Oh Yes We Can Love: The History Of Glam Rock

Oh Yes We Can Love: The History Of Glam Rock will be released by Universal on October 28 – but it contains much more than the usual suspects.

The label explains: “It isn’t just Bowie, Bolan and Gary Glitter – it explores a complete myriad of mutations from early origins in Chuck Berry and Little Richard to the contemporary evolution in The Darkness and Foxy Shazam, and everything in between.

“When Marc Bolan appeared on Top of the Pops in 1971, daubed in glitter, it permitted a generation of teenyboppers to begin playing with the idea of androgyny. It marked the dawning of a new era, a rejection of what had gone before.

“Arguably reaching its zenith in 1973 when the likes of Slade, Sweet and Suzi Quatro all had a run of chart-topping singles, the death-knell was eventually sounded by the rise of punk. Yet throughout the 80s and 90s and into the new millennium, bands have often drawn liberally from the lexicon of glam.”

The box includes a 100-page booklet containing rare single sleeves and trivia with an essay by rock journalist Barney Hoskyns, who wrote Glam! the definitive history of the era.

Oh Yes We Can Love tracklist:

Disc One
1. Noel Coward: Mad Dogs And Englishmen
2.  Chuck Berry: Around and Around
3. Little Richard: Ooh My Soul
4. Vince Taylor & the Playboys: Brand New Cadillac
5. Max Harris: Gurney Slade
6. Anthony Newley: Bee Bom
7. Billy Fury: Jealousy
8. Howlin’ Wolf: You’ll Be Mine
9. Jacques Brel: Amsterdam
10. The Velvet Underground: I’m Waiting For My Man
11. David Bowie: London Bye Ta-Ta
12. The Stooges: 1969
13. The Kinks: Lola
14. Hot Legs: Neanderthal Man
15. Burundi Steiphenson Black : Burundi Black
16. Curved Air: Back Street Luv
17. Fanny: Charity Ball
18. The Murgatroyd Band: Theme From Magpie
19. Chicory Tip: Son Of My Father
20. T Rex: Hot Love
21. Slade: Coz I Luv You

Disc Two
22. Mott The Hoople: All The Young Dudes
23. Lou Reed: Walk On the Wild Side
24. Roxy Music: Virginia Plain
25. T Rex: Metal Guru
26. The Osmonds: Crazy Horses
27. Dana Gillespie: Andy Warhol
28. Suzi Quatro: Can The Can
29. New York Dolls: Looking For A Kiss
30. Nazareth: This Flight Tonight
31. Sweet: Ballroom Blitz
32. Cozy Powell: Dance With The Devil
33. David Essex: Rock On
34. Wizzard: Angel Fingers (A Teen Ballad)
35. Elton John: Bennie and the Jets
36. Barry Blue: Dancing On A Saturday Night
37. Alvin Stardust: Ma Coo Ca Choo
38. Lulu: The Man Who Sold The World
39. Mick Ronson: Growing Up And I’m Fine
40. Cockney Rebel: Judy Teen

Disc Three
1. Sparks: This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both Of Us
2. Hello: Tell Him
3. Mud: Tiger Feet
4. Jook: Bish Bash Bosh
5. Bryan Ferry: The ‘In’ Crowd
6. Patti Smith Group: Piss Factory
7. Cockney Rebel: Tumbling Down
8. The Glitter Band: Angel Face
9. Kenny: The Bump
10. The Rubettes: Sugar Baby Love
11. Fox: Only You Can
12. KISS: Rock And Roll All Nite
13. Sailor: A Glass Of Champagne
14. Ian Hunter : Once Bitten Twice Shy
15. Arrows: I Love Rock and Roll
16. Bay City Rollers: Saturday Night

Disc Four
17. Blondie: Rip Her To Shreds
18. Be Bop Deluxe: Ships In the Night
19. The Runaways: Cherry Bomb
20. ELO: Rockaria!
21. The Ramones: Sheena Is A Punk Rocker
22. The RAH Band: The Crunch
23. Rock Follies: OK?
24. Ultravox!: RockWrok
25. Ace Frehley: New York Groove
26. Judas Priest: Take On The World
27. Boney M: Rasputin
28. Generation X: Valley Of the Dolls
29. Human League: Rock and Roll Part Two / Nightclubbing
30. Magazine: The Light  Pours Out Of Me
31. Adam and the Ants: “Antmusic”
32. Department S : Solid Gold Easy Action
33. Bauhaus: Ziggy Stardust
34. Dead Or Alive: That’s The Way (I Like It)

Disc Five
35. Sigue Sigue Sputnik: Love Missile F1-11
36. Hanoi Rocks: Up Around The Bend
37. Sisters Of Mercy: Emma
38. Morrissey: Glamorous Glue
39. Suede: Metal Mickey
40. The Fall: Glam Racket
41. Carter USM: Glam Rock Cops
42. Glam Metal Detectives: Everybody Up
43. Saint Etienne: Star
44. Earl Brutus: The SAS and the Glam That Goes With It
45. Gay Dad: To Earth With Love
46. Marilyn Manson: The Dope Show
47. Pulp: We Are The Boys
48. The Darkness: Growing On Me
49. Goldfrapp: Strict Machine
50. The Ark: Clamour For Glamour
51. Foxy Shazam: Unstoppable

I'll get the nit-pick genre talk started:

Judas Priest, Marylin Manson and Chuck Berry on a "Glam Rock" comp?

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

I'll get the nit-pick genre talk started:

Judas Priest, Marylin Manson and Chuck Berry on a "Glam Rock" comp?

Nevermind them, what about the Osmonds??  

Shawn Of Fire wrote:

I'll get the nit-pick genre talk started:

Judas Priest, Marylin Manson and Chuck Berry on a "Glam Rock" comp?

Manson is there for his "shocking" image I think. Not sure about others.

Quote :

Manson is there for his "shocking" image I think. Not sure about others.

Priest have admitted that both "Take On the World" and "United" were their attempts to create a bubble-gum "rock anthem" ala Queen's "We Will Rock You" or "We Are the Champions," for whatever that's worth.

Marilyn Manson's whole shtick is basically 70s Bowie bathed in acid and watching splatter movies...

Chuck Berry... well, he got in trouble for video taping women going to the bathroom in a restaurant he owned, that's pretty "shocking" isn't it??

It's broad and I think they are trying to tie in some of the musical influences that spawned glam rock (Chuck Berry) in addition to the image.

For those curious as to why Judas Priest is included...

actually alot of early Slade and trex had a good chuck berry rhythm thing going in their songs. I agree though that alot of this box just doesn't belong. This genre is my specialty and I find it hard to believe that if they want a full history including more modern sounds that a few glam metal pieces like quiet riot and early crue didn't make the box. Also queens first album was really glam rock as well....here are 2 much much better glam Rock box's in my opinion...

Since we are talking glam here is my idea of what glam rock looks like...A pure 70s thing

Slade
Sweet
Queen

The one I saw that jumped out right away was Sisters Of Mercy. They're goth if there ever was goth. So apparently this collection would more accurately be called "Bands With Eyeliner".

And as for that Osmonds song:

Hadley wrote:

And as for that Osmonds song:

Actually, if you try to forget who it is and don't watch the video and just concentrate on the music, that song isn't too bad IMO.

Well, I now know that there are/were bands called "Glam Metal Detectives" and "Earl Brutus".

I could have used this earlier this year, as I was studying the genre in order to put together a USB drive to play in my car. Looks like I got it covered though, so I might buy this only at a good price.
Every Glam Rock compilation I've seen has some pretty questionable entries. I think that is because for some people it was about the visuals and image, while for others it was a sound. Pretty subjective. I'm just interested in the harder aspect of it, with some guitars (Sweet, Queen, Slade, NY Dolls, Silverhead, etc.). I have no interest in stuff like Wizzard, which was just Pop music in make-up. I'm more interested in stuff like Strapps that had the sound if not the image. And no Alex Harvey on that? Must have been a licensing issue.

Pure glam as a genre may have "died" with the rise of punk, but glam has lived on in the image and sound of a ton of rock bands since. So much so that you couldn't come up with a definitive collection even if you tried.

I seriously question the additions of ELO and Generation X. Unless I am missing something.

Of all the Hanoi Rocks songs you pick a cover? Why not Boulevard of Broken Dreams? Or Dont You Ever Leave Me?

All I'm thinking while reading this list is AS SEEN ON TV.

This is an interesting compilation. I do agree some of the picks are questionable.

But I really think they are going for a whole overview of influences, and bands in the thick of it, and stuff that came after or were heavily influenced by.

They really should have included Mungo Jerry's "In the Summertime" though. I've read that Marc Bolan basically modeled his first glam single after this song, and you can hear it. "In the Summertime" is 100% the archetype for your average T. Rex song (though no T. Rex song is average--they are one of the best bands ever!)

Pretty interesting collection of songs on this. Most of the songs I've heard but some don't ring a bell and I'm not sure I've even heard of some of the bands (The RAH Band and Dept. S just to name 2).


And this sure does look like one of those collections that some has-been would be shilling on tv for Time-Life or some company.

007 wrote:

And this sure does look like one of those collections that some has-been would be shilling on tv for Time-Life or some company.

That's exactly what I'm saying. We'll be seeing this on late-night infomercials.

I've never taken interest in compilations, best-of or otherwise.

As of now, this looks to be only available in the UK, which could explain some of the artist choices. Britain has a different view on the glam/gliiter rock genre than we do in the US.

Hadley wrote:

Of all the Hanoi Rocks songs you pick a cover? Why not Boulevard of Broken Dreams? Or Dont You Ever Leave Me?

That was my initial reaction too. What an odd choice for a band like Hanoi Rocks.

I just made a playlist on Spotify based on the first disc tracklist above, including the songs I actually own. Going to listen and see what I think, as a comp.

The only two songs from the first disc that were not on Spotify is The Murgatroyd Band..or I couldn't find it at least...and, oddly, Slade. Slade, the glam band, does not appear to be on Spotify. There is, however, a different artist called Slade who has a couple releases on Spotify.

Anyway, about to list. I'll report back.

Also, general note regarding the Hanoi Rocks cover....it is weird, I suppose, but I will say that "Up Around the Bend" is my favorite Hanoi Rocks recording.

ZombieHavoc wrote:

Also, general note regarding the Hanoi Rocks cover....it is weird, I suppose, but I will say that "Up Around the Bend" is my favorite Hanoi Rocks recording.

Hanoi Rocks released a video for that cover and it's honestly the only time I ever remember seeing them during the 80s.

S.D. wrote:

ZombieHavoc wrote:

Also, general note regarding the Hanoi Rocks cover....it is weird, I suppose, but I will say that "Up Around the Bend" is my favorite Hanoi Rocks recording.

Hanoi Rocks released a video for that cover and it's honestly the only time I ever remember seeing them during the 80s.

Same here. I remember that vid and that Vince Neil killed Razzle. That's it. Since then, I have gone back and bought several of their albums, but back in the day I paid no attention to them.