T. Rex (January 30, 1976) – Futuristic Dragon LP

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Futuristic Dragon is the eleventh studio album by T. Rex and was released on January 30, 1976 by EMI Records. The album followed Bolan's Zip Gun and continued Marc Bolan's exploration of new musical directions during the mid-1970s.

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The release was preceded by the successful UK singles New York City and Dreamy Lady, both of which became UK chart entries. While the album received a largely negative critical response at the time of release, it has since undergone substantial critical reappraisal and is now regarded as one of the more adventurous albums in the T. Rex catalogue.

RECORDING

The album was recorded at MRI Studios in Hollywood, California, Paragon Studios in Chicago, Illinois, and Scorpio Sound in London.

Marc Bolan produced the album himself and continued to expand the T. Rex sound through extensive studio experimentation, incorporating heavier production techniques, layered arrangements and a broader range of instrumentation.

The sessions featured the core T. Rex line-up alongside additional contributions from Gloria Jones, Dino Dines and Jimmie Haskell.

STYLE & THEMES

Futuristic Dragon blends glam rock with blue-eyed soul and disco influences. The album reflects Bolan's growing interest in American soul music and contemporary dance sounds while maintaining the lyrical themes and melodic approach associated with T. Rex.

Tracks such as Dreamy Lady embraced disco rhythms, while songs including All Alone, Ride My Wheels and Dawn Storm incorporated soul-inspired arrangements. More experimental compositions such as Chrome Sitar and Calling All Destroyers featured dense production and unusual sonic textures.

TRACK-BY-TRACK NOTES

• Futuristic Dragon (Introduction) — Atmospheric opening piece introducing the album's futuristic themes.

• Jupiter Liar — Glam rock performance with expansive production.

• Chrome Sitar — Features sitar textures and experimental arrangements.

• All Alone — Soul-influenced composition showcasing Bolan's evolving style.

• New York City — Hit single and one of the album's best-known tracks.

• My Little Baby — Melodic mid-album recording.

• Calling All Destroyers — Dense production with layered sonic effects.

• Theme For A Dragon — Instrumental bridge into the album's second side.

• Sensation Boulevard — Glam rock and soul influences combined.

• Ride My Wheels — Strongly influenced by American soul music.

• Dreamy Lady — Disco-inspired hit single issued under the "T. Rex Disco Party" banner.

• Dawn Storm — One of the album's most critically acclaimed recordings.

• Casual Agent — Closing track of the original album.

BONUS TRACKS

• London Boys — Added to the 1994 CD reissue.

• Laser Love — Added to the 1994 CD reissue.

• Life's An Elevator — Added to the 1994 CD reissue.

RELEASE HISTORY

Released on January 30, 1976, Futuristic Dragon reached number 50 on the UK Albums Chart.

The album was not issued domestically in the United States until 1987.

A remastered CD edition was released by Edsel Records in 1994 and included bonus tracks. In 1997, the companion release Dazzling Raiment (The Alternate Futuristic Dragon) was issued, containing alternate versions, rough mixes and solo recordings. A combined digipak edition followed in 2002.

CHARTS & CERTIFICATIONS

AMERICA

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EUROPE

UK Albums Chart — No. 50

PERSONNEL

Marc Bolan — vocals, guitars, moog

Gloria Jones — backing vocals, clavinet

Steve Currie — bass guitar

Davy Lutton — drums

Dino Dines — keyboards

Jimmie Haskell — strings

PRODUCTION

Produced by Marc Bolan

Cover Artwork by George Underwood

Label: EMI Records

Length: 40:22

Recorded At: MRI Studios, Hollywood • Paragon Studios, Chicago • Scorpio Sound, London

RELEASE VARIANTS TABLE

Artist	Title	Label	Country	Cat No.	Date	Format
T. Rex	Futuristic Dragon	EMI Records	UK	—	January 30, 1976	LP
T. Rex	Futuristic Dragon (Remastered Edition)	Edsel Records	UK	—	1994	CD, Remastered
T. Rex	Dazzling Raiment (The Alternate Futuristic Dragon)	Edsel Records	UK	—	1997	CD
T. Rex	Futuristic Dragon / Dazzling Raiment	Edsel Records	UK	—	2002	CD, Digipak

TRACKLIST TABLE (ALL FORMATS)

Format	Catalogue	Tracklisting
LP NOTES • Eleventh studio album by T. Rex. • Released by EMI Records. • Featured the hit singles New York City and Dreamy Lady. • Originally received mixed to negative reviews upon release. • Later critically reappraised by major music publications. • Companion release Dazzling Raiment (The Alternate Futuristic Dragon) issued in 1997. • Combined digipak edition released in 2002. RELATED RELEASES • Bolan's Zip Gun • Dazzling Raiment (The Alternate Futuristic Dragon) • Dandy In The Underworld • New York City • Dreamy Lady	Not Supplied	Side One: • Futuristic Dragon (Introduction) • Jupiter Liar • Chrome Sitar • All Alone • New York City • My Little Baby • Calling All Destroyers Side Two: • Theme For A Dragon • Sensation Boulevard • Ride My Wheels • Dreamy Lady • Dawn Storm • Casual Agent
CD Reissue	Not Supplied	Album: • Futuristic Dragon (Introduction) • Jupiter Liar • Chrome Sitar • All Alone • New York City • My Little Baby • Calling All Destroyers • Theme For A Dragon • Sensation Boulevard • Ride My Wheels • Dreamy Lady • Dawn Storm • Casual Agent Bonus Tracks: • London Boys • Laser Love • Life's An Elevator
CD	Dazzling Raiment (The Alternate Futuristic Dragon)	Track Listing: • Futuristic Dragon (Introduction) • Chrome Sitar • All Alone • New York City • My Little Baby • Sensation Boulevard • Dreamy Lady • Dawn Storm • Casual Agent • London Boys • Life's An Elevator • Futuristic Dragon (Introduction) • All Alone • Dreamy Lady • Casual Agent • Casual Agent • All Alone (Solo Recording) • Dreamy Lady (Solo Recording) • London Boys (Solo Recording) • Life's An Elevator (Solo Recording)

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SOURCES Discogs, 45 World, Wikipedia, BBC Official Charts.

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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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