It took ten years for an evolution of the Glam Rock aesthetic and sound to partially translate into the American mainstream. Which makes sense to me, there is something very British about Glam Rock in and of itself. Maybe it’s the absolute aversion to shame, perhaps it’s the working class roots of the genre, or maybe it’s the sequins. With all that in mind, It’s very telling that the glam rock band that catapulted Chris Norman to worldwide success, Smokie, turned professional after a stint performing at Butlins Holiday camp in Skegness. There’s a quintessentially British silliness to his work, a knowing wink at the audience that translates into his work and live performances to this day. This absolutely is not to say that he’s not good at what he does. There may be a grand British tradition of silliness but it is stringently not the same as being crap. The harmonies are still as flawless as they ever were, and he’s assembled an absolute barn burner of a band that can rattle off riffs that Bolan himself would be proud of, Yes it’s silly, but it’s the joyous, life affirming kind of silly, that only a few musicians can pull off, fortunately, Chris Norman is one of the best there is at it. Highly recommended.
Hayden Thorpe
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