Mention the name Mud to most Americans -- even those neck-deep in the '70s revival -- and the likely result will be a blank stare. In England, however, between 1974 and 1976, Mud were one of the hottest rock & roll acts there was, charting a series of monster hit singles and recording a pair of delightful oldies-oriented albums. They were never... [+] Read More

Mention the name Mud to most Americans -- even those neck-deep in the '70s revival -- and the likely result will be a blank stare. In England, however, between 1974 and 1976, Mud were one of the hottest rock & roll acts there was, charting a series of monster hit singles and recording a pair of delightful oldies-oriented albums. They were never a profoundly philosophical band, and never pretended to be -- the group played music to have a good time, and merely asked that others join in, which millions of Brits did for a few years.

Their history extended back to the middle of the previous decade. Singer Les Gray and drummer-vocalist Dave Mount had come out of separate groups in the Carshalton section of South London during the mid-'60s, when they hooked up together to form a new band of their own, which they christened Mud. Ray Stiles (bass, vocals) and Rob Davis (lead guitar, vocals) came aboard in 1966 and the quartet was signed to the then fledgling CBS label (Columbia Records having only founded its UK division in 1965, with the acquisition of the Oriole label), for which a pair of novelty singles, "Flower Power" and "Up the Air Mountain," stiffed on the charts. Mud continued to play local gigs and had enough of a following to make a living off its concert work. They were a solid rock & roll band with a good attack and a clean, unpretentious sound that made for great live performances but was difficult to translate on record. Their stage act included a fair number of rock & roll classics, which made them fairly unusual in a British music scene populated by acts bent on creating a psychedelic experience from the stage. They tried again with a pair of singles on the Philips label in 1969-1970, but neither of these attempts found an audience.

Fate, in the guise of producer Mickie Most, took a hand in the early '70s. Most was impressed with their stage presentation and hooked them up with the songwriting- producer team of Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman (known corporately as Chinnichap). They came up with "Crazy" and "Hypnosis," a pair of singles that made the Top 20 for the group in 1973 on Most's RAK label -- this was better than any of their previous singles had done, but still weren't representative of the group's sound.

Lightning struck a third time late 1973 when Mud inherited a Chinn/Chapman song that had been rejected by the Sweet, called "Dyna-mite." Driven by a crunchy "Long Cool Woman"-type guitar intro, "Dyna-mite" was a catchy rocker that became a top five British hit, but it also had a profound effect on the direction of the band. It required Les Gray to sing in a style akin to that of Elvis Presley, and a sound and direction were beginning to be established for the group. Their next single, "Tiger Feet," topped the English charts in early 1974, riding the number one spot for a month, and they followed this with "The Cat Crept In," a top three British hit. "The Cat Crept In," in particular, was written to exploit Les Gray's propensity to imitate Elvis Presley, and the band was quite obviously having the time of its life joining in the proceedings -- Chapman continued returning to the formula. The group treated all of this as a lark. They were grateful for the hits, and didn't feel compelled to worry over their artistic development in the way of a lot of other acts -- they'd started out in music to have a good time, and they were having it. Their musical competency and visual presentation -- particularly Rob Davis' willingness to ornament himself with dangling jewelry -- positioned them perfectly for the glam-rock boom, and the Chinn-Chapman songs made for catchy singles.

After three hit singles, an album seemed a logical next step, and one was knocked off in mid-1974, called Mud Rock, done as a fake live performance which included a medley of the three hits and a series of covers of classic rock & roll, everything from the Contours' "Do You Love Me" and Chuck Berry's "Bye Bye Johnny" to a Marcels'-style rendition of Rodgers & Hart's "Blue Moon," with a nod to big-band music in the form of "In the Mood." Mud Rock sold well, and the band might've gone on perfectly well this way, cutting hit singles and doing an LP once a year, but for a problem that came up late in 1974, when Mud was persuaded to sign a contract with the new Private Stock label.

They were still under contract to Mickie Most, and the Chinn-Chapman songwriting team kept providing the band with retro-style songs, including "The Secrets That You Keep," another top three British single in early 1975. Their next single, a cover of Buddy Holly's "Oh Boy!" that made number one in England, was an outgrowth of the session that yielded "Blue Moon" -- the Holly song was suggested as a follow-up at the time, cut for the second album, and then culled as a single. By then, the band had left RAK, and suddenly, they found themselves in the awkward position of competing with themselves -- before they could get anything out on Private Stock, RAK had a succession of hit singles (including a version of "One Night," a direct Elvis Presley cover). Their second album, rather unimaginatively titled Mud Rock, Vol. II, yielded over a million sales in singles drawn from its line-up of songs.

They ultimately did get a succession of hit singles out on Private Stock, and for another year Mud were a fixture on the UK charts (and non-existent as a presence in America), before their appeal faded. Glam-rock faded as punk and disco came to dominate the airwaves and the charts. They continued to record for Private Stock and RCA-U.K. until 1980, but nothing they did ever sold in numbers resembling their past glories. Mud's ride at the top was a short one, not even three years from start to finish before they disappeared from the charts, but they never intended to have a long or lasting impact on music, just help people have a good time. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Although the late '90s apparently saw the end of Gary Glitter's career, following his conviction for sexual offenses, there is no doubting that for a full 25 years before that tragic denouement, Glitter ranked among Britain's best-loved performers of all time. The hits which catapulted him to fame in the early '70s, the anthemic "Rock and Roll"... [+] Read More

Although the late '90s apparently saw the end of Gary Glitter's career, following his conviction for sexual offenses, there is no doubting that for a full 25 years before that tragic denouement, Glitter ranked among Britain's best-loved performers of all time. The hits which catapulted him to fame in the early '70s, the anthemic "Rock and Roll" of course, but also the likes of "I'm the Leader of the Gang," "Do You Wanna Touch Me," and "I Love You Love Me Love," still have the capacity to stir an audience -- as "Rock and Roll" itself proves, every time it airs at a major sporting event in the U.S. And, if it is at all oxymoronic that the King of British Glam should be responsible for one of the national anthems of American Football, then that is simply further testament of what made Gary glitter so brightly. Musically, visually, and emotionally, he transcended so many barriers that even categorizing him as a rock & roller seems somehow stingy. He was so much more than that.

Gary Glitter emerged on the U.K. scene in 1972, although he had been touring and recording for over a decade beforehand. Still in his mid-teens, the young Paul Gadd performed at the legendary 2 I's Coffee Bar in London's Soho district, moving onto the Laconda and the Safari clubs before his repertoire of rock & roll classics and sweetly executed ballads brought him to the attention of Robert Hartford Davis, a small-time movie producer looking to break into the music industry. He financed the teenager's first recording session and landed him a deal with Decca, who released "Alone in the Night" in January, 1960, under the first of the multitude of pseudonyms which the singer would utilize through the remainder of the decade, Paul Raven.

In 1961, new manager Vic Billings landed Raven a deal with Parlophone and producer George Martin. Two singles, "Walk on Boy" and "Tower of Strength," followed, but neither sold well and by 1964, Raven was working as a studio warm-up man for the cult television show Ready Steady Go. He also appeared in a handful of television commercials and auditioned unsuccessfully for the lead role in the movie Privilege (Paul Jones ultimately took the part). It was a meeting with producer/arranger Mike Leander which marked the turning point in Raven's fortunes. The singer joined Leander's eponymous Show Band in April, 1965; Leander also arranged for his young protégé to oversee a handful of recording sessions, producing singles by Thane Russell and Scottish beat band the Poets.

The Mike Leander Show Band collapsed in late 1965 and Raven formed a new group, Boston International (later truncated to the Bostons), with saxophonist John Rossall. They spent much of the next five years touring Germany, the schedule interrupted by occasional recording dates back in England with Leander. Between 1968-1970, "Musical Man" and a cover of George Harrison's "Here Comes the Sun" were issued under the name Paul Monday. "Soul Thing" and Sly Stone's "Stand" returned Paul Raven to the racks and "We're All Living in One Place" debuted Rubber Bucket and, though the records themselves flopped, the sound was slowly crystallizing. By late 1971, with the glam rock movement now exploding across the U.K., Leander and Raven were convinced they had finally found the elusive formula they had been searching for.

"Rock and Roll" first took shape as a 15-minute jam session before Leander edited it down into two three-minute gems, sensibly subtitled "Part One" and "Part Two." Next came the matter of a new name for the performer -- according to legend, Raven's first instinct was Vicki Vomit, followed by Terry Tinsel, Stanley Sparkle, or Horace Hydrogen, working backwards through the alphabet, Gary Glitter was simply the next alliteration he thought of. And this time, it stuck.

Despite a slow start (it took six months to break into the U.K. chart) "Rock & Roll," of course, became one of the biggest hits of 1972 and one of the most unique. A number two in the U.K. and Top Ten in America, it set Glitter up for a period of almost unassailable chart domination, as a string of barely disguised sound-alikes flew from his and Leander's pens, unerringly affixing themselves on the British Top Ten: "I Didn't Know I Loved You (Till I Saw You Rock and Roll)," "Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)," and "Hello Hello, I'm Back Again" all charted during the next 12 months. Two albums, Glitter and Touch Me, were no less successful, while Glitter's first ever London concert in spring, 1973, saw him sell out the London Palladium, one of the first rock & rollers ever to play that venerable old pile.

Glitter lived up to his image with a vengeance. He poured a fortune into his wardrobe -- at one point he owned 30 glitter suits and 50 pairs of monstrous silver platform boots. But it was worth it. Glittermania was breaking out everywhere. "I'm the Leader of the Gang (I Am)" became his first British chart-topper in the summer of 1973, "I Love You Love Me Love" repeated the success that fall, while "Remember Me This Way," a brass-led ballad which had absolutely nothing in common with the Glitter sound, reached number three. A show at the London Rainbow was recorded for a live album (also titled Remember Me This Way). Glitter's backing band, the aptly named Glitter Band, were launched on a parallel hitmaking career of their own and while attempts to follow up the original American success were less well-starred, "Leader of the Gang" did at least breach the Top 50, in the capable hands of Brownsville Station.

"Always Yours" gave Glitter his eighth successive hit and third number one, in June, 1974; another ballad, "Oh Yes! You're Beautiful" reached number two, the insistent "Love Like You and Me" made number ten, and "Doing Alright With the Boys" hit number six in summer, 1975. And suddenly, it was all over. Glitter's next single, a cover of "Papa Ooh Mow Mow," stalled at #38 and, with successive releases proving similarly catastrophic, the singer announced his retirement in early 1976.

For the next year, Glitter existed in a twilight world of rumor alone, as financial and psychological pressures pushed him to the brink. He was drinking heavily and later admitted that he seriously contemplated suicide. A half-hearted return to action saw him take the lead role in a New Zealand production of The Rocky Horror Show and score a pair of minor U.K. Top 30 hits during 1977, "It Takes All Night Long" and "A Little Boogie Woogie in the Back of My Mind." But it was 1980 before he truly began to come out his shell again, launching a series of low-key concerts for a post-punk audience which had, somewhat curiously, embraced him as a figurehead of sorts. In 1981, he returned to the studio and recorded a new single, a dance medley of all his greatest hits, "All That Glitters." By 1984, he was playing upwards of 80 gigs a year, mainly around the college and club circuit, and returned to the chart with "Dance Me Up" and "Another Rock and Roll Christmas."

Two years later, Doctor & the Medics invited him to guest with them on TV performances of their decidedly Glitter-esque reworking of "Spirit in the Sky." And in 1988, Glitter was back at number one, courtesy of the Timelords' "Doctoring the Tardis" a tribute to television's Dr Who set to samples of Glitter's "Rock and Roll." Glitter himself subsequently re-recorded "Rock and Roll" with producer Trevor Horn and only narrowly missed out on another hit.

Ever more extravagant live shows were celebrated with the 1988 live video Gary Glitter's Gangshow, while his back catalog began spawning a succession of still more adventurous hit compilations. He became the subject of a successful London stage show, while his 1991 autobiography, The Leader, was a major bestseller. In 1994, Glitter was one of the stars at the official World [soccer] Cup concert in Chicago, broadcast live to 46 countries. He returned to the U.S. in 1996, playing the Godfather in the Who's Quadrophenia revival and he found time to deliver a new single, the definitive reading of "The House of the Rising Sun" set to the most heart-stopping Glitter beat yet. "Rock and Roll" even claimed another new lease on life when it became one of the star turns in the movie The Full Monty.

Then came the news that Glitter was under investigation on child pornography charges and his world fell apart. Stores throughout the U.K. withdrew his records from the shelves, concerts were canceled; overnight, one of Britain's most adored icons became public enemy number one and even his staunchest allies now doubt whether Glitter will ever be able to pull one more comeback out of the bag. What cannot be erased, however, is the contribution he has made to the history of rock & roll -- the creation of "Rock and Roll" itself. ~ Dave Thompson, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Named for their associations with glam idol Gary Glitter, the Glitter Band originally came together in 1972, following Glitter's own breakthrough with the hit "Rock and Roll." With his first major concert tour looming, Glitter and producer co-conspirator Mike Leander required a full-time backing band, one which would -- though they could never... [+] Read More

Named for their associations with glam idol Gary Glitter, the Glitter Band originally came together in 1972, following Glitter's own breakthrough with the hit "Rock and Roll." With his first major concert tour looming, Glitter and producer co-conspirator Mike Leander required a full-time backing band, one which would -- though they could never have dreamed it at the time -- ultimately become almost as successful, and certainly as well-known, as Gary Glitter himself. Although the band was not physically present on any of Glitter's own hits (according to the singer, Mike Leander alone played every instrument himself), the Glitter Band not only accompanied Glitter on each of his tours and television appearances, they also racked up seven hits of their own, six of them also making the Top Ten. Even more impressively, while the band's original sound was indeed firmly cut in the style of their namesake, by the end of their career, the group had developed into a wholly original and utterly captivating act in their own right.

The Glittermen, as the group was originally known, was built around an idea which Glitter and Leander had first experimented with during the mid-'60s, a sprawling combo whose sound and visuals were based upon a unique (for British acts) core of two drummers and two saxophonists. Their choice of bandleader, too, reached back to that earlier era -- baritone sax player John Rossall had previously played with Leander's own eponymous Show Band and alongside Glitter in the subsequent Boston International.

The decision to launch the Glitter Band as a recording act in their own right was made in late 1973. Written by John Rossall and Gerry Shepherd, their debut single, "Angel Face," was an obvious close relation of the parent Glitter sound, a pounding, stomping number which raced to number four in Britain in March, 1974, but it was unquestionably possessed of a charm all of its own. It was followed by "Just for You" and "Let's Get Together Again," both of which kept the group in the Top Ten, while their debut album, Hey, reached number 13 and that despite being comprised of little more than reprises of the hits.

Evidence that the Glitter Band were capable of meeting greater challenges than the Glitter sound normally offered was delivered in early 1975 by their fourth single, the soft rock ballad "Goodbye My Love." An absolute departure, "Goodbye My Love" climbed to number two, while the group's abilities as songwriters received another boost when labelmates Hello scored a European hit with a cover of the Glitter Band's own "Game's Up." (Hello also scored with another Hey-era staple, a cover of the Exciters' "Tell Him.")

Buoyed by the massive success of "Goodbye My Love," the Glitter Band selected another soft rocker for their next single, "The Tears I Cried," following through over the next 12 months with the similarly styled "Love in the Sun" and "People Like You, People Like Me." Two further albums, Rock'n'Roll Dudes and Listen to the Band, were equally courageous, with the group's ambition now so pronounced that they even brushed aside the first signs that their earlier invincibility was cracking: the chart failure of the singles "Alone Again" and "Don't Make Promises."

In 1976, with Gary Glitter having announced his retirement, the Glitter Band cut their last sonic links with the old sound. With John Rossall having quit for a solo career, the remaining members signed with CBS and, shortening their name to the G Band, set to work on their most ambitious collection yet, Paris Match. An utterly un-Glitter-like set, it was characterized by a truly audacious cover of the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil." Unfortunately, though the band had moved on, their fans hadn't -- indeed, as one wag later put it, in changing their name, they had kept the "G," but the fans wanted the "litter." In late 1977, the group transferred to Epic for one final single, a cover of the Bee Gees' "Gotta Get a Message to You," but by 1978, the band had all but sundered. 1979 saw Shepherd and Phipps link with former Sparks/Jet keyboard player Peter Oxendale for the album Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is, credited to Shepherd/Oxendale and released in the U.S. only.

The Glitter Band regrouped under their old name in 1980, around the same time as Gary Glitter himself moved back into focus. In 1981, the group released a new single, "Until the Next Time," maintaining a steady stream of further releases through the next five years. A new album, recorded live at the London Marquee Club, appeared in 1985, while a succession of hits collections (several featuring newly re-recorded material) kept their name alive on the record shelves.

There are two Glitter Band's in operation, one featuring Shepherd, the other -- Glitz Blitz/Glitter Band, fronted by Phipps. ~ Dave Thompson, All Music Guide [-] Hide

In some ways, the Sweet epitomized all the tacky hubris and garish silliness of the early '70s. Fusing bubblegum melodies with crunching, fuzzy guitars, the band looked a heavy metal band, but were as tame as any pop group. It was a dichotomy that served them well, as they racked up a number of hits in both the U.K. and the U.S. Most of those... [+] Read More

In some ways, the Sweet epitomized all the tacky hubris and garish silliness of the early '70s. Fusing bubblegum melodies with crunching, fuzzy guitars, the band looked a heavy metal band, but were as tame as any pop group. It was a dichotomy that served them well, as they racked up a number of hits in both the U.K. and the U.S. Most of those hits were written by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, a pair of British songwriters that had a way with silly, simple, and catchy hooks. Chinn/Chapman and Sweet were smart enough to latch on to the British glam rock fad, building a safer, radio-friendly and teen-oriented version of Queen, T. Rex, and Gary Glitter. By the end of the '70s, the group's time at the top of the charts had expired but their hit singles lived on not only as cultural artifacts, but also as the predecessors for the pop-metal of the '80s.

Originally, the Sweet were called the Sweetshop and consisted of Brian Connolly (vocals), Mick Tucker (vocals, drums), Frank Torpey (guitar), and Steve Priest (bass). In 1970, the group truncated their name to Sweet and signed a record contract with Fontana/EMI, releasing four unsuccessful singles. Following the failure of the four singles, Torpey left the group and was replaced by Andy Scott. The new lineup of Sweet signed to RCA Records in 1971, where they were placed under the direction of songwriters Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman. Chinn and Chapman wrote a number of light bubblegum pop songs for the group, the first of which, "Funny Funny," reached number 13 on the U.K. charts. Following "Funny Funny," the duo wrote five more Top 40 hits for the group -- including "Little Willy" and "Wig-Wam Bam" -- which were all lightweight bubblegum numbers loaded with double entendres. During this time, Sweet were writing their own B-sides and album tracks. All of the group's compositions were harder than Chinn and Chapman's songs, featuring crunching hard rock guitars. Consequently, the duo decided to write tougher songs for the group. "Blockbuster," the first result of Chinn and Chapman's neo-glam rock approach, was the biggest hit Sweet ever had in the U.K., reaching number one on the charts in early 1973 and eventually going platinum. For the next two years, Sweet continued to chart with Chinn and Chapman compositions, including the Top Ten hits "Hell Raiser," "Ballroom Blitz," "Teenage Rampage," and "The Six Teens."

By the summer of 1974, the members of Sweet had grown tired of the control Chinn and Chapman exerted over their career and decided to record without the duo. The resulting album, Sweet Fanny Adams, reached number 27 in the U.K., but it yielded no hits. In the spring of 1975, Sweet had their first self-penned hit with "Fox on the Run," which reached the Top Ten in both the U.K. and the U.S. "Fox on the Run" appeared on the collection Desolation Boulevard; in America, it's release helped "Ballroom Blitz" reach the Top Ten in the summer of 1975. Strung Up, released in the fall of 1975, continued the group's move toward album-oriented rock. For the rest of the decade, the group continued to churn out albums, which were all less successful than their predecessor. Sweet bounced back into the charts in 1978 with "Love Is Like Oxygen," but the single proved to be their last gasp; they never reached the Top Ten again, neither in the U.S. or the U.K.

Connolly left the band after "Love Is Like Oxygen" and the group replaced him with keyboardist Gary Moberley. The group carried on for three more years, releasing three more albums that all achieved little success. After several years of little success or attention, Sweet broke up in 1982. In the decade following their breakup, Sweet reunited on various occasions. In 1985, a dance club medley of their hits called "It's the Sweet Mix" became a British Top 50 hit and, following the single's success, the group re-formed for a tour that proved to be less anticipated than expected. Later in the decade, Scott toured as part of the group Paddy Goes to Holyhead. In 1989, Scott and Tucker re-formed Sweet to record a live album at London's Marquee Club. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide [-] Hide

It's pretty far-fetched, as some revisionists are now claiming, to view Suzi Quatro as a precursor to the "riot grrrls" of the '90s. Her brand of mid-'70s glam pop was far more innocuous and, in any case, often supplied by professional songwriters. What she did prove was that it was possible for a petite woman to play bass, sing, and wear... [+] Read More

It's pretty far-fetched, as some revisionists are now claiming, to view Suzi Quatro as a precursor to the "riot grrrls" of the '90s. Her brand of mid-'70s glam pop was far more innocuous and, in any case, often supplied by professional songwriters. What she did prove was that it was possible for a petite woman to play bass, sing, and wear leather with a reasonable degree of raunch and pride. That, with enough musical hooks to draw in the teen pop crowd, was enough to reel off a series of big British hit singles just before the advent of punk, although she remained virtually unknown in her native U.S.

To the British audience, it seemed as if Quatro emerged out of nowhere in 1973, but in fact she'd been playing professionally for nearly a decade. While still in her early teens, she joined the Pleasure Seekers, a Detroit band also featuring her sisters Arlene and Patti. One of the few all-girl garage bands who played their own instruments, they recorded a fine, gritty single for the local Hideout label, "Never Thought You'd Leave Me"/"What a Way to Die" (both sides were reissued in the 1980s on the What a Way to Die '60s garage compilation). Another single followed for Mercury, and the group even toured Vietnam to entertain troops. In 1968, though, Arlene quit the band to raise her kids (one of whom is actress Sherilyn Fenn), to be replaced by yet another sister, Nancy.

The Pleasure Seekers became Cradle, which placed more emphasis on hard rock and original material. In the early '70s, British producer Mickie Most (the Animals, Lulu, Donovan, Herman's Hermits) happened to see Cradle while he was in Detroit to work on an album with Jeff Beck at Motown's studios. Most let Quatro know he was interested in working with her as a solo act; six months later, Cradle split, and Suzy was on her way to London (Patti joined the all-woman rock band Fanny in Los Angeles).

After her first single flopped, Most hooked her up with songwriters Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn, who were also supplying material to the Sweet. The Chapman-Chinn-penned "Can the Can" went to number one in the U.K. in 1973, and over the next few years the same team would write about ten other British chart hits for her, including four Top Ten entries. These fused glitter and bubblegum in much the same way as the Sweet did, though Quatro was perhaps a tad raunchier (without ever getting downright scary). Quatro and her guitarist (and husband) Len Tuckey did write some of her material, though these efforts were usually confined to albums. In the U.S., though, she could barely get into the Top 100, though she did get on the cover of Rolling Stone.

Her American fortunes changed in the late '70s, when she had a short-lived, semi-regular stint on the sitcom Happy Days as the guitar-playing, sassy Leather Tuscadero. In 1979, she made the American Top Five with "Stumblin' In," although this was a duet with Chris Norman. Undoubtedly an influence upon the Runaways and Joan Jett, and thus by extension a mild influence on a subsequent generation of female rockers, she's kept a low profile in the '80s and '90s, although she's done some television and theatrical work in Britain. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide [-] Hide

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The definitive compilation--20 tracks, mostly from her mid-'70s prime, including all of her British and American hits and a few album tracks. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide

The definitive compilation--20 tracks, mostly from her mid-'70s prime, including all of her British and American hits and a few album tracks. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide [-] Hide

One of the original glam rock bands, Sweet released a number of successful singles in England between 1970 and 1973 before making a breakthrough in North America. In 1973, the band finally hit it big with the single "Little Willy," which hit number three on the U.S. pop charts. With the success of that single, management at the band's U.S.... [+] Read More

One of the original glam rock bands, Sweet released a number of successful singles in England between 1970 and 1973 before making a breakthrough in North America. In 1973, the band finally hit it big with the single "Little Willy," which hit number three on the U.S. pop charts. With the success of that single, management at the band's U.S. label, Bell Records, felt it was time to treat the market to an LP, so they gathered together some earlier U.K. chart successes (along with some B-sides) and rush-released the ten-track album simply titled Sweet. [Razor & Tie resurrected the album along with five bonus tracks. The sound has been digitally remastered and the CD contains in-depth liner notes related to the original release. This CD release will give the listener a taste of Sweet when they were just a singles band.] ~ Keith Pettipas, All Music Guide [-] Hide

A 16-track collection of Mud's greatest hits that omits one of the greatest of them all -- how peculiar. "Lonely This Christmas" might have limited appeal once the season has passed, but still the second of Mud's three U.K. chart-toppers did not deserve this -- all the more so since, if you've ever thrilled to Les Gray's Elvis impersonations,... [+] Read More

A 16-track collection of Mud's greatest hits that omits one of the greatest of them all -- how peculiar. "Lonely This Christmas" might have limited appeal once the season has passed, but still the second of Mud's three U.K. chart-toppers did not deserve this -- all the more so since, if you've ever thrilled to Les Gray's Elvis impersonations, this is one of the most thrilling of them all. That singular omission notwithstanding, The Gold Collection serves up few surprises. Between early 1973 and late 1975, when the band quit the EMI subsidiary RAK for Private Stock, Mud established itself among Britain's most reliable hitmakers, and most versatile jukeboxes. Thus, while one half of this collection dwells on the string of Chinn/Chapman classics for which Mud is best remembered, the other half delves into the corpus of covers that packed out the group's albums, B-sides, and, once or twice, the charts. A near a cappella revision of "Oh, Boy!" gave them their third number one, while their final label hit was a note-perfect assault on Elvis Presley's "One Night." Elsewhere, "Hippy Hippy Shake," "Living Doll," and a surprisingly sensitive rendering of "End of the World" peel off the Mud Rock albums to remind listeners (and, presumably, the bandmembers themselves) that, long before the group ever gnawed the halls of pop power, Mud was a highly regarded nightclub act, performing perfect covers every night of the week. And, if the wheels ever fell off the hitmaking bandwagon, no doubt Mud could be one again. ~ Dave Thompson, All Music Guide [-] Hide

In 1998, Rhino Records reissued Rock and Roll: Gary Glitter's Greatest Hits with artwork that wasn't quite as silly as its original incarnation, with the intention of snagging sports fans who hold "Rock & Roll, Pt. 2" dear to their hearts. In either incarnation, Rock and Roll is the definitive Gary Glitter collection, containing all of his... [+] Read More

In 1998, Rhino Records reissued Rock and Roll: Gary Glitter's Greatest Hits with artwork that wasn't quite as silly as its original incarnation, with the intention of snagging sports fans who hold "Rock & Roll, Pt. 2" dear to their hearts. In either incarnation, Rock and Roll is the definitive Gary Glitter collection, containing all of his singles, including "Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah!)," "I'm the Leader of the Gang," and "Hello! Hello! I'm Back Again." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide [-] Hide