Gary Glitter
A 1970s glam rock star whose theatrical anthems were permanently eclipsed by his convictions for child sexual abuse.
Born 1944 (age 82)·British musician and sex offender·Birthday: May 8·The Silent Generation
Biography
Emerging from the glitter and greasepaint of the early 1970s British glam scene, Gary Glitter built a persona of cartoonish machismo, backed by simple, stomping rhythms and chanted choruses. Songs like 'Rock and Roll Part 2' and 'I'm the Leader of the Gang (I Am)' became ubiquitous sports arena staples. His career, reliant on a spangled jumpsuit and platform boots, weathered the end of glam but found a second wind in the 1980s nostalgia circuit. This all collapsed irrevocably in the late 1990s when he was convicted for possessing child abuse material. Further trials in 2006 and 2015 resulted in convictions for a series of sexual assaults on children, leading to a prison sentence. His story is now a grim cultural case study in the separation of art from the artist, his music largely erased from public airplay and his name synonymous with criminal predation.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Gary was born in 1944, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Gary Was Born
The biggest hits of 1944
#1 Movie
Going My Way
Best Picture
Going My Way
Gary's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1944Born
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1949Started school
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1957Became a teenager
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1960Could drive
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1962Could vote
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1965Turned 21
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1974Turned 30
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 40
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 50
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 60
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 70
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 80
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 82 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored a string of UK number-one singles in the 1970s, including 'I Love You Love Me Love'.
- His instrumental 'Rock and Roll Part 2' became a worldwide sports anthem.
- Successfully reinvented himself for a period in the 1980s as a nostalgia act.
- Had 10 top 10 singles in the UK between 1972 and 1985.
Did You Know?
His real name is Paul Francis Gadd.
The 'Gary Glitter' stage name was suggested by his producer, Mike Leander.
He lived in Cuba for a time following his initial release from prison.
His song 'Rock and Roll Part 2' is often referred to as the 'Hey Song' in American sports venues.
“Hello, hello, it's good to be back.”
