David Bowie (October 8, 1977) – “Glam Rock: Oh You Pretty Things” Feature – New Musical Express.
As part of NME’s “The Consumers’ Guide To The ’70s” series, Charles Shaar Murray looks back at the glam rock phenomenon, assessing its origins, key artists, cultural impact and enduring influence, with David Bowie positioned at the centre of the movement.
Publication: New Musical Express
Date: October 8, 1977
Country: United Kingdom
Written by Charles Shaar Murray, this retrospective examines the rise and legacy of glam rock from the perspective of the late 1970s. The article traces the movement from its roots in British pop and art rock through its explosion into mainstream culture, discussing the artists and records that helped define the era.
David Bowie features prominently throughout the piece, with Murray describing glam rock as a movement that transformed popular music and expanded the possibilities of image, performance and artistic identity.
The article references Bowie’s role in developing theatrical rock through the creation of Ziggy Stardust and highlights the wider influence of glam on both British and international music.
Alongside Bowie, the feature discusses artists including Marc Bolan and T. Rex, Roxy Music, Slade, Mott The Hoople, Sweet, Gary Glitter, Suzi Quatro and Jobriath.
Rather than simply celebrating the movement, Murray weighs its achievements and shortcomings, arguing that glam's influence extended beyond its chart success and into the broader culture of rock performance and image-making.
CONTEXT AND NOTES
Published five years after glam rock reached its commercial peak, this article reflects an attempt to assess the movement's lasting significance. Appearing within NME’s decade‑review series, it presents glam not as a short‑lived fashion but as an important cultural force that reshaped the visual and theatrical possibilities of rock music.
The feature is especially notable for placing David Bowie at the centre of the story while examining the contributions of other major glam artists who helped define the early 1970s.
FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS
Event: NME retrospective assessment of glam rock
Era: 1977 – Looking back at the glam rock era
Tone: Analytical, historical and critical
Photography: Stylised red‑tinted illustrations and photographs of David Bowie, Gary Glitter, Jobriath and other glam rock performers
WHAT THE CLIPPING SHOWS
NME’s “The Consumers’ Guide To The ’70s” series
Charles Shaar Murray’s retrospective on glam rock
Significant coverage of David Bowie and Ziggy Stardust
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