Marc Bolan & T. Rex (2016) – Born To Boogie (The Concerts, Wembley Empire Pool, 18th March 1972): 2 CD
Born To Boogie (The Concerts, Wembley Empire Pool, 18th March 1972) is a significant archival live release documenting T. Rex at the height of "T. Rextasy." Issued by Edsel Records in 2016, the collection presents complete recordings from both the afternoon and evening concerts performed at London's Wembley Empire Pool on March 18, 1972.
While the original Born To Boogie film and soundtrack have become central parts of the T. Rex story, this release differs by concentrating exclusively on the concert performances themselves. Rather than recreating the soundtrack album, the collection restores the Wembley appearances in a more complete form, allowing listeners to experience the events as they unfolded before a capacity audience.
The release arrived during a renewed interest in the T. Rex archive and provided one of the most complete official documents of the group's live peak. By March 1972, Marc Bolan had become one of Britain's biggest rock stars, with successive hit singles, chart-topping albums and a fan phenomenon unlike anything seen since Beatlemania.
RECORDING
The performances were recorded at Wembley Empire Pool, London, on March 18, 1972.
Two complete concerts are featured, consisting of the afternoon matinee show and the evening performance. Together they capture the classic T. Rex line-up in front of an enthusiastic audience during one of the group's most important concert engagements.
The recordings feature Marc Bolan on vocals and guitar alongside Steve Currie, Bill Legend and Mickey Finn. The performances were originally associated with the filming of Born To Boogie, the concert film directed by Ringo Starr.
Unlike many live albums assembled from multiple dates, this collection focuses entirely on a single historic day, documenting how the band evolved between the afternoon and evening performances.
CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
By the spring of 1972, T. Rex had already achieved an extraordinary run of success. Ride A White Swan, Hot Love, Get It On, Telegram Sam and Metal Guru had established Marc Bolan as the leading figure of the glam rock movement.
The Wembley concerts represented the band's arrival at a level normally reserved for major international headliners. The atmosphere captured throughout the recordings reflects the extraordinary excitement surrounding the group at the time.
The performances also demonstrate the strength of T. Rex as a live unit. While critics occasionally focused on Bolan's image and chart success, these recordings show a powerful concert band capable of stretching songs beyond their studio counterparts.
Extended versions of Cadilac, Get It On and Telegram Sam reveal a heavier, more improvisational side of the group that was rarely documented on contemporary studio releases.
STYLE AND PERFORMANCE
The concerts balance material from across the T. Rex catalogue while focusing heavily on the group's most successful period.
Songs from Electric Warrior sit comfortably alongside recent hit singles, with familiar favourites receiving energetic treatments designed for the large concert setting.
The chemistry between Marc Bolan and the audience is evident throughout both performances. The screaming crowd becomes almost an additional instrument, underscoring the scale of T. Rex's popularity at the time.
The inclusion of Eddie Cochran's Summertime Blues provides a reminder of the rock and roll influences that shaped Bolan's music, while the extended closing versions of Get It On demonstrate the band's ability to build excitement through repetition and improvisation.
THE MATINEE SHOW
The afternoon performance opens with an introduction by legendary DJ Emperor Rosko before launching into an expansive version of Cadilac.
From there the band moves confidently through Jeepster, Baby Strange, Spaceball Ricochet and Girl, before delivering particularly strong performances of Cosmic Dancer and Telegram Sam.
A jubilant rendition of Hot Love leads into an eleven-minute performance of Get It On, one of the centrepieces of the release.
Following audience demands for more, Emperor Rosko returns before the band concludes the performance with a lively version of Summertime Blues.
THE EVENING SHOW
The evening concert largely follows the same structure while revealing subtle differences in tempo, atmosphere and audience response.
Several performances are noticeably extended, particularly Spaceball Ricochet and Cosmic Dancer, giving the second show its own distinct identity.
The crowd remains enthusiastic throughout, responding strongly to Jeepster, Telegram Sam and Hot Love.
The evening version of Get It On once again serves as the climax of the concert, followed by Rosko's request for "one more time" and another powerful performance of Summertime Blues.
Taken together, the two shows provide a fascinating snapshot of T. Rex during a single day at the height of their popularity.
RELEASE HISTORY
The collection was issued in Europe during 2016 as a two-CD set on Edsel Records.
The release formed part of a broader programme of archival T. Rex releases and coincided with a Record Store Day vinyl edition issued by Demon Records.
The package was presented in a six-panel digipak and included a twenty-page booklet featuring photographs, liner notes and historical background material.
PERSONNEL
Marc Bolan — vocals, guitar
Steve Currie — bass
Bill Legend — drums
Mickey Finn — hand percussion, congas
Emperor Rosko — concert introductions
Tony Visconti — producer
Mark Paytress — liner notes
Tony Norman — liner notes
Phil Kinrade — CD mastering
Keith Morris — photography
PRODUCTION
Label: Edsel Records
Catalogue Number: EDSK 7104
Format: 2 × CD
Country: Europe
Released: 2016
Mastering: Phil Kinrade
Mastered At: Alchemy Mastering
Package: Six-panel Digipak with 20-page booklet
NOTES
• Features complete matinee and evening Wembley Empire Pool concerts from March 18, 1972.
• Distinct from the original Born To Boogie soundtrack album.
• Includes introductions by Emperor Rosko.
• Features performances associated with the filming of Born To Boogie.
• Licensed from Startling Music Ltd. and Spirit Services Holdings s.a.r.l.
• Includes a twenty-page booklet.
• Artwork incorporates original design concepts by John Kosh.
• Barcode: 740155710439.
RELATED RELEASE
RELEASE VARIANTS TABLE
Artist | Title | Label | Country | Cat No. | Date | Format |
Marc Bolan & T. Rex | Born To Boogie (The Concerts, Wembley Empire Pool, 18th March 1972) | Edsel Records | Europe | EDSK 7104 | 2016 | 2 × CD |
Marc Bolan & T. Rex | Born To Boogie - The Concerts, Wembley Empire Pool, 18th March 1972 | Demon Records | Europe | DEMREC131 | 2016 | 2 × LP, Yellow Vinyl / Green Vinyl, Numbered Record Store Day Edition |
Marc Bolan & T. Rex | Born To Boogie (The Concerts, Wembley Empire Pool, 18th March 1972) | Yamaha Music Media Corporation | Japan | YMCP-10043 | 2016 | 2 × CD, Remastered |
TRACKLIST TABLE
Format | Catalogue | Tracklisting |
Disc 1 | EDSK 7104 | The Matinee Show • Rosko's Intro • Cadilac • Jeepster • Baby Strange • Spaceball Ricochet • Girl • Cosmic Dancer • Telegram Sam • Hot Love • Get It On • 'Just One More Time?' • Summertime Blues |
Disc 2 | EDSK 7104 | The Evening Show • Rosko's Intro • Cadilac • Jeepster • Baby Strange • Spaceball Ricochet • Girl • Cosmic Dancer • Telegram Sam • Hot Love • Get It On • 'One More Time?' • Summertime Blues |
Sources Discogs, 45 World, Wikipedia, BBC Official Charts.
All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders.
This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non-commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference.
No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.
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