{"id":12799,"date":"2026-01-10T20:19:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-10T20:19:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ghostown1976.com\/?page_id=12799"},"modified":"2026-03-10T21:47:31","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T21:47:31","slug":"the-beginning-glam-rock-early-punk","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ghostown1976.com\/?page_id=12799","title":{"rendered":"The Beginning, Glam Rock & Early Punk"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Glam rock never dominated<\/em> Ireland in the early \u201970s the way it did Britain, but it absolutely landed, lingered, and left fingerprints<\/strong>\u2014especially in fashion, live performance, and the confidence of a new generation of Irish musicians. Early \u201970s Ireland was still culturally conservative, with limited media outlets and a strong showband tradition. But British TV, pirate radio<\/a>, and trips to London acted as open floodgates. When glam exploded in the UK, Irish youth noticed\u2014hard. Top of the Pops<\/a> was hugely<\/em> influential. Bowie, Bolan, Roxy Music<\/a>, Slade,<\/a> and Sweet<\/a> were beamed straight into Irish sitting rooms, sequins and all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Roxy Music<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The Sweet<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Slade<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Horslips<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

More Celtic rock than glam, but: Embraced concept albums and theatrical presentation<\/strong>, Part of the same early \u201970s push toward bold Irish rock identities, Shared glam\u2019s ambition, if not its glitter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Showband Crossover<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Some showbands flirted with glam looks to stay current: Platform shoes, Satin shirts, Flashy stagewear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was often surface-level glam\u2014image over ideology\u2014but it mattered in normalizing flamboyance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fashion & Youth Culture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Even more than music, glam hit Ireland through style<\/strong>: Glitter makeup (subtle by UK standards, but radical locally), Androgynous haircuts, Platform boots and flares.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Dublin, Cork, and Belfast, glam style became a quiet rebellion<\/strong>\u2014less overt than in London, but socially daring in the Irish context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Glam Rock Bands<\/h4>\n\n\n\n