I liked Marc Bolan. In late 1970 he released "Ride A White Swan", which had a sound similar to the hit in April of that year of "Spirit In The Sky" by Norman Greenbaum. It was short, it was snappy, and it was very charming. I was just turning 14. I liked it. I was aware of complaints from older hippies that Bolan had sold out by going electric, and that T. Rex were not regarded as cool. But when during his July TOTP performance of his second number one of 1971, "Get It On", he appeared shirtless in a denim jacket, looking so cool and sexy, and at the end muttered, "Meanwhile, I'm still thinking", which I misheard as a defiant cry to the hippies that he was "still playing", I sort of quietly adored him. That he kind of looked like me (or I looked like him - I'm never sure how these things are supposed to go), which people kept pointing out to me, even more tied me into him, and I started to read all about him, and then, still 14, went to see him at Weeley.
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| July 1971, performing "Get It On" for TOTP in that denim jacket! |
I have memories of some of the performances at Weeley - the first band - the unknown Hackensack, Rod Stewart and The Faces performing "Maggie May" which was about to become such a hit, and pretty much all of the Marc Bolan's performance in which he came out to hostility and boos (to which I joined in, because I was young, and impressionable, and didn't want to appear a dork in front of all these hippies), and then won the crowd over by telling them to fuck off, and then playing some Tyrannosaurus Rex stuff cross-legged, before finishing with some hot electric T. Rex material.
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| Me, on the right, jigging along at Weeley before T. Rex came on stage |
At that point I started getting all his albums, and reading all I could about him. My girlfriend, the precocious 12 year old Beverly Brown, who seemed to know everything, told me that Bolan had terminal cancer (leukaemia, I think it was supposed to be) , but had decided to carry on performing for his fans. I was totally absorbed by the myth. I followed him adoringly, especially loving the Tyrannosaurus Rex material. I hear those tracks now and I'm taken back to when I was 15 going on 16, living in the strange hippie commune in White Cottage in Tenby. I only had the Tyrannosaurus Rex reissues, the four albums re-released as two double albums. But someone there had one of the original albums, with a lyric sheet! O, how I wanted that album! Around that time someone gave me a tatty copy of Bolan's Warlock of Love poetry book, it became my most cherished possession - until, for unfathomable reasons, I sold it on Amazon when I was in my fifties. It was a moment I will always regret.
Anyway, sometime around or just after Tanx in 1973, Bolan slipped away from me as he lost his pixie charm, or I grew up, or both. I retain fond but distanced thoughts of Bolan, especially for the early material. For a friend's birthday party in October 2004, we saw T. Rextasty in Portsmouth. It was the evening after the death of John Peel, when every band in the country played "Teenage Kicks" in memory of Peel. I remember the concert, and what fun it was, but that the band just didn't have the magic that was Bolan. It was a good time. But I'd have been happier if they'd just played real Bolan tracks. Anyway. Over the years, I think I have retained just this fond memory. Not the joy or adoration or respect, just the fondness, and the mild fun when a T. Rex track is played on the radio. I hardly ever listen to Bolan's stuff these days.
So, it's about time I did a proper album by album, and remind myself of those hazy few years in the early Seventies when the world was old, but we were young....
So, it's about time I did a proper album by album, and remind myself of those hazy few years in the early Seventies when the world was old, but we were young....
Background
Wikipedia:
Bolan wrote this, plays lead guitar, and provides some backing vocals, but the main singing is by Andy Ellison.
This is a totally charming, unique, inventive, and beautiful album.
Clearly the follow up to the debut album, it has charm, pixie dust, inventiveness, but lacks the muscular confidence of the next album, or the wonderous beauty of the debut. It sits sort of in-between the two. If this was the only Tyrannosaurus Rex album it would be highly regarded, but as it is one of four, it is regarded as the least of the four.
The last true Tyrannosaurus acoustic album. Bolan and Took weave their magic pixie spell to create a unique and charming world redolent of patchouli oil and an age of innocence and Tolkien myths by the wood fire. There is a strength, focus, and confidence here. The music is inventive and absolutely charming.
Tracklist
1 Hot Rod Mama 1:31
2 Debora 3:15
3 Pavillions Of Sun 2:45
4 Dove 2:12
5 By The Light Of A Magical Moon 3:02
6 Elemental Child 6:07
7 The Wizard 8:17
A transitional album from the psychedelic folk of earlier Tyrannosaurus Rex to the infectious boogie-pop/glam rock of T. Rex. Took has been replaced by Mickey Finn, Bolan has swapped his acoustic for an electric guitar, but the ethos is still cute pixie dust. This album has so much charm. There aren't any great songs, as on the earlier Tyrannosaurus or later T. Rex albums, but in and of itself it has charm.
Singles
I was a big Marc Bolan fan. Really loved T. Rex and Tyrannosaurus Rex. Had all the albums. I even had Bolan's book of poetry, which, madly, I sold on Amazon a few years ago and now totally regret it, especially as I had written some poems of my own in the book. Sigh. Anyway. Though I was a big Bolan fan, and had this album and played it to death and thought it was his best album, I don't think the album stands up today. Yes, there's a bit of nostalgia in listening to it, but also a recognition that the songs are rather thin, and the performances similarly so. This however, is the T. Rex album that most people bought, so is the one that people will remember, and critics will write about, and is essentially Bolan's best album - while the work he did with Tyrannosaurus is far more interesting and telling, this and Slider have a simplistic teen dream sexuality both in the lyrics and in the grind of the music, that makes them compelling. Stand out tracks include: "Jeepster", "Get It On", and "Rip Off", all of them quite slight, but with an immediate catchy appeal. Of course, it misses the big hit "Hot Love" which after the breakthrough of "Ride A White Swan" confirmed Bolan as a star and helped bring in Glam Rock, but "Get It On" was also a hit, and is the better song.
Not quite Electric Warrior, but damn close! Loads of the simple boogie-pop that made Bolan so appealing, with his little sighs and gasps, and the attractively simplistic singalong lyrics. This is not great music, but it is great fun, and gets to the essence of why we like to listen to pop music. The slow ballads are less effective than the rockers, but all of the songs hark back to the rock n roll of the Fifties, but updated with elements of bubblegum and folk and given a little sprinkle of glitter to capture the essence of glam rock. Side One is loaded with awesome bubblegum-rock songs. Swap "Mystic Lady" for "Telegram Sam", and you have one side of brilliant pop. The rest is just filler, and if "Telegram Sam" wasn't the first track on side two, I doubt it would ever get played after the first listen. But side one is great fun. Very likable!
Marc Bolan (/ˈboʊlən/ BOH-lən; born Mark Feld; 30 September 1947 – 16 September 1977) was an English singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, and poet. He was the lead singer of the band T. Rex and was one of the pioneers of the glam rock movement of the 1970s.[1]
Bolan's appearance on the BBC's music show Top of the Pops in March 1971, wearing glitter and satins, is often cited as the beginning of the glam rock movement.[2] Music critic Ken Barnes called Bolan "the man who started it all".[3] T. Rex's 1971 album Electric Warrior, with all songs written by Bolan, including the UK chart topper “Get It On”, has been described by AllMusic as “the album that essentially kick-started the UK glam rock craze.”[4] Producer Tony Visconti, who would also work with the other major glam rock pioneer David Bowie, stated, “What I saw in Marc Bolan had nothing to do with strings, or very high standards of artistry; what I saw in him was raw talent. I saw genius. I saw a potential rock star in Marc – right from the minute, the hour I met him.”[5]
Bolan died at the age of 29 in a car crash two weeks before his 30th birthday. In 1997, a memorial stone and bust of Bolan, Marc Bolan's Rock Shrine, was unveiled at the site where he died in Barnes, London. As a member of T. Rex, Bolan will posthumously be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020.
John's Children were a 1960s pop art/mod rock band from Leatherhead, England that briefly featured future T. Rex frontman Marc Bolan. John's Children were known for their outrageous live performances and were booted off a tour with The Who in Germany in 1967 when they upstaged the headliners. Their 1967 single "Desdemona", a Bolan composition, was banned by the BBC because of the controversial lyric, "Lift up your skirt and fly." Their US record label delayed the release of their album, Orgasm for four years from its recording date due to objections from Daughters of the American Revolution.
John's Children were active for less than two years and were not very successful commercially, having released only six singles and one album, but they had a big influence on punk rock and are seen by some as the precursors of glam rock. In retrospect the band has been praised for the impact they had, and their singles have become amongst the most sought-after British 1960s rock collectables.
T. Rex were an English rock band, formed in 1967 by singer-songwriter and guitarist Marc Bolan. The band was initially called Tyrannosaurus Rex, and released four psychedelic folk albums under this name. In 1969, Bolan began to change the band's style towards electric rock, and shortened their name to T. Rex the following year. This development culminated in 1970's "Ride a White Swan", and the group soon became pioneers of the glam rock movement.
From 1970 to 1973, T. Rex encountered a popularity in the UK comparable to that of the Beatles, with a run of eleven singles in the UK top ten. They scored four UK number one hits, "Hot Love", "Get It On", "Telegram Sam" and "Metal Guru". The band's 1971 album Electric Warrior received critical acclaim as a pioneering glam rock album. It reached number 1 in the UK. The 1972 follow-up, The Slider, entered the top 20 in the US. Following the release of "20th Century Boy" in 1973, which reached number three in the UK, T. Rex's appeal began to wane, though the band continued releasing one album per year.
In 1977, founder, songwriter and sole constant member Bolan died in a car crash several months after the release of the group's final studio album Dandy in the Underworld, and the group disbanded. T. Rex have continued to influence a variety of subsequent artists. The band will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020.
AllMusic:
Singer/songwriter/guitarist Marc Bolan was one of the major glam rock figures of the early '70s, especially in England. After releasing his debut solo single, "The Wizard," and its follow-ups, "The Third Degree" and "Hippy Gumbo," on Decca Records in the U.K. in 1965-1966, he joined the band John's Children in 1967. The same year, he and percussionist Steve Peregine Took formed Tyrannosaurus Rex, an acoustic duo. They made three albums, My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair but Now They're Content to Wear Stars on Their Brows (1968), Prophets, Seers and Sages, the Angels of the Ages (1968), and Unicorn (1969), then split, with Bolan retaining the band name and teaming up with Mickey Finn on the electric Beard of Stars (1970).
By the end of 1970, with the name abbreviated to T. Rex, Bolan and Finn scored a U.K. hit with "Ride a White Swan," the first of ten straight Top Ten hits, and the album T. Rex. Adding bass player Steve Curry and drummer Bill Fifield, T. Rex expanded into a full-fledged rock & roll band, and scored a number one hit with "Hot Love" and another with "Get It On." (Under the title "Bang a Gong (Get It On)," the song became T. Rex's only substantial U.S. hit, making the Top Ten in 1972.) This was followed by the landmark album Electric Warrior (1971), which topped the U.K. charts and included the single "Jeepster." Then came "Telegram Sam," T. Rex's third U.K. number one. "Metal Guru" became T. Rex's fourth number one in May 1972. (During this period, with T.Rextasy hitting Britain, numerous reissues also charted.) The next new T. Rex album, The Slider, became a Top Ten hit in July 1972. T. Rex's seventh straight Top Ten single, "Children of the Revolution," peaked in the charts in September, followed by "Solid Gold Easy Action" in December. In March 1973 came "Twentieth Century Boy," the ninth T. Rex Top Ten single, and the Top Ten album Tanx. In June, "The Groover" became the band's tenth and final Top Ten single.
In August, Bolan tested the waters for using his own name on records, issuing the non-charting "Blackjack" single credited to Marc Bolan with Big Carrot, but then he retreated to the T. Rex rubric, though the original group was fragmenting. Bolan and T. Rex's commercial and critical fortunes declined afterwards, as they released Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow (1974), Bolan's Zip Gun (1975), Futuristic Dragon (1976), and Dandy in the Underworld (1977). Bolan died in an automobile accident in 1977, and his work has been reissued frequently in the U.K.
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Bolan died on 16th September when his partner's mini crashed into a sycamore tree in the moonlight. Magritte's painting of a sycamore tree in moonlight, called 16 September. |
Recordings
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| "All At Once" (1964) Unreleased at the time |
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| "The Road I'm On (Gloria)" (1964) Unreleased at the time |
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| "The Wizard" (Nov 1965) Debut single |
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| "Beyond The Rising Sun" (1965) Unreleased single |
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| "The Third Degree" (June 1966) |
John's Children
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| "Desdemona" (May 1967) |
Bolan wrote this, plays lead guitar, and provides some backing vocals, but the main singing is by Andy Ellison.
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| "Midsummer Night's Scene"/ "Sarah Crazy Child" |
Tyrannosaurus Rex / T. Rex
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| Tyrannosaurus Rex at Middle Earth Nov 1967 "Sarah Crazy Child" |
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| My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair... But Now They're Content to Wear Stars on Their Brows (July 1968) |
This is a totally charming, unique, inventive, and beautiful album.
| Released | 5 July 1968 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | Early 1968 |
| Studio | Advision Studios, London, England |
| Genre | Psychedelic folk |
| Length | 33:18 |
| Label | Regal Zonophone |
| Producer | Tony Visconti |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Hot Rod Mama" | 3:09 |
| 2. | "Scenescof" | 1:41 |
| 3. | "Child Star" | 2:52 |
| 4. | "Strange Orchestras" | 1:47 |
| 5. | "Chateau in Virginia Waters" | 2:38 |
| 6. | "Dwarfish Trumpet Blues" | 2:47 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mustang Ford" | 2:56 |
| 2. | "Afghan Woman" | 1:59 |
| 3. | "Knight" | 2:38 |
| 4. | "Graceful Fat Sheba" | 1:28 |
| 5. | "Wielder of Words" | 3:19 |
| 6. | "Frowning Atahuallpa (My Inca Love)" | 5:55 |
AllMusic: 6
Score: 9
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| "Debora" April 1968 |
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| "One Inch Rock" Aug 1968 |
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| Prophets, Seers & Sages: The Angels of the Ages (1968) |
Clearly the follow up to the debut album, it has charm, pixie dust, inventiveness, but lacks the muscular confidence of the next album, or the wonderous beauty of the debut. It sits sort of in-between the two. If this was the only Tyrannosaurus Rex album it would be highly regarded, but as it is one of four, it is regarded as the least of the four.
| Released | 14 October 1968 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | April–August 1968 Trident Studios, London |
| Genre | Psychedelic folk |
| Length | 30:22 |
| Label | Regal Zonophone |
| Producer | Tony Visconti |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Deboraarobed" | 3:33 |
| 2. | "Stacey Grove" | 1:59 |
| 3. | "Wind Quartets" | 2:57 |
| 4. | "Conesuala" | 2:25 |
| 5. | "Trelawny Lawn" | 1:46 |
| 6. | "Aznageel the Mage" | 1:59 |
| 7. | "The Friends" | 1:19 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Salamanda Palaganda" | 2:15 |
| 2. | "Our Wonderful Brownskin Man" | 0:51 |
| 3. | "Oh Harley (The Saltimbanques)" | 2:19 |
| 4. | "Eastern Spell" | 1:41 |
| 5. | "The Travelling Tragition" | 1:48 |
| 6. | "Juniper Suction" | 1:13 |
| 7. | "Scenescof Dynasty" | 4:07 |
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| "Pewter Suitor", Paris, March 1969 / "Warlord Of The Royal Crocodiles" |
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| Unicorn (1969) |
The last true Tyrannosaurus acoustic album. Bolan and Took weave their magic pixie spell to create a unique and charming world redolent of patchouli oil and an age of innocence and Tolkien myths by the wood fire. There is a strength, focus, and confidence here. The music is inventive and absolutely charming.
| Released | 16 May 1969 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | Nov 1968 – Feb 1969 Trident Studios, London |
| Genre | Psychedelic rock, folk rock |
| Length | 39:46 |
| Label | Regal Zonophone (UK), Blue Thumb (US) |
| Producer | Tony Visconti |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Chariots of Silk" | 2:26 |
| 2. | "'Pon a Hill" | 1:14 |
| 3. | "The Seal of Seasons" | 1:49 |
| 4. | "The Throat of Winter" | 1:59 |
| 5. | "Cat Black (The Wizard's Hat)" | 2:55 |
| 6. | "Stones for Avalon" | 1:37 |
| 7. | "She Was Born to Be My Unicorn" | 2:37 |
| 8. | "Like a White Star, Tangled and Far, Tulip That's What You Are" | 3:49 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Warlord of the Royal Crocodiles" | 2:11 |
| 2. | "Evenings of Damask" | 2:26 |
| 3. | "The Sea Beasts" | 2:26 |
| 4. | "Iscariot" | 2:53 |
| 5. | "Nijinsky Hind" | 2:20 |
| 6. | "The Pilgrim's Tale" | 2:07 |
| 7. | "The Misty Coast of Albany" | 1:43 |
| 8. | "Romany Soup" |
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/ "Do You Remember" (1969) |
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| Live In Concert (Jan 1970) Same recording unedited with John Peel |
A John Peel Radio 1 show with Tyrannosaurus live in the studio, and talking to John Peel. Small audience.
Tracklist
1 Hot Rod Mama 1:31
2 Debora 3:15
3 Pavillions Of Sun 2:45
4 Dove 2:12
5 By The Light Of A Magical Moon 3:02
6 Elemental Child 6:07
7 The Wizard 8:17
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| A Beard of Stars (March 1970) |
A transitional album from the psychedelic folk of earlier Tyrannosaurus Rex to the infectious boogie-pop/glam rock of T. Rex. Took has been replaced by Mickey Finn, Bolan has swapped his acoustic for an electric guitar, but the ethos is still cute pixie dust. This album has so much charm. There aren't any great songs, as on the earlier Tyrannosaurus or later T. Rex albums, but in and of itself it has charm.
| Released | 13 March 1970 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | April–Nov 1969 Trident Studios, London |
| Genre | Psychedelic folk, folk rock |
| Length | 35:03 |
| Label | Regal Zonophone (UK), Blue Thumb (US) |
| Producer | Tony Visconti |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Prelude" | 1:04 |
| 2. | "A Day Laye" | 1:56 |
| 3. | "Woodland Bop" | 1:39 |
| 4. | "Fist Heart Mighty Dawn Dart" | 2:45 |
| 5. | "Pavilions of Sun" | 2:49 |
| 6. | "Organ Blues" | 2:47 |
| 7. | "By the Light of a Magical Moon" | 2:51 |
| 8. | "Wind Cheetah" | 2:38 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "A Beard of Stars" | 1:37 |
| 2. | "Great Horse" | 1:42 |
| 3. | "Dragon's Ear" | 2:37 |
| 4. | "Lofty Skies" | 2:54 |
| 5. | "Dove" | 2:06 |
| 6. | "Elemental Child" | 5:33 |
Singles
"By The Light Of A Magical Moon" 1970 - footage from the Kralingen Music Festival in Holland
The second transitional album, and the first with the shorter T. Rex name. The electric guitar is used more prominently, strings are used for some tracks, and there is more leaning on boogie and rock n roll. While there is still the child like view of the world seen through Tolkien and pixie dust, there is more awareness of sexuality than on previous Bolan albums. "One Inch Rock" is the standout track, though the revised version of "The Wizard" manages to capture attention with its extended loose boogie that gets into a compelling groove before it becomes a little too loose and a little too repetitive and outstays its welcome well before it ends.
AllMusic: 8
Score: 5 1/2
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| A Crown of Dark Swansdown (Live at Koln April 1970) |
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October 1970 TOTP Nov 1970 (audio) |
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| T. Rex (Dec 1970) |
| Released | 18 December 1970 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | July–August 1970 |
| Studio | Trident Studios, London |
| Genre | Rock, psychedelic folk, glam rock |
| Length | 37:41 |
| Label | |
| Producer | Tony Visconti |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Children of Rarn" | 0:53 |
| 2. | "Jewel" | 2:46 |
| 3. | "The Visit" | 1:55 |
| 4. | "Childe" | 1:41 |
| 5. | "The Time of Love is Now" | 2:42 |
| 6. | "Diamond Meadows" | 1:58 |
| 7. | "Root of Star" | 2:31 |
| 8. | "Beltane Walk" | 2:38 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Is It Love?" | 2:34 |
| 2. | "One Inch Rock" | 2:28 |
| 3. | "Summer Deep" | 1:43 |
| 4. | "Seagull Woman" | 2:18 |
| 5. | "Suneye" | 2:06 |
| 6. | "The Wizard" | 8:50 |
| 7. | "The Children of Rarn (Reprise)" (the U.S. version features "Ride a White Swan" in place of this track) | 0:36 |
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| "Hot Love" TOTP Feb 1971 |
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"Hot Love" TOTP March 1971 Glam rock is born at this moment |
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| "Get It On" July 1971 Christmas performance with Elton John |
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T. Rex at Weeley Festival, Aug 1971 |
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| Electric Warrior (Sept 1971) |
I was a big Marc Bolan fan. Really loved T. Rex and Tyrannosaurus Rex. Had all the albums. I even had Bolan's book of poetry, which, madly, I sold on Amazon a few years ago and now totally regret it, especially as I had written some poems of my own in the book. Sigh. Anyway. Though I was a big Bolan fan, and had this album and played it to death and thought it was his best album, I don't think the album stands up today. Yes, there's a bit of nostalgia in listening to it, but also a recognition that the songs are rather thin, and the performances similarly so. This however, is the T. Rex album that most people bought, so is the one that people will remember, and critics will write about, and is essentially Bolan's best album - while the work he did with Tyrannosaurus is far more interesting and telling, this and Slider have a simplistic teen dream sexuality both in the lyrics and in the grind of the music, that makes them compelling. Stand out tracks include: "Jeepster", "Get It On", and "Rip Off", all of them quite slight, but with an immediate catchy appeal. Of course, it misses the big hit "Hot Love" which after the breakthrough of "Ride A White Swan" confirmed Bolan as a star and helped bring in Glam Rock, but "Get It On" was also a hit, and is the better song.
| Released | 24 September 1971 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | March–June 1971 |
| Studio | Trident and Advision Studios, Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles Media Sound Studios, New York |
| Genre | |
| Length | 39:02 |
| Label | Fly (UK), Reprise (US) |
| Producer | Tony Visconti |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mambo Sun" | 3:40 |
| 2. | "Cosmic Dancer" | 4:30 |
| 3. | "Jeepster" | 4:12 |
| 4. | "Monolith" | 3:49 |
| 5. | "Lean Woman Blues" | 3:02 |
| Total length: | 18:33 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Get It On" | 4:27 |
| 2. | "Planet Queen" | 3:13 |
| 3. | "Girl" | 2:32 |
| 4. | "The Motivator" | 4:00 |
| 5. | "Life's a Gas" | 2:24 |
| 6. | "Rip Off" | 3:40 |
| Total length: | 19:36 | |
Singles from the album
"Get It On" July 1971 - No 1 - influenced Oasis: "Cigarettes & Alcohol", was influenced by Chuck Berry: "Little Queenie".
"Get It On" July 1971 - No 1 - influenced Oasis: "Cigarettes & Alcohol", was influenced by Chuck Berry: "Little Queenie".
"Jeepster" Nov 1971
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| Bolan Boogie (May 1972) |
A compilation by Fly after Bolan left the label to form his own T. Rex label. It mixes some later Tyrannosaurus material with early T. Rex material, mostly electrical. It's an attractive, though ragged collection falling mostly in that awkward transitional period, and satisfying neither those who like the glam of T. Rex nor those who like the poetic pixie charm and imagination of the main Tyrannosaurus Rex period, and nor does it provide a good overview of Bolan's career up to that point. What it did have was some of the singles which were very popular, but which had not appeared on an album, and mixed that with a selection of attractive album tracks. It's mixed, superficial, and unhelpful, but was popular at the time.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Get It On" (single A-side: July 1971; included on Electric Warrior: Sept 1971) | 4:25 |
| 2. | "Beltane Walk" (from T. Rex: Dec 1970) | 2:20 |
| 3. | "The King of the Mountain Cometh" (single B-side of "Hot Love": Feb 1971) | 3:48 |
| 4. | "Jewel" (from T. Rex: Dec 1970) | 2:48 |
| 5. | "She Was Born to Be My Unicorn" (from Unicorn: May 1969) | 2:32 |
| 6. | "Dove" (from A Beard of Stars: March 1970) | 2:02 |
| 7. | "Woodland Rock" (single B-side of "Hot Love": Feb 1971) | 2:25 |
| 8. | "Ride a White Swan" (single A-side: Oct 1970) | 2:13 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Raw Ramp" (single B-side of "Get It On": July 1971) | 5:13 |
| 2. | "Jeepster" (single A-side Nov 1971; from Electric Warrior: Sept 1971) | 4:08 |
| 3. | "Fist Heart Mighty Dawn Dart" (from A Beard of Stars: March 1970) | 2:41 |
| 4. | "By the Light of a Magical Moon" (single A-side 1970; from A Beard of Stars: March 1970) | 2:46 |
| 5. | "Summertime Blues" (single B-side of "Ride a White Swan": Oct 1970) | 2:40 |
| 6. | "Hot Love" (single A-side: Feb 1971) | 4:55 |
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| The Slider (July 1972) |
Not quite Electric Warrior, but damn close! Loads of the simple boogie-pop that made Bolan so appealing, with his little sighs and gasps, and the attractively simplistic singalong lyrics. This is not great music, but it is great fun, and gets to the essence of why we like to listen to pop music. The slow ballads are less effective than the rockers, but all of the songs hark back to the rock n roll of the Fifties, but updated with elements of bubblegum and folk and given a little sprinkle of glitter to capture the essence of glam rock. Side One is loaded with awesome bubblegum-rock songs. Swap "Mystic Lady" for "Telegram Sam", and you have one side of brilliant pop. The rest is just filler, and if "Telegram Sam" wasn't the first track on side two, I doubt it would ever get played after the first listen. But side one is great fun. Very likable!
| Released | 21 July 1972 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | March–April 1972 Rosenberg Studios, Denmark Château d'Hérouville, Paris Elektra Los Angeles |
| Genre | |
| Length | 43:55 |
| Label | T. REX (UK), Reprise (US) |
| Producer | Tony Visconti |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Metal Guru" | 2:25 |
| 2. | "Mystic Lady" | 3:09 |
| 3. | "Rock On" | 3:26 |
| 4. | "The Slider" | 3:22 |
| 5. | "Baby Boomerang" | 2:17 |
| 6. | "Spaceball Ricochet" | 3:37 |
| 7. | "Buick Mackane" | 3:31 |
| Total length: | 21:57 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Telegram Sam" | 3:42 |
| 2. | "Rabbit Fighter" | 3:55 |
| 3. | "Baby Strange" | 3:03 |
| 4. | "Ballrooms of Mars" (Lennon's "Mind Games" 1973) | 4:09 |
| 5. | "Chariot Choogle" | 2:45 |
| 6. | "Main Man" | 4:14 |
| Total length: | 21:08 | |
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Sept 1972 |
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Dec 1972 |
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| "20th Century Boy" March 1973 |
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TOTP |
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| Levi's Ad 1991 "Original Stand The Test Of Time" |
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| Tanx (March 1973) |
This was the last T. Rex album I bought, and I struggled to like it. It's all recognisably Bolan, but it's all sub-par. Let's be frank and honest, T. Rex was fairly limited in scope - rather similar to Status Quo in turning out listenable pop-boogie, but with that added sprinkle of pixie stardust in his lyrics and presentation which gave him that compelling sparkle. Here both the pixie stardust and the ability to make exciting pop-boogie had left him. It's tired, and of interest only to dedicated Bolan fans. Bolan would perk up with his last album, but from here until then he produced a series of uninteresting albums. One of his most exciting songs, "20th Century Boy", was released as a single separate from the album.
| Released | 16 March 1973 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | Chateau d'Herouville, France |
| Genre | Glam rock, soul music |
| Length | 35:03 |
| Label | EMI (UK), Reprise (US) |
| Producer | Tony Visconti |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Tenement Lady" | 2:55 |
| 2. | "Rapids" | 2:48 |
| 3. | "Mister Mister" | 3:29 |
| 4. | "Broken Hearted Blues" | 2:02 |
| 5. | "Shock Rock" | 1:43 |
| 6. | "Country Honey" | 1:47 |
| 7. | "Electric Slim and the Factory Hen" | 3:03 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mad Donna" | 2:16 |
| 2. | "Born to Boogie" | 2:04 |
| 3. | "Life Is Strange" | 2:30 |
| 4. | "The Street and Babe Shadow" | 2:18 |
| 5. | "Highway Knees" | 2:34 |
| 6. | "Left Hand Luke and the Beggar Boys" | 5:18 |
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| "The Groover" June 1973 |
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Nov 1973 |
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| Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow (Feb 1974) |
Widely regarded as a failure, there are those who like it. Contains the silly lyrics, semi-warbling voice, and simple boogie music that made him instantly appealing as T. Rex, but lacks the good songs and the sexy energy of his best work. There's a sense that Bolan is wanting to write a concept album like Ziggy Stardust, and that ambition is admirable, but it appears to have restricted him so much that his spontaneity and his simple muse left him, and he's left hanging too much on the heels of Bowie. This is lumpen.
| Released | 1 February 1974 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | 1973 |
| Genre | Glam rock |
| Length | 46:17 |
| Label |
|
| Producer | Tony Visconti |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Venus Loon" | 3:01 |
| 2. | "Sound Pit" | 2:50 |
| 3. | "Explosive Mouth" | 2:26 |
| 4. | "Galaxy" | 1:48 |
| 5. | "Change" | 2:47 |
| 6. | "Nameless Wildness" | 3:06 |
| 7. | "Teenage Dream" | 5:45 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Liquid Gang" | 3:17 |
| 2. | "Carsmile Smith & the Old One" | 3:16 |
| 3. | "You've Got to Jive to Stay Alive – Spanish Midnight" | 2:35 |
| 4. | "Interstellar Soul" | 3:26 |
| 5. | "Painless Persuasion v. the Meathawk Immaculate" | 3:26 |
| 6. | "The Avengers (Superbad)" | 4:28 |
| 7. | "The Leopards Featuring Gardenia & the Mighty Slug" | 3:36 |
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| The Beginning Of Doves (June 1974) |
I am surprised this was released so late. I assumed I had it in 1972 or 1973 at the latest. It's a collection of early Bolan material, mostly demos around 1966 - 1968, some solo, some with Took, and the bulk of the material had not been previously released. There had been an earlier release (1972) of this material on the Hard On Love album, but that was swiftly withdrawn after Bolan had an injunction issued. While the production is a little rough and bare for most of the album, that lo-fi vibe kind of adds to the charm. I liked this album when it first came out, and I like it again now. I don't think much of the material is Bolan's best, though "Jasper C. Debussy", "Sarah Crazy Child", "Hot Rod Momma", "Mustang Ford" and "One Inch Rock" are good songs. I've just realised that the CD available on Spotify and YouTube is not the original album I had (and possibly still have in the attic). The track order is different, and there are different versions of the songs - on the original album the intro on "Sara Crazy Child" does have the false start in which Bolan calls out "Am I alone, on the river, here!"
1. "Jasper C. Debussy" a projected follow up single to "Hippy Gumbo"
2. "Lunacy's Back"
3. "Beyond The Risin' Sun"
4. "Black And White Incident"
5. "Observations"
6. "Eastern Spell"
7. "You Got The Power"
8. "Hippy Gumbo" 1966 Tyrannosaurus Rex single (electric version by John's Children on acetate)
9. "Sara Crazy Child" (this is the version that was on the original vinyl)
10. "Rings Of Fortune"
Side B
1 "Hot Rod Momma"
2 "The Beginning Of Doves"
3 "Mustang Ford"
4 "Pictures Of Purple People"
5 "One Inch Rock"
6 "Jasmine Forty-Nine"
7 "Charlie"
8 "Misty Mist"
9 "Cat Black"
10 "Sally Was An Angel" (version which ends with electric instruments - possibly John's Children - I'm sure this version was on the original vinyl)
1 "Hot Rod Momma"
2 "The Beginning Of Doves"
3 "Mustang Ford"
4 "Pictures Of Purple People"
5 "One Inch Rock"
6 "Jasmine Forty-Nine"
7 "Charlie"
8 "Misty Mist"
9 "Cat Black"
10 "Sally Was An Angel" (version which ends with electric instruments - possibly John's Children - I'm sure this version was on the original vinyl)
Wikipedia
AllMusic: 7
Score: 4
Score: 4
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| Bolan's Zip Gun (1975) |
Recognisably Bolan with his distinctive warble over some simple boogie, but there's no distinctive song here, the performance is lacklustre, and T. Rex was now out of its time so this is both aesthetically and historically lacking in interesting.
| Released | 16 February 1975 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | 1974 MRI Studios, United States |
| Genre | Glam rock |
| Length | 33:42 |
| Label | T.REX (UK), Ariola (Germany) |
| Producer | Marc Bolan |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Light of Love" | 3:16 |
| 2. | "Solid Baby" | 2:37 |
| 3. | "Precious Star" | 2:53 |
| 4. | "Token of My Love" | 3:40 |
| 5. | "Space Boss" | 2:49 |
| 6. | "Think Zinc" | 3:25 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Till Dawn" | 3:02 |
| 2. | "Girl in the Thunderbolt Suit" | 2:20 |
| 3. | "I Really Love You Babe" | 3:33 |
| 4. | "Golden Belt" | 2:41 |
| 5. | "Zip Gun Boogie" | 3:26 |
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| Futuristic Dragon (1976) |
There is much of the feel of old school Bolan on the album, especially in the modest hit single "New York City", which could have come from Electric Warrior, and "Chrome Sitar" which has elements reminiscent of his transitional albums Beard of Stars and T. Rex. Makes for attractive, but not essential listening. The album does have the oddities of the pretentious opening electric tone poem "Futurist Dragon", which fails in whatever it was attempting, and ends up sounding like a reject off a Prince album, and "Theme For A Dragon" which sounds like a failed attempt at soundtrack music. The second half is less interesting, unsuccessfully incorporating some mild disco funk probably at the suggestion of his partner Gloria Jones.
| Released | 30 January 1976 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | MRI and Paragon Studios, United States; Scorpio Sound, England |
| Genre | Glam rock, blue-eyed soul |
| Length | 40:22 |
| Label | EMI |
| Producer | Marc Bolan |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Futuristic Dragon" (Introduction) | 1:52 |
| 2. | "Jupiter Liar" | 3:40 |
| 3. | "Chrome Sitar" | 3:13 |
| 4. | "All Alone" | 2:48 |
| 5. | "New York City" | 3:55 |
| 6. | "My Little Baby" | 3:06 |
| 7. | "Calling All Destroyers" | 3:53 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Theme for a Dragon" | 2:00 |
| 2. | "Sensation Boulevard" | 3:48 |
| 3. | "Ride My Wheels" | 2:25 |
| 4. | "Dreamy Lady" | 2:51 |
| 5. | "Dawn Storm" | 3:42 |
| 6. | "Casual Agent" | 2:53 |
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Feb 1976 |
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| Dandy in the Underworld (1977) |
Bolan's last album before his car crash. Well received and largely regarded as a return to form, it has songs reminiscent of those on Electric Warrior, though lacks the energy, imagination and pizazz of that album. Indeed, it's best known song, "I Love To Boogie", is a copy of Webb Pierce's 1955 rockabilly hit "Teenage Boogie", though done very much in a recognisable Bolan style. On the whole a listenable and mostly competent album, but it's not doing anything that Bolan has not done before and better.
| Released | 11 March 1977 |
|---|---|
| Recorded | May 1976 Decibel Studios London August 1976 MRI Studios, United States; Decibel, AIR and Trident England |
| Genre | Glam rock |
| Length | 37:52 |
| Label | EMI |
| Producer | Marc Bolan |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Dandy in the Underworld" | 4:33 |
| 2. | "Crimson Moon" | 3:22 |
| 3. | "Universe" | 2:43 |
| 4. | "I'm a Fool for You Girl" | 2:16 |
| 5. | "I Love to Boogie" | 2:14 |
| 6. | "Visions of Domino" | 2:23 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Jason B. Sad" | 3:22 |
| 2. | "Groove a Little" | 3:24 |
| 3. | "The Soul of My Suit" | 2:37 |
| 4. | "Hang-Ups" | 3:28 |
| 5. | "Pain and Love" | 3:41 |
| 6. | "Teen Riot Structure" |
AllMusic: 7
Score: 5
Covers
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| AngelHeaded Hipster (2020) |
A covers album. Nick Cave covers "Cosmic Dancer", Beth Orton covers "Hippy Gumbo", U2 and Elton John cover "Bang A Gong", etc.
A promising concept, but the production is thin, tending to sound like demos rather than the finished product, so it ends up a disappointment. Nobody does anything really adventurous with the songs, and nobody matches the originals.
Score: 3 1/2
Covers of
"Children Of The Revolution"
Covers of
"Children Of The Revolution"
* Killers
"Cosmic Dancer"
* Kasabian
* Morrissey & Bowie
Discography
As Tyrannosaurus Rex
- My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair... But Now They're Content to Wear Stars on Their Brows (1968)
- Prophets, Seers & Sages: The Angels of the Ages (1968)
- Unicorn (1969)
- A Beard of Stars (1970)
As T. Rex
- T. Rex (1970)
- Electric Warrior (1971)
- The Slider (1972)
- Tanx (1973)
- Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow (1974)
- Bolan's Zip Gun (1975)
- Futuristic Dragon (1976)
- Dandy in the Underworld (1977)
Best songs
"Get It On" xxxx xxxxx xxx
"Metal Guru" xxxx xxxxx xxx
"20th Century Boy" xxxx xxxxx xx
"Children Of The Revolution" xxxx xxxxx x
"Hot Love" xxxx xxxxx x
"Ride A White Swan" xxxx xxxxx x
"Jeepster" xxxx xxxxx x
"Cosmic Dancer" xxxx xxxx
"Telegram Sam" xxxx xx
"The Slider" xxxx
"Debora" xxxx
"New York City" xx
"Teenage Dream" xx
"Life's A Gas" x
"I Love To Boogie" xxxx
"There Was A Time/Raw Ramp" (B-side of "Get It On")
"Mambo Sun" x
"The Wizard"
"Desdemona"
"One Inch Rock"
Summary
Voice/Musicianship (15), Image/Star quality (10), Lyrics/Music (20), Impact/Influence (10), Popularity (5), Emotional appeal (5), Authenticity (25), and Legacy (10).For the magic of the pixie folk period, and that sudden mad moment of creating glam rock. Essential albums are My People Were Fair, and Electric Warrior.
Total: 48/100
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