The Leader

by Dave Thompson A roundup of hits drawn from Gary Glitter's early-to-mid-'70s heyday, utterly unadventurous in its selection of titles, but breathtaking in its ability to remind the listener just how all-powerful the leader was in his prime. The early '80s saw Glitter firmly on the comeback trail, staging a succession of low-budget but high-thrill live shows for an audience of post-punkers who initially regarded him as little more than kitsch nostalgia, but swiftly took him deep to heart -- indeed, it's a sign of just how highly this new generation regarded Glitter that, when promoter John Keenan formulated the Futurama festivals to showcase all that the new wave had to offer, Glitter was both a triumphant headliner and an undisputed one. The Burundi drums of Adam Ant, the mutant funk of Gang of Four, the tribal rhythms of the Slits, they all had their roots in the classic Glitter sound and The Leader shone a ruthless spotlight on just how much the new bosses owed to the old. Since that time, of course, The Leader has been utterly superseded by any number of bigger, better, and brighter compilations. But The Leader could not have been better timed or titled, for all that.