Scaramouche Scaramouche! Will You Do The Fandango? Quiz

Answer: David Bowie

David Bowie's song 'The Man Who Sold the World' was influenced by an unusual event. During a brief period in 1970, Bowie received a telephone call at the same time each day but was met with silence whenever he answered it. Bowie began to believe that it was his late father trying to contact him from the other side.

This song, 'The Man Who Sold The World', and indeed the entire album of the same name, possesses a somewhat ethereal quality; just listen to other songs on the album such as 'The Width of a Circle' or 'All The Madmen', both of which ably demonstrate this.

At the time of its release the album cover caused some controversy with David Bowie depicted reclining on a chaise-longue in a dress. Later issues of the album replaced this cover artwork with the more often seen black and white image of Bowie performing a high-kick. Scottish singer Lulu released the song again in 1974 and met with some success but it was Nirvana's 'unplugged' cover of the song in 1995 that brought it, once again, to a younger audience and wider recognition.

Answer: T. Rex

Originally a psychedelic folk band, T. Rex enjoyed a hugely successful career during the first half of the decade with songs such as 'Ride a White Swan', 'Jeepster' and '20th Century Boy' before singer/songwriter and guitarist Marc Bolan's untimely death in a car accident in 1977 shortly before his thirtieth birthday.

This song, which was produced by Tony Visconti, was also their only major success in the United States and appeared on the band's 1971 album 'Electric Warrior'; the band's first offering as T. Rex, a shortened, snappier name than Tyrannosaurus Rex which was the name the band adopted at their foundation.

In the United Kingdom during the period that became known as 'T-Rextasy', this song sold around a million and has since been covered by groups as diverse as Blondie in 1993 and metal band Ministry in 2008.

Answer: False

And not only during 1972! Slade was formed in Wolverhampton in 1966 by bassist Jim Lea and drummer Dave Powell with Walsall native Noddy Holder and ex-pat Devonian Dave Hill joining later that year. Between 1971 and 1973, at the pinnacle of their success, every 7-inch single release demonstrated terrible spelling of their titles. During 1972 all three singles featured humorous misspelling... But did they care? Not at all! 'Take Me Bak 'Ome', and 'Mama Weer All Crazee Now' both reached the number one chart position with 'Gudbuy T'Jane', whilst not achieving this feat , still managed to reach the number two position; in fact no band sold more singles in the United Kingdom during the 1970s than Slade. Bands that have cited Slade as an influence include US all-girl rockers The Runaways, hair band Motley Cruë and punk band The Ramones.

Oh no, I've just noticed! It'll soon be THAT time of the year again and we all know what that means... "So here it is Merry Christmas, Everybody's having fun" Aaaaargh!

Answer: Memphis

Originating from Hereford and Ross-on-Wye in the border areas between England and Wales, Mott the Hoople were on the verge of splitting when they were saved from oblivion by David Bowie, first with an offer of his song 'Suffragette City' and, after this had been rejected by Mott's bass player Peter Overend, a further offer of 'All the Young Dudes' was made by Bowie who was a great fan of the band. Mott the Hoople accepted, recorded and released this song in 1972; saving them and kick starting the period of their greatest success.

The band's 1973 release 'All The Way From Memphis' was written by singer and guitarist Ian Hunter and tells the story of a journey made by a touring rock star in a month long search for his guitar that had been lost in transit between Baltimore and Memphis.

The song reached the number ten position in the UK singles chart and was featured on the album simply entitled 'Mott'.

Answer: The Bay City Rollers

The song 'Remember (Sha La La)' was the breakthrough single by the Bay City Rollers, reaching the number six position on the UK singles chart during early 1974. After this hit the band went from strength to strength and could seemingly do no wrong. Their next three singles reached positions two, three and four respectively before the band hit gold with two consecutive number one's, 'Bye Bye Baby' and 'Give A Little Love' which both went to the top of the UK singles, the band entering a period of adulation that became known as Rollermania. During 1975 the band had their own television show, 'Shang-a-Lang' which enjoyed a run of some twenty weeks and which took its name from the band's second successful single release.

By the end of 1976 changing musical fashions saw a wane in their popularity and the strain of constant recording and touring also took its toll; a number of unsuccessful line-up changes taking place.

As of 2014 the Bay City Rollers still exist and can be found performing regularly on the highly popular nostalgia circuit.

Answer: Pilot

Consisting of members David Paton, Ian Bairnson, Billy Lyall and Stuart Tosh, Pilot was notable for their catchy tunes, memorable handclaps and vocal harmonies. The band was founded in Edinburgh, Scotland and immediately showed great promise; their first major success came in November 1974 with the release of their second single, 'Magic', which reached the number eleven position in the UK singles chart and number five in the United States.

Their third single, released during January 1975 and fittingly titled 'January', proved to be an international smash hit hitting the number one spot in the UK, Germany and Australia but, disappointingly, only made the eighty-seventh position in the US singles chart. By 1977 a series of line-up changes and some poor management decisions led to the band splitting. All talented musicians, members of Pilot have been employed as session players with bands and artists such as the Alan Parsons Project, the Elton John Band, 10cc and the Kate Bush band.

Answer: Elton John

Only Elvis Presley and The Beatles can claim to have been more successful than Sir Elton John; he stills holds the record for the biggest and fastest selling single of all time, his tribute to Princess Diana 'Candle In The Wind 1997'. In October 1976, Sir Elton released the album 'Blue Moves' a record which contains one of his most popular songs 'Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word', a song which is also one of his most covered compositions.

It was also during this year that Elton John achieved his first number one single, a duet with Kiki Dee, 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart' which had been a collaboration with his long time writing partner, Bernie Taupin.

The partnership between Elton John has, over the decades, produced some of the most memorable and best loved songs ever written including 'Rocket Man', 'Tiny Dancer', 'Your Song' and, of course, 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road'.

Answer: False

The album 'Sheer Heart Attack', Queen's third studio album, was released in September 1974 predating the album from which 'Tie Your Mother Down' was drawn, 'A Day At The Races', by three years; although this single was released during 1977, the album was recorded in 1976. 'Tie Your Mother Down' was written by Brian May whilst he was studying for his Ph.D. on the island of Tenerife during 1968.

The song was treated as a joke by May but Freddie Mercury liked the song very much and so the band recorded it virtually unchanged.

At this stage in their career Queen were enjoying huge success; this album gave their record company, EMI, their greatest ever number of advance orders for a recording, some half a million being received five days before the official release date. Additionally, the race course at Kempton Park in Middlesex, England staged a promotional race for the band - 'The Day At The Races Hurdles' and the record was Queen's first to enter the British album chart at the number one position.

Answer: The Sweet

The band was formed in 1970 by Brian Connolly and Mick Tucker after they had left Wainwrights Gentlemen in 1968. Originally known as the Sweetshop, the name was later shortened to The Sweet and their attempt at world domination began. Finally settling on the line-up of Connolly providing vocals, Mick Tucker on drums and percussion, Steve Priest on bass guitar and Andy Scott on guitar, their first four singles proved disappointing the band only really coming under any attention with the release of both 'Little Willy' and 'Wig Wam Bam' in 1972. One of the first bands to partner songwriters Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, The Sweet eventually gained major success with their singles 'Blockbuster', 'Ballroom Blitz', 'Hell-Raiser' and 'Teenage Rampage'.

The Sweet was propelled back into the spotlight with their 1978 single 'Love Is Like Oxygen' which was nominated for an Ivor Novello award. Unfortunately, the heavy touring schedule and a chronic drink habit had seriously affected the health of Brian Connolly leading to his demise on the 9th of February 1997.

Answer: Bryan Ferry

Surprisingly, one of Bryan Ferry's early forays into music involved him auditioning as the vocalist for a little heard of prog-rock band in March 1970; the band being 'King Crimson'! Unfortunately, they also required Ferry to play bass guitar; he couldn't, so he didn't 'get the gig'! Roxy Music have always been considered to be one of the best of the British art rock bands and, in their early days, could certainly be considered to be members of the glam-rock fraternity; just have a look at the band pictures inside the cover of their second album, 1973s 'For Your Pleasure'.

In 1979 the band released their album 'Manifesto', their first after a three year break since recording the album 'Siren' in 1976. Long-time band member, drummer Paul Thompson, did not play on 'Manifesto' and some backing vocal duties were provided by none other than Luther Vandross.

Other points of interest from 'Manifesto' include a rock version of their hit single 'Angel Eyes' and a softer ballad version of their dance classic, 'Dance Away'.