Marc Bolan's Archnemesis, Gary Glitter Back In Trouble Again

In the 1970's glitter rockers Marc Bolan and Gary Glitter used to slug it out on the British pop charts. Both put out a series of great singles. Bolan's T.Rex issued "Ride A White Swan", "Get It On", "Jeepster", "The Groover", "Telegram Sam" and more. Gary Glitter issued "Rock And Roll Part Two", "Do You Wanna Touch", "I Didn't Know I Loved You Until I Saw You Rock And Roll" and many more. Marc Bolan could never really put his finger on it, but he never liked Gary Glitter very much.

Marc Bolan's feelings about Gary Glitter have come true again. Once again Gary Glitter finds himself in jail. In Vietnam, Gary Glitter was arrested at the airport after an investigation into Glitter having sexual relations with girls under the age of 13. A few years ago Glitter spent four months in a British prison for storing thousands of images of young girls on his computer.

For Gary Glitter, who is now 61, it is a further tarnishing of his image again.

Music fans want to be able to remember Marc Bolan and Gary Glitter for the great legacy of recordings they produced. But both had personal lives that brought both to ruin. Bolan's life devolved into a series of excesses that ended only days before his 30th birthday when he was killed in car accident. After leaving his wife, June, due to an affair with a backup singer, Gloria Jones, Bolan's life ended with Gloria Jones at the wheel of the car as she lost control and hit a tree. For Gary Glitter, the tarnishing crash came with his first arrest on disgusting charges involving young girls. Now his reputation is again tarnished by the new allegations in Vietnam.

Sometimes it's far better to remember musicians for the great legacy of songs they have created. I'm a big fan of both the Marc Bolan and the Gary Glitter songs. "Rock And Roll Part Two" is played at virtually every major sporting event. It's a great, great rock anthem. And "Get It On" is a great, great rock standard. But the sordid personal lives of both performers have put a stop to any new music. Fans are only left with the good memories of the past. Music from the better days for both musicians.