Pop Music - Weekly -
22nd november 1972 - # 124
Page 5: T.Rex, Led Zeppelin: major British tours... T.Rex will perform, among other places, at Sundown Edmonton on December 22nd. On this occasion, T.Rex will be supported by a piano, a mellotron, and three backing singers.
Page 6: Telex: Marc Bolan declared in the Melody Maker: "I did not flop in the USA! ..."
Page 12:
If Bowie is the archetypal artist for 1980s, Marc Bolan, for sure, is exactly the kind of idol for the 70s. Marc Bolan or T. Rex; they're the same. T. Rex, is a shortening, in a commercial sense, of Tyrannosaurus Rex. A long time ago, during the time of "swinging London", the UFO and the British underground movement, a duo would frequently perform. The duo consisted of Marc Bolan, a guitarist who sang with a strange vibrato voice and a percussionist/vocalist with very long hair, who seemed to come from a Balkan legend, and known by the name of Steve Peregrine Took. Both men had a passion for Eastern music and were trying to create, by the addition of unconventional instruments, a mystical atmosphere. Their performance on stage was even more ground breaking. The two musicians would play while sitting on the floor, amid clouds of incense. Their first album "My People Were Fair And Had Sky ln Their Hair ..." met with moderately good success, mainly in London, where the duo frequently performed. The song titles clearly reflect the mythical interests of Bolan and his partner: "Afghan Woman", "Knight", “ChiId Star" and "Graceful Fat Sheba". The second LP, "Prophets, Seers And Sages", confirmed the talent of the two men. This album brought them some fame in America, during a short promotional tour.
Feeling his audience were leaving for more “mainstream stars”, Bolan radically changed direction, and created a character, closer to his true self, who ticked all the right boxes to become a pop star. He dismissed Steve Peregrine Took, replacing him with Mickey Finn. Swopped his acoustic guitar for an electric Fender and ditched his medieval garb for brightly coloured silk costumes, then stood in front a wall of amplifiers and set out to conquer teenage girls looking for a hero. The move was tremendously successful, and he became the star of plastic and glitters, the one for whom we had to forge the new word of T.Rexmania, the one that sparks riots and beats every record in the charts and singles sales. Despite the slight feeling of discomfort that we can only feel in front of this spectacular "turncoat" we must salute his composing talent. He was able, by retreating old themes of rock, of creating new songs and top the charts. And we can only admire his innovative choices when naming every song : "Jeepster"; "Metal Guru";"Get It On"; "Monolith" or "Mambo Sun". Millions of singles, millions of albums, audience by thousands at every concert, that’s quite a respectable achievement. This proves that Marc Bolan or T. Rex, as you prefer, is a great talent. A talent aimed at financial gain maybe, but nonetheless a great talent. And that's what matters most.
Slade ... Unlike the music of Bowie, who exudes richness and sophistication, and the opposite of that of Bolan, which has delicacy and an undeniable sense of melody, Slade’s songs are noisy, brutal and of a melodic poverty.