Musical Chairs – Ann Tindall

When ’60s/’70s fashion fanatic Ann Tindall launched her fabulous Annimal House blog at the beginning of this year, it seemed like the whole world suddenly took notice.  Features in the Huffington Post and the Bee made Sacramento scratch its collective head and say, “wow. Who IS this chick?” Truth is, Ann has been around the Midtown scene for years – she even co-hosted a weekly Glamrock night at Old I with Lipstick’s DJ Roger back in 2002.  Whether she’s tending her tropical backyard garden, surfing for Ebay scores or just cruising in hubby Stan’s 1966 AMC Marlin, you know she’s got the tunes a-blasting.

After a long day of wearing my responsible adult costume to that boring place called work I can’t wait to bring the party somewhere I don’t have to be paid to be! When you’ve got a dance floor to hit and a belly full of beer to git, these glam rock anthems are all about makin’ a pass and shakin’ your ass. Here’s my DJ set list for putting on your tallest boots and tightest pants, smearing your face full of warpaint and raising hell! You’re welcome, there’s more where these came from!

Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn were the most successful songwriting and record producing duo of the ’70s British glamrock era, boasting hits with The Sweet, Suzi Quatro, and MUD.  The Sweet’s 1971 hit “Funny Funny” was their first of thirteen Top 20 hits.  By the late ’70s, the Sweet’s music had evolved from bubblegum pop to a harder glamrock sound as they began to self-pen their hits. Recommended listening from their earlier catalog: “Funny Funny,” “Little Willy” and “Wig-Wam Bam,” and from their later recordings: “Ballroom Blitz” and “Fox on the Run.”

Detroit native Suzi Quatro, unfortunately best known stateside for her recurring role as Leather Tuscadero on Happy Days, is the reigning queen of hard rock. Starting at the tender age of fourteen, she played bass in the Pleasure Seekers with her sisters Patti, Nancy, and Arlene. Discovered in 1971 by record producer Mickie Most (of Donovan, The Animals and Jeff Beck recording fame), Suzi soon moved to the UK to record her biggest hits, “Can the Can,” “48 Crash” and “Devil Gate Drive.” These early hits along with others on her self-titled debut album are recommended listening.

MUD charted fourteen times on the UK Top 20 charts in the mid ’70s, including three times at number one with “Tiger Feet,” “Lonely This Christmas” and “Oh Boy.” Their number four hit “Dyna-Mite” is my favorite MUD song, known to regularly blow up the dance floor in my living room.

The book British Hit Singles & Albums names Slade the most successful singles-selling British group of the 1970s. Noddy Holder and Jim Lea, lead vocalist and bassist respectively, penned all six #1 hits including three singles that entered the charts at #1 (a UK first). Chart toppers “Mama Weer All Crazee Now” and “Cum On Feel the Noize” are killer rock stompers better known in the US as cover songs by the banal ’80s band Quiet Riot. Such a shame, those original songs are recommended listening along with the LPs Slayed? and Sladest featuring those singles.

Regrettably, Gary Glitter’s personal transgressions have overshadowed a stellar career as a glamrock hit maker with producer Mike Leander. The duo’s signature sound  has been a part of American sporting events for several decades with the popular cheering anthem “Rock and Roll, Part 2″ from the bestselling Glitter debut album. “I Didn’t Know I Loved You (‘Til I Saw You Rock ‘N’ Roll)” from the same album is recommended listening, as well as “Hello, Hello, I’m Back Again” from his second offering, Touch Me.

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