VA - Box of Glam 2 (6 x CDs) + VA - BBC Radio 2, The Glory of Glam [2010]

GLAM ROCK

VA - Box of Glam 2 (6 x CDs) + VA - BBC Radio 2, The Glory of Glam [2010]

This four-part glam rock roundup spans broadcast retrospectives and curated compilations, each offering a distinct lens on glitter’s golden age. Fun Generation (1999) is a sprawling 4×CD set packed with chart-friendly stompers and pop-glam hybrids. Glam Nuggets (2022), issued by Mojo, leans into punkier rarities and cult cuts with crisp sequencing. AngelHeaded Hipster (2020) reimagines Bolan’s catalogue through a modern tribute lens, with Hal Willner’s production guiding 26 reinterpretations. Together, they map glam’s evolution—from theatrical excess to outsider art—with room for commentary on rarity, sequencing, and cultural impact. BBC Radio 2’s The Glory of Glam (2010) delivers a two-episode deep dive into glam’s rise and visual rebellion, narrated by Gary Kemp. Below, each set is unpacked in detail.

VA - Fun Generation, The Superhits Of Glam And Glitter [1999] (4 x CD)

Released in 1999 by L&D Records, Fun Generation,The Superhits Of Glam And Glitter is a sprawling 4×CD compilation that captures the full commercial sweep of glam rock’s golden era. Though packaged modestly in a cardboard slipcase with no barcode, the set delivers a surprisingly rich and well-sequenced overview of the genre’s most exuberant years.

Across more than 60 tracks, the compilation leans heavily into UK glam-pop crossover hits from the early to mid-1970s. Familiar names like T. Rex, Gary Glitter, Suzi Quatro, Mud, Sweet, and Mott the Hoople dominate the lineup, but the set also ventures into adjacent pop territory with artists like Racey, Barry Blue, Pickettywitch, and Hurricane Smith. The inclusion of 10cc’s “Donna,” Pilot’s “Magic,” and Electric Light Orchestra’s “Strange Magic” adds a layer of art-pop sophistication, while Wizzard’s “Ball Park Incident” and The Glitter Band’s “Let’s Get Together Again” bring the stomp and swagger that defined glam’s chart-topping appeal.

What makes this set notable isn’t its rarity, it’s the breadth and sequencing. Each disc plays like a jukebox snapshot of the era, balancing high-energy hits with melodic curveballs. While it doesn’t dig into underground glam or unreleased material, it excels as a genre primer, ideal for contextualizing deeper compilations or mapping glam’s mainstream arc.

Issued in Europe with clean mastering and no liner notes, the set remains a collector-friendly resource for archivists seeking a broad, accessible overview of glam’s commercial peak. It’s not flashy, but it’s thorough, offering a glittery, foot-stomping time capsule of the sound that once ruled the airwaves and lit up the dancefloors. (B)

VA - AngelHeaded Hipster, The Songs of Marc Bolan & T. Rex [2020]

Released by BMG in September 2020 across Europe and the US, AngelHeaded Hipster is a lavish 2×CD tribute to Marc Bolan’s legacy, produced by the late Hal Willner. The compilation features 26 reinterpretations of Bolan and T. Rex classics, spanning glam rock, psych-folk, and cosmic pop. It’s not a greatest hits rehash, it’s a reimagining.

Major artists lend their voices: Nick Cave delivers a haunting “Cosmic Dancer”, Joan Jett snarls through “Jeepster”, and U2 with Elton John rework “Bang a Gong (Get It On)” into a grand, orchestral stomp. Deep cuts like “Scenescof” and “The Leopards” are revived by Devendra Banhart and Gavin Friday, adding texture and reverence. The mastering is rich, the sequencing deliberate. It’s a curated celebration of Bolan’s lyrical mysticism and glam eccentricity, equal parts glitter and grit. (B)

VA - Glam Nuggets (15 Wham Bam Rarities From The Boogie Children!) [2022]

Released as a Mojo Magazine covermount in July 2022, Glam Nuggets dives into glam rock’s scruffier, punk-adjacent corners. Issued under the Mojo label, this UK-exclusive promo features 15 tracks that blend glitter, grit, and glorious chaos. Big hitters like Sparks and New York Dolls anchor the set, but it’s the deep cuts, Hollywood Brats, Gumbo, Brett Smiley, that give it bite. The mastering is crisp, sequencing tight, and the tone leans toward glam’s rebellious fringe. With appearances from Suzi Quatro, Dana Gillespie, and Mick Ronson, it’s a compact compilation that bridges glam’s theatricality with its raw, street-level energy. (B)

BONUS

VA - BBC Radio 2, The Glory of Glam [2010]

Issued in 2010 as a promotional tie-in with BBC Radio 2’s documentary series The Glory of Glam, this rare compilation captures the glitter-drenched pulse of a movement that burned bright and fast across the early 1970s. Curated to accompany Gary Kemp’s broadcast exploration of glam rock’s cultural legacy, the CD was never commercially released, making it a prized artifact for collectors and archivists alike.

The disc was distributed internally by the BBC, often to press and industry insiders, and carries no barcode or catalog number. It’s typically listed under BBC Radio 2 or BBC Promotional, with metadata confirming its origin as a broadcast companion rather than a retail product. That alone elevates its rarity: it’s not just a compilation, it’s a snapshot of institutional reverence for a genre once dismissed as frivolous.

Musically, it’s a tight, high-impact set. Tracks like Sweet’s “Ballroom Blitz”, Slade’s “Cum On Feel the Noize”, and Suzi Quatro’s “The Wild One” anchor the disc in glam’s stomping, theatrical core. But it also nods to the genre’s artier fringes, Roxy Music, Steve Harley, and Queen, highlighting glam’s role as a bridge between pop spectacle and avant-garde experimentation.

What makes this disc culturally vital is its framing. Kemp’s narration in the series emphasized glam’s subversive power: its gender play, its fashion-forward rebellion, and its influence on punk, synthpop, and even New Romanticism. The CD mirrors that thesis, sequencing tracks not just for nostalgia but for narrative—tracing glam’s rise from glitter-streaked rebellion to mainstream dominance.

The two The Glory of Glam episodes are titled:

“The Birth of Glam” covering the genre’s emergence in the early 1970s, with Marc Bolan, Bowie, and the rise of glitter-fueled rebellion.

“Dressed to Kill” focusing on glam’s visual explosion, the influence of designers like Antony Price, and glam’s ripple effect into punk and synthpop.

There are no additional episodes officially produced under this title. The series was part of BBC’s My Generation season, which explored music across decades, and The Glory of Glam served as its glam rock centerpiece.  It’s a clean, well-mastered time capsule, rare, resonant, and worth preserving. (B)

A very special thank you to Asli Jat who sent this radio show. (Thanks Asli)

Enjoy!

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Track lists

VA - Fun Generation, The Superhits Of Glam And Glitter [1999]

CD1

01 T. Rex - Metal Guru 2:28

02 Racey - Some Girls 3:25

03 Alvin Sturdust - You You You 3:00

04 Glitter Band - Let's Get Together Again 3:59

05 Wizzard - Ball Park Icident 3:38

06 Mungo Jerry - Lady Rose 3:14

07 10cc - Donna 2:55

08 Pickettwitch - That Some Old Feeling 3:04

09 Electric Light Orchestra - Strange Magic 4:08

10 Hurricane Smith - Dont' Let it Die 2:32

11 Mott The Hoople - Rool Away The Stone 3:09

12 Mud - The Cat Crept In 4:01

13 Pilot - Magic 3:04

14 Suzi Quatro - 48 Crash 3:54

15 Barry Blue - Dancing on A Saturday Night 3:08

16 Racey - Lay Your Love on Me 3:13

17 Garry Glitter - Rock N Roll Part I 2:57

CD2

01 Gary Glitter - I'm The Leader of The Gang, I Am 3:30

02 Kenny - The Bump 2:35

03 Pilot - January 3:30

04 Alvin Stardust - Jealous Mind 2:42

05 Glitter Band - People Like You, People Like Me 2:59

06 Mungo Jerry - Baby Jump 4:12

07 Suzi Quatro - The Wild One 2:52

08 T. Rex - Solid Gold Easy Action 2:20

09 Alice Cooper - Elected 4:06

10 Hello - Love Stealer 3:30

11 Status Quo - Mean Girl 3:54

12 Wizzard - Angel Fingers (A Teen Ballad) 4:31

13 Sailor - Glass of Champagne 2:41

14 Adam Ant - Prince Charming 3:18

15 Mud - Oh Boy 2:50

16 Electric Light Orchestra - Livin' Thing 3:30

17 Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel - Here Comes The Sun 2:57

CD3

01 Suzi Quatro - Devil Gate Drive 3:47

02 Alvin Stardust - My Coo-Ca-Choo 2:47

03 Mungo Jerry - Alright Alright Alright 2:48

04 Mud - Tiger Feet 3:51

05 Glitter Band - Angel Face 2:58

06 Gary Glitter - Hello Hello, I'm Back Again 3:21

07 T. Rex - Children of The Revolution 2:29

08 Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel - Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me) 3:53

09 David Essex - Gonne Make You A Star 3:43

10 Faces - Cindy Incidentally 2:37

11 Electric Light Orchestra - Showdown 3:52

12 Hello - New York Groove 2:44

13 Move - Tonight 3:19

14 Sailor - Girls Girls Girls 3:01

15 Adam Ant - Stand & Deliver 3:07

16 Focus - Hocus Pocus 6:38

CD4

01 Electric Light Orchestra - Roll Over Beethoven 4:31

02 Alice Cooper - School's Out 3:26

03 Golden Earring - Radar Love 6:20

04 Curved Air - Backstreet Luv 3:37

05 Hurricane Smith - Oh Babe What Would You Say 3:26

06 Mud - Dyna-Mite 2:58

07 Suzi Quatro - Can The Can 3:34

08 T.Rex - Telegram Sam 3:45

09 Gary Glitter - I Didn't Know I Loved You 3:23

10 Mungo Jerry - In The Summer Time 3:33

11 Barry Blue - Do You Wanna Dance 3:14

12 Kenny - Fancy Pants 3:26

13 Mott The Hoople - All The Way From Memphis 3:18

14 Wizzard - See My Baby Jive 4:59

15 10cc - Rubber Bullets 5:15

16 Faces - Stay With Me 4:38

AngelHeaded Hipster, The Songs of Marc Bolan & T. Rex [2020]

01 Kesha - Children of the Revolution 2:35

02 Nick Cave - Cosmic Dancer 5:54

03 Joan Jett - Jeepster 3:57

04 Devendra Banhart - Scenescof 2:36

05 Lucinda Williams - Life's a Gas 4:03

06 Peaches - Solid Gold, Easy Action 2:19

07 BØRNS - Dawn Storm 5:07

08 Beth Orton - Hippy Gumbo 3:06

09 King Khan - I Love to Boogie 3:30

10 Gaby Moreno - Beltane Walk 3:38

11 John Cameron Mitchell - Diamond Meadows 3:51

12 Emily Haines - Ballrooms of Mars 6:16

13 Father John Misty - Main Man 3:22

14 Perry Farrell - Rock On 4:14

15 Elysian Fields - The Street and Babe Shadow 3:40

16 Gavin Friday - The Leopards 4:18

17 Nena - Metal Guru 2:27

18 Marc Almond - Teenage Dream 5:54

19 Helga Davis - Organ Blues 4:24

20 Todd Rundgren - Planet Queen 4:36

21 Jesse Harris - Great Horse 1:52

22 Sean Ono Lennon & Charlotte Kemp Muhl - Mambo Sun 4:17

23 Victoria Williams & Julian Lennon - Pilgrim's Tale 4:09

24 David Johansen - Bang a Gong (Get it On) [Reprise] 2:38

25 Maria McKee & Gavin Friday - She Was Born to Be My Unicorn / Ride a White Swan 4:19

Glam Nuggets (15 Wham Bam Rarities From The Boogie Children!) [2022]

01 Gumbo - We Don’t Care 3:14

02 Sparks - This Town Ain’t Big Enough for Both of Us 3:04

03 New York Dolls - Personality Crisis 3:59

04 Hollywood Brats - Sick on You 5:08

05 Hammersmith Gorillas - I Live in Style in Maida Vale 4:41

06 Dana Gillespie - Andy Warhol 3:01

07 Mick Ronson - Growing Up and I’m Fine 3:08

08 Brett Smiley - Space Ace 3:50

09 John Howard - Small Town, Big Adventures 2:55

10 Suzi Quatro - Rock Hard 3:19

11 Shakane - Gang Man 3:34

12 Rock Rebellion - Let’s Go 3:01

13 The RAH Band - The Crunch 3:37

14 The Damned - Morning Bird 2:28

15 Greg Robbins - Virginia Creeper 2:15

BONUS

BBC Radio 2, The Glory of Glam [2010]

01 BBC Radio 2 - The Birth of Glam 56:55

02 BBC Radio 2 - Dressed to Kill 56:55

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