Gary Glitter - I'm The Leader Of The Gang (I Am)

Controversally I put this one on here, more to highlight that even your heroes can let you down. In 1973 when I was an 8 year old lad, Gary Glitter could do no wrong. He had a massive following since Rock N Roll Parts 1&2, his debut hit as Gary Glitter (he had recorded under various names but had no chart hits) was released in 1972 he was very much amongst the big glam acts of the early 70's. This single was to be his first number 1 and another two were to follow. After this he became known by his fans as the Leader plus the sound and the beat of the music was known as the Glitter stomp. The song like nearly all the Gary Gliiter tracks were recorded by him and his producer Mike Leander playing all instruments and producing the tracks. Gary had the Glitter band but they were more for live gigs and TV performances.

I still think this is a really good record, still good to hear and still got a lot of power there and even live (I saw him live in 1985) it still was a good track. During the mid 70's Glitter's success began to fade and with a drug addiction he went into tax exile for a couple of years but didn't stop him going bankrupt. It was the mid 80's before he had the comeback he really wanted with a couple of hits in the 80's and well recieved concerts, epecially his Christmas shows proved he was on his way back.

In 1999 he was convicted of child pornography and did 4 months in prison, when he got out he left the UK and ended up in Vietnam where in 2005 he was arrested again for under age sex with 2 girls and jailed. He was released from prison in 2008 and had to come back to the UK. I remember my sister waiting to find out if he was to plead guilty or deny the charges in 1999. When he pleaded guilty she took all the singles she had of his and smashed them against the garden wall.

His name is cropping up again with the news about Jimmy Saville (who was another childhood hero) who has allegedly raped young girls for 6 decades and the latest alleged rumours and that Jimmy and Gary both had under age girls in Jimmy's dressing room.

It is sad but when I listen to his singles however good they are, these titles, do they all have a second meaning? Leader of The Gang, which gang is this? Do You Wanna Touch Me, was that his was of getting the girls? Do I need to go on, but it is so sad! Here is the single!