If you are new to Glam Rock (sometimes referred to as glitter rock), it originated in England during the early 1970's and petered out about five years later. I was barely in school at the time and only remember it through older friends and relatives.
It was theatrical, shocking, glamorous and undeniably beautiful. Glam rock faded sometime ago yet its influences live on.
Glam Rock was a typically English affair. It's main identifying mark wasn't the clothes worn or the name of the singer, but the rhythm of the music. A very basic rock n roll tribal 4 on the floor defines glam rock.. Quite often the whole band just stomped along on the beat like Slade or T-Rex. The cream of glam rock were:- T-Rex (Marc Bolan), David Bowie (ziggy), Roxy Music (cig in hand), The Sweet (black country exports) , Mott The Hoople, Alice Cooper, The Stooges (Iggy Pop), Queen and the infamous Gary Glitter (now holidaying in the states - Tampa allegedly).
A History of Glam origins? Well, one website puts it as "Start with Elvis.. Meet the Beatles.. get Psychedelicised.. Prog-rock came next.. then Punk.. except.. no, step back a bit, during the Prog-Rock years of the early 70's some folk didn't want 20 minute epic songs, they weren’t interested in classical music, time changes or augmented 7th chords.. these people harked back to the glory days of cartoon rock, the late 50's early 60's when the "Jukebox Hall" (© Gary Glitter) pumped out dance tunes and boy met girl.. when rock was king and too dress *UP* was cool.. add this movement to the decade taste forgot (Stand up the 70's!) and what have you got? the freak show outrage of Glam Rock!"