Wizzard: The Glam Rock Spectacle of the 1970s

Wizzard was a flamboyant British glam rock band masterminded by the multi-talented musician and producer Roy Wood. Formed in Birmingham in 1972, the group became one of the most visually and sonically extravagant acts of the era. Their major achievement was scoring four UK Top 10 singles in 1973, competing directly with Wood's former band, The Move, and his collaborative project, the Electric Light Orchestra.

Early career

Wizzard was formed immediately after Roy Wood departed The Move, taking drummer Bev Bevan with him initially. Wood's vision was to create a larger-than-life stage show and a dense, layered rock and roll sound heavily influenced by 1950s American music and Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound". The band's first single, "Ball Park Incident", was released in late 1972 on Warner Bros. Records and charted at a modest No. 6 in the UK, signaling their potential.

Breakthrough

The band's true breakthrough came in 1973 with a string of wildly successful singles. Their second release, "See My Baby Jive", soared to No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart in May, cementing their popularity. This was swiftly followed by "Angel Fingers" which also reached No. 1, and the perennial Christmas favorite "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday", which peaked at No. 4. Their debut album, Wizzard Brew, released earlier in 1973, was a critically acclaimed but less commercially successful art-rock statement.

Key tracks

See My Baby Jive — This was Wizzard's first UK number one single, a soaring glam anthem that defined their signature brass-heavy, nostalgic sound.

I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday — The band's most enduring legacy, this festive classic re-enters the UK charts nearly every year and has achieved platinum certification for over 600,000 copies sold.

Angel Fingers — Wizzard's second UK number one, this track continued the band's chart dominance in 1973 with its energetic saxophone and piano-driven melody.

Ball Park Incident — The debut single that introduced Wizzard's eclectic, multi-layered approach to rock and roll, securing their first Top 10 hit.

Despite their single success, Wizzard's album sales did not match their chart-topping singles. The ambitious and experimental Wizzard Brew contrasted sharply with their pop hits. A second album, Introducing Eddy and the Falcons in 1974, was a concept album paying homage to 1950s rock 'n' roll, but it failed to chart highly. Internal tensions and Roy Wood's prolific work across other projects led to the band's dissolution by 1975, though they have reunited sporadically for tours.

Roy Wood's work with Wizzard is celebrated for its theatricality, innovative production, and joyous embrace of rock's roots. The band's influence is heard in the later glam and punk movements, and their Christmas song remains a cultural fixture. Their visual style, featuring outlandish costumes and makeup, made them icons of the glam rock scene alongside contemporaries like T. Rex and Slade.

For fans of Wizzard's brand of theatrical British glam rock, explore similar artists featured on our site. Slade shared the same era and a knack for anthemic, chant-along rock singles. T. Rex was the pioneering force of UK glam, with Marc Bolan's songwriting paralleling Roy Wood's eclectic creativity. The Move was Roy Wood's previous band, showcasing the earlier development of his inventive rock and pop style. Mott The Hoople delivered a similarly gritty yet flamboyant take on the glam genre.

Wizzard's music maintains a strong presence on radio, particularly on classic rock FM stations and dedicated 1970s retro channels. Their songs, especially the iconic Christmas hit, are staples on playlists during seasonal programming and year-round nostalgia segments on various online rock radio streams. Independent music radio stations