It opens with a hit single on either side of the old vinyl album. Side one links together well with “Mystic Lady”, “The Slider”, and the nicely chilled “Space Ricochet” all standing out. “Rock On” with vague reminders of “Hot Love” and “Baby Boomerang” are equally as effective. “Buick Mackane” with its early “Children Of The Revolution” style riff ends a great first side.
Side Two kicks off with “Telegram Sam” with Marc’s knowing lyric, ‘golden nose Slim, I knows where you been’. The bizarrely named blues based “Rabbit Fighter” leads into the instantly recognizable “Baby Strange”. Such was the strength of Marc’s songwriting at the time; it found itself almost lost on the b-side of “Telegram Sam”. “Ballrooms Of Mars” is next with its references to Bob Dylan, John Lennon, and Alan Freed. Freed’s inclusion may have confused some UK fans but was no stranger to those in the US. He was the DJ sited as being responsible for coining the phrase ‘rock ‘n’ roll’.
Marc Bolan crammed more into his all too brief time than most of us would achieve in several lifetimes. Reading his biography, it was almost as if he was destined to become a star. On September 16, 1977, he was killed when the Mini he was a passenger in collided with a tree in Barnes, West London. He was just two weeks short of his 30th birthday. The tree is now a permanent shrine to his memory, always bedecked with flowers and tributes.
So join me in celebrating his birthday as he would have wanted you to. Get up in the attic, get down that old vinyl and “Get It On”.
Marc Bolan September 30, 1947 – September 16, 1977.
Click here for the Official Website of the Marc Bolan fan club.
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