This day 55 years ago, on 26 July 1971 the late greatMarc Bolan‘s (1947-1977)
glam rock band T. REX topped the UK Singles Chart with 24-karat ripsnorter GET IT ON.
Bolan revealed later that he took the main riff from Chuck Berry‘s corker Little Queenie. In the US the track was renamed ‘Bang a Gong (Get It On)‘
to avoid confusion with a song of the same name by a combo called Chase.
60s/70s legends T. REX (originally named Tyrannosaurus Rex) were
pioneers of glam rock, fronted by poster star Marc Bolan. With 12 LPs
between 1970 and 1977, and a series of hit singles such as Hot Love,
Telegram Sam and 20th Century Boy, they cemented their legacy for
eternity.
Unfortunately, Bolan was a deadly victim
of a car crash in 1977. He was only 29.
But they never disappeared from the boogie rock universe.
Their work influenced countless artists over the years and still
does. And their music is immortal.
A previously unreleased track, titled I’M DAZED is discovered now and online.
Uncut Magazine revealed that “I’m Dazed” was first laid to tape in March 1975
at Château d’Hérouville in Paris. The version released today was cut at Munich’s Musicland Studios on April 22, 1975 with the classic T. Rex lineup of Bolan, Steve Currie, Gloria Jones, Davey Lutton, and Dino Dines. It was recently discovered on studio tapes from the era“.
The late musical genius DAVID BOWIE (8 January 1947 – 10 January 2016)
released a single, called MEMORY OF A FREE FESTIVAL on 12 June 1970,
today 55 years ago.
The single featured Marc Bolan
on lead guitar and backing vocals.
Originally recorded as a 7-minute opus in 1969, it was reworked in 1970. His label Mercury Records, believed that the track had a better chance of success as a single
than the LP’s track ‘The Prettiest Star’, released earlier in the year. Bowie and producer Tony Visconti roughly split the track in half, re-recording it so both halves could
function as individual songs.
Biographer David Buckley described the song as “a sort of trippy retake of the Stones’ ‘Sympathy for the Devil’ but with a smiley lyric”. The track was written as a homage to
the Free Festival, organised by the Beckenham Arts Lab, which was held at Croydon
Road Recreation Ground in Beckenham (UK) on 16 August 1969.
Sounds like a hippie hymn turning, midway, into a gospel choir song.
MARC BOLAN, the mastermind of massive hit machine T. REX, back in the 70s,
was born in Hackney, Londen on 30 September 1947. He’s an immortal 18-Carat
rock star. He would have celebrated his 77th birthday today.
Unfortunately, he passed away on 6 September 1977. The pin-up spearhead
of glam and glitter rock died in a car incident. He was only 29. His wife was
behind the wheel and survived the crash.
MARC BOLAN died 45 years ago, on 16 September 1977 in a car accident.
The pin-up spearhead of glam and glitter rock legends T.REX. He was only 29.
His wife was behind the wheel and survived the crash.
A 45th Anniversary concert will take place tomorrow in LondonSeptember with
veteran stars Marc Almond (Soft Cell), Tony Visconti (celebrated producer), David
Vanian (Japan) Toyah, Holly Johnson (Frankie Goes To Hollywood), Andy Ellison and
several more.
