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Glam, sex and T. Rex
The energy of Marc Bolan still radiates
By Todd Leopold (CNN)
Wednesday, September 25, 2002 Posted: 11:43 AM EDT (1543 GMT)
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AUDIO
'Jeepster'
PLAY AUDIO
'20th Century Boy'
PLAY AUDIO
'Bang a Gong (Get It On)'
PLAY AUDIO
THE MARC BOLAN FILE
Born: July 30, 1947, in London, England
Bands: John's Children, T. Rex
Hits include: "Ride a White Swan," "Bang a Gong (Get It On)," "Telegram Sam," "Metal Guru"
Died: September 16, 1977, in a car accident
RELATED
• Official Marc Bolan Fan Club
• Hip-O Records
(CNN) -- They called it "T. Rextacy," and in early 1970s Britain, that oddly named affliction was the biggest thing anyone had seen since Beatlemania.
People couldn't get enough of T. Rex and its lead singer and songwriter, Marc Bolan. Girls shrieked; concerts were packed. Between 1970 and 1973, the group had 10 straight Top Ten hits and spearheaded the glam movement.
Bolan's face was everywhere. His androgynous good looks made him a fashion icon. Artists as diverse as David Bowie, Sweet and Slade borrowed from his sound. Ringo Starr even made a 1972 Bolan documentary, "Born to Boogie."
Then there was the music: sly, sexy, with strings suspended over an R&B/power chord groove 10 miles deep. "Jeepster," "20th Century Boy," "Get It On (Bang a Gong)" -- they came out of the radio with the smoothness and propulsion of a well-tuned Jaguar.
"It was wonderfully great, slinky rock and roll," says Jim DeRogatis, pop music critic of the Chicago Sun-Times. "Nobody's ever done that groove quite as well. It's as distinct as Bo Diddley's beat."
The music of T. Rex and Bolan is getting a new burst of energy with the release of a new collection, "20th Century Boy: The Ultimate Collection" (Hip-O).
Electric warriors
Bolan seemed destined for pop stardom. "I'm all for anyone who's an exhibitionist. You don't want to be like everyone else. You've got to be different," he once said.
Born Marc Feld in London in 1947, he first tasted success as a teen model, then became part of the psychedelic-folk group John's Children. He formed T. Rex -- originally called Tyrannosaurus Rex, an acoustic duo -- with Steve Peregrine Took in 1968.
After three albums in a spacey folk vein (one had the king-sized title "My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair ... but Now They're Content to Wear Stars on Their Brows," with album cover to match), Took left, Micky Finn joined and the group shortened its name to T. Rex. It adopted an electric sound, and soon they were hitting the Top Ten.
Bolan attracted attention not only for his feather boa and platform shoes, but for the sound his band produced. Even today, it's instantly recognizable: power chords, judicious lead guitar, high-pitched vocal background harmonies, a dusting of strings, and a thick rhythm section. David Bowie borrowed the sound lock, stock and guitar pick for his albums "Hunky Dory" and "Ziggy Stardust."
"Bowie is glamorized as the auteur of glam, but Bolan was more influential," maintains DeRogatis.
"There were so few elements but they all worked so well," says his son, Rolan Bolan, 26, who's also a musician. "It's amazing to think about what that must have been like when it came out."
The hits came fast, the hits came furious: "Ride a White Swan," "Hot Love," "Get It On," "Telegram Sam," "Children of the Revolution." T. Rex also released at least one classic album, 1971's "Electric Warrior."
"That's his 'Sgt. Pepper,' " says DeRogatis. "That's the album he got right from start to finish."
'He's dangerous'
Given that the U.S. loves its pop idols almost as much as Britain, it seems surprising that T. Rextacy never hooked the United States. The group had one major American hit, "Get It On," retitled "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" for U.S. tastes.
Nobody's ever done that groove quite as well.
-- Chicago Sun-Times pop music critic Jim DeRogatis
DeRogatis believes the singer's charisma, his aggressive androgyny, may have been just too much for American audiences. "I think it still scares people," he says. "America is an uptight country. That kind of anything-goes sexuality ... he's dangerous."
T. Rex, like its namesake beast that once dominated the landscape, didn't last. By the mid-'70s, ever-fickle Britain had turned its attention to the Bay City Rollers, and Bolan dabbled with a solo career and became a UK TV personality. He was still a popular figure, ready to record with a new band, when he was killed in an auto accident while riding with his partner, Gloria Jones. The date was September 16, 1977 -- exactly one month after Elvis Presley's death. He had barely turned 30.
Rolan Bolan, the pair's son, says that the '70s revival a few years ago helped reawaken interest in glam and T. Rex -- there are several tribute bands, he notes -- and he's pleased with the best-of reissue.
"It's going to be great for people to see where he came from," he says.
The son is particularly impressed with the way the father squeezed so much out of the era's sonic equipment. "The technology was limited, and he made the most of it. Now anybody can have a studio in their house."
"[The music] was really ahead of its time," agrees DeRogatis. Echoes can be heard in bands ranging from '80s popsters The Bongos to '90s alternative kings Stone Temple Pilots, he says. "I've been waiting for the big indie revival of his stuff."
And despite the hype surrounding T. Rextacy, Bolan's music still stands up, DeRogatis says. That's saying something: Out of context, the music of pop-star crazes often sounds dated -- lame, even. Bolan's songs remain vibrant enough that Mitsubishi adopted "20th Century Boy" for an ad with no apparent irony.
"Nostalgia is the bane of rock 'n' roll," says DeRogatis, but Bolan, he adds, still seems current. His energy, his sexuality, his danger -- his showmanship and flair -- is all right up front. "He had the courage to let it all hang out. ... He was a considerable talent."
The energy of Marc Bolan still radiates
By Todd Leopold (CNN)
Wednesday, September 25, 2002 Posted: 11:43 AM EDT (1543 GMT)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Story Tools
------------------------------------------------------------------------
AUDIO
'Jeepster'
PLAY AUDIO
'20th Century Boy'
PLAY AUDIO
'Bang a Gong (Get It On)'
PLAY AUDIO
THE MARC BOLAN FILE
Born: July 30, 1947, in London, England
Bands: John's Children, T. Rex
Hits include: "Ride a White Swan," "Bang a Gong (Get It On)," "Telegram Sam," "Metal Guru"
Died: September 16, 1977, in a car accident
RELATED
• Official Marc Bolan Fan Club
• Hip-O Records
(CNN) -- They called it "T. Rextacy," and in early 1970s Britain, that oddly named affliction was the biggest thing anyone had seen since Beatlemania.
People couldn't get enough of T. Rex and its lead singer and songwriter, Marc Bolan. Girls shrieked; concerts were packed. Between 1970 and 1973, the group had 10 straight Top Ten hits and spearheaded the glam movement.
Bolan's face was everywhere. His androgynous good looks made him a fashion icon. Artists as diverse as David Bowie, Sweet and Slade borrowed from his sound. Ringo Starr even made a 1972 Bolan documentary, "Born to Boogie."
Then there was the music: sly, sexy, with strings suspended over an R&B/power chord groove 10 miles deep. "Jeepster," "20th Century Boy," "Get It On (Bang a Gong)" -- they came out of the radio with the smoothness and propulsion of a well-tuned Jaguar.
"It was wonderfully great, slinky rock and roll," says Jim DeRogatis, pop music critic of the Chicago Sun-Times. "Nobody's ever done that groove quite as well. It's as distinct as Bo Diddley's beat."
The music of T. Rex and Bolan is getting a new burst of energy with the release of a new collection, "20th Century Boy: The Ultimate Collection" (Hip-O).
Electric warriors
Bolan seemed destined for pop stardom. "I'm all for anyone who's an exhibitionist. You don't want to be like everyone else. You've got to be different," he once said.
Born Marc Feld in London in 1947, he first tasted success as a teen model, then became part of the psychedelic-folk group John's Children. He formed T. Rex -- originally called Tyrannosaurus Rex, an acoustic duo -- with Steve Peregrine Took in 1968.
After three albums in a spacey folk vein (one had the king-sized title "My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair ... but Now They're Content to Wear Stars on Their Brows," with album cover to match), Took left, Micky Finn joined and the group shortened its name to T. Rex. It adopted an electric sound, and soon they were hitting the Top Ten.
Bolan attracted attention not only for his feather boa and platform shoes, but for the sound his band produced. Even today, it's instantly recognizable: power chords, judicious lead guitar, high-pitched vocal background harmonies, a dusting of strings, and a thick rhythm section. David Bowie borrowed the sound lock, stock and guitar pick for his albums "Hunky Dory" and "Ziggy Stardust."
"Bowie is glamorized as the auteur of glam, but Bolan was more influential," maintains DeRogatis.
"There were so few elements but they all worked so well," says his son, Rolan Bolan, 26, who's also a musician. "It's amazing to think about what that must have been like when it came out."
The hits came fast, the hits came furious: "Ride a White Swan," "Hot Love," "Get It On," "Telegram Sam," "Children of the Revolution." T. Rex also released at least one classic album, 1971's "Electric Warrior."
"That's his 'Sgt. Pepper,' " says DeRogatis. "That's the album he got right from start to finish."
'He's dangerous'
Given that the U.S. loves its pop idols almost as much as Britain, it seems surprising that T. Rextacy never hooked the United States. The group had one major American hit, "Get It On," retitled "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" for U.S. tastes.
Nobody's ever done that groove quite as well.
-- Chicago Sun-Times pop music critic Jim DeRogatis
DeRogatis believes the singer's charisma, his aggressive androgyny, may have been just too much for American audiences. "I think it still scares people," he says. "America is an uptight country. That kind of anything-goes sexuality ... he's dangerous."
T. Rex, like its namesake beast that once dominated the landscape, didn't last. By the mid-'70s, ever-fickle Britain had turned its attention to the Bay City Rollers, and Bolan dabbled with a solo career and became a UK TV personality. He was still a popular figure, ready to record with a new band, when he was killed in an auto accident while riding with his partner, Gloria Jones. The date was September 16, 1977 -- exactly one month after Elvis Presley's death. He had barely turned 30.
Rolan Bolan, the pair's son, says that the '70s revival a few years ago helped reawaken interest in glam and T. Rex -- there are several tribute bands, he notes -- and he's pleased with the best-of reissue.
"It's going to be great for people to see where he came from," he says.
The son is particularly impressed with the way the father squeezed so much out of the era's sonic equipment. "The technology was limited, and he made the most of it. Now anybody can have a studio in their house."
"[The music] was really ahead of its time," agrees DeRogatis. Echoes can be heard in bands ranging from '80s popsters The Bongos to '90s alternative kings Stone Temple Pilots, he says. "I've been waiting for the big indie revival of his stuff."
And despite the hype surrounding T. Rextacy, Bolan's music still stands up, DeRogatis says. That's saying something: Out of context, the music of pop-star crazes often sounds dated -- lame, even. Bolan's songs remain vibrant enough that Mitsubishi adopted "20th Century Boy" for an ad with no apparent irony.
"Nostalgia is the bane of rock 'n' roll," says DeRogatis, but Bolan, he adds, still seems current. His energy, his sexuality, his danger -- his showmanship and flair -- is all right up front. "He had the courage to let it all hang out. ... He was a considerable talent."