T.Rex and Marc Bolan - making sense of the posthumous releases

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by snipe, Feb 14, 2017.

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  1. snipe

    snipe Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Jonesboro, AR
    I know there are countless threads here on Bolan, but nothing seems to detail what exactly is on each of the countless box sets and best-of comps.

    I've got the albums, the singles, and the 6 disc BBC box. What's next?

    Do I go for the deluxe editions of the albums, or a few of the boxes? Are the bonus tracks on the reissues just rehashes of previously "previously unreleased" music, or do they have altogether unheard material?
    20th Century Superstar seems to get good ratings, but how much of it is duplicated vs. how much is "new"? Same with Wizard a True Star. The Unchained series / box seems to get mixed reviews. Some love it for the work-in-progress, some hate it for unlistenability (unfinished songs, fragments, etc.).

    When I collect music, I tend to get OCD and want everything. This time, I'm struggling with the muddy waters. It looks like everything tends to get released, then re-released under a new title, and on and on.
     
    Hep Alien likes this.
  2. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    I kept my Bolan collecting to the stuff that was released in his lifetime and the BBC Sessions because the posthumous stuff is so confusing! I copied the 20th Century Superstar 4 CD set from a friend years ago and I haven't played it in ages. If I remember rightly it's around 50/50 previously released / unreleased or very rare stuff.

    It's worth getting the Born To Boogie and T.Rex on TV DVDs too.

    bob60 will probably post on this thread. He'll have some good recommendations. His Bolan knowledge is impressive.
     
    Barnyard Symphony, bob60 and snipe like this.
  3. billy1

    billy1 Forum Resident

    'The Beginning of Doves' for Bolan pre Johns Children and Tyrannosaurus Rex tracks that predate the first album. The booklet explains it better. This is the version you want.

    Beginning Of Doves: Amazon.co.uk: Music
     
  4. beccabear67

    beccabear67 Musical omnivore.

    Location:
    Victoria, Canada
    That's where I am, the only artist who's catalog comes close to number of variations of unreleased stuff is Capt. Beefeart. I think his mid '60s solo Decca singles are brilliant but never seen them collected with unreleased stuff from the same period for some legal reasons I guess. Bolan's that is, the early Beefheart Magic Band singles are brill too of course.
     
  5. snipe

    snipe Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Jonesboro, AR
    This stuff appears to be prior to where Unchained picks up, correct? Or is it included in Unchained?
     
  6. snipe

    snipe Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Jonesboro, AR
    Also, does anyone know if Bolan Boogie is legit? I know BandCamp is generally independent acts selling, so not sure if this was a fringe / grey area dealer or if someone on the up and up.
    I bought the Children of Rarn to get the Visconti "finished" version. When running Lossless Audio Checker, it shows as "upsampled."
     
    Dave Thompson likes this.
  7. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    Deluxe editons ?
    Were they like The Kinks editions mono/stereo + extra songs ?
    If so how many T.Rex/
    Tyrannasaurus Rex in that format?
     
    Last edited: Feb 14, 2017
  8. billy1

    billy1 Forum Resident

    Course it's not legit. I took what I wanted a couple of years back without paying a penny. Flacs from mp3 eh! Copies of the Cologne show are available online, ten a penny :)shh:) in lossless. The radio shows can be bought through Amazon. You need to buy all the official stuff first to get your bearings and see what you actually want out of that crap.
     
  9. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    All the Tranny, but T. REX ?
     
  10. snipe

    snipe Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Jonesboro, AR
    Just making sure. If it were legit, I'd pay for some of that stuff. Otherwise, it appears they stream.
     
    Last edited: Feb 15, 2017
  11. JJAM

    JJAM Forum Resident

    Location:
    South East
    The catalogue is in a bit of a mess. I wish Thunderwing were allowed to oversee any reissues, considering the many unreleased jewels that they own and have. All of their releases have been superb and faultless.
     
    Ludger likes this.
  12. greelywinger

    greelywinger Osmondia

    Location:
    Dayton, Ohio USA
    Just a bit? :laugh:

    Darryl
     
    JJAM likes this.
  13. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    Vinyl >>>>
    Anybody collect EMI T.Rex UK 45s ( with EMI bags)?
     
  14. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    Oh yes! I have all of them with the sleeves.
     
    OneStepBeyond and alexpop like this.
  15. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    How many is there ?
     
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  16. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    I'm at work at the moment but I'll count them up later tonight when I get home. The unusual one is Children of the Revolution which has a red and white label and sleeve rather than the usual blue and red.
     
    alexpop likes this.
  17. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    Thing of beauty ...
    Used to have them.
    You never see a complete set.
     
    Man at C&A likes this.
  18. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    It took me years! T-Rex records are so hard to find in nice condition and the sleeves even more so. A couple of them could do with being upgraded but they are mostly excellent.

    I have all the T.Rex UK 45s issued during Marc's lifetime, with picture or T.Rex sleeves, but none of the Tyrannosaurus Rex ones.

    I also have all the Tyrannosaurus Rex and T.Rex UK LPs from Marc's lifetime, complete with inners, inserts and posters, all in excellent condition. I love T.Rex and put a lot of effort into getting the collection together. You can never have too much Marc in your life. I hope you get lucky and find a load of them together somewhere cheap.
     
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  19. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    One of those addiction artists where you just have to be a completist.
     
  20. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    Yeah, for years I only had a couple of 45s, a double K-Tel Best of, which was surprisingly great, as well as Electric Warrior on cassette. Then I found an immaculate and complete Electric Warrior UK Fly original and I got obsessive about getting the rest. I'm glad I did it before the vinyl resurgence. I played the 'Flyback' compilation last night on the Dansette in my avatar. Still a great compilation of Tyrannosaurus Rex era stuff.
     
    alexpop likes this.
  21. alexpop

    alexpop Power pop + other bad habits....

    WhAt about that funny cut LP ( strange shape yellow cover )all the singles on it T.Rex vinyl comp.
     
  22. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    I don't know that one. I don't think I've seen it.
     
    alexpop likes this.
  23. I have the blue and red T.Rex vinyl singles in sleeves as released in New Zealand in the early 70's. Unfortunately, they are not in the best of condition although they do still play fine. At 12 - 13 years of age keeping these things in good condition was not a consideration. I was so obsessed with T.Rex back then those singles would go everywhere with me and were played constantly on many cheap record players. I also had a habit of writing my name on record labels in ball point pen, or I would write on a sticky labels which I would stick on the record label and on the sleeve. Wish I had kept better care of them.
     
  24. TheLoveDrags

    TheLoveDrags Forum Resident

    I think I have more Marc Bolan related related CD's than I do of any other artist & I have thousands of CD's, so that's no small comment.
    I am not a completest in the regards that I buy everything with the name on it but I do make sure I have that I buy anything that features anything I don't already have, alternate takes, demos, etc.

    I am a completest [in the above mentioned way] about every artist I am in to so saying I have more Bolan stuff than any other artist says quite a bit!

    I guess it just depends on how big of a fan you are & how deep you want to go...
     
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  25. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    There's 17 on the T.Rex label (Celebrate Summer, Dandy In The Underworld & Crimson Moon have picture sleeves)

    One on EMI (To Know Him Is To Love Him by Marc Bolan & Gloria Jones in EMI company sleeve)

    5 on Fly (including Debora reissue with 'Magni Flys' company sleeve, Ride A White Swan & Get It On have picture sleeves)

    There's a couple of oddities I don't have - a single under the alias of Big Carrot on EMI from 1973 and one on Track, I think it's Jasper C Debussy and it had a picture sleeve. There's an extremely rare one under the name Dib Cochran & The Earwigs on Bell from 1970. It's worth hundreds and I've never seen one.

    There were 5 Tyrannosaurus Rex singles on Regal Zonophone. I don't have any of them. I wish I did! I do have the John's Children - Desdemona 45 on Track from 1967 but without the very rare picture sleeve.
     
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