Biography
The Glitter Band derived their name from an alliance with glam figure Gary Glitter and specialized in pounding glam rock numbers built around communal choruses alongside simpler romantic pop material. They formed in 1972 in the wake of Glitter's breakthrough single "Rock and Roll." Facing an impending headline tour, Glitter and his producer and collaborator Mike Leander assembled a permanent live unit. Although the musicians contributed to none of Glitter's recordings—Leander handled every instrument alone, according to the singer—the Glitter Band supported him on stage and on television while also securing seven chart entries of their own, six of which reached the Top Ten. In time they achieved nearly equivalent commercial impact and public recognition to Glitter himself. Their initial style mirrored his template, yet by the close of their run they had forged a fully distinctive and compelling identity.
Originally called the Glitter Men, the ensemble grew from an earlier concept Glitter and Leander had tested in the mid-'60s: an expansive group whose sonic and visual identity centered on twin drummers and dual saxophonists. They selected baritone saxophonist John Rossall as leader, drawing on his prior work with Leander's own orchestra and with Glitter in Boston International.
The move to establish the Glitter Band as an independent recording entity occurred in late 1973. Their first release, "Angel Face," credited to Rossall and Gerry Sheppard, closely echoed the Glitter template with its heavy, stomping rhythm yet carried a distinct appeal of its own; it advanced to number four in Britain in March 1974. Subsequent singles "Just for You" and "Let's Get Together Again" both entered the Top Ten, and the debut album Hey climbed to number 13 even though it largely recycled earlier material.
A notable expansion beyond Glitter's usual parameters arrived in early 1975 via the soft-rock ballad "Goodbye My Love," the band's fourth single. This stylistic shift propelled the track to number two, while their songwriting profile rose further when labelmates Hello achieved European success with a version of the Glitter Band's "Game's Up." Hello also enjoyed a hit with another track from the Hey sessions, their reading of the Exciters' "Tell Him."
Following the strong performance of "Goodbye My Love," the group chose another ballad, "The Tears I Cried," for their next outing and continued in a comparable vein across the ensuing year with "Love in the Sun" and "People Like You, People Like Me." The albums Rock 'n' Roll Dudes and Listen to the Band reflected the same adventurous spirit, even as initial chart setbacks for "Alone Again" and "Don't Make Promises" hinted at shifting fortunes.
With Gary Glitter's retirement announcement in 1976, the Glitter Band severed remaining musical connections to the prior sound. After Rossall departed for solo work, the remaining members moved to CBS, shortened their name to the G Band, and recorded their most ambitious project, Paris Match. The set diverged sharply from Glitter conventions, most strikingly through an audacious reading of the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil." Audience loyalty did not follow the stylistic leap, however. In late 1977 they switched to Epic for a final single, a cover of the Bee Gees' "Gotta Get a Message to You," before the lineup effectively dissolved in 1978. The following year Sheppard and drummer Pete Phipps joined former Sparks and Jet keyboardist Peter Oxendale for the U.S.-only album Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is, issued under the name Oxendale & Sheppard.
The Glitter Band reassembled under their original name in 1980, coinciding with Glitter's own return to prominence. They issued the single "Until the Next Time" in 1981 and maintained a series of releases through the next five years. A live album captured at the London Marquee Club appeared in 1985, while multiple hits anthologies—some containing newly re-recorded tracks—sustained their catalog presence. In 2009 Phipps, who controlled the "The Glitter Band" name, and original bassist and vocalist John Springate formed a new iteration with guitarist and vocalist Dominic Rodgers plus keyboardist and vocalist Eddie Spence. This configuration released a 2016 single containing fresh versions of "Let's Get Together Again" and "People Like You and People Like Me." Founding leader John Rossall died on October 2, 2021, at age 75, one year after issuing the comeback album The Last Glam in Town.
Originally called the Glitter Men, the ensemble grew from an earlier concept Glitter and Leander had tested in the mid-'60s: an expansive group whose sonic and visual identity centered on twin drummers and dual saxophonists. They selected baritone saxophonist John Rossall as leader, drawing on his prior work with Leander's own orchestra and with Glitter in Boston International.
The move to establish the Glitter Band as an independent recording entity occurred in late 1973. Their first release, "Angel Face," credited to Rossall and Gerry Sheppard, closely echoed the Glitter template with its heavy, stomping rhythm yet carried a distinct appeal of its own; it advanced to number four in Britain in March 1974. Subsequent singles "Just for You" and "Let's Get Together Again" both entered the Top Ten, and the debut album Hey climbed to number 13 even though it largely recycled earlier material.
A notable expansion beyond Glitter's usual parameters arrived in early 1975 via the soft-rock ballad "Goodbye My Love," the band's fourth single. This stylistic shift propelled the track to number two, while their songwriting profile rose further when labelmates Hello achieved European success with a version of the Glitter Band's "Game's Up." Hello also enjoyed a hit with another track from the Hey sessions, their reading of the Exciters' "Tell Him."
Following the strong performance of "Goodbye My Love," the group chose another ballad, "The Tears I Cried," for their next outing and continued in a comparable vein across the ensuing year with "Love in the Sun" and "People Like You, People Like Me." The albums Rock 'n' Roll Dudes and Listen to the Band reflected the same adventurous spirit, even as initial chart setbacks for "Alone Again" and "Don't Make Promises" hinted at shifting fortunes.
With Gary Glitter's retirement announcement in 1976, the Glitter Band severed remaining musical connections to the prior sound. After Rossall departed for solo work, the remaining members moved to CBS, shortened their name to the G Band, and recorded their most ambitious project, Paris Match. The set diverged sharply from Glitter conventions, most strikingly through an audacious reading of the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil." Audience loyalty did not follow the stylistic leap, however. In late 1977 they switched to Epic for a final single, a cover of the Bee Gees' "Gotta Get a Message to You," before the lineup effectively dissolved in 1978. The following year Sheppard and drummer Pete Phipps joined former Sparks and Jet keyboardist Peter Oxendale for the U.S.-only album Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is, issued under the name Oxendale & Sheppard.
The Glitter Band reassembled under their original name in 1980, coinciding with Glitter's own return to prominence. They issued the single "Until the Next Time" in 1981 and maintained a series of releases through the next five years. A live album captured at the London Marquee Club appeared in 1985, while multiple hits anthologies—some containing newly re-recorded tracks—sustained their catalog presence. In 2009 Phipps, who controlled the "The Glitter Band" name, and original bassist and vocalist John Springate formed a new iteration with guitarist and vocalist Dominic Rodgers plus keyboardist and vocalist Eddie Spence. This configuration released a 2016 single containing fresh versions of "Let's Get Together Again" and "People Like You and People Like Me." Founding leader John Rossall died on October 2, 2021, at age 75, one year after issuing the comeback album The Last Glam in Town.
Albums