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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.  Late last year, Cherry Red’s 7Ts imprint collected the group’s four albums plus bonus tracks for each album as one four-CD set simply titled The Albums.

Guitarist/vocalist Gerry Shephard, bassist/vocalist John Springate, drummers Pete Phipps and Tony Leonard, and horn players John Rossall and Harvey Ellison came together in 1972 to back Gary Glitter, but the following year, they began to record demos of their own.  Signed to Bell Records, The Glitter Band made its “solo” debut with the single “Angel Face” b/w “You Wouldn’t Leave Me, Would You?” in March 1974.  The 45 made it to No. 4 on the U.K. pop chart and led to the release of a full album, crafted with producer Mike Leander (who would occupy the producer’s position for all of the band’s subsequent recordings, as well).  While those two songs came from the pens of the band members, the album Hey! was peppered with glammed-up covers of songs such as The Exciters’ “Tell Him,” The Everly Brothers’ “All I Have to Do is Dream,” Sam Cooke’s “Twisting the Night Away,” Frankie Ford’s “Sea Cruise” and even Gary Glitter’s “Rock On.”  Though the album, a No. 13 chart success, didn’t include “You Wouldn’t Leave Me, Would You?,” the song has been appended here.

Shephard and Rossall’s “Let’s Get Together Again” became another Top 10 U.K. single in October 1974, but despite the togetherness of the title, it was also John Rossall’s swansong with the band.  Reduced to a five-piece, The Glitter Band pressed on to record sophomore album Rock ‘n’ Roll Dudes.  Its April 1975 release was preceded by Shephard’s “Goodbye My Love,” which became The Glitter Band’s biggest hit, at No. 2, as well as the No. 8 hit “The Tears I Cried.”  “Goodbye My Love” was included on the LP, which entirely consisted of band originals including a couple of tracks co-written by John Rossall before his departure.  “The Tears I Cried” was not included on the U.K. album and was held over for the band’s next LP.  Two non-LP singles (“Jukebox Queen” and “Got to Get Ready for Love”) have been added as bonus tracks on the box set.

The Glitter Band continued its hit streak with the summer 1975 release of the non-LP single “Love in the Sun” b/w “I Can Hear Music” (not the Ronettes song, but rather a Gerry Shephard composition).  It offered a preview of the more ambitious sound the band would premiere on the December release of Listen to the Band.  The Glitter Band began to incorporate lush harmonies and more sophisticated instrumentation in an attempt to shake off the teenybopper glam tag.  Though “Love in the Sun” and “I Can Hear Music” weren’t included on the LP (they’re among the five bonus singles here), “The Tears I Cried” was.  Though the leadoff 45 “Alone Again” charted outside of the U.K. Top Fifty, the band made up for it when “Makes You Blind” shot to No. 5.  It also became the band’s only U.S. hit, with a No. 91 place on the Hot 100 and a more impressive No. 4 berth on the Disco chart.  In the U.S., Bell successor Arista released Listen to the Band under the title Makes You Blind.

The fourth and final album in the box set, Paris Match, didn’t see release until November 1976.  In the meantime, the band had embarked on a farewell tour with their namesake, and then distanced themselves from him and glam in general by renaming themselves The G Band.  They debuted under this name with the single “Don’t Make Promises” b/w “Tuna Biscuit,” but it failed to chart.  The group persevered, signing a new deal with CBS Records for Paris Match.  Featuring all original songs except a fiery cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil,” the album didn’t ignite the charts – not even after CBS rebranded it under the original Glitter Band name.  It proved to be the band’s final LP.  Tony Leonard and Harvey Ellison joined their old employer for a new tour, while Gerry Shephard, John Springate and Pete Phipps pressed on as Air Traffic Control.  The Air Traffic Control single “Gotta Get a Message Back to You” b/w “Move On Up” has been included in the box; tapes for an ATC/Glitter Band album remained in the vaults.

The band regrouped in 1981; Gerry Shephard passed away in 2003, and now John Springate and Pete Phipps keep the name alive.  This set, featuring a colorful booklet with notes by Phil Hendriks, and remastering by James Braggs, makes one-stop shopping for the original group’s 1974-1977 output.  (Note that this box is limited to albums and singles, and does not feature all of the bonus tracks – many previously unreleased – on 7Ts’ past standalone reissues.)  It’s available at the links below!

The Glitter Band, The Albums (7Ts GLAMBOX162, 2016) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1: Hey! (Bell LP BELLS 241, 1974)

1. Tell Him
2. Angel Face
3. Shout It Out
4. Sea Cruise
5. All I Have to Do is Dream
6. Rock On
7. Just for You
8. Twisting the Night Away
9. Baby I Don’t Care
10. Sealed with a Kiss
11. I’m Celebrating
12. Gimme Some Loving
13. Angel Face (Reprise)
14. You Wouldn’t Leave Me, Would You? (Bonus Track) (from Bell single 1348, 1974)

CD 2: Rock ‘n’ Roll Dudes (Bell LP BELLS 253, 1975)

1. For Always and Ever
2. Sweet Baby Blue
3. I Can’t Stop
4. Write Me a Letter
5. All My Love
6. Goodbye My Love
7. Game’s Up
8. Bring Her Back
9. Pictures of You
10. Do You Remember
11. You’re Trying Too Hard
12. Let’s Get Together Again
13. Jukebox Queen (Bell single 1383, 1974)
14. Got to Get Ready for Love (Bell single 1395, 1975)

CD 3: Listen to the Band (Bell LP BELLS 259, 1975)

1. Where Have You Been
2. People Like You and People Like Me
3. My First Mistake
4. Painted Lady
5. Let Me Love You
6. Dream Baby
7. Oh Well, Never Mind
8. Watch the Show
9. Alone Again
10. Makes You Blind
11. The Tears I Cried
12. Until Tomorrow (Bell single 1416, 1975)
13. Love in the Sun (Bell single 1437, 1975)
14. I Can Hear Music (Bell single 1437, 1975)
15. Don’t Make Promises (You Can’t Keep) – The G Band (Bell single 1481, 1976)
16. Tuna Biscuit- The G Band (Bell single 1481, 1976)

CD 4: Paris Match (CBS LP 81717, 1976)

1. Love Street
2. Lay Your Love on Me
3. I Really Didn’t Love Her at All
4. She Was Alright
5. Hard to Settle Down
6. Almost American
7. It’s Alright
8. You Never Walk Out on Your Baby
9. Look What You’ve Been Missing
10. Sympathy for the Devil
11. Gotta Get a Message Back to You – Air Traffic Control (Epic single EPC 5665, 1977)
12. Move on Up – Air Traffic Control (Epic single EPC 5665, 1977)