T. Rex (March 1–7, 1972) "Vorsicht, T. Rex - Fieber!" - BRAVO

BRAVO magazine three-page special report documenting the explosive arrival of T. Rex in Germany and the outbreak of “T. Rex Fever” with scenes compared to Beatlemania.

Publication: BRAVO

Date: March 1–7, 1972

Country: Germany

Section: Feature / Report

THE STORY	WHAT THE CLIPPING SHOWS
Detailed coverage of T. Rex’s test concerts in Hamburg and Münster. The report describes chaotic airport arrivals, streets brought to a standstill for autograph sessions, and concert hysteria with fans screaming, crying, and chanting. Marc Bolan and Mickey Finn are portrayed as the new idols triggering the first major fan frenzy in Germany since the Beatles.	• Dramatic red banner: “Vorsicht, T. Rex - Fieber!” • Large crowd photos and concert shots • Marc Bolan and Mickey Finn performing and interacting with fans • Bold headlines declaring the return of Beatlemania-level excitement

CONTEXT AND NOTES	RELATED MATERIAL
This March 1972 BRAVO feature captures the moment T. Rex conquered Germany. With four major hits (“Ride a White Swan”, “Hot Love”, “Get It On”, “Jeepster”), the band’s arrival sparked unprecedented hysteria, confirming their status as one of the biggest acts in Europe.	T. Rex (January 7, 1972) "Part Two of the T. Rex Story" - Sounds T. Rex (March 25– 1972) "The Concerned Genius at the T. Rex Concert"- New Musical Express T. Rex (April 29, 1972) New Musical Expr For more similar posts, check out the tags at the bottom of the page.

FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS	SOURCES
Event: Multi-page fan hysteria report Era: 1972 (Peak T. Rextasy / European breakthrough) Tone: Excited, sensational Photography: High-impact black & white crowd and performance shots	• BRAVO Magazine, March 1–7, 1972 • Writer: Jörg Flemming • Photography: W. Heilemann

Caution, T. Rex fever!

After this show, one thing is certain:

Marc & Mickey

Rock fans are coming to Germany

Forget what's been happening in recent years! Now there's T. Rex. And with them comes the fever back, the packed venues, the burning hands, the tears of joy. BRAVO experienced it firsthand: At two T. Rex test concerts in Hamburg and Münster, we saw scenes like in the best Beatles days. Read this report to find out more.

Hamburg:

Crowds block Mönckebergstraße as T. Rex sign autographs in front of a record store. Traffic is at a standstill for minutes; even the police are powerless. And over the heads of the crowd echoes an almost forgotten cry: Yeah, yeah, yeah!

T. Rex fever in Hamburg:

2000 whistling, clapping, stamping down

"Huge," gasps Marc Bolan, "that was the greatest!" The T. Rex frontman tears his wet shirt off, and a gold chain with an oval tag flashes on his bare chest. "Love" is written on it. Nothing else.

After the T. Rex concert in Germany, I'm sitting in their dressing room. A scrap of green tissue paper hangs above the mirror light, spreading green light. T. Rex like it green. The room is quiet. A few snatches of conversation now and then. SO

"Do you hear it?" asks Mickey Finn. We listen. Then I hear it too.

T. Rex! T. Rex! T. Rex! It sounds muffled, like a drum roll approaching. 2,000 rock fans are turning Hamburg's Musikhalle into a cauldron of noise. They're whistling, screaming, clapping, and stomping. Honestly,

I haven't experienced anything like this in years.

Not these screams, the crying, and the laughter. "I'm proud that the fans in Germany like us," says Mickey, taking a sip from his glass of Coke/whiskey. He has every right to be: T. Rex are the new gods of rock music

Two years ago, at the beginning of their career, Marc and Mickey told me in London: "When we have four hits, we'll go on tour. And then we'll come to you." And I promised them: "BRAVO will book you! It'll be a big, wild tour like the BRAVO Beatles tour was back then."

Now T. Rex are there. They have four worldwide hits: "Ride a White Swan," "Hot Love," "Get It On," and "Jeepster." They've shot to rock stardom at breakneck speed, with managers, luxury cars, and loads of money. England is already gripped by T. Rex fever. Now it's spreading to us too. "We're not doing anything to make it happen," says Marc with an innocent smile, "it's our fans who are driving us to the top."

Marc is right. I experienced it myself when I waited for T. Rex at Hamburg Airport that morning. They were coming to Germany for two test concerts, to gauge the atmosphere in Münster and Hamburg for their first German tour. Their arrival time was top secret, but the airport terminal was teeming with fans. Two girls, Petra (15) and Babs (16), were pushing in front of me. For hours

A favor for Mickey: His girlfriend Irene bandaged his fingers after the two-hour marathon show. Mickey Finn had drummed them raw on his bongos.

Reception on the tarmac: These girls crowded around the rock stars' plane upon arrival in Hamburg. Marc Bolan was thrilled: "The German girls are sexy!"

They waved a banner. "We love T. Rex." Petra confessed to me that she had a lump in her throat. With her left hand, she clutched a love letter in verse for Marc; she had read in BRAVO magazine that he also wrote poetry.

Rodents and roadies, eleven people in total. Petra dropped her banner, ran towards Marc, and sobbed, hugged him. Marc laughed, kissed her, and signed her hand. Petra had tears of joy in her eyes - Marc Bolan knows exactly how to handle girls.

At 4:20 p.m., the plane carrying the T. Rex landed. I drove across the tarmac in the special bus, directly to the aircraft, and took the two girls with me. Marc was the first to appear on the gangway. Mickey, in his thick fur coat, pushed him down the stairs. Behind them came Marc's wife, June.

Evening, 11:10 PM. T. Rex's first German concert is over. After the third encore, Marc and Mickey take a bow. In the background, bassist Steve Currie and drummer Will Legend bow. I'm standing backstage when all hell breaks loose in the audience. Hundreds of hands reach out to T. Rex, grabbing for Marc Bolan. I see boys dancing to the rock rhythm and girls trembling, fighting back tears.

"Yeahhhhh!" a scream echoes through the hall. We flee to the dressing room

"We've sold twelve million records in fourteen months with four hits, believe me. Sometimes, I think this is all just a dream," Marc says to me in the green twilight of the dressing room. I can understand him. Anyone else would have gone crazy by now. But Marc remains grounded. The guy who sticks glittering bits of glitter under his right eye and bewitches fans on stage with a top hat on his head has remained a friend who keeps his word. "Now we're off to America, and then it's your turn," he says.

Meanwhile, the phones are ringing off the hook between Munich and London. Soon, BRAVO will bring the hottest rock group since the Beatles to Germany. My plea already: Receive T. Rex as they deserve! They've earned it!

Jörg Flemming

Photos: W. Heilemann

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