Moon Missions and the Children of Major Tom — The End of the Space Age and the Music Which Followed

First, in 1973, David Bowie retired his extraterrestrial Ziggy Stardust and released Aladdin Sane. Although hardly a radical departure, it was famously hyped as “Ziggy goes to America” and represented Bowie’s efforts to move in a new direction. Then, in early 1974, glam rock’s creator Marc Bolan announced that “Glam rock is dead.” His February release, Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow – A Creamed Cage in August, was described by its creator as “cosmic soul.” Bowie described his next direction as “plastic soul” shortly afterward. Glam’s two most important stars seemed committed to moving on in spirit, if perhaps overstating the change in their music.

 

At the peak of glam’s popularity, a slew of teen idols flooded the charts with a highly commercial T Rex-inspired version of glam, largely courtesy of RAK Records and Bell Records. By stripping away most of artistic and thematic pretensions of earlier glam, these acts made a glam racket that was recognizable in sound but more oriented toward teen idolatry than the sci-fi decadence and often distinguished as glitter rock.

Anyone that dared affect arty, theatrical or androgynous trappings was doomed to critical derision and/or commercial disinterest. Two who did (and were martyred in the press for it) were Cockney Rebel and Jobriath& the Creatures of the Street. Having both released their first records in 1973, they were unfairly criticized as mere glam-rock-come-latelies attempting to fill the void left by Bowie. In many ways, they were the vanguard of a new crop of glam rockers who were undoubtedly inspired by The Dame but in no way mere clones and traded many of his sci-fi aspects for the decadent sophistication associated with Roxy Music (and Bowie). Several would find a measure of popularity (though in no cases approaching the heights of TRextasy) but more remained underground, with their hype usually surpassing their sales.

In fact, many probably would reject the notion that they were glam at all, as their brand of hard-pop drew from progressive rock, soul, disco and a variety of other genres. But what unites the artists of this so-called second wave of glam is the retention of the early glam spirit that left them at odds with the corduroy/beardy/chevy van/whiskey-chugging aesthetics that marked most rock of the era.

1973 Cockney Rebel – The Human Menagerie, Jobriath – Jobriath

1975 Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel The Best Years of Our Lives, Sailor – Trouble, Alastair Riddell –Space Waltz, David Werner – Whizz Kid, Mick Ronson – “Play Don’t Worry,” Richard O’Brien – Rocky Horror Picture Show, Tiger Lily – “Monkey Jive” b/w “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” Skyhooks – Ego is Not a Dirty Word, Jet – Jet

      

 

1976 Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel – Timeless Flight and Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel – Love’s A Prima Donna, Sailor – Third Step, Doctors of Madness – Late Night Movies, All Night Brainstorms, Doctors of Madness – Figments of Emancipation, David Werner – Imagination Quota, Roderick Falconer – New Nation, John Miles – Rebel, Supernaut – Supernaut, Skyhooks – Straight in a Gay World

With the so-called punk explosion, the always hyperbolic British music press got Khmer Rouge style and declared it year zero. Glam continued to exist underground and many more fine albums were released, however critically ignored they were, although most of the bands began to transform into something new, in some cases influencing the punk and new wave that were supposed to be reactions against glam. AsHorace wrote, “Parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus.”