Customer Reviews

Rock & Roll: Gary Glitter's Greatest Hits

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Unexpectedly politicized for an Amazon review page! Yes, Gary Glitter was busted for possession of child porn a few years back and was punished with jail time in the UK. After that, he left the country, so perhaps his deportation from Cambodia was his criminal record catching up with him rather than for further crimes committed there - but I don't know. What I do know is that you should judge the art, not the artist. He's deservedly disgraced now, but that should have no bearing on what one thinks of the singles he made OVER 30 YEARS AGO. They're great tunes that defined the party side of glam-rock (ie, Slade, T.Rex, early Sweet, etc) as opposed to the Bowie/Roxy Music/Cockney Rebel art-rock camp. I grew up listening to all that music and have to say I loved it then and still do. Nothing got your feet moving faster than Gary's simple but super formula: massive slap drums, pop-metal riffs, and good time tribal sing-along choruses.

All of the 6 key Glitter singles are represented on this disc: Rock & Roll Pt. 1, I Didn't Know I Loved You Till I Saw You Rock & Roll, Do You Wanna Touch Me? (which cropped up in Velvet Goldmine), Hello! Hello! I'm Back Again, I'm the Leader of the Gang, & Rock & Roll Pt. 2. Also included are a few lesser but still solid singles (I Love You Love Me, for example), and listeners may recognize some songs from covers versions by Joan Jett, the Cure, and others. And yes, back in the 80s the Timelords sampled R & R 2 (the baseball wind-up theme and Gary's only US hit) and even name-checked him on the B-side homage Gary In the Tardis. If you feel it immoral to help him earn royalties, don't buy his records -- but if you like glam, this is the real thing.

This CD show's why Gary Glitter was a hit over in England. Sadly, the American music audience has lost out on so many great singers like Glitter, Iron Maiden, and Manowar to name a few. Get this CD and just enjoy it for what it is. It's not the most serious CD in the world, but it's fun. That's what Glitter is for.

This album is not the best collection of Garys music, but it nevertheless contains many of the songs he placed on the UK charts between 1972 and 1980. One of the reasons I am doing this review is in response to below comment about Joan Jetts covers being better than Gary Glitters originals, not true.

Gary Glitter did not leave a lot to be desired as a rock n roll star. While I respect the Joan Jett fan for saying that Glitters crimes had no effect on her view of his music, I would say that Gary was one of the finest rockers of the 20th century. Very few had his stage presence, even other glam rock acts of the time Alice Cooper and Kiss (two American acts of the 1970s) and The Sweet, came close at times, but Gary Glitter was the leader of the rock n roll gang and was the ultimate showman of the era.

If you like rock music, then check this album out. Glitters influence in music can still be heard today, even if some wish not mention his name.

The controversy surrounding Gary Glitter at this present time is unfortunatly more potent than the success he once had here in Great Britain over thirty years ago. However, Gary Glitter is still selling here in England, just a month ago (2004) I saw Gary Glitter albums on the shelf, for sale, at a HMV music store, Glitter also appears occasionally on Top of the pops 2
(a television programme dedicated to past hits)on BBC2.

The music of Gary Glitter (Most of which is on this particular album) is simply fun, the sheer energy of the drum beats, the infectiously good lyrics and the hypnotic guitar sound still plays on this side of the atlantic, so why not where you are? Don't be afraid to buy this album, you are not rendering yourself as a supporter to any recent behavioural aspects of Mr Glitter, but simply being an individual, who has a good taste for music.

Growing up as part of the glam rock movement of the early 70's I never really was a big fan of Gary Glitter, to me Marc Bolan was the ultimate pop star. I could never see the attraction of Gary Glitter even in his 20's he looked fifty and believe it or not he was a mega star in Europe and the women loved him. This album is great if you remember the songs originally and want to be part of a nostalgia trip. Like it or not most of these songs represent the glam scene in the UK 72-74, the songs weren't even good then but Gary Glitter was never meant to be taken seriously, it was a fun period in pop music,which was camp and over the top. Don't analize them enjoy them for what they are, great party songs.

This collection of Gary's music presents most of his hit singles from the 1970's and a few choice albums cuts. It's only half of what's on the double "Ultimate Gary Glitter" album, but the 16 songs that make it here are all winners.

Gary's career began in the late 50's, under the name Paul Russell, he toured clubs in Britain and Germany and recorded for Decca and Parlophone in the 60's, changing is name to Paul Raven and Paul Monday, before signing to MCA in the late-60's.

In 1971, he changed his name again to Gary Glitter (after considering Terry Tinsel, Stanley Sparkle, and others) and signed to Bell records. He became a superstar, with his first single for the label "Rock N Roll (Parts One & Two)" racing to the top of the charts in Europe, before going on to also being a huge hit in the United States Of America.

Many critics thought Glitter would be a quick fad, even when his follow up "Didn't Know I Loved You" made the top five. However, Glitter was just beginning, more hit's came with "Do You Wanna Touch Me?", "Hello, Hello, I'm Back Again" and the smash "Leader Of The Gang" (the song which became his career anthem and spent four weeks at Number 1 in the United Kingdom).

Glitter was like a snowball that was getting bigger and bigger, he followed hit after hit, with his next single "I Love You Love Me Love" selling over 1 million copies in the UK within it's first 10 days of release, and staying at Number 1 for a month!

More hit's followed, of course, including another Number 1 with "Always Yours". As the decade went on Glitter continued to make music and enjoy success, but he was now no longer album to reach Number 1. "Oh Yes, You're Beautiful" did get him to Number 2, and other singles, such as "Love Like You And Me", "It Takes All Night Long" and "You Belong To Me" also charted, but Glitter went to New Zealand in the 1980's to star in the rocky horror show.

He came back to England, too, and released some singles and also played some concerts. In 1981 he was back in the charts, on TV regularly and continued to record fairly regularly for the rest of the '80's and '90's, including a version of Gene Vincents "Be Bop A Lula".

This 16 track collection contains "Rock N Roll", "Leader Of The Gang", "Always Yours", "Hello, Hello, I'm Back Again", "Remember Me This Way", "Rock On" and "I Love You Love Me Love". It is pure classic Rock.

Contrary to what some on here will have you believe this is not a bad disc and Gary is not a bad singer and the blend of Glam with 50's style Rock n Roll is fantastic. Too many critics want to throw the baby out with the bath water because of the singer's misdeeds, but the music on this disc is still entertainment that should stand on it's own. Yes maybe people should wait 'til Gary kicks the bucket and then pick this one up, but lets not make the music and it's fans suffer by slamming this CD. If you have a sense of humor and fun and like catchy songs give the song samples above a listen.

Gary Glitter defined 70s glam with hard pumping guitars and drum beats. Some of the best songs of his career are on this disc but I recommend the Ultimate Gary Glitter if you can find it. Thanks, if you dont like this album your just lying to yourself.

If you like me, are disgusted by Gary's crimes but love his music, there's an easy solution. Buy used CDs or even better, vinyl. You get the great glam anthems and Gary doesn't get a penny!

To the review who claimed Gary Glitter got "lucky" with "one hit", i'd like to ask if he knows wheather or not there is a world outside the USA. In many other countries (most notably England, New Zeland and Aus) Gary Glitter was a mega star with a string of hit's to his name and lasted 30 years at the top (the 1990s saw his biggest concert attendances). This CD conatins most of them and if you only get one Glitter album, this will do the job nicely.