Marc Bolan (October 18, 1972) – “Life With A Pop Idol” Feature - Evening Post
This Evening Post feature, the second part of Leslie Nichols’ series, looks at Marc Bolan through the experiences of June Bolan. The article concentrates on what everyday life was like alongside one of Britain’s biggest pop stars, covering their marriage, the extraordinary attention surrounding Marc, the pressures created by fans and the practical side of life during the height of Bolanmania.
Publication: Evening Post
Date: October 18, 1972
Country: United Kingdom
Under the headline “Life with a pop idol”, Leslie Nichols asks June Bolan what it was like being married to Marc Bolan. The article begins with their marriage and explains that June, formerly June Feld, had already been living with Marc before they decided to formalise their relationship.
June first met Marc while working as a secretary for Blackhill Enterprises in London. Through the agency, which represented Marc among other acts, she booked his appearances at London’s Roundhouse and Lyceum Implosion events. The article recalls the strong fan following surrounding Tyrannosaurus Rex and contrasts that earlier underground audience with the much greater intensity surrounding T. Rex by 1972.
June describes the reality of Marc’s rapidly increasing fame. While she admires his success, she admits that the crowds of fans could sometimes become difficult. Admirers would arrive at the couple’s Chelsea home, knock on the door and wait outside in the hope of seeing Marc. June says she would sometimes invite waiting fans inside for tea but also recalls occasions when the constant attention became frustrating.
The article stresses how dramatically Marc’s life had changed. June contrasts the earlier days, when relatively small numbers of people might recognise Marc, with the extraordinary fan attention that had developed around T. Rex. She describes groups of admirers gathering wherever Marc appeared and acknowledges that living alongside such intense popularity required considerable adjustment.
At the same time, June explains that she was becoming increasingly comfortable dealing with the practical demands of Marc’s career. Secretarial training helped with business appointments, while her everyday responsibilities included working alongside manager Tony Secunda and secretary Sally Watari, communicating with press, fans, agents and others seeking access to Marc.
June also contributed directly to Marc’s work. The feature notes that she checked spelling in Marc’s song lyrics and poetry and typed material into legible form. Her involvement therefore extended beyond domestic life into the practical organisation surrounding his songwriting and career.
The article also discusses the couple’s home life and June’s attitude towards the attention Marc received from fans. While recognising that some admirers could become obsessive, she explains that she did not spend her time worrying about Marc while he was away. Instead, she concentrated on maintaining everyday life despite the extraordinary circumstances surrounding them.
CONTEXT AND NOTES
The feature was published during the height of T. Rex’s popularity and offers a different perspective on Bolanmania by examining its effects within Marc Bolan’s personal life.
Rather than interviewing Marc directly, Leslie Nichols uses June Bolan’s experiences to illustrate how rapidly life had changed as T. Rex moved from an underground following to mass popularity. Her recollections provide a domestic counterpart to the concert hysteria and chart success usually associated with Marc during 1972.
The feature also reveals June’s considerable involvement behind the scenes. In addition to managing everyday life, she dealt with business matters, fans and professional contacts while helping Marc by checking and typing his written work.
A small photograph accompanying the headline shows Marc Bolan and carries the caption “Marc Bolan, a star.”
FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS
Event: June Bolan discusses everyday life with Marc Bolan during the height of his fame
Era: 1972 Bolanmania era
Tone: Personal, revealing and observational
Photography: Small portrait photograph of Marc Bolan accompanying the headline
WHAT THE CLIPPING SHOWS
• Part two of Leslie Nichols’ series focusing on June Bolan
• June discussing her marriage to Marc and their life together
• The increasing intensity of fan attention surrounding Marc and T. Rex
• June’s involvement with Marc’s business affairs, fans, press and professional contacts
• Her work checking and typing Marc’s poetry and song lyrics
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