British Druid Order

Hi Angie ,

I just had to mention that a furniture company over here is using Gary Glitter's "Rock and Roll Part 1" as the theme to its commercial. Everytime they play it, all I can think of is you catching a rose at one of his concerts .

God love ya and God bless ya Griffin. I must admit I could be a bit of a party animal in those days. Staying out at nightclubs till 3 am in the morning and then getting up for work at 7 am the next, still drunk probably. But old Gary was good in his day and live just brilliant. Some of the best nights out we used to have were in Gay clubs in Birmingham, none of us were gay, but the gay community were so friendly and such fun and very welcoming.

Hi Angie ,

When I was in my twenties, I remember thinking that 2 hours of sleep was more than enough before going to work. I didn't drink that much, but I was boy-crazy and stayed out late chasing the fellas . The clubs I went to were a mix of gays and straight people. I actually was asked to leave a gay bar one time because I wasn't gay enough. They thought I didn't know I was in a gay bar !

In the early 70s, I would glam up in silk suits, stacked heels and make-up and go to a disco in Hastings Old Town that used to play Gary Glitter, The Sweet, Wizzard, Bowie, Slade, and, oddly, Pink Floyd (One of These Days), The Doors (Riders of the Storm) and Dr John (Right Place, Wrong Time). My friend Richard was an archetypal blonde bombshell and we used to perform outrageous dance moves together, preening peacocks strutting our stuff ... Happy days. Unfortunately, the disco started playing disco music circa 1972, lost most of its clientèle, then burnt down in a mysterious fire. There's still a big hole in the ground where it used to be. Wish I had some photos from those days ... I dolled up as quite a passable Bowie clone!
PS. Never saw 'the Leader' live, but did see the Glitter Band on Hastings Pier. Saw Roy Wood's Wizzard in a football stadium in Somerset, attended by an audience of about eight people, looked after by about 60 policemen. The band played a full set and were great

The Sweet! God, I remember them. Strange how music and smells can take you back to a specific time and place. The olfactory and auditory system, very powerful.