Joey , I'LL LOOK OUT FOR THAT BOOK.....Glam and it's influences covers a wide terrain , to be sure. If you're doing a book , you've got to have Sweet , Slade , T Rex , Suzi Quatro , Mott , Wizzard , Roxy Music , and Gary Glitter (If you can separate the music from the crimes , he was hugely influential.) but also lesser known (In America) acts like Mud , Hello , Chicory Tip , Arrows , Geordie , Alvin Stardust , Hollywood Brats and lesser knowns , still , now littering "Junkshop Glam" comps with real style. I also think the early progenitors , like John Kongos and even "The Raver" by The Troggs , bear mentioning..... Who'd we have here ? , The Dolls and Alice Cooper , of course , Zolar - X , Silverhead (Tho' I find 'em more Rock than Glam , like Kiss.) , Shady Lady , Jobriath , etc.   Most documents on Glam's history completely overlook modern day torch - bearers like Hanoi Rocks , solo Michael Monroe , The Sirens (Detroit), and Giuda.

You hit on many of the guys and gals that made the book (even some of the lesser known ones). I think Simon did a wonderful job with this tome, and since I was a fan of his earlier "Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978-1984", I knew this would be a well-researched documentation of the genre. Without a doubt, I'm sure there's a few that didn't make it into the book, but either way, it's a recommended buy. I would like to see an "Encyclopedia" of all things glam published one day, though.

JOEY , Well , that's good to know. There were , of course , Glamsploitation acts that were little more than joke bands (As with Punk.) , but , some were better than anyone had a right to expect , though just concocted in the studio with anonymous Musicians .  An encyclopedia of Glam , it's forerunners and later bands directly informed by it , would be in order.   It occured to me , many people believe "Spirit in The Sky" by Norman Greenbaum was the definitive early Proto - Glam single. I always felt that , and John Kongos' classics "He's Gonna Step On You Again " and "Tokoloshe Man" were also immediate forerunners to that SOUND. Mike Leander said when he and Gary Glitter were developing the patented "Glitter sound" , they were listening to Kongos , "Neanderthal Man" by Hotlegs (A UK hit song that foresaw the damage yet to come.) and the New Orleans group , Exhuma.  Even McCartney got in the fun with "Hi Hi Hi" , and publically stated " I don't want that superstar thing for (a then new) Wings. T Rex and Slade can have that.".

You're exactly right about "Spirit In the Sky", John, as it is mentioned in the book, however, that's about it. A point was made about this "pre-glam" sound that was starting to take shape, along with John Lennon's "Instant Karma".

Seems my reply did'nt turn up (If it does , disregard it.) "Hot Love" by T Rex is generally considered the beginning of Glam , but , to me , it's a stepping stone from Tyrannosauraus Rex to T Rex. THEN , MARC BANGED A GONG AND GOT IT ON WITH HIS NEW SOUND..... WHICH WAS STILL FORESEEN BY "SPIRIT IN THE SKY" , John Kongos , The Troggs "The Raver" and even Giorgio Moroder's pre - Disco Electronic Rock monsterpiece , the album and song , "Son of My Father" ( Which he made into a hit for Emerging UK Glam act  , Chicory Tip , by basically putting their Singer's voice over his original track.). 

But , even more irrelevant , still , is the man who put the big beat into "Spirit" , which no doubt influenced studio concoctions like Kongos ,  Glitter and Leander , was Norman Mayall , also played in Sopwith Camel and later Blue Cheer. Dickie Peterson said he kicked Mayall out of the band , and declared The Cheer officially done (For the first time.)  because he tried to persuade him to drink carrot juice ! 

I have a horribly short attention span and it has gotten worse over the past couple of years so I've had a lot of trouble finishing actual books.  I read a bunch of comic books and graphic novels though.

I am currently reading an Iron Fist graphic novel called The Trial of the Seven Masters by Ed Brisson. 

At the moment, I am reading The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte, The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump, and Mod A Very British Phenomenon by Terry Rawlings

This is Memorial Device by David Keenan

...I just finished reading the fairly recent Jerry Lee Bio (came out four years ago. Recent enough.). It's as close to a real autobiography as your going to find on Jerry Lee. Writer , Rick Bragg transcribes the events as the unfold , but , The Killer , himself ,checks in with commentary on nearly every topic covered , here. The drudgery of his early life in rural Louisiana. His salvation....Through Country and Rhythm'n'Blues ( Jerry grapples with religion all through his life, feeling guilty for having fun and  admittedly disregarding major responsibilities.)  , while his filthy rich , self - righteous Cousin , Jimmy Swaggart (Whose own sex scandal goes largely forgotten , today.) lords it over them....Though JLL maintains that he did save his life , one time.

OF COURSE , HIS ASCENT TO FAME AND ARTISTIC BRILLIANCE (THE MAJORITY OF HIS SUN RECORDINGS WERE NOT RELEASED FOR DECADES.) IS COVERED WITH SUCH IRREPUTABLE DETAIL , IT'S LIKE YOU'RE THERE FOR THE WHOLE RIDE..... Through scandal , through the excitement of fame and adulation , and the joys and pratfalls of creating music , live and in the studio , and the loss of so many friends and family ( Including his first two sons.), and , eventually , redemption.   He still sounds unsure as to whether he'll "Get to Heaven", and it's a topic he takes very seriously.

A truly enjoyable read , I devoured all 400+ pages in a week or less , and I am extremely slow and disinterested reader.

I PLAN TO GO THRU HOZAC BOOKS' NEW RELEASE , "Four Strings, Phony Proof and 300 45s By Sam Maida , Bassist for Sparks , Roxy Music , and the recently reformed Power Pop/ Proto Punk legends , Milk 'n'Cookies , just as fast.

...I just finished reading the fairly recent Jerry Lee Bio (came out four years ago. Recent enough.). It's as close to a real autobiography as your going to find on Jerry Lee. Writer , Rick Bragg transcribes the events as the unfold , but , The Killer , himself ,checks in with commentary on nearly every topic covered , here. The drudgery of his early life in rural Louisiana. His salvation....Through Country and Rhythm'n'Blues ( Jerry grapples with religion all through his life, feeling guilty for having fun and  admittedly disregarding major responsibilities.)  , while his filthy rich , self - righteous Cousin , Jimmy Swaggart (Whose own sex scandal goes largely forgotten , today.) lords it over them....Though JLL maintains that he did save his life , one time.

OF COURSE , HIS ASCENT TO FAME AND ARTISTIC BRILLIANCE (THE MAJORITY OF HIS SUN RECORDINGS WERE NOT RELEASED FOR DECADES.) IS COVERED WITH SUCH IRREPUTABLE DETAIL , IT'S LIKE YOU'RE THERE FOR THE WHOLE RIDE..... Through scandal , through the excitement of fame and adulation , and the joys and pratfalls of creating music , live and in the studio , and the loss of so many friends and family ( Including his first two sons.), and , eventually , redemption.   He still sounds unsure as to whether he'll "Get to Heaven", and it's a topic he takes very seriously.

A truly enjoyable read , I devoured all 400+ pages in a week or less , and I am extremely slow and disinterested reader.

I PLAN TO GO THRU HOZAC BOOKS' NEW RELEASE , "Four Strings, Phony Proof and 300 45s By Sam Maida , Bassist for Sparks , Roxy Music , and the recently reformed Power Pop/ Proto Punk legends , Milk 'n'Cookies , just as fast.

Boy , Sam Maida's book is fascinating. He was always there , in the right place at the right time. He saw everyone , and met MORE than everyone , but handles it from a regular guy "Is this really happening ? Cool. " kind of perspective. If you're a fan of the bands he played in , or just in the mid 60's - late 70's UK Rock scenes in general , this is such a fun (and fast.)read......

Check out Hozac Records' website . While you're at it , you could do worse than picking up Brian McMahon's "Memoirs of an electric eel'' , too. Tell 'em I sent ya , if you do....

...I accidentally deleted the bit where I said if you're a fan of US AND UK Rock circa mid 60's - late 70's, this book's for you. The author is  a world travelller , and was in many of the right places at the right times

I read a few political books (Fire and Fury among others), and now I've switched gears to something a little lighter, a mystery, called A Mersey Killing: When Liverpool Rocked, And The Music Died. It's a mystery, set in 1960s Liverpool. It's well written, and mentions a lot of the places there, venues, bands, etc. It has been a fun read so far. 

BEATLE CHICK , THAT SOUNDS COOL. I DON'T MIND BOOKS OR FILMS THAT INCORPORATE ASCPECTS OF MUSICAL HISTORY IN THE NAME OF FICTION , IF THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING ON ABOUT.....

.... I was reading an actually very good David Bowie bio , released a couple of years prior to his death. It goes into detail about his first falling under the spell of Little Richard (Just like his Death Week mate , Lemmy.) and making a go of it on the Mod/R'n'B circuit , befriending Bolan , early on , making one of the best early Heavy Rock LPs ever ,  "The Man who Sold The World", and of course , forming The Spiders and incinerating the planet he said he'd already sold , and you know the rest. Good read ,seems entirely credible , but , there seemed to be mild water damage to my copy , which bothered my eyes a bit, so , I did'nt finish.

I'm reading the (Posthumous ) Lemmy book , compiled from hours of taped convos between Lemmy and a former roadie. IT VERIFIES WHAT YOU KNEW , AND CLARIFIES WHAT YOU DID'NT.

or ,are you reading THIS ?!   Not likely. I Read the Jerry Nolan Bio "Stranded in The Jungle". It , predictably , paints Nolan as a man of contradictions , loyal yet often insanely jealous. His impeccable sense of style (Even when he was broke.) seems to stem from one life defining moment : Seeing Elvis on stage in Hawaii , probably in '56 or '57 , and realizing in all his stunning kool kat finery .... he still had a visible hole in the sole of his shoe...like he loved those shoes so much , he could'nt bear to part with them. Gene Krupa took him under his wing in the 60's , and practically groomed him to be his successor. The fact that Jerry believes he really was is no gross exaggeration. When Jerry later obtained some of Krupa's nonmusical predilections , his story goes into a deep , dark funk , but , still with some noticeable bright spots. But , what interested me the most was to find out Nolan played in the ostensibly Black and Puerto Rican Post Hendrix/Proto Punk trio , Maximillian. He was'nt credited or photographed for their one LP , but maintains it was himself all over that delightful mess.  

Hey , John , I just started reading "There's No Bones in Ice Cream " , Sylvain Sylvain's bio. How do you think it'll turn out , John? Well , John , I only know Syl may have missed his true calling as a Borscht Belt comic , but his humor spills over the horrors of his childhood years in Nasser's Egypt ( Where he and his family , and most other Jews , were given their walking papers.) , all the way into the dope and booze - addled , once vibrant creative force that was the New York music scene in the 70's , like so much yummy yummy yummy bubblegum - flavored napalm. Syl is a very funny guy , but , the things he's seen .....