Column: Whistle-stop tour through the decade style forgot

After the early elucidating days of '˜Oliver the musical' and '˜Ernie the fastest milkman in the west' came a time to make your toes open and shut.
Seventies favourites ShowaddywaddySeventies favourites Showaddywaddy
Seventies favourites Showaddywaddy

Glam rock!

Remember Wizard and the lead singer's rainbowed hair?

Of course you do, as their best has been played relentlessly ever since.

Then, The Sweet wore spangly outfits so tight you had to wonder how they were ‘suctioned’ into them!

As for the platform shoes, where do you start?

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There they were, miming away on TOTP, along with Slade, that peculiar duo Sparks and the slightly sinister looking Alvin Stardust. Indeed I still wonder what his Coocachoo actually was!

Showaddywaddy had their ‘50s style and, of course, we can’t forget Mud (though Lord knows I’m trying to) with their jolly earworm, 'Tiger Feet'.

All youngsters of a certain age were required to learn the dance to go with the tune or be left behind.

Around this time, bold Bowie was going through his Ziggy Stardust phase so could be seen suitably attired in glittery alien costumery along with the obligatory platforms.

It really was a most peculiar period.

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So, there you would sit, bored to tears listening to fusty Mrs Trotter droning on in your school history lessons, all teeth and winged glasses, with twinset a suitably dull brown hue.

Then off you’d trot home to catch the latest Top of the Pops and be amazed by all the bedazzlements of Mark Bolan and the like

If this was not enough to blow your mind, you could buy one of those LPs with covers of your faves.

I seem to recall the album sleeve usually had some glamorous woman leaning over a tennis net, or other such effrontery which had nothing to do with the musical content.

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Of course, as a desperate measure, you could listen to your older siblings’ rock collection - a touch of Black Sabbath or Pink Floyd to send you on an unusual ‘journey’.

Wonderful Motown sounds were also back in vogue at the time.

And if it all got a bit too much, after a day of Mrs Trotter and her history, you could regress to ’The Railway Children’ musical LP.

Ah!

Good times.