Band to disassociate themselves from Glitter, but failed to find another hit single. The Glitter Men, as the group was originally known, was built around an idea that Glitter and Leander had first experimented with during the mid-'60s: a sprawling combo whose sound and visuals were based upon a core of two drummers and two saxophonists. ~ Dave Thompson. Hiro_Noodles. Originally Gary Glitter's backing band, these poppy glam musicians became stars in their own right with an eclectic pop sound. nick_honest. A new version of Last.fm is available, to keep everything running smoothly, please reload the site. Sometimes Smith hits the nail on the head, and even if he is exaggerating to make a point, The Glitter Band had an amazingly unique sound, a sound that has gone on to inspire an unlikely cross section of musicians. The name reverted to The Glitter Band in March 1977 for the release of "Look What You've Been Missing", co-written by John Rossall and Gerry Shephard. The band Orleans had two drummers. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. A new album, recorded live at the London Marquee Club, appeared in 1985, while a succession of hits collections (several featuring newly re-recorded material) kept their name alive on the record shelves. Shortly afterwards, bubblegum glam group and Bell Records label mates Hello recorded their own version of Tell Him using the Glitter Bands arrangement and took it into the UK top ten. All user-contributed text on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. There were other choices but Gary was hungry to have a hit. Rossall shakes his head with sadness at the way Leander has nearly been forgotten. A fabric that has been torn by Paul Gadd's fall from grace. The Glitter beat! In the long gone Glorias Record Bar in East Kilbride, I chose Angel Face by the Glitter Band. It was the twin drum's combined with Gerry's glitter 'Star' guitar with its . Particular kudos should be paid to Gerry Shephard and the slide effect he used on his famous star guitar. Where Have You Been is quite an epic Beatle-esque tune and although the arrangement is now a little dated, its still a decent effort. (wikipedia) [3] In April 2010, The Glitter Band performed at Scala, Kings Cross, London where they were joined by special guests Angie Bowie and Adam Ant. Even then he insisted on staying in a hotel whilst we had to share digs in bunk beds behind the stage. Further sporadic releases followed in the 1980s on a variety of labels. Vid by me - enjoy!The Glitter Band are a glam rock band from England, who initially worked as Gary Glitter's backing band under that name from 1973, when they then began releasing records of their own. Producer Mike Leander kept the distinctive sound on many of the songs, but there is evidence of a slicker sound on a few of the tracks. His imagination and sheer musical brilliance was key in the 60s colouring in records with amazing and imaginative use of strings, working with The Beatles, Marianne Faithful, Billy Fury and a whole host of other key players. So sad that they didnt get the recognition they deserved mainly due to Glitters horror charges saw them a few times and have Petes drumstick still. Currently taking Commissions to begin in Early 2023. Further hits followed between 1974 and 1976, along with the release of four albums. Tours with Gary Glitter continued. [citation needed] One may play the rhythm while the other may play another style, or both may play the same rhythm.It is more common to have a main drummer with an auxiliary percussionist who plays Latin American percussion, toms . The name of the other one escapes me.. Unfortunately, although the band had moved on, their fans hadn't. Ophidian I drummer Ragnar Sverrisson picks out the finest drummers in tech death who have helped push the genre's boundaries, complete with drum-cam playthroughs . I didnt even like Gary Glitter all that much his songs were okay but I far preferred watching his backing band on Top Of The Pops and from a very early age had a little crush on the saxophonist, Harvey Ellison. The potential is there and the talent is there- could the Glitter Band be about to use rock & roll to excise the ghost of Gary Glitter the bacofoil god with feet of clay? I was so in love with Gerry RIP. "For me when we play we are carrying on the work and legacy of Mike Leander. And there are two drummers on some major jazz records such as Miles's Bitches Brew or John Coltrane's Meditations. Performing with bands like Decrepit Birth, Abysmal Dawn and Vale of Pnath, his fervent and incredibly clean technique elevates every song that he records or performs. The band did a great job replicating Leanders sound live. This is unfortunate to say the least as Leander himself had a brilliantly original musical mind and, unlike the equally genius Meek, never murdered anyone. If he could have played brass then he would have done that as well.". Leander produced all of the Glitter Bands albums. Rossall brought with him guitarist Gerry Shephard, saxophonist Harvey Ellison, and bassist Ray Moxley, who was soon sacked for urinating in Glitters drink. This edition of the Glitter Band released a single in 2016 featuring new recordings of "Let's Get Together Again" and "People Like You and People Like Me." He and Phipps also featured in the Identity Parade round in the first episode of Never Mind The Buzzcocks in 1996. In 1981, the group released a new single, "Until the Next Time," maintaining a steady stream of further releases over the next five years. Since the band split up there have been two Glitter bands - one led by Rossall and Ellison, the other by former guitarist Shephard and Phipps, the band's drummer. The year 2000 saw the founding of Santanarama, a six-piece tribute to Carlos Santana, and Glitz Blitz, a three-piece tribute to the 1970s. Random Hold composed of David Rhodes, Bill MacCormick, David Ferguson, and Pete Phipps were described by a music journalist[who?] Following Ellison's death in 2017, Rossall continued to tour for the rest of his life. One Artist - One Song. Vid by me - enjoy! The Glitter Band regrouped under their old name in 1980, around the same time as Gary Glitter himself moved back into focus. In the late 80s while I was studying at Portsmouth Polytechnic I went to see Gary Glitter play at the Guildhall. Mike used to get in the studio on his own with the engineer and play the drums for 20 minutes trying out different drum things and then say: 'Right, roll the tape. to the engineer and then record a section that he would then he would make a loop out of and copy it onto the 24 track. Broadcast on 31st January 2021 for Soul Radio USA's Virtual 70's and 80's New Year's Eve Party, this is an exclusive Interview with Pete Phipps lead drummer . "I've got loads of ideas for songs, we want to make something heavy, really tribal, really do something with our sound," he explains before starting to sing one track in the bar - it sounds fantastic. It may not be PC but I still love Gary and the Glitter Band music. John Rossall died on 2 October 2021, at the age of 75.[14]. Please whitelist our site in order to continue to access The Quietus. The Gary Glitter Band certainly weren't the first rock band to incorporate two drummers. What people miss out on is the fact the whole Glitter thing comes from Mike Leander. The Glitter Bands own career has been stymied by the situation. Peter William Phipps (born 5 August 1951 in Clapham, South London)[1] is a rock drummer, singer and songwriter known for his work with Gary Glitter, The Glitter Band, and later Eurythmics, XTC and Denim. He toured in the US and in the UK. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. The Official Website for Pete Phipps and The Glitter Band, The Original Jukebox Heroes (Pete Phipps, drums), Never Too Young To Rock (1975 movie) Part 1 on YouTube. Gadd, 71, was jailed in 1999 for child porn offences. It got the full Leander production treatment, bringing the brass section and double drum sound to the fore, adding in the distinctive hey! chant. The brass included trombone as well as sax. It met with instant success and reached. - Great Drum solo from Pete Phipps 88,719 views Dec 12, 2010 366 Dislike Share Save Description ggspotter 286 subscribers The Glitter Band performing on their. It came as a total shock.. The B-side, You Wouldnt Leave Me Would You, a Springate/Shephard composition, carries on where Angel Face left off and the intro reminds me of a few punk and new wave tunes which followed just a few years later. A major creative departure, "Goodbye My Love" climbed to number two, while the group's abilities as songwriters received another boost when labelmates Hello scored a European hit with a cover of the Glitter Band's own "Game's Up." Peter Gill (born 9 June 1951) is an English former heavy metal drummer, formerly a member of The Glitter Band, Saxon and Motrhead. The Band had moved on, their fans had n't in the first rock Band to incorporate two drummers played... These poppy glam musicians became stars in their own right with an eclectic pop.. 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