THE LASTING IMPRESSION OF SELF EXPRESSION NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HiSTORY
JUNE 6TH –AUGUST 3RD THE LASTING IMPRESSION OF SELF EXPRESSION NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HSTORY
Index 17
.......................................... Timeline
23 .................... Museum Information 26 .............................. Exhibit Layout 33 .......................................... Imagery 36 .............................................. Music 43 ............................ Makeup History 55 ............................. Bowie’s Impact 65 ....................... Historical Context 73
....................... Fashion Influences
85 .................... Lasting Impressions
WHAT IS GLAM ROCK? Glam rock is a style of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s performed by musicians who wore outrageous costumes, makeup, and hairstyles, particularly platform shoes and glitter. Glam artists drew on diverse sources across music and throwaway pop culture, ranging from bubblegum pop and 1950s rock and roll to cabaret, science fiction, and complex art rock.The flamboyant clothing and visual styles of performers were often camp or androgynous, and have been described as playing with nontraditional gender roles. “Glitter rock” was another term used to refer to a more extreme version of glam. The UK charts were inundated with glam rock acts from 1971 to 1975, with glam also manifesting in all areas of British popular culture during this period.The March 1971 appearance of T. Rex frontman Marc Bolan on the BBC’s music show Top of the Pops, wearing glitter and satins, is often cited as the beginning of the movement. Other British glam rock artists include David Bowie, Freddie Mercury of Queen, Mott the Hoople, Sweet, Slade, Elton John, Mud, Roxy Music and Gary Glitter. In the US the scene was much less prevalent, with Alice Cooper and Lou Reed the only American artists to score a hit. Other US glam artists include New York Dolls, Iggy Pop and Jobriath. It declined after the mid-1970s, but influenced other musical genres including punk rock, glam metal, New Romantic, and gothic rock and has sporadically revived since the 1990s. Glam rock can be seen as a fashion as well as musical subgenre. Glam artists rejected the revolutionary rhetoric of the late 1960s rock scene, instead glorifying decadence, superficiality, and the simple structures of earlier pop music. Artists drew on such musical influences as bubblegum pop, the brash guitar riffs of hard rock, stomping rhythms, and 1950s rock and roll, filtering them through the recording innovations of the late 1960s. Ultimately it became very diverse, varying between the simple rock and roll revivalism of figures like Alvin Stardust to the complex art pop of Roxy Music.[8] In its beginning, however, it was a youth-oriented reaction to the creeping dominance of progressive rock and concept albums – what Bomp! called the “overall denim dullness” of “a deadly boring, prematurely matured music scene”. Visually it was a mesh of various styles, ranging from 1930s Hollywood glamour, through 1950s pin-up sex appeal, pre-war cabaret theatrics,
Victorian literary and symbolist styles, science fiction, to ancient and occult mysticism and mythology; manifesting itself in outrageous clothes, makeup, hairstyles, and platform-soled boots. Glam is most noted for its sexual and gender ambiguity and representations of androgyny, beside extensive use of theatrics. It was prefigured by the flamboyant English composer Noël Coward, especially his 1931 song “Mad Dogs and Englishmen”, with music writer Daryl Easlea stating, “Noël Coward’s influence on people like Bowie, Roxy Music and Cockney Rebel was absolutely immense. It suggested style, artifice and surface were equally as important as depth and substance. Time magazine noted Coward’s ‘sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise’. It reads like a glam manifesto.” Showmanship and gender identity manipulation acts included the Cockettes and Alice Cooper, the latter of which combined glam with shock rock.
GLAM ROCK David Bowie releases The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, iconic album and revolutionary inspiration for glam
Debatably the
rock. The term
start of the Glam
“glam” gets coined
Rock era, The
year Glam Rock died in England. Slade disbanded,
their single
T-Rex has their 5th hit,
Sergeant Pepper’s
T-Rex had their final
Telegram Sam, and
Lonely Hearts Club,
hit, Glitter Band
became immensely
showing off electrically bright military style uniforms on a highlighter yellow album cover.
Sometimes called the
for the rising genre.
Beatles release
Slade releases their first top chart hit, Get Down & Get With It, putting their eccentric rock sound (and look) on the map.
begins an era of
popular in England. The
ballads, and the
single cover features a
previous fanbase
bright red and deep blue
begins to turn
color scheme.
toward the darker Bowie releases “Rebel, Rebel,” premiering his iconic Halloween Jack look. He also begins his Thin White Duke style, sporting usually all-white ensembles. Aladdin Sane, featuring an album cover with his signature lightning bolt face makeup continues to influence Glam Rock.
punk rock scene. AC/DC releases their first album this year with heavy dark face paint, a visual ode to the costumey looks of the Glam Rock era.
Freddie Mercury rocks a pair of tight red leather pants and heavy eyeliner during the era before his unforgettable yellow military jacket.
TIMELINE Leggings became an acceptable form of pants Ezra Miller sports a
during the 70’s and 80’s
“Glam Rock Swan”
from popular media like
red carpet ensemble
Glam Rock as well as the
and continues to look
musical Grease when
back at the
Sandy wears a shiny
androgynous
black pair of pants.
years of the
Then became popular again in recent years in the form of
Michael Kors
Glam Rock era.
releases a fall
patterned leggings
sparkler dress
and yoga pants.
reminiscent of Freddie Mercury’s campy wardrobe.
The Etsy market of custom bedazzled high heels continues to flourish despite the overall American trend towards modern minimalism.
GLAM IS HISTORY. The National Museum of American History is leading the way in how history museums present the compelling ideas and ideals that make America unique by developing new exhibitions and programs with intellectual depth. The museum underlines the extraordinary experiment—Of the People, By the People, For the People—that has reverberated through the centuries— grounded in freedom, possibility, and opportunity, tempered by conflict, and strengthened by dissent and difference. Exhibitions, engaging multimedia, and provocative programs presented in special spaces designated for public discourse and worldwide webcast/ broadcast will introduce and interweave key themes such as Innovation, Democracy, Migration/Immigration, and Culture. Visitors will expand their understanding of how American identity has evolved and keeps renewing itself, imbued with a recognizable spirit of self-determination, risk-taking, and perseverance. The transformation of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History continues with a major project to renew the building’s 120,000-square-foot west exhibition wing. The plans feature new galleries, an education center, and interior public plazas and performance spaces, as well as modernized infrastructure in this section of the building. A new panoramic window on the first floor will give a sweeping view of the Washington Monument and connect visitors to the National Mall’s landmarks. In season, the Museum’s 5th floor rooftop terrace with fabulous views of the National Mall is also available for daytime events, evening events, and wedding receptions for 300 guests. The museum can be rented for events hosting anywhere from 10 to 3,500 guests in a variety of newly renovated event spaces chosen to fit your group.
“I find only freedom in the realms of eccentricity.” David Bowie
GLAM ROCK FASHION
THE LASTING IMPRESSION
OF SELF
EXPRESSION
JUNE 6
UNTIL AUGUST 3
“It was a big jump from being a blues band in t-shirts and jeans with long hair and beards to wearing make-up and flashy clothes.� - Trevor Bolder, English rock musician
“It’s the best fun I’ve ever had in my life.” - Dave Hill, lead vocalist of Slade
Morgan Nadin 2019 | For educational use only.