I'm so glad this got a response. Like R Freak says "he said so much with so little". This is why I like many of early acoustic songs so much. And I am talking about the T. Rex era acoustic work here. Because he had grown as a songwriter by then. His playing was WAY more measured on acoustic. On electric he drove lots of people crazy still because he insisted on the notion of being a lead guitar wizard. Which he was not really.
I totally agree with everyone here that "Slider" and esp. "Tanx" were the seminal albums. "Warrior" always gets all the acolades. Maybe it's because of "Get it On'; maybe because of the cover art.

Is This Marc Bolan

video: [www.youtube.com]

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Palace Revolution 2000
I'm so glad this got a response. Like R Freak says "he said so much with so little". This is why I like many of early acoustic songs so much. And I am talking about the T. Rex era acoustic work here. Because he had grown as a songwriter by then. His playing was WAY more measured on acoustic. On electric he drove lots of people crazy still because he insisted on the notion of being a lead guitar wizard. Which he was not really.
I totally agree with everyone here that "Slider" and esp. "Tanx" were the seminal albums. "Warrior" always gets all the acolades. Maybe it's because of "Get it On'; maybe because of the cover art.

By acoustic work is there anything in particular you are referring to beyond the classic stuff? As big a fan of T Rex I consider myself, I really only know those 3 seminal albums (Warrior, Slider and Tanx) and have never heard much before or after it. Never knew whether it was good or not. So if you're saying there's a lot of good acoustic (or electric) stuff from either of those eras, would you have any suggestions? You're so right that he wasn't a lead guitar wizard but just like his songwriting, he said just the right stuff with that guitar. The guitar fills throughout the Slider, most of them being 5 second fleeting things, still turn me on so much!

To a U.S. teenager in the early 80's, T-Rex's sound fit seamlessly with the druggy 70s sound. Have to give it up for Electric Warrior and The Slider.

Bolan sure picked a weird way to exit stage left. He was in the passenger seat of a car being driven by soul-singer and future Jerry Garcia Band background vocalist Gloria Jones when he told her to take her hands off the wheel guide the car through "astral projection". They crashed, she survived, but he didn't.

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steffiestones
Is This Marc Bolan

video: [www.youtube.com]

No.

He helped write the glam rock playbook with the chunky grooves and the inspiredly silly lyrics.

Even if you mess up the words, your knuckleheads-drunk-on-cheap-beer garage band can stumble its way through Get It On. Just bang on the chords, slur a few lines repeatedly, and you're in business. "You're dirty and sweet and dirty and sweet and I love you/You're dirty, sweet and you're my girl/Get it on...." I'm sure a few bands got their start that way.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-09-24 03:55 by ab.

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RollingFreak

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Palace Revolution 2000
I'm so glad this got a response. Like R Freak says "he said so much with so little". This is why I like many of early acoustic songs so much. And I am talking about the T. Rex era acoustic work here. Because he had grown as a songwriter by then. His playing was WAY more measured on acoustic. On electric he drove lots of people crazy still because he insisted on the notion of being a lead guitar wizard. Which he was not really.
I totally agree with everyone here that "Slider" and esp. "Tanx" were the seminal albums. "Warrior" always gets all the acolades. Maybe it's because of "Get it On'; maybe because of the cover art.

By acoustic work is there anything in particular you are referring to beyond the classic stuff? As big a fan of T Rex I consider myself, I really only know those 3 seminal albums (Warrior, Slider and Tanx) and have never heard much before or after it. Never knew whether it was good or not. So if you're saying there's a lot of good acoustic (or electric) stuff from either of those eras, would you have any suggestions? You're so right that he wasn't a lead guitar wizard but just like his songwriting, he said just the right stuff with that guitar. The guitar fills throughout the Slider, most of them being 5 second fleeting things, still turn me on so much!

My first bought Tyrannosaurus Rex record.
"A Beard Of Stars" and "Unicorn" came with a double album at that time in Japan.
"By the Light of a Magical Moon", "Elemental Child", "Cat Black" and "My Unicorn" are the fruit of genius.

I was a massive fan of Tyrannosaurus Rex, less so of T. Rex although I saw them multiple times. I once saw Tyrannosaurus Rex with David Bowie opening for them as a mime!

Tyrannosaurus Rex was his greatest work in my opinion

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RollingFreak

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Palace Revolution 2000
I'm so glad this got a response. Like R Freak says "he said so much with so little". This is why I like many of early acoustic songs so much. And I am talking about the T. Rex era acoustic work here. Because he had grown as a songwriter by then. His playing was WAY more measured on acoustic. On electric he drove lots of people crazy still because he insisted on the notion of being a lead guitar wizard. Which he was not really.
I totally agree with everyone here that "Slider" and esp. "Tanx" were the seminal albums. "Warrior" always gets all the acolades. Maybe it's because of "Get it On'; maybe because of the cover art.

By acoustic work is there anything in particular you are referring to beyond the classic stuff? As big a fan of T Rex I consider myself, I really only know those 3 seminal albums (Warrior, Slider and Tanx) and have never heard much before or after it. Never knew whether it was good or not. So if you're saying there's a lot of good acoustic (or electric) stuff from either of those eras, would you have any suggestions? You're so right that he wasn't a lead guitar wizard but just like his songwriting, he said just the right stuff with that guitar. The guitar fills throughout the Slider, most of them being 5 second fleeting things, still turn me on so much!

The early albums are acoustic only. And great songs, really interesting. I want to point out again how good Steve Took was because most of the BU vocals are him, not MB.
But "Unicorn" which is already a bit later is probably the best 'early' album. "She was born to be my Unicorn" what a beautiful song. And the album "T. Rex" still has some old style songs ""Seagull Woman" eg
And when I say 'acoustic songs' from the later era I probably mean many of the BBC or radio shows he would still do, where it was just him alone. "Girl", "Jewel","Ballrooms of Mars"etc

I have a lot love & appreciation for Marc & his music.
His death was a tragedy.
As for Gloria Jones.... huh.

Apparently, I am mistaken about Gloria Jones. There must be two different American soul/gospel singers with that name, as the Gloria Jones who is the mother of Rolan Bolan and sang the '60s hit "Tainted Love" was apparently unable to continue singing due to complications from the accident that killed Marc Bolan. The other Gloria Jones sang with the Jerry Garcia Band from 1983-1995. There is scant biographical information about her, but I'm fairly certain these are two different women.

My apologies for the misinformation.

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Palace Revolution 2000

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RollingFreak

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Palace Revolution 2000
I'm so glad this got a response. Like R Freak says "he said so much with so little". This is why I like many of early acoustic songs so much. And I am talking about the T. Rex era acoustic work here. Because he had grown as a songwriter by then. His playing was WAY more measured on acoustic. On electric he drove lots of people crazy still because he insisted on the notion of being a lead guitar wizard. Which he was not really.
I totally agree with everyone here that "Slider" and esp. "Tanx" were the seminal albums. "Warrior" always gets all the acolades. Maybe it's because of "Get it On'; maybe because of the cover art.

By acoustic work is there anything in particular you are referring to beyond the classic stuff? As big a fan of T Rex I consider myself, I really only know those 3 seminal albums (Warrior, Slider and Tanx) and have never heard much before or after it. Never knew whether it was good or not. So if you're saying there's a lot of good acoustic (or electric) stuff from either of those eras, would you have any suggestions? You're so right that he wasn't a lead guitar wizard but just like his songwriting, he said just the right stuff with that guitar. The guitar fills throughout the Slider, most of them being 5 second fleeting things, still turn me on so much!

The early albums are acoustic only. And great songs, really interesting. I want to point out again how good Steve Took was because most of the BU vocals are him, not MB.
But "Unicorn" which is already a bit later is probably the best 'early' album. "She was born to be my Unicorn" what a beautiful song. And the album "T. Rex" still has some old style songs ""Seagull Woman" eg
And when I say 'acoustic songs' from the later era I probably mean many of the BBC or radio shows he would still do, where it was just him alone. "Girl", "Jewel","Ballrooms of Mars"etc

Gotcha. Yeah I think at a time I tried to do early Bolan and it just didn't register with me the same way his mainstream era stuff did. I just heard the T Rex album which I think was what I had heard before and I probably had the same thoughts then as I do now. Its largely fine, but overall I just hear a guy thats about to take off into what he is and really have it all click. The songs are there, but I guess the sparse arrangements kind of lose me after awhile. They just feel unfinished to me. And I LOVE stuff like Spaceball Richochet and Girl and the other times he would do just solo acoustic stuff in those mainstream years. But I also feel they worked best when mixed amongst other things. I don't know, just my opinion. I also heard Unicorn and that kinda totally lost me. T Rex is basically the guy I know just minus a band, Unicorn is definitely more out there and I guess just not my taste. Both those albums I hear as cool to listen to to see where he was then but not stuff I'd seek out for repeat listens. Whereas those golden 3 records I never get tired of.

Definitely an interesting man for sure though! Very prolific and would have been amazing to see where he went had he lived. Such a tragically short life with such a big influence. Its cool to go back to hear those early albums every now and then even if they aren't quite my bag. Some guys I do like it for (Bob Seger for example is a guy who has great early albums that most don't know about before he really started to hit) and others are like this where I'm just hearing it for the historical purpose. Either way, I'm happy its out there. Just heard Tanx this morning and forgot how fantastic it is.

EDIT: And listening to Electric Warrior now. Exactly what I was talking about is in the first song Mambo Sun. Its really not that different than the T Rex album before it, but it just has that slightly added oompf that I feel he needed. That extra layer of electric guitar and a bit of a funkier beat. Truly sounds like his writing has just all gelled. I guess maybe its cause I heard it first so going back sounds stranger, but I feel like the earlier stuff I've heard its like just a step away from being what it should and then at Electric Warrior and the couple albums that followed he just hit a groove and everything clicked. He reached that moment many artists have of just its all great from here on out, at least for a little bit. But I hear the beginning of Electric Warrior and immediately I'm like "yup, he found what he was trying to do." So slight but so important.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-09-25 05:55 by RollingFreak.