Marc Bolan / T. Rex (December 24, 1972) – “Bolan Gets Into The Season’s Spirit...” Feature - Sunday Mirror
This festive Sunday Mirror picture feature highlights Marc Bolan and T. Rex as part of the Christmas television schedule. With a large performance photograph of Bolan dominating the clipping, the newspaper points readers towards a Top of the Pops appearance while noting that the current T. Rex single “Solid Gold, Easy Action” stood at No. 3 in the charts.
Publication: Sunday Mirror
Date: December 24, 1972
Country: United Kingdom
Published under the headline “Bolan gets into the season’s spirit...”, the short Christmas Eve feature uses Marc Bolan and T. Rex as one of the festive attractions available to television viewers.
The newspaper playfully suggests that many young fans would like to have this particular “Santa” arrive down their chimney. Instead, readers are told that they would have to settle for seeing their hero Marc Bolan with T. Rex on BBC-1’s Top of the Pops at 2.10.
The short item also draws attention to T. Rex's current chart success, identifying “Solid Gold, Easy Action” as the group's latest record and stating that it occupied the No. 3 position in the charts at the time.
A large black-and-white performance photograph fills most of the clipping. Bolan is shown performing with an electric guitar while wearing a large light-coloured beard as part of the seasonal presentation.
The picture provides the visual joke behind the newspaper's Christmas-themed headline and accompanying text.
Decorative stars run around the border of the entire clipping, reinforcing the festive presentation and turning the short television notice into a distinctive Christmas feature.
CONTEXT AND NOTES
The clipping combines three elements of T. Rex's profile at Christmas 1972: Marc Bolan's recognisable image, a BBC television appearance and the chart success of “Solid Gold, Easy Action.”
Rather than providing an interview or lengthy article, the Sunday Mirror uses the seasonal photograph and brief text to promote Bolan as a Christmas television attraction. The reference to the single being at No. 3 also places the appearance alongside T. Rex's continuing chart success at the end of 1972.
FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS
Event: Christmas Top of the Pops television promotion featuring Marc Bolan and T. Rex
Era: 1972 Bolanmania era
Tone: Festive, playful and promotional
Photography: Large black-and-white performance photograph showing Bolan with electric guitar and a large seasonal beard
WHAT THE CLIPPING SHOWS
• Feature titled “Bolan gets into the season’s spirit...”
• Marc Bolan and T. Rex promoted for BBC-1's Top of the Pops at 2.10
• “Solid Gold, Easy Action” identified as No. 3 in the charts
• Large festive performance photograph accompanied by a decorative star border
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