Tyrannosaurus Rex (March 13, 1970) A Beard of Stars Album (UK)
Tyrannosaurus Rex’s fourth studio album A Beard of Stars marked a pivotal transition from acoustic psychedelic folk toward an emerging electric sound, featuring the arrival of Mickey Finn and Marc Bolan’s growing confidence with electric guitar.
RELEASE / PUBLICATION DETAILS Artist: Tyrannosaurus Rex
Title: A Beard of Stars
Date: March 13, 1970
Label: Regal Zonophone Format / Type: Album
Country: United Kingdom Catalogue: SLRZ 1013
THE STORY Recorded at Trident Studios with producer Tony Visconti, A Beard of Stars was the first album to feature Mickey Finn after Steve Peregrin Took’s departure. The record blends the duo’s established mystical folk sound with Bolan’s increasing use of electric guitar, marking a clear step toward the electric glam rock that would define T. Rex.
CONTEXT & NOTES This album represents the final chapter of the Tyrannosaurus Rex era before the name was shortened to T. Rex. It reached #21 on the UK Albums Chart and was praised for its tasteful electric elements. The cover photography by Pete Sanders is iconic of the band’s woodland-mystic aesthetic.
PERSONNEL
Marc Bolan – lead vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, chord organ, bass
Mickey Finn – Moroccan clay drums, tabla, finger cymbals, bass, backing vocals
PRODUCTION Produced by: Tony Visconti Engineered by: Malcolm Toft Photography by: Pete Sanders
CHARTS
PACKAGING / ARTWORK HIGHLIGHTS
Pete Sanders photography of Bolan (front) and Finn (back)
Fully laminated sleeve with lyric insert
Regal Zonophone label
TRACK LIST
Side A
Prelude
A Day Laye
The Woodland Bop
Fist Heart Mighty Dawn Dart
Pavilions Of Sun
Organ Blues
By The Light Of A Magical Moon
Wind Cheetah
Side B
A Beard Of Stars
Great Horse
Dragon’s Ear
Lofty Skies
Dove
Elemental Child
WHAT THE SLEEVE SHOWS
The front cover features a striking black-and-white photograph of Marc Bolan, while the back shows Mickey Finn. The sleeve includes a lyric insert and maintains the band’s mystical, fairy-tale imagery.
RELATED MATERIAL
See tags at foot of page.
SOURCES Discogs, 45 Worlds, Wikipedia, BBC Official Charts, Regal Zonophone archives
All album artwork, photographs, labels, and original text excerpts remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This entry is a transformative, non-commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference.
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