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. The B-side of this single, the instrumental Tuna Biscuit deserves a mention as its the only track drummer Tony Leonard gets a songwriting credit on, together with Phipps and Ellison. 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. . 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. Really brill piece paying tribute to a hugely underrated band that were never given the credit they deserved. 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 . We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. 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. Rossall left the band on 31 December 1974. John Rossall died on 2 October 2021, at the age of 75.[14]. as "disco orientated rock", and by Nina Myskow in The Sun as a band to watch for as "Their music shows talent, menace, originality and brains. The Glitter Band released their debut LP, called Hey! To find out more, click here. They were great musicians and writers who caught the mid 70s zeitgeist. They are the last living link to the brilliant producer Mike Leander, who created the Glitter Band sound which has influenced so many people in pop from The Fall to The Smiths to Marilyn Manson, Adam And The Ants, Bow Wow Wow and Killing Joke and anyone else who cops that droning guitar over a tribal beat. Purveying hard-driving bar-band blues-rock to the kids, via songs like "Black Diamond," "Love Gun," and "Cold Gin," Kiss earned 30 RIAA-certified gold records, 14 platinum albums and three that. Sometimes when the odds are stacked up this high the creative juices can go crazy. Shephard got picked out; Phipps did not. Very good Joyce thank you. We are certainly not making any case for Gary Glitter here, he merely grunted along on these records - his creative input was zero. Thanks for your article, the Glitter Band really and truly deserved so much more recognition,they alone were brilliant musicians and writers. 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. Written by John Rossall and Gerry Sheppard, their debut single, "Angel Face," was an obvious close relation to the Glitter sound, a pounding, stomping number that raced to number four in Britain in March 1974, but it unquestionably possessed a charm all of its 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. He was always a prima dona really.". Looking to the future the newly invigorated Glitter Band are thinking big. Phipps currently performs worldwide as The Glitter Band playing a variety of venues up and down the UK and on the Continent. John Rossall was the leader of the Boston Show Band who had worked in Germany with one Paul Raven, and Mike Leander, his manager/co-writer. After Rossall was taken to court in 1983, an injunction banned him from using Glitter in his band name; a second legal ruling in 1997, after Rossall had persistently breached the first order, resulted in him receiving a one-year suspended prison sentence which would come into force if he used the Glitter name again. But original drummer Pete Phipps and bandmate Dominic Rodgers say their songs - recorded separately from Glitter's - are still not played on the radio. The single, written by Springate and Phipps, never made it past a few initial commercial pressings on the Epic label. Shephard and Springate recorded a single under the moniker Air Traffic Control, but it got lost among the punk frenzy. 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. In total, The Glitter Band had seven top 20 hits in the mid-1970s, including Angel Face which reached number four and Goodbye My Love, which went to number two in the charts. Genres: Glam Rock, Pop Rock, Disco. Joyce tweets. It was because he was easily available. Phipps also continued to record with Glitter Band colleagues pursuing solo identities, such as with John Springate recording an album together in John's own Rock Star Studio and playing drums on the album Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is, by Gerry Shephard and Peter Oxendale. The bands third album, Listen To The Band, followed at the end of 1975. and enjoys writing about music when working full-time doesnt get in the way. Running a mobile discotheque at the time I still have most of the Glitter Bands hit singles. 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." . A ballad, it was written by Shephard, and Springate sang lead. The Glitter beat! Through 1998 and 1999, Phipps had further shows with The Glitter Band and appearances with The King Penguins, a spin-off from the Glitter Band. Peter Gill (born 9 June 1951) is an English former heavy metal drummer, formerly a member of The Glitter Band, Saxon and Motrhead . 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. Particular kudos should be paid to Gerry Shephard and the slide effect he used on his famous star guitar. i heard it was Mr Seago. Listen To The Band is musically ambitious compared to their previous albums, with the band trying to move away from the distinctive sound which made them famous, hoping to be taken more seriously. With Shephard's death in May 2003, Leonard retired to concentrate on musical production activities in Norway, whilst both Phipps and Rossall continued on the road with their own bands. 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. 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. Switching . Gill was one of the two drummers in The Glitter Band, then formed part of the original line-up of Saxon in 1978. (of course), later in 1974. I too had forgotten just how good they were. [9][10] Rossall was subsequently not allowed to use Glitter Band as part of his band's name, but was allowed to advertise his historical connections to the band. The Glitter Band - ROCK ON! In 1976, as Gary Glitter announced his retirement, the Glitter Band cut their last sonic links with the old sound. He was trying to do a Johnny Congas type of thing and it developed from there. 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. 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. In late 1977, the group transferred to Epic for one final single, a cover of the Bee Gees' "Gotta Get a Message to You," but by 1978, the band had all but fallen apart. Read Full Biography. It came as a total shock.. John Rossall looks worn out at the very mention of the disgraced singer. Springate and Shephard also wrote the UK's 2000 Eurovision Song Contest entry, "Don't Play That Song Again" performed by Nicki French.[13]. A year later, he toured with the Elgins. CUSTOM COMMISSIONS NOW OPEN! The brass included trombone as well as sax. Tours with Gary Glitter continued. AXE MEN: Pete and Dominic of The Glitter Band (Image: PH) 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). If he could have played brass then he would have done that as well.". Angel Face was followed up by another Rossall and Shephard composition, Just For You, which also cracked the UK top 10. They are the last living link to the brilliant producer Mike Leander, who created the Glitter Band sound which has influenced so many people in pop from The Fall to The Smiths to Marilyn Manson, Adam And The Ants, Bow Wow Wow and Killing Joke and anyone else who cops that droning guitar over a tribal beat. NO AIRPLAY: Pete, on drums, with Glitter before the split in 1974, AXE MEN: Pete and Dominic of The Glitter Band. Drummers Pete Phipps and Tony Leonard eventually completed the line up. Also included is a rather ill-advised cover of the Rolling Stones Sympathy For The Devil their first cover version since the Hey! A dynamic combination". Before we went on the room was empty but suddenly it filled up and people were going crazy. 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. It was reissued in 1985, again to no avail. A lot of people who criticise us for playing these songs dont really know the whole depth of the story. It got no airplay and failed to chart. It's a sound that is part of the fabric of British pop culture. 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 . Back to the 70s! 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. 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. Gill later spent three years with Motrhead, 1984 to 1987, recording four new tracks for the compilation No Remorse, The Birthday Party and one full album, Orgasmatron. There have been a few bands using 2 drummers - King Crimson did it live in 1994 as well. 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. In 1973, Rossall approached Leander with the suggestion that the band record some material without Glitter. In March 1974, "Angel Face" was released on Bell Records, reaching number four in the UK Singles Chart, and outselling Glitter's "Remember Me This Way" that week, though this song ultimately peaked higher at #3. Things didnt stand still in 1975. [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. Bell Records signed the Glitter Band as a new artist, and Angel Face was released on 1st March 1974. In June 1972, he began working for Gary Glitter's backing band The Glittermen and, in the same month, they made their first appearance on Top of the Pops with "Rock and Roll Part 2". In 1979, Shephard and Phipps worked with former Sparks keyboard player Peter Oxendale, recording the US only album Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is as Oxendale and Shephard. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Saxon and the Story of Denim And Leather", "PETE GILL (MOTORHEAD): "It was guitarist Phil Campbell who got me into Motorhead", BBC Sessions / Live at Reading Festival '86, Better Motrhead than Dead: Live at Hammersmith, Motrhead Live: Everything Luder than Everything Else, Classic Albums: Motrhead Ace of Spades, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pete_Gill&oldid=1074757936, BLP articles lacking sources from November 2015, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox musical artist with associated acts, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 2 March 2022, at 01:09. Currently taking Commissions to begin in Early 2023. The Glitter Band (l to r): John Springate (bass, vocals), Tony Leonard (drums), Gerry Shephard (lead guitar, vocals), Pete Phipps (drums, keyboards, vocals), Harvey Ellison (sax, keyboards, guitar, vocals), John Rossall (sax, trombone, vocals). [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. Another single appeared in 1982, a Shephard and Springate song called Heartbeat To Heartache. Jamie Muir was a percussionist (although he occasionally played a mini-drum set, as some other percussionists like Ray Cooper or Ed Mann sometimes did). Vid by me - enjoy! Rossall and Shephard came up with Angel Face. 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. "I've not even spoken to Gary for 30 years and every day I have to speak about him. Sadly this also sank without a trace. 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." He toured in the US and in the UK. People come to the gigs and they understand that the band and the songs are quite separate from the whole situation.". In December 1975, their third album Listen to the Band, saw Phipps for the first time on lead vocals on the self-penned "My First Mistake". Gary Glitter - GGs Drummer (88-97) : THE ANIMAL *RARE FOOTAGE* - YouTube Here we have a very rare insight into being one of Gary's Backing musicians,Mr Martin (ANIMAL) Clapson Gives a Chat. Unfortunately, cover versions outweigh the much better original songs on the album. Between 1992 and 1996, whilst remaining in the Glitter Band, Phipps joined Denim, a band formed by Lawrence Hayward. He said: We are suffering from the fallout and bad press because of his actions. If Ive whetted your appetite for this most underrated and somewhat forgotten 70s band, you can buy a Box Set containing their four albums. They were also a massive influence on The KLF/Timelords who collaborated with GG, Ed.). It may not be PC but I still love Gary and the Glitter Band music. Early in 2001, along with shows with the Glitter Band, Santanarama and Glitz Blitz at a range of venues nationwide, Phipps made a return to playing some R&B with a South East-based band Desperate Measures. Learn how your comment data is processed. In 2014 the song "Angel Face" was included on the soundtrack of the hit Spanish film The Face of an Angel. Drummers Pete Phipps and Tony Leonard eventually completed the line up. He said: Gary was driving in limousines and flying first class and we were staying in bed and breakfasts and travelling in a Transit. They may have played on some of pops great records and had a whole career of their own, but now they have to spend every day fending off tabloids and defining themselves against the actions of their former front man. The Glitter Band had seven UK Top 20 hit singles in the mid-1970s, and three hit albums. Please read all descriptions thoroughly before purchasing. Read Joyces other posts on Cocteau Twins, Shangri-Las, Kate Bush. The band only played with Glitter for two years before going alone and scoring a string of top ten hits. There are a few lowlights but it will allow you to hear the versatility of the band and that utterly distinctive hey! sound which made them famous. [1] Gerry Shephard, John Springate and Pete Phipps taking over leadership, with Springate taking lead vocal duties on hits such as the ballad "Goodbye My Love", "The Tears I Cried", and "People Like You". They blew him off the stage. [5] They regrouped as The Glitter Band in 1980 with the addition of Eddy Spence on keyboards and Brian Jones replacing Harvey on sax. This article on a British drummer is a stub. 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. The Glitter band, though, are trapped by history. They originally came together in 1972, following Glitter's own breakthrough with the hit "Rock and Roll." It again features the heavy Glitter sound and was another Rossall/Shephard composition. John Robb investigates. We never socialised.. RIP those no longer with us. The next year, Phipps played with the Legendary Purple Helmets a Stranglers offshoot. In 1974, when I was 10 years old, I bought my very first record with my own money. "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. 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." Tony Leonard has now retired from the music business. - 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. I imagine somebody a bit more famous was doing it before them. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. The band also toured extensively in the time Gill was a member. As a wholly independent publication, we rely entirely on our ad bookings to keep The Quietus going. Classic Disco, and Angel Face / You Wouldn't Leave Me Would You?. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. He had been around for ten years by that time and done loads of records and he was very keen to take the chance.". 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