Marc Bolan / T. Rex (November 4, 1972) – “T. Rex Today Is A Going Concern” Feature - The Argus
This short record column by Charles H. Sanders considers the continuing success of T. Rex while looking back at Marc Bolan’s earlier Tyrannosaurus Rex recordings. The piece contrasts Bolan’s glitter-era 1972 image with vintage material from the mid-1960s, highlighting an American reissue containing two early albums.
Publication: The Argus
Date: November 4, 1972
Country: United States
Appearing within Charles H. Sanders’ “rock, jazz, country, vintage” column, the T. Rex item opens by describing the group as a “going concern” on Reprise Records and identifies Marc Bolan as the driving figure behind T. Rex.
The article looks back to Bolan’s earlier Tyrannosaurus Rex period before contrasting that music with his contemporary success. By 1972, the writer places Bolan alongside young favourites including Alice Cooper and David Bowie
Particular attention is given to Bolan’s appearance. The article describes the glitter surrounding his eyes and the distinctive star positioned at the corner of one eye, reflecting the visual transformation that accompanied the rise of T. Rex.
The main record-related focus is a package of vintage Tyrannosaurus Rex material imported from England by A&M Records. The writer explains that the set gathers two early albums, “Prophets, Seers and Sages” and “My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair..
Sanders notes that the recordings date from an earlier period of Bolan’s career and argues that they provide insight into the influences surrounding the young musician.
The article concludes that although the albums belong to an earlier era of pop-rock, there should still be a ready market for the recordings among listeners in the former British colonies.
CONTEXT AND NOTES
The clipping is particularly interesting because it places two different versions of Marc Bolan side by side: the earlier Tyrannosaurus Rex musician represented by the reissued albums and the glitter-covered T. Rex star familiar to American audiences in 1972.
Rather than reviewing a current T. Rex single, Sanders uses archival recordings to examine Bolan’s musical background and development. The piece therefore provides an American contemporary perspective on how dramatically his image and career had changed.
A photograph accompanies the column and is captioned “Mark Bolan, of T. Rex”, using the alternative spelling “Mark” in the newspaper caption.
FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS
Event: American feature on T. Rex and vintage Tyrannosaurus Rex recordings
Era: 1972 Bolanmania era
Tone: Retrospective and record-focused
Photography: Photograph accompanying the article, captioned “Mark Bolan, of T. Rex”
WHAT THE CLIPPING SHOWS
• T. Rex described as a current success on Reprise Records
• Marc Bolan discussed alongside Alice Cooper and David Bowie
• Reference to Bolan’s glitter and star eye decoration
• Vintage Tyrannosaurus Rex recordings imported by A&M Records
• “Prophets, Seers and Sages” and “My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair...” identified as the two albums in the package
• The early recordings presented as an insight into the development of Marc Bolan
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.
Comments