16.10.2009.

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MARC BOLAN & T. REX - Anthology (1991)

This three-disc box set covering 68-77 is a ‘Marc on Wax’ release with Fly-RZ catalogue licensed from Castle. Probably issued to coincide with the re-release of ‘20th Century Boy’ it has all the hallmarks of a rush job. Let’s see what you get; three tightly packed CDs including all the big hits and some nice rarities, a booklet with a rather subjective overview of Marc’s career, good photos though, and a stiff slip case. HERE

DISC 1 - The Early Years
This starts off well with a different from usual track list. The singles are there of course but it all goes wrong when we get to ‘One Inch Rock’. The case gives a P date of 1968 (the single version) but in fact it’s the 1970 cut from ‘T.Rex’. The stereo electric take is quite often substituted for the mono single version (uncredited so beware) on iffy compilations, but giving the wrong info is unforgivable. Otherwise it’s all a bit of a jumble. The running order while different isn’t very engaging, and ceases even to be chronological after track 14. Spelling junkies please note ‘Consuela’ and ‘Saltimbanques’. On the plus side it does include the rare ‘Pewter Suitor’ and the even rarer ‘Oh Baby’.
01. Debora
02. Child Star
03. Knight
04. Consuela
05. Oh Harley (The Saltimbanques)
06. Evenings Of Damask
07. Iscariot
08. By The Light Of The Magical Moon
09. Organ Blues
10. Elemental Child
11. Childe
12. Seagull Woman
13. Once Upon The Seas Of Abyssinia
14. Cosmic Dancer
15. Lean Woman Blues
16. Rip Off
17. One Inch Rock
18. Pewtor Suitor
19. Salamanda Palaganda
20. King Of The Rumbling Spires
21. Oh Baby

DISC 2 - The Singles A's & B's
Actually just the big hits, from ‘Ride a White Swan’ to ‘20th Century Boy’, presented chronologically A then B. Sadly, again there are reasons to dislike this disc. First, and almost criminally, ‘Raw Ramp’ is cut up. ‘There was a Time’ and ‘Raw Ramp’ are divorced and ‘Electric Boogie’ amputated. Second, and merely a gross oversight by comparison, the ‘Xmas Jingle’ that precedes the B-side version of ‘Born to Boogie’ is not present, despite a mention in the accompanying booklet. Third, did you know Cochran and Capehart wrote ‘Is It Love’? Fourth, in this format I found it annoying not to have the full studio chat/noise found on the Fly vinyl B-sides. Fifth, there is a much better running order to be had than strictly ABAB etc, ABBA works much better. Still, twenty-two important tracks otherwise not on one album is an achievement.
01. Ride A White Swan
02. Is It Love
03. Summer Time Blues
04. Hot Love
05. Woodland Rock
06. The King Of The Mountain Cometh
07. Get It On
08. There Was A Time
09. Raw Ramp
10. Jeepster
11. Life's A Gas
12. Telegram Sam
13. Cadillac
14. Baby Strange
15. Metal Guru
16. Thunderwing
17. Lady
18. Children Of The Revolution
19. Jitterbug Love
20. Sunken Rags
21. Solid Gold Easy Action
22. Born To Boogie
23. 20th Century Boy
24. Free Angel

DISC 3 - From Glam Rock to Fast Punk 1972-1977
No more than a run through of album cuts from 72-77, with a few single-side only tracks tacked on the end for good measure. Again the songs are assembled with no apparent thought for sequencing. The ‘Big Carrot’ track would have been a real bonus here, a good balance to ‘Oh Baby’ on CD-1. It all ends up seeming a bit messy and difficult to know what they were trying to achieve. The only error is ‘Ride My heels’.
01. Buick McKane
02. Rabbit Fighter
03. Chariot Choogle
04. Tenement Lady
05. Left Hand Luke
06. Venus Loon
07. Leopards (feat. Gardinia & The Mighty Slug)
08. Till Dawn
09. Solid Baby
10. Precious Star
11. Calling All Destroyers
12. Casual Agent
13. Crimson Moon
14. Pain And Love
15. Teen Riot Structure
16. Life's An Elevator
17. Tame My Tiger
18. Ride My Heels
19. Sitting Here
20. All Alone
21. Midnight