Manifestations ? Riots ? Not at all. This policemen are simply there to watch the wild youth that came to acclaim, worship and listen to the latest British pop phenomenon. A year ago, when he was playing the Fillmore East in New York, very few were aware of him. You got it? T.Rex. Today everyone has at least heard the name of the most blasting band. One of the most T.Rexmaniac shows was held in the Boston Gliderdrome, where over 2,000 people were attending their gig. This ecstatic crowd nearly fainted when their god appears. Marc Bolan, in blue dungaree and gold lamé jacket, suddenly breaks on scene and the band's litany starts... Then the other musicians appear, one after the other under the limelight. It's total frenzy, the apotheosis , the collective orgasm, the legitimate reward for having waited too long. And the hits follow the hits : " Hot Love ", " Get It On " and " Jeepster ", each is evidence for Bolan's success. Believe it or not, Marc Bolan is the only real rock star of the start of the seventies. Who are T.Rex's fans? The average fan is 14, mainly girls, who on that peculiar date came from all over the UK : Glasgow, Sheffield, Liverpool, Cardiff ... The only to bother were the policemen. But how does Marc feel about comparing T.Rexmania with Beatlemania ? " Well, he says all grinning, I think we've reached the heights of communicating with millions of young people, and we manage keeping high standards in music "

But let's try to have a better knowledge of Marc Bolan and understand why young lads so much want to act and look like him, and why so many young girls want to approach him.

Marc Feld was born in Hackney, 25 years ago, from a modest background. His mother was running a fruit stall at Barwick Street market, and 5 years old Marc used to help. From then on, everything happening on this popular market, the warmth of the sounds and colours deeply impressed Marc.

Now Marc's grown. He's multi-talented as well as he's lazy. He starts selling records. His formula is kind of simple : he steals a disc everytime he 's buying one, and then sells the stolen records to a record shop in a nearby town. He also worked as barman at "Two I's " ( a famous bar in Soho district). That's where he met some unknown folks that later became famous " I remember meeting Cliff Richard, when he was still Harry Webb. " He was always very attracted by anything close to music. His idols were Eddie Cochran, Ca.rl Perkins, Elvis and even Lonnie Donegan ( famous skiffle guitarist/singer, some ten years ago ). His only aim was sharing their fate. He was so enthusiastic about music that he even built his own guitar from an orange box and elastics!!

He was always improvising fantasies, impersonating a pop idol. He even drew his dream further in joining the band Suzy and the Hoola Hoops.

Suzy was none other than the woman who went later very famous as Helen Shapiro. The third member of the band was Stephen Gould.

He often brags of having learned playing guitar in one day, later improving under Eric Clapton's teaching who also inspired him. Some of his mates used to act as part of the National Theater group and offered him to play a few parts, but that wasn't what he was after. The real start in his musical carreer was when he met John Economides in 1965. Marc is 17. He signs for Decca and gets a single released "The Wizard" (in which Bob Dylan's influence is clear) under the Marc Bowland pseudonim, on Decca's decision. The single fails, Marc now joins a professional band : John's Children. "I joined this band cos they needed a new guitarist. They needed a kind of poet who knew how to rock, a kind of Pete Townshend. And I think I really was their Pete Townshend, indeed."

From the very start, Marc was seing himself as someone of Dylan's or Townshend's status. He knew the latest from having heard him playing and even having played with him. Marc states :I know I'm as good as him, and Pete knows it's true".

In 1967 John's Children recorded "Desdemona"but Marc left after only 3 months. "To be honnest, I left them because I knew I couldn't be their leader, and I couldn't accept this"

It was now time for what he was deeply wishing : his own band. That would be Tyrannosaurus Rex, totally devoted to Marc's songs. Why didn't he try a solo carreer then? He rather felt the need to be part of a band, "but that's no insult to the musicians, just the opposite".

It was time for the legendary meeting of Marc and Mickey Finn (bongos, congas, percussions, dancer and much more...) in a London restaurant. Marc's agression, that he was holding deep inside himself, suddenly poured out and was witnessed by British TV audiences. Never forget, he says very seriously, that "Ride A White Swan" hit at 30 in English charts after only 2 airings!

"Following that we got exposure on telly and people did appreciate what they saw. " "Ride A White Swan " was the link between his previous Tyrannosaurus Rex poems/songs and the new style that Marc wanted to succeed with T. Rex (a shortened named for better impact).

Lyrics were keeping close to those of "One Inch Rock" or "Woodland Bop", two early Bolan songs.Here really started the T.Rexmania. Critics and journalists were laudatory even though Bolan, at that time, kept shy with the press.

Climbing and storming to the top of the charts, Marc, who used to be quite lonesome in his myth and legends world, opened to the music that was played around. He became very receptive to external influences. When "Ride A White Swan" started to fade, Bolan and Finn recorded "Hot Love". On that occasion a drummer had joined in, Bill Legend. The young British audiences were ready for a new musical step. After Elton John, the Faces, the Beatles, and the Who, there was room for something new.

That was the niche T. Rex would fill. During april 1970, when "Hot Love" hit number one, T. Rex was on the move for the USA. Marc felt it was time for recruiting 2 more musicians, Steve Currie (young bassist and previously a lorry driver) and Bill Legend, who already had played on "Hot Love". The East coast was a new market that had to be conquered. It was easy finally, American audiences being quite open-minded to pop music. On the west coast T.Rex's fame was already gained. Right now, "Electric Warrior" , their last album, is at the top in every state they visit. "In England we're not as popular as we are now in the States. But you can be an idol in one country and totally unknown elsewhere. That's fate".

T. Rex then opened their British tour at Bournemouth's winter gardens. That was a riot! Currie and Legend, totally scared at first are now fully enjoying this blasting enthusiastic reactions.

But Marc is now trying to avoid those girls who kneel at his feet, fighting to touch him, endlessly playing 'Electric Warrior' in their Carnaby Street shops. He's also fighting for musical acknowledment, and he's not alone in that. His best friend , supporter and ally is June, his wife for 2 years now. June is multi-talented : she drives the white Rolls (Marc hasn't got a driving licence), looks after Marc's business, talks with pubicists, makes appointments... She also corrects Marc's poetry spelling. Marc, indeed, is also a poet.

Marc enjoys being outrageous while on stage for his own pleasure only. I perfectly deal with the image I'm giving of myself because that's deeply what I am. When I watch myself on telly I usually laugh. Mocking yourself is useful when you're a star like him.During the fall of 71, T.Rexmania had reached unimaginable heights. "Get It On" , released on 2d of july, charted only a few days later. " Electric Warrior", released on 24th of september, hit number 4 at light speed.

By the end of the year, T.Rex, now spearheaded by Tony Secunda (who was once producer for the Moody Blues and the Move) had reached the height of fame in UK. But Marc doesn't let himself be fooled by this almost crazy worship. Music is a sacred art "It gives me the most satisfying feeling, nothing else can compare." he says.

Even the introverted Mark Feld had predicted, in his impish child wild dreams, that his face, one day, would make the magazine covers and he would be in every conversation. He needs a strong will to resist success's drug euphoria and keep in mind that someday everything will end. But Bolan will survive. He resists feeling secure and doesn't lean on his long awaited fame. The knowledge thirsty pupil still lives in Marc, always pushing his own limits further. That's the key of his success. "Maybe next year I'll direct movies, who knows?..." His influence, no doubt is already impressing today's listeners, tomorrow's musicians.