Gary Glitter is the stage name of Paul Francis Gadd (born May 8, 1944), an English singer and performer who became one of the defining figures of British glam rock in the early 1970s. He was known for flamboyant costumes, platform boots, heavy makeup, theatrical live shows, and a highly rhythmic style built around stomping percussion, chant-like choruses, and an emphatic rock beat.
Gadd began performing as a teenager in London's Soho clubs and released records during the 1960s under several names, including Paul Raven and Paul Monday. These early attempts brought little commercial success, although they gave him experience as a singer, studio performer, and occasional producer. His career changed direction after he began working with songwriter and producer Mike Leander. Together they developed the exaggerated stage persona that became Gary Glitter, coinciding with the rise of glam rock and its taste for spectacle.
Glitter's breakthrough came with "Rock and Roll (Part 2)," released in 1972. The largely instrumental track, driven by its repeated "Hey!" chant and pounding rhythm, became a major international success and remains his most recognizable recording. In the United Kingdom, he followed it with a sustained run of popular singles, including "I Didn't Know I Loved You (Till I Saw You Rock and Roll)," "Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah!)," "I'm the Leader of the Gang (I Am)," "Hello, Hello, I'm Back Again," "I Love You Love Me Love," and "Remember Me This Way." Three of his singles reached number one on the UK chart, while many others entered the Top Ten.
His records were closely associated with the Glitter Band, initially a group of backing musicians assembled for his stage and studio work. The band later developed its own recording career, scoring British hits with songs such as "Angel Face," "Just for You," and "Goodbye My Love." Although Glitter's music was sometimes dismissed as simple or novelty-oriented, its direct rhythms and communal chants made it unusually effective in live settings and helped establish a template later used in arena rock, sports entertainment, and popular film soundtracks.
Glitter's commercial momentum weakened toward the end of the 1970s, but he mounted a series of comebacks during the following decade. "Another Rock and Roll Christmas" became a recurring seasonal favorite in Britain, and "All That Glitters" revisited his earlier material in a dance-oriented medley. He also remained active on television and in concert, while his songs received renewed attention through productions such as the stage and film versions of "The Full Monty." His 1991 autobiography, "The Leader," further reflected the scale of his former celebrity.
Glitter's public reputation collapsed after criminal investigations and convictions for sexual offenses. In 1999, he was imprisoned in the United Kingdom for possessing child sexual abuse images. He was later convicted in Vietnam in 2006 for sexual offenses involving underage girls, and in 2015 he received a 16-year sentence in England for attempted rape, four counts of indecent assault, and one count of sexual intercourse with a girl under 13. He was released on license in 2023 but recalled to prison shortly afterward for breaching the conditions of his release.
The criminal convictions permanently ended Glitter's entertainment career and transformed the meaning of his public image. His recordings, especially "Rock and Roll (Part 2)," continue to appear in popular culture, but their use is now widely debated because of the artist's crimes. His legacy is therefore sharply divided between his significant influence on glam rock performance and the lasting condemnation of his criminal conduct.