Marc Bolan / T. Rex (July 1973) – “Bolan Aims His ‘Tanx’" – Circus Magazine

The July 1973 issue of Circus features an article by Barbara Graustark on Marc Bolan and T. Rex, focusing on his response to critics with the new album Tanx.

Publication: Circus

Date: July 1973

Country: United States

THE STORY

The article notes that only months earlier critics had agreed the Crown Prince of British Pop would not be around much longer. Now Bolan is back with a new LP that threatens to make mincemeat out of the mudslingers. It includes live performance descriptions, a story from the Japan tour when an earthquake shook the stage, and Bolan’s comments on critics, his right to go onstage, and the making of Tanx with producer Tony Visconti.

CONTEXT AND NOTES

The feature presents Bolan defending his work against negative reviews and discussing the pressures of success, the public’s right to listen or not, and his determination to continue.

Live photos show him and the band in energetic stage performances, with captions referencing band members Micky Finn, Will Legend and Steve Currie.

FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS

Event: Feature / interview

Era: 1973 (Tanx era)

Tone: Defensive, energetic Photography: Black-and-white live performance photos of Marc Bolan and T. Rex

WHAT THE CLIPPING SHOWS

• Bold headline “Bolan Aims His ‘Tanx’ At The Critics Who Tried To Kill Him”

• Live photos of Marc Bolan jumping and performing with guitar

• Text covering the Japan earthquake incident and responses to critics

• References to the new album Tanx and producer Tony Visconti

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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