Paul Todd

Marc Bolan (November 3, 1966) – “Pop Scene” Feature The November 3, 1966 “POP SCENE” column by Patrick Kerr provides a particularly early profile of Marc Bolan, then just eighteen years old and still years away from the success that would follow with Tyrannosaurus Rex and T. Rex. The piece introduces Bolan as a young singer with an individual approach to pop music and discusses the first record under the Marc Bolan name, “The Wizard.” Rather than concentrating only on the single, the article gives readers an unusually personal glimpse into the interests behind the emerging performer, touching on literature, mythology, travel, black music and the experiences that were already feeding into the songs. POP SCENE
By PATRICK KERR Out of the flood of young, casual, protest singers who have tried to follow in the groove carved by Bob Dylan, only Donovan has emerged successfully enough to establish himself here and in America. But there now comes a young man who looks at first glance as though he might be of this type, but who in fact has a very definite, individual approach to pop music. His name is Marc Bolan, and he is just eighteen. His whole approach to singing and writing stems from his way of life since the age of fifteen. At that age he went to Paris to 'bum around' for eighteen months, and took up with a coloured magician. In Marc's own words, here is a description of life with the wizard. 'We lived in an old château on the Left Bank. Wow! Was that a weird place. Stacks of books, all leather bound, in Arabic, Egyptian, and other odd languages. We had an owl called Archimedes and the biggest, whitest Siamese cat I've ever seen. We never had full stomachs, yet thanks to the mystical wizard we never actually starved . . .' Marc now comes up with songs which have a real fairy-tale quality. His first record is The Wizard, and tells a little about the black magician. I think that initially people will be suspicious of the song, and will try to find hidden meanings in the lyrics; but in fact it's really about nothing more than what most children have experienced in their make-believe worlds. Puff The Magic Dragon, for instance, which was successfully recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary, is a similar kind of song, but soon the 'hippies' began to read into it clever hidden meanings and allusions to drugs and addicts. It's now become almost an anthem for drug takers. Marc Bolan has been extremely fortunate in getting the right man to produce his record. He's an American called Jim Economides, responsible for records by Bobby Vee, Julie London, Bobby Darin and the early Elvis Presley ones. Jim has also worked with Phil Spector. He's now in England and Marc is the first English artist he has produced. Ones to watch for: Marc Bolan, The Wizard Photo caption: Marc Bolan, pop singer fascinated by black magic: on 'Ready Steady Goes Live' (12 Nov) The cutting prints his name with a mark over the o ("Bölan").

T. Rex (October 17, 1972) – “T-Rex, Doobies Score at Aud” Concert Review – Press-Telegram. Published two days after the performance, this Press-Telegram review covers T. Rex at the Long Beach Auditorium alongside The Doobie Brothers. Pop-music critic Preston Reese challenges comparisons between Marc Bolan and The Beatles, but reports that T. Rex generated their own excitement before a full house.

Marc Bolan (October 7, 1972) –  Feature – The San Francisco Examiner. A short newspaper profile introduces Marc Bolan to American readers, examining his rapid rise from cult performer to international rock star as T. Rex's popularity continued to grow in the United States. Publication: The San Francisco Examiner Date: Saturday, October 7, 1972 Country: USA Written by Tom Campbell, the article describes Marc Bolan as both Britain's newest sex symbol and one of rock music's most talked‑about personalities. Referencing comments made earlier in the year by Paul McCartney, Bolan is presented as the figurehead of a phenomenon comparable to Beatlemania. The piece focuses on Bolan's carefully cultivated public image, noting how he surrounded himself with the trappings of stardom while becoming one of the most visible personalities in contemporary rock. One anecdote recounts a publicity stunt involving a mock shoot‑out at Tampa airport in which Bolan and members of T. Rex used water pistols before being "disarmed" by security personnel. The article also highlights Bolan's growing connection with Ringo Starr, who directed the T. Rex film Born To Boogie and was helping secure distribution arrangements for the project in the United States. Starr also contributed photography for T. Rex's then‑current album The Slider. According to the feature, both Ringo and Maureen Starr were frequently seen wearing T. Rex shirts in public. While acknowledging criticism that Bolan sometimes focused more on image than musicianship, the writer points out that only a short time earlier T. Rex had been a support act in America. By October 1972, the group had become headline performers touring major venues. The article concludes by noting that Bay Area audiences would soon be able to experience the phenomenon firsthand when T. Rex performed at Winterland Arena on Friday the 13th