NEWS - JAN TO JUNE 2008       

NEW PHOTO GALLERY
Although most of the updates are in the Club Members Web Site we wanted to include something new for the Free Site too, so here is a New Gallery of Photographs which has been added to the MARC BOLAN INFO Section of the site for everyone to enjoy.
The photo Gallery is from the 'Zinc Alloy' Period and shows a shorter hair Marc with Tony Visconti (dig that mullet man!) and T-Rex band member Paul Fenton. There are shots of Marc 'laying down' guitar and Paul recording the drum tracks however the majority are of Marc, Tony and Paul with a sound engineer (in some shots) in the 'mixing studio'.
View the Gallery Here

BOLAN SPECIAL ON THE RADIO
Paul Sexton charts Marc Bolan's journey from the streets of Hackney in north London, via early unsuccessful singles in his own name, to the rise of the glam rock star as the frontman of T-Rex.
This is a repeat of last September's programme which everyone missed (well quite a few people) as we were all in London. It can be heard (at the moment and as far as I know only in the UK) on Radio Two's 'listen again' facility. However, if you can't access it and you're a Club Member - don't dispair Club Member Trisha has recorded it in three parts and as soon as we receive all three files we will be uploading them to the Club Server :-) Tanx to John Wass for the link which opens in a new window.

CLUB MEMBERS LONDON GET TOGETHER - TODAY SATURDAY 10TH MAY
Club Members said they'd like to have a 'Get Together' so who were we to say "No!" So today around Twenty of us will be meeting at The Tree, followed by going for a meal afterwards. With the Club Forums being so successful and active Photos & Video will follow which will allow everyone who couldn't make it to see what everyone who was there looks like :-) This was requested by Cathy in Australia though I was going to do it anyway :-) Meanwhile three Australian Club Members are having their own TAG Club Members Get Together in Oz - So remember the Photos Girls :-)
It's going to be a Gas as some of our newest members are coming who weren't able to meet up last September. Meanwhile of course plans are already 'on the go' for this September too :-)

MASSIVE TANX TO CLUB MEMBERS KATE & RUTH
We are so pleased that they travelled to Marc's Rock Shrine, not just for a visit, but armed with polish, dusters and bags to clean, tidy and polish. Thank You Ladies. Much Appreciated as is Club Member Billy's tidying when he visits to play :-) You will find a gallery of Photos taken by Kate & Ruth in the Members Own Photo Galleries

SHADY OLD LADY
I have posted this before, but not for some time, so this is a reminder to pop along & visit The Marc's Rock Shrine Page to make sure it stays within the List of the most popular Sites (At the moment Marc is NOT #1!)
Hint: If you click 'Refresh' a few times, you can clock up a few 'counts' each time you visit :-)

WHEN'S THE NEXT TAG GET TOGETHER?
This question was originally asked by Shades, up there behind Hadrian's Wall, but as a number of others have now chipped in, including 'Mike_E' who said:
"So can all the London based Admin organise a venue for a TAG members get together? I know this will cost money to organise. That's easy we all pay via a ticket. Would be a great Get together & meet. so admin get your heads together".
Well Forum Admin ... We've had our Orders LOL - So Stay Tuned for a LONDON BASED TAG CLUB 'GET TOGETHER' soon, though the Discussion & probably a Poll to decide what to do & where will happen on the Club Forums first!

COMING SOON
Design a Rexmas Card for 2008. Yes OK I know it's early - I'm just pre-warning you so the arty ones can get their thinking caps on. For 2008 we will have several different designs. I have already done 'Design 1' which is based on last Rexmas's 'Front Page' using Spike's lovely photo (yes Spike is credited). But we need at least one more design. The prize will of course be Packs of Cards in your Design with envelopes plus a credit on every card to you as the 'Card Designer' :-) This will be a Club Members Only Competition So you've got to be 'in it to win it' :-)

THAT'S THE UPDATES FOR THIS TIME
There are a whole bunch of Extra Updates within the Club Members Site which can be accessed by All TAG Marc Bolan & T-Rex Fan Club Members. Join Now for just £3.00 for a Full Year.

STOP PRESS ... HOLD THE UPDATE
As you know it was reported back in September last year (2007) that Wizard (Bahamas) Ltd were selling the rights to Marc's Music for a speculated sum of in excess of Ten Million Pounds. The big question since then has been "Who To?" - That was answered in News which came in within the last hour on the Music Week Web Site:- Quote
"Marc Bolan is being readied to become a global 21st-century boy with indie music publisher Spirit Music Group snapping up nearly 300 songs by the T-Rex frontman alongside his audio and visual rights."

ROCK WEEK ON ITV 4 - STARTS WEDNESDAY 20TH FEBRUARY 2008
Club Member Ruth spotted this:- "20th Century Boy started playing... it was a trailer for 'Rock Week' on ITV 4 and quite heavily features Marc (and Freddie Mercury). Rock Week starts on Wednesday with the movie Quadrophenia, and on Friday they are again showing the 20th Century Superstar show which aired last September. Kewl. Seems to me that Marc is still getting a fair bit of exposure on the box and radio - which can only be good news".
Kev also spotted the advert (26 seconds) last night (Sunday 17th Feb) and saved it for Club Members to watch :-) Check it out!
Smaller Version 1.6 meg
Larger Version 3.3 meg

RARE GLOSSY PHOTOS OF MARC
Club Member Spike spotted an eBay seller with some lovely photographic enlargements for sale, some going for quite silly money! For example a photo of Marc, Mickey and Ringo from Born to Boogie sold for £26.00 while Marc being pulled in a rickshaw by Alphi sold for a more modest £3.96 + P&P. As Spike pointed out he bought the originals from the American '16 Magazine' (many with their copyright stamp on the reverse) along with other negatives and transparencies including the fabulous ones used for the TAG Posters. TAG paid for all the negatives and transparencies to be scanned at a very high quality so that they could be printed as enlargements. Therefore to recoup our money Spike has suggested offering copies of these photographs for sale with a Discount for Club Members. Stay tuned for full details and to order with the next update :-) Many Tanx, as always to Spike.

A NEW ADDITION TO THE 'BIOGRAPHY' SECTION: ROBERT (HAWKWIND) CALVERT ON MARC
5 Minutes 26 Seconds (5.0 meg) "Were you ever involved with David Bowie? Unrealised suggestion of a TV collaboration with Marc Bolan. On Bertolt Brecht. Car crashes, and the nature of coincidence" (text from NikTurner.com). Left Click to Listen/Right Click to Save
Spotted by Club Member Nick on his namesake's web site: www.nikturner.com (opens in a new window)
This has been added to the main Biography Section.

SID VICIOUS TO GET BLUE PLAQUE?
This caused quite a 'stir' in some Bolan Circles given that Marc's application for a Blue Plaque was turned down in 2006. However it turned out to be a 'storm in a teacup' generated by Mojo Music Magazine as it was only a suggestion in a Blog that Sid Vicious should get a Blue Plaque at his old 'home' at 39, New Court, Hampstead. Many Tanx to Club Member David Mantell for spotting that it wasn't a 'done deal' :-) . You can read two articles using the following two links both of which open in new windows:-
The Sunday Times: 14th October, 2007 :: Mojo: 5th February 2008

A T(yrannosaurus)-REX LINK
Keen-eyed readers may have spotted the reference to Steve Peregrin Took in the Sunday Times Article and indeed Steve Took lived in the same flat after Sid and Rotten's time. Although the article states:-
"Mel Hampson, a psychologist, moved into No 39 in 1981, after Took moved out. “I had to completely renovate the flat,” she says. “It was covered in graffiti painted by Sid Vicious and Johnny Rotten, which I stupidly painted over. I wish I hadn't, as it could have been my pension fund – now, if I came across it, I'd live somewhere else and have tourists come round."
What Mel and most other people don't know is that Sid Vicious and Johnny Rotten didn't paid that graffiti! The graffiti read (amongst other things) "WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD THERE WILL BE NO REMISSION". This has been credited to Sid Vicious & Johnnie Rotten, because as 'punks' it was the sort of thing 'punks' were expected to do! The truth is that it originates from Steve Took's time in the flat, even if the perceived 'hippy' and former partner with Marc Bolan in Tyrannosaurus Rex seems an unlikely candidate for it. Took's guitarist Trevor Thoms moved in to the flat with Took and his girlfriend Gurt and created the graffiti. Took liked it, so it stayed. Prior to living at #39 Took had been a regular visitor to the flats as his son and former girlfriend lived in another flat in the same block. She recalled that Sid was in awe of Took as 'one of the originals'. Steve Took has his own web site and a Biography will be published in due course. More info? Visit www.steve-took.co.uk

HAPPY NEW YEAR! WELCOME TO THE FIRST UPDATES OF 2008
A very nasty dose of the 'Flu put paid to much of anything over the Rexmas Period & therefore to updates on the site although as everyone who visits the Club Forums know, there was penty of News, Views & Reviews going on there I'm pleased to say! To make up for the lack of updates I'm pleased to be able to bring you some great new downloads and other goodies. This is also the first 'batch of News for 2008 with more to come very soon :-)
So, without further 'ado' on with the updates.

TONIGHT: BBC4 TV POP WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR 10:00 pm (UK TIME)
"Writer Paul Morley is a self-confessed pop addict and in Pop! What Is It Good For?, he journeys to the heart of this obsession". Watch it is you can. Otherwise, don't worry ... We're recording the programme and Kev will edit and converted the appropriate parts ASAP for you :-)
Read about Paul's Favourite Artists - Yes T-Rex IS there!

NEW VIDEO: THE STORY OF LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT
Yesterday (7th January 2008) this programme aired and there were two parts with Marc in (plus a brief moment in the titles which is not included). We recorded the programme and Kev has edited and converted the appropriate parts for you :-) As always these are available in two 'weights' Here

NEW VIDEO: Marc Bolan and GMTV Entertainment Today
On 16th November Club Member Barbara posted this "Did anybody notice this morning that GMTV are using Marc Bolan and The Final Word, to introduce their Entertainment Today slot, on breakfast TV? - I thought it was very well presented, with some great shots of Marc. The way it's worded made me think, for a split second of how things would have been, if Marc had lived on, as they use the words "Entertainment Today - as presented by Marc Bolan - The Final Word ..........." Unfortunately no one had taped it ... or so we thought, until Club Member Trisha said "We record GMTV at work and keep recordings for a month so hopefully fingers crossed I can nip quietly in to our media room and copy it after work!" So Trisha sent us the file which Kev converted. It has been added (in two different versions depending on your connection speed) to the Posthumous Videos Section

NEW MP3: Robert (Hawkwind) Calvert talks about Marc
Well worth a listen & tanx to Club Member Nick who spotted it. It's been added to the Posthumous MP3 Section

NEW GALLERY: 1977 MARC LIVE
This Gallery contains an Great Selection of photographs (many of which are 'fan photos') from T-Rex Live in 1977 (in assorted qualities) View the Gallery Here
This Gallery is listed in the T-Rex Live Section of the Members Galleries

NEW GALLERY: 1977 A PICTORIAL REVIEW: MARC'S DEATH, FUNERAL & POSTHUMOUS
This Gallery contains an astounding record of Newspaper Articles of Marc's Death, Funeral and Posthumous Articles, plus Marc's Last Will, Death Certificate, Birth Certificate (a different version to that already onsite) together with various photos of the Mini some of which you may well not have seen and the 1978 Record Mirror Polls, Interviews with Marc's Parents & Gloria. This Gallery gives a detailed record of Marc's Death & his impact upon so many lives. View the Gallery Here
This Gallery is listed in the Marc's Death, Funeral, & Posthumous Section of the Members Scans & Clippings.

MARC @ #3 IN CLASSIC ROCK'S TOP 10 REISSUES OF 2007
Well what a way to end 2007 & start 2008!
10. FAIRPORT CONVENTION: Liege & Leaf Island
09. VARIOUS ARTISTS: Cries From The Midnight Circus: The Ladbroke Grove Scene 1967-1978 Castle
08. ELO : Out Of The Blue SonyBMG
07. WISHBONE ASH : Argus Island/Universal
06. THE TRAVELING WILBURYS: The Traveling Wilburys Collection Rhino
05. WHITESNAKE: 1987 EMI
04.THE YARDBIRDS : Roger The Engineer/Over Under Sideways Down Repertoire
03. MARC BOLAN & T-REX: Greatest Hits Universal
02. LED ZEPPELIN: Mothership SwanSong/Atlantic
01. PINK FLOYD (With Syd Barrett): The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn EMI
So, how fantastic is this????? Tanx to Club Member Shades for the info :-)

THE LAST SLIDER SHIRT (of the 2 'Slider' Shirts) NOW ON EBAY

This Shirt (see left) was donated to TAG by one of our oldest 'supporters' Werner - Massive Many Tanx for TAG to continue to care for the Tree Site :-)

Size Large.

To go straight to the Shirt Listing Click Here & to go to all TAG's eBay Listings Click Here.

BIDDING ENDS AT 8:00 PM THIS SUNDAY 13th JANUARY

OK THAT'S IT FOR NOW
Stay Tuned for another update with a 'round-up' of the news & key important things from 2007 soon.
Same Marc Time ... Same Marc Channel!
Keep A Little Marc In Your Heart Till Then :-)
Laser Love,
Fee