Mittwoch, 12. Sep 2007, 20:17
Marc Bolan: 30 September 1947 - 16 September 1977
A few events commemorating the life and work of Marc Bolan taking place this September.
Link to streamable Playlist I've created here on last.fm:
Glam Racket: Marc Bolan's influence on music
A collection of tracks with a clear T.Rex influence (several are blatant rip-offs!), a few tunes actually dedicated to Bolan, and a few cover versions thrown in for good measure.
More suggestions welcome!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/events/bolan/media/bolanredfern.jpg
BBC Radio 6 Marc Bolan Day this Friday – and on-line
http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/events/bolan/
On 14 September, BBC6 is devoting a whole day to Marc and his music, with new interviews, special features and T.Rex’s Greatest Hits throughout the day. Radio 6 is available on-line worldwide. See this link, which includes exclusive footage with commentary of Marc Bolan at Radio Hallam in 1975.
BBC pages:
Pictures
Schedule
Bolan's influence
Video
BBC Television Documentary and DVD
"Marc Bolan: The Final Word" will be transmitted in the UK at 21.00 on BBC4 on Friday 14 September 2007.
It will be followed at 22.00 by T.Rex Live At Wembley, 18 March 1972.
The documentary features Marc Bolan telling his own story, alongside fresh interviews with Gloria Jones, Harry Feld, Zandra Rhodes, Roger Taylor (Queen), George Underwood, Herbie Flowers, Andy Ellison & Chris Townson (John's Children), Lorna Luft, Marc Almond (Soft Cell), Steve Harley, Mike Mansfield, BP Fallon and Tony Visconti who, for the first time, is filmed working with the master tape of Ride A White Swan, revealing how the T.Rex sound was created.
Exclusive archive footage includes previously unseen film of John’s Children – with Marc – in April 1967, which is the earliest surviving film of Bolan, and cine film shot on the T.Rex UK tours of 1972, 1974 and 1976.
An extended DVD version of the programme will be released worldwide from 5 November 2007. This will include over half an hour of additional footage shot with Tony Visconti in his New York studio this summer, working on the master tapes for Ride a White Swan and Jeepster, plus deleted scenes. Release label is NBC Universal.
Tribute concert at Shepherd's Bush Empire, London - Saturday 15 September 2007
The life, times and music of Marc Bolan are to be celebrated with a special concert at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire. Legendary producer Tony Visconti will line up alongside a host of stars. Marc Almond, Rolan Bolan, Ray Dorset, Andy Ellison (John's Children), Chris Townson, Paul King, Linda Lewis and Clem Burke (Blondie) are already confirmed. Further names rumoured - more to be announced. Accompanied by Marc Bolan/T.Rex tribute band T.Rextasy, with many surprise guest musicians, each act will perform their own version of a Bolan/T.Rex classic. Proceeds from the concert will be split between Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy and PRS (Performing Rights Society) Members Fund.
Tickets: www.stargreen.com
BBC Radio 2 documentary
Saturday 15 September - 21.00
There’d never been a pop star quite like Marc Bolan, and there’s never been another since. On the weekend of the 30th anniversary of his tragically early death at the age of 29, and in the month when he would have turned 60, Paul Sexton looks at his life, music and legacy with the help of a stellar, extensive cast list of friends, family and collaborators.
The programme charts Bolan’s long and sometimes painful journey from the streets of Hackney in north London, via early unsuccessful singles in his own name and with John’s Children, to the hippy-era Tyrannosaurus Rex and then to his glam-era pop idol status as frontman of T.Rex. Marc’s older brother Harry Feld, schoolfriend Richard Young (now a highly respected photographer), longtime mate and rival David Bowie and early manager Simon Napier-Bell help to illustrate the early years of a “king mod” who went to school in a hand-made suit, and who was convinced he was cut out for stardom by the age of eight.
Pink Floyd's David Gilmour and Rick Wright remember the days when Bolan hung out at their office, while producer Tony Visconti talks about working on the early Tyrannosaurus Rex material and how Marc morphed into the ultimate early 1970s teen-dream glam heartthrob. Radio 2’s Bob Harris, who first met Bolan in the company of Marc’s early mentor John Peel in 1967, talks about compering the tour on which the phrase “T.Rextasy” was coined, and we hear vivid archive excerpts from his on-the-road report about the event for Radio 1’s ‘Scene and Heard’ programme of the day.
Also from the archive are clips from a Peel show from 1968 featuring Bolan, and a 1972 interview, by which time he was the hottest star in the UK. Noel Gallagher of Oasis talks about the classic run of T.Rex singles, how he directly ripped off one of them and why he didn’t get sued, while Bolan biographer Mark Paytress considers his contribution to pop culture.
The family story is further amplified by Marc’s partner Gloria Jones and their son Rolan Bolan, who talks about the tribute concert to Bolan that takes place tonight (September 15). Also taking part in the documentary are friend Bernie Taupin and modern-day PR guru Alan Edwards, whose first job as a teenager was looking after Bolan’s publicity, and there’s a rare radio appearance by fellow 1970s star Roy Wood.
Bolanesque – the Marc Bolan Birthday Cabaret Gala, live at the Café de Paris, London, 30 September 2007
The show is now finalised and newly added to the bill are:
Boy George – the former Culture Club frontman will be paying his respects to the T.Rex legend, singing three of his favourite Marc Bolan songs, live and uniquely for Bolanesque.
DJ Gary Crowley will be accompanying Jeff Dexter in the DJ booth.
Bob Harris has exclusively donated a 10-minute interview he conducted with Marc in 1971. He has added a new introduction to the recording, which will be aired in the special Whispering Room at the venue, alongside Tyrannosaurus Rex’s mellow sounds. Other artistes are as per the previous update, plus we will be delighted in welcoming Harry Feld as a very special guest.
Tickets: www.ticketweb.co.uk
Special Bolanesque t-shirts, women’s shirts and vests are now available via www.bravadolive.com/trex Further updates will be posted at www.bolanesque.com
Marc Bolan T.Rex Greatest Hits
Released on 10 September 2007 in the UK and Eire, and due to be released in Japan later this month, TV advertising and PR are now fully underway.
See www.marcbolangreatesthits.com for more details (and videos).
Digital Downloads and 7" singles from Demon Music Group
Demon will be following Universal’s three singles with three more. Details are:
17 September 2007 - Metal Guru
7” BLUE VINYL SINGLE, DOWNLOADS and 3 DIGITAL BUNDLES.
24 September 2007 - Children of The Revolution
7” RED VINYL SINGLE, DOWNLOAD & 3 DIGITAL BUNDLES.
1 October 2007 - 20th Century Boy
7” WHITE VINYL SINGLE, DOWNLOAD & 3 DIGITAL BUNDLES.
Full details at http://www.demonmusicgroup.com/NewsArticles.aspx#News10553
T.Rex Live at the BBC: 3-CD set
Universal will be releasing this special set, containing previously unavailable material, on 15 October 2007. It includes many tracks recovered from private collections, having been lost by the BBC. More details to follow soon…..
Ride A White SwanJeepsterRingo StarrThe BeatlesMetal GuruChildren Of The Revolution20th Century BoyElectric WarriorThe SliderUnicornCigarettes & alcohol