Is the late Marc Bolan under--rated?

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Marc Bolan,guitarist,song writer,and poet.In the early 1970's(1971-1973)sold more record's worldwide than TheWho,and The Rolling Stones combined(mostly in Europe)(check with Billboard if you find this hard to swallow).Marc Bolan passed away in 1977 and does not get much recognition for his many talent's.His influence is still hear today in many rock band's sound today.Many musician's give him his do,but historian's seem to overlook this man.Why is Marc Bolan not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?T.Rex were a great band,and Bolan an artist of the highest quality. Is Marc Bolan one of the greatest under rated rock-pop artist's of all time?Why,or why not?

― James Hargraves, Sunday, 10 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

YES

― Paul, Sunday, 10 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

He could be praised to the infinite skies by all and still be underrated. Not that I'm biased or anything. ;-)

― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 10 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Yes. In the states, most people think he only had one good song, "Band a Gong", when in fact he had two. *ducks*

― Curt, Monday, 11 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

HELL YEAH. At least in America.

― Arthur, Monday, 11 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Definitely under rated but why i'm not really sure. Maybe its because Marc Bolan never outlived the glam tag which was never really taken serious even if it did spawn the likes of Bowie and a decadent Lou Reed among others. Marc Bolan/TRex was to be my first "Live Concert" of an overseas artist but alas it was not to be. Mummy and Daddy didn't want their 14 year old corrupted by that cross dressing gender bender Mr. Bolan. I'm still pissed off i didn't get to see him nice and loud and in the flesh belting his Les Paul playing 20th Century Boy or my favourite The Slider. It was early seventies and yes a year later i was let off the lease to see that Devilgate Girl, Suzi Quatro. I loved it and the bug well and truly set in from there. What was the question again???

― Harry H, Monday, 11 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

I generally avoid terms like 'over-rated' or 'under-rated' as it infers that there is some sort of official rating system somewhere, who is doing this rating? How has their rating been measured? Why should we care about these people running around doing all this rating? I don't much care what other folks rate.

Thats what I think.. uh, generally that is.

If we take a poll of everybody on the planet, get a 100% return and every single person says they rate T Rex 'very highly' I will complain bitterly that T Rex are being under-rated, how about the low level or response (surely a few people could have worked out how to cheat the system and multiple vote! Have these people never heard the opening chord of 20th Century Boy? Bastards!)

And whats with the mealy mouth rating of 'very highly' - does 'Drive a rolls royce cos its good for my voice' mean nothing to these philistines with no poetry in their soul? Even if 'very highly' was the highest rating available you could have added a new one above it...

Erm so yeah, as I said, I don't pay much attention to this over- rating under-rating thing. Good band T Rex though, I like them loads.

― Alexander Blair, Monday, 11 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

T. Rex is my standard answer to "who's your alltime favorite band?" Underrated? I suppose, but having them somewhat underexposed (at least here in the States) kinda helps keep them more special to me. Everyone that matters thinks he's a genius.

― Sean, Monday, 11 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

I'm another who thinks that they cannot possibly be overrated. I saw them live! (I'm old enough, and British.) He was a lousy poet, but one of my all-time favourite lyricists, a great guitarist (not many chordsw, but what a sound), still the cutest man in the history of pop, with a gorgeous voice and unforgettable tunes. One of the all- time great pop stars, undoubtedly. Not making it big in any particulat country, even the most important one, is no indicator of quality. Bush are quite big in America and shrugged at here. America makes better records, but we have better taste...

― Martin Skidmore, Monday, 11 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

I just spotted I just kinda said what Ned said earlier in the thread, though Ned said it with a great deal more brevity and a considerable amount more suaveness.

Dang, I hate that, Sorry

― Alexander Blair, Monday, 11 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Don't knock yourself, Alexander, it was still a fun post. :-)

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 11 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Yes, that post was definitely underrated.

― Curt, Monday, 11 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

All I have to add to Alexander's post is: 1) I've only been hanging around here a few weeks, but I am not in the least surprised to see Bolan is beloved by ILM since he is of the first order of angelic representatives of the essence of pop; 2) Bono deserves SLOW PAINFUL CREAMY DEATH (if he didn't already) for trashing Children of the Revolution in Moulin Rouge; 3) "Rabbit Fighter" swoons me like the first swooner who ever swooned. Classic classic classic ad infinitum...

― xwerxes, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

I bought my first T Rex record the other week and was really disappointed.

― Tom, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

It can't have been Electric Warrior!

― Dr. C, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

My dear Dr C I am afraid to say it was.

― Tom, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Tom, Tom, you are speaking crazy talk. Try either The Slider or the Great Hits A-side comp on Edsel so you can know wisdom. :-)

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

electric warrior = overrated as MB's "best" cuz it ain't => try a best of which includes tyrannosaurus rex stuff tom

― mark s, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

The Slider may be the best, but if Electric Warrior doesn't do it for you... well, I guess I'm at loss for words. And yes, "Rabbit Fighter" makes me swoon as well. Swoon I tell you!

― Sean, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

EW does have one glaring flaw -- "Lean Woman Blues." Should have been strangled in its crib, that one.

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Oh, c'mon Ned, it's great! One, and a-two, and a-buckle mah shoe!!

― Sean, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Sean, let's start a Rabbit Fighter sing-a-long
then move on to Raw Ramp and Soul Of My Suit

― Paul, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

All the credit I'll give it for, Sean, is that it slows down the pace of things enough so that the opening notes from "Get It On" sound even more tense and ready to fire up.

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 12 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

"get it on/bang a gong/get it on" means "FUCK/WANK/FUCK"

― , Wednesday, 13 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

i prob'ly already told you that

― , Wednesday, 13 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Nobody told me he was some kind of rockabilly act!

― Tom, Wednesday, 13 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

NO HE REALLY IS A DEAD UGLY HAIRY FUCK

― mick derrick, Tuesday, 19 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

i concur

― Daniel Williams, Tuesday, 19 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

You could say that about anybody after 25 years of death.

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 19 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

Hey Daniel, your about as manly as your mother.Oh I'm sorry, dear old mom is much more a man then you could ever hope to be. Nice e-mail gutless.

― Jim Hargraves, Tuesday, 19 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-two years ago) link

nine months pass...

/*******

― di smith (lucylurex), Friday, 10 January 2003 05:29 (twenty-one years ago) link

If Massive Attack had been a band recording in the early 70s, they problably would sound something like T-Rex's "Monolith".

― earlnash, Friday, 10 January 2003 05:39 (twenty-one years ago) link

Electric Warrior doesn't do anything for me either, and really, is ANYONE even remotley interested in the "fragments" on the re-issue? Always seemed a bit one-dimensional to me, too. Still, a few very classic singles- "Get It On", "Children Of The Revolution", "Solid Gold Easy Action". I bought my mum the new box set fer x-mas, maybe I should have a listen...

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Friday, 10 January 2003 15:01 (twenty-one years ago) link

Under-rated? Nah. Over-rated, without a doubt. Writing the odd mediocre pop songs and spouting rubbish pseudo-poetry (bad Blake or bad Leah, depending on which incarnation you're looking at) does not make you a great artist. No no, Slade were a far better glam-pop outfit - better songs, better singing, better everything really. Bolan is, after Jim Morrison, the most over-rated act in 20th century pop music.

― Johnney B (Johnney B), Friday, 10 January 2003 15:11 (twenty-one years ago) link

I think he's rated just about right -- although some of his lyrics remind me of people if known who spout-out verse that really just sounds like a jumble put together once upon a bad trip. His chops can be pretty lethal, but all in all, a well-laid 2 or 3-disc set should just about send him off to the showers. ¥

― christoff (christoff), Friday, 10 January 2003 15:24 (twenty-one years ago) link

Electric Warrior doesn't do anything for me either, and really, is ANYONE even remotley interested in the "fragments" on the re-issue?

*raises hand*

Overrating him is impossible, as I noted above. Especially when you consider that without him, no Prince (I'm serious!).

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 10 January 2003 16:12 (twenty-one years ago) link

I also reckon off the top of my head no Smiths either.

I was listening to Spiritualized for the first time in months and the T. Rex connection hit me for the first time.

"I ain't no square with my corkscrew hair"

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 10 January 2003 16:14 (twenty-one years ago) link

http://www.undercover.com.au/20030113_trex.html

Mickey Finn died over the weekend. How have I only just heard this? Boo. Everyone's dying! This ain't right.

― Charlie (Charlie), Monday, 13 January 2003 04:39 (twenty-one years ago) link

The sexiest bongo player who ever lived. R.I.P. Mickey....

http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~rthomas/rexdal/images/Marc-Mick1.jpg

― Arthur (Arthur), Monday, 13 January 2003 05:44 (twenty-one years ago) link

yer beat me to it, Charlie.

another linky: http://www.ananova.com/entertainment/story/sm_739162.html?menu=entertainment.latestheadlines

very sad

― Jeff W, Monday, 13 January 2003 13:58 (twenty-one years ago) link

eight months pass...

Loved Marc from "swan" and have proceded to love him ever since. Saw him in that fateful year of '77 sheer class, I'm English and ashamed that I didn't see Marc earlier.

Get yersels the Russian cd's, they jump from tyrannosaurus LP's straight thru to t.rex LP's, amazing the difference between the styles.

Tanx everybody....

― alan vincent, Wednesday, 1 October 2003 13:07 (twenty-one years ago) link

MONOLITH is MONOLITHIC

― Andrew Thames (Andrew Thames), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 13:16 (twenty-one years ago) link

I know I said it upthread, but "Rabbit Fighter" really does make me swoon. Maybe Bolan's sexiest song. I don't normally kiss men, but I'm all his on this one.

Ned I'm thinking of Prince and Bolan at the same time now, and definately see a similarity in their performance styles and sex appeal.

― Sean (Sean), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 18:47 (twenty-one years ago) link

Underrated? The guy's pretty well-respected...

And as for the Prince thing, how about:

Bang A Gong == Cream
T. Rex == Prince

Seems pretty clear to me.

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 21:24 (twenty-one years ago) link

ah, damn, that didn't work...

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 21:25 (twenty-one years ago) link

Maybe I meant this:

Bang A Gong == Cream
T. Rex == Prince

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 21:27 (twenty-one years ago) link

Nope, oh well. You get my point.

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 21:27 (twenty-one years ago) link

MARC!!!!!

― The Lady Ms Lurex (lucylurex), Wednesday, 1 October 2003 21:27 (twenty-one years ago) link

Yay Marc! Let's just keep saying that!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 2 October 2003 03:02 (twenty-one years ago) link

MAAAARRRRRRCCCCCC!

― The Lady Ms Lurex (lucylurex), Thursday, 2 October 2003 03:05 (twenty-one years ago) link

MARK!

― Andrew Thames (Andrew Thames), Thursday, 2 October 2003 03:18 (twenty-one years ago) link

MARC!

(i want to know what happened to mark s's tyrannosaurus rex lesson)

― Sonny A. (Keiko), Thursday, 2 October 2003 04:16 (twenty-one years ago) link

You can shake your torpedoes
You can shoot your gun
You can mix your martinis
From the blood of the sun

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Thursday, 2 October 2003 05:39 (twenty-one years ago) link

I like Electric Slim and The Factory Hen.
No, I LOVE Electric Slim and The Factory Hen.

― adaml (adaml), Thursday, 2 October 2003 05:45 (twenty-one years ago) link

Underrated, some of the most fun music I've ever heard. The opposite of what they're trying to pass off as hard rock these days, those 4th rate grunge-clowns and their flaccid whiny tantrum rock. "Metal Guru" is awesome. The lyrics do baffle me, it seems like stream of consciousness beat poetry, but without being pretentious or stuffy, and it makes me wonder how he could do that?

― sucka (sucka), Thursday, 2 October 2003 22:07 (twenty-one years ago) link

He could do it because he was magick.

― Sean (Sean), Thursday, 2 October 2003 22:19 (twenty-one years ago) link

I met him, btw.

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 3 October 2003 09:09 (twenty-one years ago) link

Marc Bolan is a flawless rock deity. Music is the strangest and coolest Ive ever heard. He leaves Jim Morrison "sittin in the road like a pasolini toad." From Tyrannosaurus Rex days (coolest sound and words Ive ever heard) to the end of his days he put out some of the most bizarre fantastic rock'n'roll music ever composed. A true showman and as underrated as anyone can get. Bolan is magic.

― Ron Kersey, Friday, 10 October 2003 01:54 (twenty-one years ago) link

I'd rather hear Bolan sing the blues than BB King, that's for sure.

― Mark (MarkR), Friday, 10 October 2003 02:02 (twenty-one years ago) link

god what a stupid comment.

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Friday, 10 October 2003 02:35 (twenty-one years ago) link

...except I sorta have to agree with Mark. (Though it's more accurate to say that I'd rather listen to Bolan than BB King.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 10 October 2003 04:37 (twenty-one years ago) link

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