Marc Bolan - Acoustic Warrior 'Live' (1996)

(UK 1964 - 1977)

One of the major songwriters and performers of the seventies, Marc Bolan enjoyed a phenomenal run of single hits through the early part of the decade. Between 1970 and 1973, with T-Rex, he achieved 10 consecutive top 10 hits, including 4 number ones and 4 that reached number two.

Born Mark Feld in London on 30th September 1947, the young Marc was known as a 'face' around town, working as a teenage model before beginning his singing career during the mid-sixties folk-boom.

He released his first single 'The Wizard', on Decca Records in 1965, before joining psychedelic-folk group John's Children who were managed by one of his early guiding lights, Simon Napier-Bell.

Left: Bolan & Took   Right: Bolan & Finn

Bolan left the group in 1967 and hooked up with Steve Peregrine Took to form a folky, acoustic duo - Tyrannosaurus Rex.

ln 1970 the name was shortened to 'T-Rex', Mickey Finn replaced Took and the line-up was completed by bass player Steve Curry and Bill Legend on drums.

Marc Bolan with Producer Toni Visconti

More significantly legendary producer Tony Visconti started to work with the band and is believed to have encouraged Bolan to use an electric guitar and the trademark sound was born. Their first single "Ride A White Swan", a fuzz-guilar rocker with unmistakable backbeat, was an instant hit, the next single "Hot Love" reached number one and was followed by the landmark album Electric Warrior - one of the seventies' defining musical moments [Ed. and is my favourite T.Rex album]

T.Rex's Electric Warrior 

After the run of successful singles, the hits dried up in the mid-seventies as Bolan's star diminished. However the emerging punk scene gave him an unexpected lift, embracing him as something of an icon and touring with The Damned as a support act. His public profile was further enhanced by the TV show "MARC" (pictured below and previously posted on my blog HERE) which featured up and coming bands like The Jam and Generation X as well as old friend David Bowie!

The MARC Shows

Sadly the revival was short-lived as Marc was killed when his Mini, driven by his girlfriend Gloria Jones, crashed into a tree on Barnes Common in London, two weeks before his 30th birthday.

With this collection Bolan goes back to his acoustic roots, these 'lost' recordings prove that he was one of England's very best songwriters and performers. He has been a cult figure since his death with his legacy influencing many musical genres - punk, metal and alternative rock with a simple pop aesthetic and 3-chord tricks!

Highlights here include a slow and soulful version of "Get lt On", stripped down from it's electric boogie to just vocal, acoustic guitar and percussion. Another big hit - "Telegram Sam" is given a bluesy treatment with slide guitar while "Metal Guru" is light and almost jazz like.

Also included is a choppy, sparse and funky rendition of "Jeepster", an eerie "Ballrooms Of Mars" and an extended, percussive revision of "Debora".

The treatment given to these 'unplugged' sessions, demos and live radio recordings prove that the songs, once huge hits in their original form, stand up as classic pop however Bolan played them, and probably lead the way for future bands to do the same and release their own 'unplugged sessions'. [CD Liner Notes by Richard Skinner]

Richard Skinner recalls his last interview with Bolan:

The last time I met with Marc Bolan I saw a man brimming over with new ideas, good humour and plans for the future. Marc and I were recording an interview for BBC Radio One's 'Newsbeat' Programme. The spot was scheduled for his 30th Birthday some two weeks away...a milestone Marc was anticipating with pleasure.

Glam Rocker From Yester-year (1970)

A fan's convention was due for his birthday at which Marc was planning to play live. The event was symptomatic of the time. After years in the wilderness Marc had got his act back together and the refreshing arrival of Punk and New Wave Music had served to re-kindle his enthusiasm for performing and recording. Here was a man with plans!

Marc Bolan with girlfriend Gloria Jones

After the interview Marc and I walked together to the foyer of Broadcasting House where Marc's girlfriend Gloria Jones was waiting to meet him. They asked if I would like to join them for a drink at the nearby 'Speakeasy' club but I couldn't. I watched as they climbed into their Mini and drove off down Regent Street. The thought on my mind? Marc Bolan is on his way back!'.

It was was the evening of September 15th, 1977. The interview we had just recorded would never be broadcast. Marc's plans would come to nothing. His talent was about to be snuffed out forever.

By 5am the next morning, Marc Bolan was dead. The car crash that claimed his life was a cruel irony. After years of being derided as 'over the hill' and a 'second division ' star, a new generation of critics were emerging, once again, to acknowledge his true talent.

A television series 'MARC', dirtected by Mike Mansfield had been instrumental in his return. The show had a teatime 'kiddies' slot, but Marc had insisted that the programme should be aimed at the true music fans of all ages and should showcase the best in new young talent alongside his own music, giving TV spots to newcomers like The Jam and Generation X amongst others. In the final programme filmed, Marc's talent was endorsed by none other than David Bowie who made a special guest appearance on that show (see left).  As the years passed, the timeless quality of Marc Bolan's music has become all the more obvious. Marc's songs are still the music of now [1996]...some 19 years after his death.

The discovery of the 'lost' recordings on this album reinforces my belief that Marc Bolan was one of the most underestimated talents of his time. Never content, he strove to push back the frontiers of pop music - moving from acoustic guitar and tabla ditties to power chords and glam rock. Between October 1970 and his death he enjoyed a run of 18 top 40 singles...four of which hit No.1 and four which hit No.2    Had he not died that list would have certainly been longer.

What we have on this album is a collection of studio outtakes, live performances, demos and broadcast sessions. For many acts this would mean a mix of substandard 'collector's items'. But we are talking about Marc Bolan and these tracks stand on their own as a fascinating and fitting reminder of a man's talent, enthusiam and creativity [Cassette Liner Notes - Richard Skinner, London, Sept 1996]. 

This post consists of FLACs ripped from my CD (reissue) and includes full album artwork. Although this compilation has never been released on vinyl, it was originally released on Cassette and therefore deserves a place on the blog.  I've also included artwork from this cassette release as it features a different cover [pictured below] and liner notes [see transcribed above].

The quality of these recordings are excellent and catch Marc in fine form. Rock On Marc !

Track List:

01  20th Century Boy 3:20

02  Get It On 5:08

03  Metal Guru 1:47

04  Spaceball Ricochet 4:43

05  Telegram Sam 3:42

06  Jeepster 5:15

07  Mystic Lady 2:36

08  Slider 3:51

09  Seagull Woman 2:32

10  Debora 6:18

11  Main Man 6:14

12  Cosmic Dancer 6:07

13  Ballrooms Of Mars 4:10

14  Laser Love 3:46

15  Girl 3:38

16  Down Home Lady 2:01

Band Members:

Vocals, Acoustic Guitar – Marc Bolan

Congas, Bongos, Percussion – Mickey Finn

Piano, Violin, Viola – Derek Lovelady

Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar, Cello, Flute – Peter Todd

Drums, Percussion, Double Bass – Martin Kearney

Acoustic Warrior Link (469Mb)

Marc Bolan - A History Vol IV T.Rextacy (1982) Bootleg

(U.K 1965 - 1977)
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One of the major songwriters and performers of the seventies, Marc Bolan enjoyed a phenomenal run of single hits through the early part of the decade. Between 1970 and 1973, with T-Rex, he achieved 10 consecutive top 10 hits including 4 number ones and 4 that reached number two.

Born Mark Feld in London on 30th September 1947, the young Marc was known as a 'face' around town, working as a teenage model before beginning his singing career during the mid-sixties folk-boom.
He released his first single 'The Wizard', on Decca Records, before joining psychedelic-folk group John's Children who were managed by one of his early guiding lights, Simon Napier-Bell.

Bolan left the group and hooked up with Steve Peregrine Took to form a folky, acoustic duo - Tyrannosaurus Rex. In 1970, the name was shortened to T-Rex', Mickey Finn replaced Took and the line-up was completed by bass player Steve Curry and Bill Legend on drums.

More significantly legendary producer Tony Visconti started to work with the band and is believed to have encouraged Bolan to use an electric guitar and the trademark sound was born.

Chateau d'Herouville - 1972

Their first single "Ride A White Swan", a fuzz-guitar rocker with unmistakable backbeat, was an instant hit, the next single "Hot Love" reached number one and was followed by the landmark album 'Electric Warrior' - one of the seventies' defining musical moments.
After the run of successful singles, the hits dried up in the mid-seventies as Bolan's star diminished. However the emerging punk scene gave him an unexpected lift, embracing him as something of an icon and touring with The Damned as a support act. His public profile was further enhance by the TV show "MARC" which featured up and coming bands like The Jam and Generation X as well as old friend David Bowie!

Sadly the revival was short-lived as Marc was killed when his Mini, driven by his girlfriend Gloria Jones, crashed into a tree on Barnes Common in London, two weeks before his thirtieth birthday.
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Tribute Notice
The 2Oth Century Boy Boogies No More: Marc Bolan Dies
(By Geoff Barton)
The ephemeral nature of rock and pop stardom is much discussed in these days of X Factor flops and SyCo wash-outs. But it's a far from new phenomenon.
On September 16,1977, with his once stellar career in not-so-graceful decline, Marc Bolan perished when a Mini being driven by his squeeze Gloria Jones careered into a tree in Barnes, west London.

Opera diva Maria Callas passed away the same day, but Bolan's demise dominated the headlines. He might've been a 'faded old tart' to the likes of Melody Maker, but true fans never forgot him in his early-70s prime, when he had that tease and that sexuality, when he had glitter on his cheeks and wore gold shoes.
Some claimed Marc's death was pre-ordained. 'Tyrannosaurus Rex - eater of cars.' 'Hubcap diamond star halo.' 'Seventy-seven is going to be heaven.' 'Easy as picking foxes from a tree.' [The number plate on Jones's Mini was FOX 661L.] " It's all written. It's all known," they cried.
Whatever. All we know is that, 35 years down the line, there are always hundreds of fresh flowers by Bolan's roadside shrine [extract from Classic Rock Magazine, Summer 2012 Issue 173, p64]
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This post consists of MP3's (320kps) ripped from my blue vinyl which is in pristine condition. Full album artwork along with label scans and photos are also included. The only problem is the quality of some recordings on this bootleg are not great, rating only a 5/10 however other tracks are quite reasonable, say 7/10.  Nevertheless, Bolan enthusiasts will appreciate this bootleg for what it is, a collection of rare, historical recordings harvested from live performances made by Marc over a 5 year period, starting in 1972.  Also included is an audio of a radio station's death announcement along with an interview with Steve Harley, who discusses Bolan's death.
This bootleg is part of a vinyl LP BOX SET entitled:A HISTORY 1947-1977 VOL 1,2,3,4 by Marc Bolan T-Rex. Regrettably, I don't have Vols 1 - 3, but if anyone out there does I'd love to hear from you. See Box Set cover above.
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Tracklist
01 - The Groover (Live In Concert USA TV 1973)
02 - Jeepster (Live In Concert USA TV 1973)
03 - Death Notice
04 - Hot Love (Live Chateau d'Herouville 1972)
05 - 20th Century Boy (Live On Hullabaloo 1975)
06 - Teenage Dream (Live At The Agora Club, Cleveland 1974)
07 - Get it on (Live In USA 1973)
08 - I Love To Boogie (From Rollin' Bolan TV Special 1976)
09 - New York City (From Rollin' Bolan TV Special 1976)
10 - Dandy In The Underworld (From Marc TV Series 1977)
11 - Interview With Steve Harley On Bolan's Death
12 - Cadillac (Live Chateau d'Herouville 1972)
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Marc Bolan T-Rextacy Link (112Mb) New Link 02/09/2022

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Various Artists - History Of The 70's Vol.1 (1979)

(Various Artists  1970-74)
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Every generation has a soft spot for the decade in which it came of age. For rock and roll fans, however, it’s hard to argue that any decade surpassed the ‘70s, on a number of fronts. Post-Beatles and pre-MTV, the ‘70s occupied a sweet spot where rock and roll was played out on wide-open terrain, and on a field where “genre” had yet to become a catch-word. And so, this post gives you a sample of those well known classics (ROCK, GLAM, POP) that we Baby Boomers grew up with, as teenagers.

Take note that even though this compilation is entitled Vol.1, I can find no trace of a Vol.2 every being released. One must wonder whether EMI had intended to release a Vol.2 which covered the second half of the Seventies (Vol.1 only covers the first half), but changed their mind later, perhaps due to poor sales with Vol.1.

SUZI QUATRO - CAN THE CAN
Born in the U.S.A., where at the age of 14 she left school and formed a band with her three sisters, Suzi Quatro was discovered by Mickie Most in Detroit, while recording a new album with Jeff Beck. Mickie signed Suzi Quatro to the RAK label in 1972, and a year later she took the world by storm.

Hits like 48 CRASH, DAYTONA DEMON, DEVIL GATE DRIVE and THE WILD ONE all made the charts here in Australia. Of course, it started with CAN THE CAN, which reached No. 1 and stayed on the charts for 29 Weeks.

Although she did not have many hit records during the mid-seventies, in 1978 she returned to the charts with THE RACE IS ON, IF YOU CAN'T GIVE ME LOVE and a duet with Chris Norman (from Smokie) called STUMBLIN 'IN.

BLUE SWEDE - HOOKED ON A FEELING
Before the onslaught by Swedish supergroup Abba in the mid 70s, an unknown Swedish band by the name of BLUE SWEDE took the pop charts by storm, all over the world. The record HOOKED ON A FEELING, made Top 10 in most European countries and here in Australia had a similar impact The single reached No. 4 and remained m the charts for 24 weeks. An already well established band in Sweden, this single was their first recording in the English language. They recorded an album which sold very well in Australia Unfortunately, they were not to repeat the success of their smash-hit. The band broke up a couple of years later and at this stage, only the lead-singer, BJORN SKIFS, is still in the music industry. Bjorn is, at the moment, a very successful solo artist in Europe and destined to come up with a hit record here in Australia.

DAVE EDMUNDS - PROMISED LAND
Dave Edmunds is one of those artists who is always on the verge of becoming a big name in the pop industry. It started back in 1967, when, as the lead guitarist with the UK band LOVE SCULPTURE, he reached the No 1 spot in the U.K. with SABRE DANCE. In 1970 he decided to go solo and his first single, I HEAR YOU KNOCKING, hit the No. 1 spot in England, selling over 3,000,000 copies. The record made Top 20 in Australia as well, but his big hit here was PROMISED LAND, which reached No. 7 and stayed on the charts for 17 weeks Strangely enough, this record proved only to be a hit in Australia. Although Dave has been quiet for the last few years, it will only be a matter of time before he will be back on the charts.

JOE SOUTH - CHILDREN
Joe South started his career as a session musician, working with such artists as BOB DYLAN, ARETHA FRANKLIN, as well as playing on Simon and Garfunkel SOUNDS OF SILENCE album.

His compositions created a lot of interest , and several of these songs became hits, like DOWN IN THE BOONDOCKS by Billy Joe Royal and HUSH by Deep Purple. In 1968, Joe signed with Capitol Records and recorded his first album INTROSPECT.

However, it was not until 1969 that the album started to chart in the U.S.A. The big hit single off the album was GAMES PEOPLE PLAY. CHILDREN reached No. 51 and stayed 9 weeks on the charts
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ROSS RYAN - I AM PEGASUS
Discovered in 1972 when he was the support act for Roy Orbison, Ross was signed to EMI in 1973. His first album for EMI was A POEM YOU CAN KEEP. This album featured his hit single I DON'T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT.

This was followed by his biggest hit to date, I AM PEGASUS which reached No.2 and stayed on the charts for an unbelievable 38 weeks. In early 1974, both the album MY NAME MEANS HORSE and the single taken from this album were certified Gold. The then Prime Minister of Australia, Mr Gough Whitlam, presented Ross with the Gold Record Awards.

LA DE DAS - TOO POOPED TO POP
The LA DE DAS were originally from New Zealand, where they had a No.1 hit with a song called HEY BABY They came over to Australia in 1966, but if wasn't until 1971 that their first Australian hit, GONNA SEE MY BABY TONIGHT follow-up, MORNING GOOD MORNING, charted in 1972 and their last hit, as featured on this album, was TOO POOPED TO POP in 1974.  It reached No. 24 and stayed on the charts for 19 weeks.

Although the LA DE DAS went through quite a few personnel changes, their lead guitarist Kevin Borich stayed with the band till the end. He wrote most of their songs and was also lead vocalist.


When the LA DE DAS disbanded, he formed his own band, which is now known as one of Australia's premier bands, namely The Kevin Borich Express.




STEVIE WRIGHT - EVIE PARTS 1,2 AND 3
It is not often that a single which lasts longer than the customary 3 to 4 minutes becomes a hit, due to the fact that commercial radio stations around the world feel anything longer than 4 minutes becomes boring to their listening audience.
However, every now and then a record comes along that will break this rule.  

One such record was EVIE written and produced by Vanda &
Young and performed by STEVIE WRIGHT. When it was decided to release EVIE as the single from the HARD ROAD album, it was decided to put Part ONE on Side A and and PARTS 2 & 3 on the B Side of the single.

Radio stations around Australia preferred the longer version, and for about 4 months in 1974, all major radio stations programmed the album version. EVIE reached No.1 on the Australian Charts and stayed in the charts for 26 weeks. The album version of EVIE is featured on this album. It is a classic!

GEORGE BAKER SELECTION - LITTLE GREEN BAG
The Seventies will be remembered for the influx of bands on the international charts. The George Baker Selection is one of those bands. They hail from Holland, where, together with THE T-SET, they have been the top band for many years.

They were to have two big international hits: the first, LITTLE GREEN BAG, made it to the top of all European charts and to No. 16 here in Australia and stayed on the charts for 26 weeks. Their second hit came a few years later and made it to the No.1 spot just about everywhere the record was released. That song was, of course, UNA PALOMA BLANCA.

T REX - HOT LOVE
MARC BOLAN, born in London. 1948, is still regarded as one of the most important artists to emerge from the seventies. Although Marc had been recording for many years on quite a number of different labels, it was not until late 1970 that he achieved chart success in the U.K  The record, issued through Fly Records, was RIDE A WHITE SWAN, and reached No 2 in England.

The follow up to that was HOT LOVE, which stayed at the top of the English charts for a mammoth 6 weeks. It reached No.2 here in Australia and stayed in the charts for 16 weeks. In September 1977, while driving with his girlfriend Gloria Jones, Marc was involved in a car accident and was killed instantly

JOE COCKER - THE LETTER
Probably best known for his double 'live' album and the movie MAD DOGS AND ENGLISHMEN, Joe started his musical career in 1964 with the Decca Record Company. His first single I'LL CRY INSTEAD, only managed to earn him 10 pence and with that sort of encouragement, he decided to go back to his job as a gas-fitter. After a few years playing in different groups, he decided to record once again. This time he was luckier, MARJORINE created a lot of interest by the media and the follow-up WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS reached No.1 in the U.K and No.27 in Australia, staying on the charts for 13 weeks.

ALVIN STARDUST - MY COO CA CHOO
Alvin, whose real name is Bernard Jewry, was born in London and started as the lead singer of the successful British band SHANE FENTON AND THE FENTONES at the age of 15. Then they played London's Royal Albert Hall, they had The Beatles as a support act. In 1973, Alvin signed with a newly-formed UK label, Magnet Records, and released his first single, MY COO CA CHOO, which became a smash hit, stormed the Australian charts and went as high as No.1 and stayed in the charts for 26 weeks.

In 1974, he was acclaimed as Britain's Top Selling Male Singles Artist and was awarded the London Weekend Television Trophy as Britain's Most Outstanding Live Performer. MY COO CA CHOO proved to be Alvin's one and only big hit here in Australia.

HANK B. MARVIN - SACHA
HANK B. MARVIN is best known as the lead guitarist of the Shadows. This instrumental group was formed back in 1958 under the name of the DRIFTERS, but due to objections from the American DRIFTERS, they changed their name to THE SHADOWS.

Their first No. 1 single in the U.K., was APACHE in - July 1960. The SHADOWS were also part of the success-story with CLIFF RICHARD. CLIFF & THE SHADOWS were responsible for a string of hits like MOVE IT, SU MMER HOLIDAY, as well as the hit movies THE YOUNG ONES and SUMMER HOLIDAY SACHA reached No. 15 and stayed an incredible 41 weeks on the Australian charts.

PETER SKELLERN - YOU'RE A LADY

Peter's musical career started at the age of 16, when he became organist and choirmaster of St. Paul's Church, Bury, U.K., In 1968 he graduated from The London Guildhall School of Music and joined a rock band called THE MARCH HARE. After recording one album, he decided to give the recording-side of the business away and joined a publishing company. However, after a few years in publishing, the urge to record again became too much and after signing with Decca Records, he released YOU'RE A LADY. It reached No. 3 in the U.K. and No. 2 in Australia, staying a total of 17 weeks on the charts. Peter had one more hit in the seventies, namely HOLD ON TO LOVE, which, although a big hit in the U.K., could not surpass the performance of YOU'RE A LADY here in Australia.

RASPBERRIES - GO ALL THE WAY
The RASPBERRIES were formed early 1970 in Cleveland, U.S.A., and although their music sounded very much British, all four members of the band were American. The four members were Wallace Bryson, James Bonfanti, David Smalley and Eric Carmen. Of the four members, Eric Carmen has been by far the most successful solo artist since the band broke up. When their first album was released by Capitol Records in early 1972, the RASPBERRIES were accused of just copying the early Beatles sound. However, the media might have over-reacted a bit, as the RASPBERRIES proved to be a very successful band on their own merits. Their biggest single, GO ALL THE WAY, made the Top 10 in America and became one of the bestsellers of 1972 in that Country. In Australia, the single charted at No. 12 and stayed in the charts for 16 weeks.

RUSSELL MORRIS - RACHEL
Russell started his musical career with a Melbourne-based band SOMEBODY'S IMAGE. After two years with that band, Russell decided to go solo. He recorded two-singles, THE REAL THING and PART 3 INTO PAPER WALLS, both of these reaching the No. 1 spot and both of them produced by his then manager- lan "Molly" Meldrum.

His third single, RACHEL, was originally recorded in the U.K., but Russell wasn't too happy with the end result and decided to re-record here in Australia. That was in early 1970 and RACHEL became Russell's third hit in a row, reaching No. 25 on the Australian charts and remaining there for 21 weeks.
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This post consists of FLACs  ripped from my EMI Vinyl and includes the usual cover artwork and label scans.  Hope you enjoy this trip back down Seventies memory lane, especially with the full length version of 'Evie' running for 12 minutes and the hard hitting 'Can The Can' by a leather clad Suzi Quatro.

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Tracklisting
01 –Suzi Quatro    (Can The Can)
02 –Blue Swede    (Hooked On A Feeling)
03 –Dave Edmunds  (Promised Land)
04 –Joe South    (Children)
05 –The La De Das  (Too Pooped To Pop)
06 –Ross Ryan    (I Am Pegasus)
07 –Stevie Wright  (Evie - Parts 1, 2 And 3)

08 –George Baker Selection  (Little Green Bag)
09 –T. Rex  (Hot Love)
10 –Joe Cocker    (The Letter)
11 –Alvin Stardust  (My Coo Ca Choo)
12 –Hank B. Marvin  (Sacha)
13 –Peter Skellern  (You're A Lady)
14 –Raspberries    (Go All The Way)
15 –Russell Morris  (Rachel)
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History Of The Seventies FLAC Link (334Mb)
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Marc Bolan - 20th Century Boy (3LP Anthology 1981)

(U.K 1965 - 1977)
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Born Mark Feld in Hackney, East London, 1947, Bolan was youthful mod and budding male model before attempt to break into music scene at same time as other struggling young songwriters. David Bowie and Cat Stevens.
Changed name to Marc Bolan when Decca released "The Wizard" single in 1966 before becoming member of John's Children, who have claims to being first-ever glam rock band. This outfit had two minor British hits on Track label, "Desdemona" and "Go Go Girl", the latter actually a backing track for Bolan's later Mustang Ford with vocals added after he had left group. Around this time, also cut recordings for Track album, "Beginning Of Doves", although this was not released until 1974.
Bolan subsequently attempted to form five-piece electric group which, legend has it, failed when hire purchase company repossessed their equipment. Out of wreckage, surviving members Bolan and percussionist Steve Peregrine Took started gigging as acoustic duo 1968 under name 'Tyrannosaurus Rex'.
First and second albums were purely acoustic and featured Bolan compositions heavy with his own private mythologies. By the third album, 'Prophets Seers And Sages' etc, in 1969, Bolan had expanded instrumentation and was writing some of his best songs.
Steve Took quit soon after, mainly through disenchantment with inability to stamp his own personality on duo's work, and he was replaced by Micky Finn, who met Bolan in health-food restaurant.
Finn made debut on 1970 'Beard Of Stars' album, which was transitional collection in that Bolan introduced electric guitar on several tracks. Up to this point Rex were minority appeal outfit on fringes of what British press termed at time "progressive" boom, in competition for audiences with far more successful contemporaries like of Ten Years After, Jethro Tull and Fleetwood Mac.
Then, in late 1970, Bolan and Finn, now operating under abbreviated name of T. Rex, had surprise U.K. No. 2 single with "Ride A White Swan" - which was issued simultaneously with T. Rex album as their debut release or now defunct Fly label.
Bolan's audience changed dramatically within a period of months. With addition of bassist Steve Currie and later drummer Bill Legend, consolidated new position as fast-growing teeny-bopper and chart attraction with "Hot Love", which topped U.K. charts for six weeks in early 1971, and "Get It On" which enjoyed comparable success later same year. (Later is closest Bolan ever got to breaking U.S. singles charts, entitled as "Get It On, Bang A Gong".)
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By this time, totally on strength of Bolan's charismatic personality and penchant for commercial songs. T. Rex were drawing from then increasingly younger audiences the kind of hysteria previously not seen since golden days IT. U.K. of Stones, Beatles and The Monkees.
In mid-1971 'Electric Warrior' completed transition from gentle folkiness of early Rex to full-blown rock n' roll attack. It was a brilliant collection, and Fly pulled the "Jeepster" track off the album to release as single. It made U.K. No. 2 but Bolan, upset at not being consulted, started his own T. Rex label.
Through 1972 Bolan was at peak of his popularity. The Slider was a great commercial success, and "Telegram Sam", "Metal Guru", re-issued oldie "Debora", "Children Of The Revolution" and "Solid Gold Easy Action" continued stream of U.K. hits.
In 1973, Ringo Starr turned film-maker and directed movie about the T. Rex phenomenon "Born To Boogie", which, despite the participation of Elton John, satisfied only the faithful.
Critically however, his output came in for increasing hammering, and Bolan himself was obviously decidedly frustrated by total inability to open U.S. market with same ease. Albums from 'Tanx' onwards failed to match U.K. sales of immediate predecessors, and by 1973 T. Rex fever started to abate as Bolan fans began to switch loyalties to U.S. bopper exports David Cassidy and Osmonds.
It all fell apart as quickly as it had began: Bolan got fat, baited his critics, churned out product, left his wife June Child to shack up with U.S. singer Gloria Jones (by whom he has a son), split from Micky Finn in March 1975 and pronounced T. Rex defunct, and finally retreated to the U.S.A. that same year, ostensibly as a tax exile.
He came back again spring '76 on a low-profile comeback tour with Gloria Jones, and by the close of the year formed a new T. Rex using Dino Dines (keyboards) and British rock veterans Tony Newman, Herbie Flowers and Miller Anderson. You almost had to admire his nerve when he started coming the 'elder brother' bit with U.K. new wave acts, and then got The Damned to support him on his early '77 tour.
The start of his own weekly TV show was a further indication of Bolan's resilience, and in all he was enjoying his best latter day period when he was killed in a road crash in 1977 — a passenger in a car driven by Gloria Jones. He died two weeks before his 30th birthday on September 16, 1977 years old [extract from The Illustrated New Musical Express Encyclopedia of Rock, 1977 p36]
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Album Review
In the days before CDs, box sets, and vast archive-release projects, the Marc Bolan and T.Rex catalogue was basically spread over several dozen poorly annotated compilations, scarcely listenable bootlegs & overvalued rarities. Then "20th Century Boy" came along and for the first time the entire picture came blasting into perspective. Issued only in Australia, but widely imported elsewhere, the three vinyl albums document Bolan's entire career from 1965-1977, 63 tracks in all, rounding up impossibly scarce 45s by John's Children, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Dib Cochran & the Earwigs & Big Carrot alongside the expected T.Rex hits and album tracks. Brief interview segments close three of the six sides, and the triple gatefold packaging features excellent liner notes and illustrations. It is also worth noting that this remains the only career-spanning anthology for Bolan issued so far.
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I grew up listening to Marc Bolan and T.Rex, and played 'Electric Warrior' non stop through my teenage years. I bought this triple LP anthology while attending University and saw it as a comprehensive collection of his best material. It was great value at the time, with each side clocking in at around 28minutes of music and hosting 63 tracks in total - all for the price of a double album.
However, there are a few track missing which I believe should have been included in this anthology How could classics such as "Summertime Blues" and "The Slider" not be included, while three of the 'best tracks' from Electric Warrior were also ignored - "Rip Off", "Cosmic Dancer" and "Lean Woman Blues".
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Therefore, I have chosen to include these songs as bonus tracks in this post. Also included is a track released in 1981 called "You Scare Me To Death". This track was originally called "Horrible Breath" and was written as a proposed television jingle for Amplex Tablets.
To finish off the collection, I have also included a bonus MegaMix single of Bolan classics, released as a 12" single in 1985 (Songs covered are Metal Guru, 20th Century Boy and Children Of The Revolution).
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The post is split up into 3 sections - all ripped from my A+ vinyl as mp3's (320kps) and not a pop or crackle to be heard. Full album artwork is included with CD3 but I am also providing the Album Artwork as a separate download link for the Bolan collectors who may already have the music. Included in the scans is an extensive discography of Bolan recordings along with a chronological summation of his recording career.
This truly is a brilliant collection of Bolan / T.Rex music and one can only wonder what music Marc would have released, if his life hadn't been cut so tragically short in 1977.
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Track Listing
Record 1
1. The Wizard
2. Beyond The Rising Sun
3. The Third Degree
4. San Francisco Poet
5. Hippy Gumbo
6. Misfit
7. The Perfumed Garden Of Gulliver Smith
8. Jasper C. Debussy
9. Hot Rod Momma
10. Mustang Ford
11. Desdemona
12. Sara Crazy Child
13. Midsummer Night's Scene (Interview segment)
14. Child Star
15. Debora
16. Demon Queen
17. One Inch Rock
18. Catblack (The Wizard's Hat)
19. Pewter Suitor
20. King Of The Rumbling Spires
21. Do You Remember?
22. By The Light Of The Magical Moon
23. Once Upon The Seas Of Abyssinia
24. Blessed Wild Apple Girl
25. Find A Little Wood (Interview segment)
Record 2
26. Oh Baby
27. Beltane Walk
28. Ride A White Swan
29. Hot Love
30. Get It On (Bang A Gong)
31. Jeepster
32. Planet Queen
33. Telegram Sam
34. Metal Guru
35. Chariot Choogle
36. Baby Strange
37. Children Of The Revolution
38. Jitterbug Love
39. Sunken Rags
40. Solid Gold Easy Action
41. Born To Boogie
42. 20th Century Boy
43. Highway Knees
44. The Groover
45. Christmas Message (*)
Record 3
45. Squint Eye Mangle (instrumental)
46. Truck On (Tyke)
47. Teenage Dream
48. Venus Loon
49. Light Of Love
50. Think Zinc
51. Zip Gun Boogie
52. New York City
53. Dreamy Lady
54. London Boys
55. Solid Baby
56. I Love To Boogie
57. Laser Love
58. City Port (with Gloria Jones)
59. The Soul Of My Suit
60. Dandy In The Underworld
61. Celebrate Summer
62. Crimson Moon
63. Teen Rio Structure (Interview segment)
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Note: (*) The "Christmas Message" listed on Side 4 was actually missing on the vinyl pressing, however, I have managed to source the 30sec segment, made available only to Fan Club members in 1973.
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Marc Bolan - 20th Century Boy CD1 (1965-1970) MP3 (128Mb)  New Link 27/02/2024
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Marc Bolan - 20th Century Boy CD2 (1970-1973) MP3 (163Mb) New Link 27/02/2024
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Marc Bolan - 20th Century Boy CD3 (1973-1977) MP3 (163Mb)  New Link 27/02/2024
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Artwork Only Link (16Mb)  New Link 25/04/2020
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Marc Bolan - The Marc Shows (1989)

(U.K 1957–1977)
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Marc Bolan was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and poet. He is best known as the founder, frontman, lead singer & guitarist for T. Rex, but also a successful solo artist. His music, as well as his highly original sense of style and extraordinary stage presence, helped create the glam rock era which made him one of the most recognisable stars in British rock music [extract from wikipedia]
In the summer of 1977 Granada TV announced a coup... Marc Bolan the first Glam Rock hero of the seventies was to host a new look series of six shows. Each show was to go out at 4.45 on a Wednesday afternoon and would feature many new, up and coming bands as well as songs from the host with his own band T.Rex. Established artists also played on the Marc Shows, in particular David Bowie and captured in this rare YouTube Clip

This announcement was met with some skepticism as the general appeal of Marc Bolan was no longer in the view of some critics of any worth and after all the hits of 1971 & 1972 were no more. In actual fact between the years of 1970 and 1976 Marc Bolan appeared in the Top 30 every year and had he not lost his life would surely have been in the charts again in 1977.
Marc Bolan did appeal to a whole new generation of fans he had very shrewdly taken a new up and coming punk bank on his 'Dandy In The Underworld' tour and he won the hearts and souls of many for doing so.

This compilation is special as it features songs that Marc never got the chance to take into the studios and record properly to feature on a new album. This compilation also gives a new dimension to some of the classics as well as featuring a great live version of 'Dandy In The Underworld'.
This album relies on the raw and sometimes thin backing associated with TV sound tracks of the seventies but this simply adds to the magical performances of the man so many of us loved then and still do now all these years ago [extract from linear notes on cassette tape]
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Review (by Dave Thompson)
For fans of a certain age, there is something impossibly magic about the Marc TV series. No matter that it was the last work Marc Bolan did before his death in September 1977; Marc was also incontrovertible evidence that, after three years of increasingly diminishing returns, Bolan was on his way back up. The new material that he debuted throughout the show's run was seldom less than excellent, while his taste in guests mixed the expected old farts and hopeful unknowns with the very best of the then-emergent new wave, and there was no doubting which side Bolan identified with. Evidence of this new outlook on music has since been spread across any number of 1976-1977 era demo and outtake collections. But Marc was its first public appearance, and when the Marc Shows album first arrived in the late '80s, fans seized upon it as though it were the Holy Grail -- which, in many ways, it was. Songs like "Sing Me a Song," "Endless Sleep," and his final 45, "Celebrate Summer," fizz with energies Bolan had not approached since the height of T.

Rexstacy in 1972, while his approach to older material caught him fearlessly rearranging it to tie in, too, with his new energies. Had he not died that fall, who can say what he would have achieved? The Marc Shows is not perfect; the final show in the series found Bolan joined by David Bowie, with whom he played out the show's closing credits. That contribution is absent from this collection, and while it must be admitted that it sounds a lot better in memory than it does in reality, the omission rankles. As a snapshot of Bolan reemerging as a genuinely worthwhile force, however, this album is priceless.
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This post consists of an MP3 rip (320kps) taken from my cassette tape of the Marc Shows which plays faultlessly. Some artwork is included, including cassette cover scans. This live recordings features two distinctly different versions of "Dandy In The Underworld" along with some other classic T.Rex tracks such as "I Love To Boogie", "Jeepster", "Hot Love" and "Get It On".
The only disappointment is that there is no dialogue by Bolan between tracks, which would have helped capture the full atmosphere of the recordings.
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Track Listing
01 - Sing Me A Song (3:17)
02 - I Love To Boogie (2:43)
03 - Jeepster (2:30)
04 - New York City (3:28)
05 - Ride A White Swan (1:54)
06 - Groove A Little (2:49)
07 - Lets Dance (2:29)
08 - Hot Love (1:33)
09 - Endless Sleep (2:15)
10 - Dandy In The Underworld (3:39)
11 - Celebrate Summer (2:24)
12 - Get It On (1:11)
13 - Deborah (1:59)
14 - Laser Love (3:15)
15 - Dandy In The Underworld
(Alternate Version) (3:29)
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Marc Bolan Shows Link (86Mb)  New Link 05/10/2017
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