7 March 1974 Never mind your favourite James Bond; who's your favourite Alvin Stardust? I've only just found out that the familiar leather-clad, mulleted and sideboarded Alvin Stardust is not the Alvin Stardust who appeared on Alvin Stardust's debut hit, 'My Coo Ca Choo'. That record was written, produced, performed and initially promoted by Alvin … Continue reading Alvin Stardust – ‘Jealous Mind’ →

28 February 1974 Would it be doing the dog on my ongoing "Chinn & Chapman, the Stock Aitken & Waterman of glam" narrative to suggest that with Suzi Quatro they even had their own Kylie? Maybe not. After all, she had star quality and seemed perfect for their writing-production style, but only ever seemed to … Continue reading Suzi Quatro – ‘Devil Gate Drive’ →

14 February 1974 The key information you need in advance for 'Teenage Rampage' is that, this time around, Steve Priest's pre-chorus bit is not camp. I repeat: not camp. Even in the TV appearances, such as the video below, he's not fluttering his fingers while staring down the camera straight into your there-to-be-corrupted soul. Without … Continue reading The Sweet – ‘Teenage Rampage’ →

31 January 1974 Here's the first of three chart-topping singles in a row in early 1974 for the writer-producer duo of Chinn & Chapman - the Stock Aitken & Waterman of glam, and I mean that to hurt. We already saw their wares at the top of the Irish charts in 1973 with The Sweet's … Continue reading Mud – ‘Tiger Feet’ →

24 January 1974 We know these songs today from retro clip shows, but what exactly was the new bubblegum pop of 1974? The Americanised "darn well" in its pre-chorus suggests 'You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me' took its pop with a splash of late-'60s Broadway showtune bluster and a dash of Nashville country sentimentality. … Continue reading The New Seekers – ‘You Won’t Find Another Fool Like Me’ →

10 January 1974 You fans of Big Tom and Brendan Shine may be galled to learn that for number one singles in Ireland in 1974 your guys trailed in behind Joe Cuddy. Some others of you may be learning about the existence of an Irish singer called Joe Cuddy. I only knew his name because … Continue reading Joe Cuddy – ‘I’m Gonna Make It’ →