With most of them I can sense the presence of two distinctly different drummers at play, especially in the case of the classic Allma. [citation needed] The band produced several singles in this period including "Montgomery Clift" and albums The View From Here (1980) and Burn the Buildings (1981). Phipps toured with a variety of 80s bands including XTC and Eurythmics before teaming up with Shephard again in the 90s. The best track on it is Look What Youve Been Missing which saw John Rossall return to songwriting duties with Gerry Shephard. 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." As an experienced session drummer referred to as "The Human Timekeeper", the Memphis soul sensation performed with R&B legend Otis Redding (Try A Little Tenderness), nocturnal proto-funkster Wilson Pickett (In The Midnight Hour), blues idol Albert King (Born Under A Bad Sign) and seductive lothario Al Green (Let's Stay Together). "It seems like every time we get a series of gigs together and some sort of comeback is on the cards, he will get arrested and we lose a lot of shows. Brown, Mick (1985) "Days of Whine and Poses". Musically the story had become about Gary Glitter but in reality it should be about the band's producer Mike Leander. The Gary Glitter Band certainly weren't the first rock band to incorporate two drummers. The Glittermen were renamed The Glitter Band and established a separate identity consisting of a six-member lineup Gerry Shephard (lead guitar/lead vocals), John Springate (bass/lead vocals ), Pete Phipps (drums and keyboards), Tony Leonard (drums), John Rossall (trombone) Harvey Ellison (saxophone). . nick_honest. Playing hard-stomping glam rock and roll with singalong choruses aswell as more straightforward romantic pop, the Glitter Group were named because of their association with glam idol Gary Glitter. This was the start of a time when The Glitter Band toured the world amasing millions of record sales. That two drum sound was thrilling. Devotion) of Spacer fame. STAGEWEAR - Badass custom Stage Wear For Bands & More ForTheFly Customs. In December 2013, John Rossall released a new single, a Glitter styled version of the classic "White Christmas". Its not as well remembered today as it should be its a great summer pop song with that distinctive stomping beat, but there are some Beach Boys inspired harmonies as well. Although the band was not physically present on any of Glitter's own hits (according to the singer, Mike Leander alone played every instrument himself), the Glitter Band not only accompanied Glitter on his tours and television appearances, they also racked up seven hits of their own, six of them making the Top Ten. As well as the unparalleled joy of keeping the publication alive, you'll receive benefits including exclusive editorial, podcasts, and specially-commissioned music by some of our favourite artists. Even then he insisted on staying in a hotel whilst we had to share digs in bunk beds behind the stage. All rights reserved. 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. The Glitter Band's second album might indeed have borne one of the era's most cringe-worthy titles, and a sleeve that wasn't much better. He had been around for ten years by that time and done loads of records and he was very keen to take the chance.". There have been a few bands using 2 drummers - King Crimson did it live in 1994 as well. And Rossall has gone on record to say if Leander could play brass neither he nor Ellison would have featured either. [4] After years of absence Gill reunited with his former Saxon colleagues in a new band, named Son of a Bitch with bassist Steve Dawson and guitarist Graham Oliver. However, at the end of 1974 Rossall took leave of the band to follow a solo career which unfortunately didnt result in any hit singles. With his first major concert tour looming, Glitter and producer/co-conspirator Mike Leander needed a full-time backing band for live work. The Glitter Band's unique sound is well appreciated by the cognoscenti of alternative music makers. Several of the band had played with Glitter in The Boston Showband (also known as The Bostons) during the 1960s when he was still known as Paul Raven. Excerpts from an exclusive interview with drummer Pete Phipps which appeared in the November 2019 issue of the Beat. After leaving school in 1969 he joined Black Velvet, a soul/funk band tours, recording and radio shows. Rossall left the band on 31 December 1974. May 1977 saw the band release a final single as the Glitter Band, "She Was Alright". Co-written by Shephard, Rossall and Eddie Seago, its a fantastic throwback to their distinctive sound. The Glitter Band released their debut LP, called Hey! Evidence that the Glitter Band were capable of meeting greater challenges than the Glitter sound normally set was delivered in early 1975 with their fourth single, the soft rock ballad "Goodbye My Love." It's a sound that is part of the fabric of British pop culture. The band only played with Glitter for two years before going alone and scoring a string of top ten hits. 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. i heard it was Mr Seago. For tickets see the Alfie Bird website or Ticketweb. The Glitter Band began its life as the backing group for now-disgraced rocker Gary Glitter, but soon established an identity of its own in the glam rock landscape. An excellent and informative article. (of course), later in 1974. Through 1983 and 1984 he was a member of The Eurythmics. In 1986, Phipps performed on Zipper an album written by Roger Chapman. Changing direction, Phipps first joined Ex-Directory a jazz rock band where he first met Vic Martin (who would later, with Pete, join the Eurythmics); this was then followed by a short period with a London based punk rock band called The Secret. RIP those no longer with us. At the time it was the worst performing UK Eurovision entry, which Shephard said was a badge of honour. I imagine somebody a bit more famous was doing it before them. Bell Records signed the Glitter Band as a new artist, and Angel Face was released on 1st March 1974. People come to the gigs and they understand that the band and the songs are quite separate from the whole situation.". 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. VBTS May 22, 2005 #7 Jean-Baptiste Clamence @ May 23 2005, 01:15 AM wrote: Rossall adds: "The whole Glitter sound started on a Mike Leander instrumental. "I've not even spoken to Gary for 30 years and every day I have to speak about him. They were recently included in the BBC Four show Glam Rock At The BBC which reminded me how much I had loved them when I was young, and it was a rare opportunity to see them again on TV. Prior to leaving, Rossall featured with his bandmates in a plot free 1975 film, Never Too Young To Rock, which is only worth watching for their live performances and a couple of seconds of their painful acting, which is still better than most performances from the actual actors in the film. "), Buoyed by the massive success of "Goodbye My Love," the Glitter Band selected another soft rocker for their next single, "The Tears I Cried," following through over the next 12 months with the similarly styled "Love in the Sun" and "People Like You, People Like Me." When he needed a vocalist he got Gary Glitter because he was around at the time making lots of different records under different names that were all flops. The Glitter Band sound was what attracted me to them back in the day. This was the start of a time when The Glitter Band toured the world amasing millions of record sales. Sometimes when the odds are stacked up this high the creative juices can go crazy. He then rejoined Gary Glitter for UK, Middle East and US tours. Apple Inc. An utterly un-Glitter-like set, it was characterized by a truly audacious cover of the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil." In recent years the Glitter Band have been considered guilty by association for having had the temerity to start out backing the disgraced Gary Glitter. and enjoys writing about music when working full-time doesnt get in the way. Currently taking Commissions to begin in Early 2023. [12] Rossall and Harvey Ellison continued to tour with their band, releasing the album Glitteresque in 2008, which was subsequently withdrawn from circulation by their record company because of trademark infringement. What people miss out on is the fact the whole Glitter thing comes from Mike Leander. 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 . Originally called The Glitter Men, only Rossall and Ellison played on Glitter's first two records - every other instrument was played by Mike Leander. 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. 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." and enjoys writing about music when working full-time doesnt get in the way. Springate and Phipps tour as one incarnation of The Glitter Band. The Glitter Band (originally - though briefly - called The Glittermen) were formed by producer Mike Leander in 1972 as backing and session musicians for Gary Glitter. Rossall himself had known Leander since the 60s and was asked by the producer to put the Glitter Band together to back up the vocalist when the hits started pouring out and there were tours and Top Of The Pops to be done. Rossall shakes his head with sadness at the way Leander has nearly been forgotten. 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