Glam! The Performance of Style

Hard on the heels of the social and political protests of 1968 – and the accompanying English psychedelic and art rock scenes – emerged Glamrock. Perhaps most significant for challenging gender stereotypes – think Bolan and Bowie – it had a short but intense manifestation before Punk hit (literally) – followed by Thatcherism – in the late 1970s. Now the Tate Liverpool is showcasing work from that time and Kathy Preece shares her thoughts.

I was there (in the 70s) and now I am here, at the ‘Glam!’ exhibition in the Liverpool Tate.

My initial impressions are that one of my contemporaries has had a clear out and displayed their collection of memorabilia, offering visual-art impoverished Liverpool  an Art Show they think we will relate to. Why hadn’t they chucked it all out in 1977 when Punk arrived? Maybe they have hoarding tendencies that over-rode the demands of Punk…

This attempt is more of an ‘Historical Record’ approach – recalling, by displaying a number of faded relics of the time, rather than attempting to re-capture some of the impact of those ‘larger-than-life’ ideas.

Consequently, my sense of ‘7os loss’ was exacerbated. The album covers are faded, the documentation jumps around leaving unsatisfactory gaps – it has that ‘shoe-string’ feel.

But what’s this? Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Manic Depression’ echoing around the whitewashed walls – do you want to make me cry?

I need to get a grip, put it all in context, and what better way to put aside the evocative effects of Hendrix than to imagine velociraptor-eyed Maggie Thatcher arriving on the scene in the late 70s.

Psychologically, after thinking about the questioning creativity and energy of Glam and Punk, I feel I’m being made to climb back into a small dark box full of  unchallenged ‘isms’  and a strong smell of status quo (Down, Down).  There to prepare for imminently-enhanced consumerism and ephemeral Target Setting.