![]() Shephard and former drummer Tony Leonard formed one band, whilst Phipps continued to perform with his own band. ![]() Guitarist/singer Gerry Shephard and drummer/pianist Pete Phipps ( Eurythmics, XTC, reformed the band in 1987, and successfully performed in the UK and Europe, including tours with Gary Glitter, until 2001 when they split up. The band's profile was maintained with a slew of Greatest Hits releases, mainly concentrating on their peak mid-1970s era. Trevor Horn played bass guitar for the band in this era. ![]() Further sporadic releases followed in the 1980s on a variety of labels. They regrouped as The Glitter Band in 1980 with the addition of Eddy Spence on keyboards and Brian Jones replacing Harvey on sax. In 1979, Shephard and Phipps worked with former Sparks keyboard player Peter Oxendale, recording the US only album Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is as Oxendale and Shephard. The single, written by Springate and Phipps, never made it past a few initial commercial pressings on the Epic label. Finally Springate, Phipps and Shephard released "Gotta Get a Message Back To You" in September 1977, under the new name of Air Traffic Control. May 1977 saw the band release a final single as the Glitter Band, "She Was Alright". The name reverted to The Glitter Band in March 1977 for the release of "Look What You've Been Missing", co-written by John Rossall and Gerry Shephard. The band switched to CBS Records and later Epic Records, and changed their name to The G Band to disassociate themselves from Glitter, but failed to find another hit single. Sales dropped in 1976, with the advent of punk rock. Gerry Shephard, John Springate and Pete Phipps taking over leadership, with Springate taking lead vocal duties on hits such as the ballad "Goodbye My Love", "The Tears I Cried", and "People Like You". Rossall left the band on 31 December 1974. Further hits followed between 19, along with the release of four albums. In March 1974, "Angel Face" was released on Bell Records, reaching number four in the UK Singles Chart, and outselling Glitter's "Remember Me This Way" that week, though this song ultimately peaked higher at #3. The band, now working as a separate entity with Tony Leonard having replaced Pete Gill, as well as continuing to back Glitter, played a few well-received live shows before their first single came out, mixing some new songs with cover versions of 1950s and 1960s songs. The band then went back into the studio and recorded the Rossall/Shephard composition "Angel Face", which met with Leander's approval, but not without some changes. ![]() Leander agreed, but rejected the first recordings. In 1973, Rossall approached Leander with the suggestion that the band record some material without Glitter. They backed Glitter in live performances, although in the studio Mike Leander played all the instruments, apart from the brass section provided by Rossall and Ellison. With a few changes in personnel, the Boston Showband became the Glittermen, and later The Glitter Band in 1973 who were: John Rossall (trombone and musical director), Gerry Shephard (lead guitar and vocals), Pete Phipps (drums and keyboards), Tony Leonard (drums), John Springate (bass and vocals) and Harvey Ellison (saxophone). When Gary Glitter's first single " Rock and Roll Parts 1 and 2" became a number 2 hit in the UK, his manager Mike Leander realised that he would need a backing band and contacted John Rossall who was then the musical director of the Boston Showband. The Glitter Band had seven UK Top 20 hit singles in the mid-1970s, and three hit albums. They were unofficially known as the Glittermen on the first four hit singles by Gary Glitter from 1972 to 1973. The Glitter Band are a glam rock band from England, who initially worked as Gary Glitter's backing band under that name from 1973, when they then began releasing records of their own. ![]()
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