It started with a school trip to Devon early summer 1971. We stop for a refuel and someone pops a coin in to the jukebox. First comes the drums then " You're so sweet, You're so fine , I want you all and everything just to be mine" Its Jeepster. Later I find out he cribbed it from Howlin' Wolf.
Impeccable sources From that moment
On my fate is sealed. I'm a fan. More than a fan a disciple. Through thick and thin I'll follow him. I'll defend him to my friends who say he only knows three chords and cant play... not like say ...Steve all datasets Hillage or that guy from Be-Bop_Deluxe! But I know I'm right. Its about feel. There is something untamed and righteous about his music. Its from within and its a cosmic blues. Weird and magical.
Ex Mod, Ex Hippy, Glam Rocker it doesn't matter : it's all expression. Turning oneself into the object. Catch him on Top of the Pop's. Animal grace combined with a joyous noise...."Metal Guru" "Telegram Sam"....Even those appearances later on "Supersonic" sailing too close to parody. A bloated Bolan on a pantomime White Swan! More defending to be done!
This is music that will live forever. It was made that way. Much of it was recorded very quickly and it resonates with the spirit of early "Rock and Roll". The music that first turned on the young Mark Feld. Elvis, Chuck Berry, Eddie Cochran , Webb Pierce....it just jumps out of the radio, demanding to be heard. You want proof?
Check out the false start blocked chords that precede
The mighty "Twentieth Century Boy" or the extraordinary guitar solo in "Whatever Happened To The Teenage Dream" that seems to dip and ride with Visconti's inspired string arrangement. And the T.R.E.X! chant at the beginning of "The Groover" just in case you didn't know who it was! And those time changes that herald the chorus in "Jitterbug Love" Oh and he was a Poet too. "Venus Loon" , "Electric Slim and the Factory Hen" "The Leopards Featuring Gardenia and the Mighty Slug"..."the leader of our pack lives down the local drain"
Many of these songs feature the classic
T.Rex line-up of Bolan on guitar, Mickey Finn on bongos, Steve Currie on bass ( Spaceball Ricochet!) and Bill Legend on drums ( Country Honey!) Later on Gloria Jones ( Tainted Love!) put some lovely Soul into the mix on songs such as "Sky Church Music" and "Dawn Storm" And a special mention should be made for Tony Visconti...A master producer who helped realise Bolans vision with empathy and grace. Marc could produce too. Check out the "mad stomping lunacy" of "Think Zinc" or the "boogie mind poem " of "New York City".
People say he lost it to drink and drugs and its true there were times..... He could be self destructive and boastful... but through all his egotistical ravings...he seemed like an innocent....a lost child who'd been granted his wish of fame and fortune without realising that what he wished for most could destroy him.
And yet by the time of his death....aged only 29...he'd cleaned up his act. Re-invigorated and healthy he'd survived the Stalinist purge of Punk and started his own TV show..giving bands like The Jam and Generation X a chance to shine. He never was a member of the Rock Royalty and all the young Punks knew it. He was one of theirs. Street Poet. Dreamer. Big Head. Chancer. Groover. Bolan.