Tribute to John Rossall: Glitter Band founder passes away peacefully following cancer battle

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In a moving post on his Facebook page, John Rossall’s partner, Julia, confirmed that the Glitter Band founder member sadly passed away on Saturday (2nd October) following a cancer diagnosis earlier in the year. John Rossall played on all the early Glitter Band hits before leaving to pursue a solo career. A popular figure at festivals and gigs on the 70s live music circuit for many years, he stunned both fans and critics alike with a hugely well-received comeback album The Last Glam in Town released in Autumn 2020.

Julia’s Facebook tribute thanked fans for their support as she shared the news:

“To all John’s loyal friends and fans, this is the worst news I can ever imagine bringing you all.
My John passed away Saturday morning. As you all know, he had been bravely fighting cancer since April. The months we have spent together since his diagnosis have served to remind we what a true gentleman John was.

His thoughts and fears had always been primarily for me and his family, he was not some-one who would ever put himself first. He was the kindest, gentlest man I have ever known, and, I simply cannot imagine a world without John in it. His wished were to die at home and myself and John’s family enabled that to happen. At the end he was peaceful.“

As well as gifting us those early hits in the Glitter Band’s heyday, as I said in my review last Autumn John’s 2020 solo album was genuinely the first great glam rock album since the 1970s.

“All tribal beats, honking brass, fuzzed-up guitar, sing-along choruses and enough handclaps and chants of ‘Hey’ to last you a lifetime, The Last Glam In Town is a modern masterpiece of the genre.”

When I interviewed John last year he was immensely touched by the swathes of positive reviews: “It’s like I’ve written them myself almost! It’s a surprise. The reviews everywhere – it’s been beyond my wildest dreams really.”

Thank you John Rossall for being one of the key architects of the unforgettable glam rock sound of the early 1970s, for leaving us a string of classic hits and a critically-acclaimed and stunningly good comeback album.

The world just got that bit less glam.

Album review: Rossall – The Last Glam In Town

Glitter, glam and Blackpool rock: interview with glam rock legend John Rossall

4 thoughts on “Tribute to John Rossall: Glitter Band founder passes away peacefully following cancer battle”

  2. Saddened to hear the loss of John and my thoughts are with his family at this tough time.
    The glitter band were very successful in the 70s with that unique glitter sound and you kept us fans enjoying many a great gig over the years until john sadly became to ill to perform his final tour.
    Thank you John for the gift of that great last album as that star still glitters brightly and we’ll never forget you.
    RIP Superstar

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