T.Rex

What a glamtastic Yule treat for Bolanites the world over! The T.Rex VINYL COLLECTION is a sparkling delight – super-stylish and worth every penny! It makes for the perfect present, alternatively, treat yourself and add it to your own collection.

The 8-album box set features the following original titles: T.Rex, Electric Warrior, The Slider, Tanx, Zinc Alloy & The Hidden Riders of Tomorrow, Bolan's Zip Gun, Futuristic Dragon and Dandy In the Underworld.
Whether intended to replace worn original vinyl editions, or frame some of the most iconic record sleeves for the wall, or simply to be reacquainted with the work of one of rock's most popular and enduring legends, this box set (rrp of £129.99 for the vinyl set) covers the quintessential Marc.

With 2 vinyl versions of T.REX ' THE VINYL COLLECTION - a collector's limited edition of 500 coloured vinyl sets which will be available through D2C, Demon's online outlet http://www.myplaydirect.com/t-rex and a black vinyl set available through Amazon, this release is a must for Bolan fans. There will also be a CD Box Set of the range.

T. Rex (1971): It was the album that saw the boppin’ elf transform from cosmic hippie to a flamboyant and androgynous white swan (and ditch the group's previous mouthful of a name, Tyrannosaurus Rex). Indeed, Ride A White Swan turned out to be surprise hit of winter 1970. That said, the album still contains its share of airy-fairy compositions, with the Tolkien-inspired ‘The Children of Rarn’ stretching far into mystical realms. Friend and photographer Pete Sanders took the stunning cover photo of Marc and percussionist sidekick Mickey Finn, both sporting make-up to accentuate their androgynous beauty.

Electric Warrior (1971): For many, the quintessential T.Rex album! Who could argue when the tracks include eternal chart-toppers such as ‘Jeepster’ and ‘Get It On’, but also other fabulously rockin’ songs like ‘Mambo Sun’, ‘The Motivator’ and ‘Rip Off. Features iconic, John Kosh-designed artwork based on a photograph by Kieron 'Spud' Murphy.

The Slider (1972): Released in summer '72, when T. Rextasy/Bolanmania was steering toward the generation-defining Glam Rock movement, The Slider offers the definitive T. Rex sound at its commercial peak, with timeless hits such as ‘Metal Guru’, ‘Telegram Sam’, ‘Rock On’, ‘Spaceball Ricochet’ and of course the title track. Bolan insisted that mate Ringo Starr took the cover shot, though in fact it was Tony Visconti.

Tanx (1973): Eager not to get stuck in his admittedly hugely successful hit formula, Bolan pulled out the stops and introduced a range of new instruments including the Mellotron into the T. Rex sound. Despite including the mega ‘Born To Boogie’ (used as a soundtrack for the hit movie/musical Billy Elliott), other tracks on the album include the refreshingly rich and inspiringly different ‘Left Hand Luke and The Beggar Boys’, ‘Broken Hearted Blues’ and ‘Electric Slim and The Factory Hen’. As for the sleeve… it’s got to be every female Bolan fan’s wet dream, what with our androgynous glam-pixie suggestively ‘riding’ a toy tank, never mind a white swan. Enough said!

Zinc Alloy & The Hidden Riders Of Tomorrow (1974): This sees Bolan enter the sizzling and gutsy sound of US soul and R&B, no doubt due to musical influences by the new lady in his life, American gospel- and R&B singer Gloria Jones. Considered an extraordinary provocation at the time, Zinc Alloy is the odd-one out in the T. Rex catalogue and remains ripe for reappraisal. Includes the rather commercial Teenage Dream, Bolan's extraordinary, self-willed farewell to pop stardom, and various other gems like the stonking ‘Venus Loon’, ‘Interstellar Soul’ and ‘The Avengers (Superbad)’. Price for the most oddly titled song has to go to ‘The Leopards Featuring Gardenia & The Mighty Slug’. The striking cover photo reflects Bolan’s conversion to what he called ‘space-age superfunk’.

Bolan's Zip-Gun (1975): In exile both from Britain and his successful yet formulaic pop past, Bolan let rip in LA and freed himself up in the studio. The results proved to be a mixed bag of tricks and the album wasn’t greatly appreciated. The years, however, have been kind to 'The great lost Marc Bolan album' thanks in part to Bolan's own direct, contemporary sounding production. It includes ‘Light Of Love’, ‘Solid Baby’, the lost classic Think Zinc’, and ‘Zip Gun Boogie’, the band’s least successful release. Once again influenced by partner Gloria Jones, the album’s sound is an eclectic mix of rock, soul and futuristic sonic experiments.

Futuristic Dragon (1976): The title harks back to Bolan's days as a late 60s underground cult hero, and so did the psychedelic-hued artwork, illustrated by David Bowie's long-time pal George Underwood, and so very, very Bolan! The album includes two of Bolan's best-loved hits, ‘New York City’ and ‘Dreamy Lady’, and an array of precious scorchers like ‘Chrome Sitar’, ‘Jupiter Liar’, ‘Calling All Destroyers’ and the instrumental ‘Theme For A Dragon’. What an extraordinary mind frame!

Dandy In The Underworld (1977): With a title that almost uncannily mirrors Bolan’s personal ups and downs, the album was considered a darn fine ‘comeback’ affair and was the highest-charting album since ‘Zinc Alloy…’
Back in London and drawn into the revolutionary punk rock sound then sweeping the capital, Bolan assembled a new-look and fresh-sounding T. Rex, featuring a gutsier, R&B based sound, though with Bolan's trademark lyricism still shining through. An added bonus was the infectious revivalism of his 1976 hit, ‘I Love To Boogie’. Sadly, and just when all started to look peachy again for Bolan, ‘Dandy In The Underworld’ turned out to be his swansong release… glam-rock’s first super star died in a car crash in Barnes, south-west London, on Sept 16th, 1977… shortly before his 30th birthday. Luckily for his many fans, his legacy lives on.

Unusually for music that's now 40 years old, the work of Marc Bolan and T. Rex - much of it recorded with legendary record producer Tony Visconti - kicks and sparkles just as much in the 21st century. Indeed, looking at the manifold albums, singles and what have you that Marc Boland dished out during his short lifetime, one can’t help but thinking he must have been one of the busiest pop/rock stars ever – an electric warrior in the truest sense!