T. Rex (October 3, 1970) – “Rex Single” News Item - Melody Maker
This short Melody Maker news item announces the forthcoming release of T. Rex's first single for the newly formed Fly Records label. The report provides details of the release, the label's structure and the tracks selected for what was described as a unique triple A-side single.
Publication: Melody Maker
Date: October 3, 1970
Country: United Kingdom
Under the headline "Rex Single", the article reports that one of the first releases on the new Fly Records label would be a T. Rex single scheduled for release on October 9, 1970.
The news item explains that Fly Records was jointly owned by Track Records and Essex Music, with each company holding a fifty percent share. The new label had taken the place of Regal Zonophone and would handle releases by artists including Procol Harum, Joe Cocker, The Move and T. Rex.
Particular attention is given to the forthcoming T. Rex release, which is described as a triple A-side disc. The three featured tracks are listed as:
• Ride A White Swan• Is It Love?• Summertime Blues
The article also notes that The Move's debut Fly Records single would be "When Alice Gets Back To The Farm."
Although brief, the report marks an important moment in the history of T. Rex, documenting the beginning of the group's relationship with Fly Records and the release that would soon launch Marc Bolan's rise to major chart success.
CONTEXT AND NOTES
Published days before the release of "Ride A White Swan", the article captures T. Rex at the start of a new phase in their career. The move to Fly Records would prove significant, with the single becoming the record that initiated the transformation from the underground Tyrannosaurus Rex into the chart-dominating T. Rex.
The item also documents the early ambitions of Fly Records, outlining the artists who would form part of the label's catalogue following its launch.
FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS
Event: Announcement of T. Rex's first Fly Records single
Era: 1970 transition from Tyrannosaurus Rex to T. Rex
Tone: Informative and industry-focused
Photography: No photographs included in the clipping
WHAT THE CLIPPING SHOWS
• Announcement of T. Rex's first Fly Records release
• Release date of October 9, 1970
• Triple A-side tracks: • Ride A White Swan • Is It Love? • Summertime Blues
• Details of the newly formed Fly Records label
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