What lies beneath the performer’s performance? Whether that be when we stand on a literal stage, or in the performance we give to others in our day to day lives.

I was once at a rock festival where Gary Glitter was on the bill. He was famously later convicted of downloading child pornography and of child sexual abuse. But, watching back then, I can tell you that he put up a great performance.

Of course, if you asked myself or almost anyone now, in the words of one of his songs - “Do you want to be in my gang?” Well, no. That’s a definite no Gary.

Does that mean we should separate the person from the performance? I don’t think so. The Performance is a part of who that person is. But only a part. Even for somebody like him.

Gary Glitter (born Paul Francis Gadd, which already takes a bit of the sparkle away) was an excellent performer, but not a good person. And he’s a classic example of the moral dilemma - Should we listen, can we enjoy their music, when we know the truth?

I’m like most other people I suspect. It leaves a bitter taste in the mouth and, outside of this instance when I’m writing about him, I would never seek his music out. But there will come a time when people will see a Gary Glitter video and not have that connection to his other life in their heads. They may think, watching and listening to I’m The Leader Of The Gang, …. “excellent performer, great glam-rock”.

I was reluctant to listen, but he’s still up there on youtube.

And, personally, I think that’s right. I think we need to make that separation between the art, the performance, and the person who makes it. I think we need to allow people to decide for themselves anyway. As a first step to dealing with this kind of thing in a sane way.

I’m wondering what you think?