T-Rex started out in 1967 as a duo called Tyrannosaurus Rex. While I can appreciate some elements of their beginnings (nice melodies, some whistling) there is not much about their first few albums that makes me want to move ma’ dancin’ feet. This is before their going electric, while Marc Bolan was still sitting cross-legged on a mat playing baroque-gypsy-bongo music. If you can get past the spiritual, pseudo philosophical lyrics about Sheba, prophets and witches (which are basically inaudible anyway) and the fucking bongos, Tyrannosaurus actually has some pretty good stuff. With the onset of his Glam Rock movement a sizable number of Bolan’s fans deserted him, accusing him of selling out and dumbing down his writing. I’m of the opinion that stripping the content down made his work more fresh and poetic, and putting the rock and roll beat behind it helped him to come into touch with a rising generation, namely his own. It seems to me that the dance quality of T-Rex’s music is the one part of their legacy that hasn’t become completely dated. And dated is fine, believe me, I have no problem with dated. At least it had it’s time, and T-Rex always had great style. But dance keeps going. Music shifts around. In the early seventies, when Rock and Roll was becoming too tame, Punk Rock shouldered past to start some shit. In the same way, Glam Rock and the New Wave commercial music of the 80’s would eventually have their fashions and costuming stripped away by the visceral, class-conscious hand of Grunge. This sort of thing has to happen all the time and it’s the sort of change that Marc Bolan inflicted upon himself and his writing. Maybe the transition from Hippie to Glam Rocker was exactly what was needed for T-Rex. Who knows? I dunno. Whatever.
Glam Rock, or Glitter Rock, is one of those sub-genres of Rock and Roll whose distinction has very little to do with the actual music. It’s all about overt sexuality, make-up and costumes (although some of the lyrical content has to be taken into account, usually consisting of fantasy lore, blowjobs and space). It’s a bizarre mixture of sci-fi nerd and sex idol. When Mark Bolan stood up off the Persian rug, strapped on an electric guitar and started really moving about, the music he was playing was essentially Rock and Roll. The reason he was powdered with the Glam Rock rouge was because he was still singing about wizards and toad-sabres and wearing glitter under his eyes. In 1970, T-Rex was one of the few bands to bring nerds and hot chicks together. Never would such a match be made in such numbers until the first few John Hughes movies arrived. Glam Rock may not be much more than a fashion-based subgenre of a music that has admittedly become too broad, but if it was needed to make excellent dance music and get guys like Jobriath and Mark Bolan laid, it gets a pass with me. Those cats are alright.
I don't know where you think you get off, but I've a thing or two to say a half of what's on my mind! Heaping and a boppin every which way you call that a dance? I know what I see when I see it and I saw it not today. I enojed a lot of it. But if you make more I'll be right he waiting for more.
I'll dance and dance till I set fire to my breifs. I like to dance too what's your favorite?
Ricardo is invited to co-star in one of my future exibitions of punk shit crap krap. Same goes for ohcomeoffitgetreal. by the way, I know your secret identities. So be careful guys.
Thanks T-Rex … tanx.
ReplyDeleteT-Rex started out in 1967 as a duo called Tyrannosaurus Rex. While I can appreciate some elements of their beginnings (nice melodies, some whistling) there is not much about their first few albums that makes me want to move ma’ dancin’ feet. This is before their going electric, while Marc Bolan was still sitting cross-legged on a mat playing baroque-gypsy-bongo music. If you can get past the spiritual, pseudo philosophical lyrics about Sheba, prophets and witches (which are basically inaudible anyway) and the fucking bongos, Tyrannosaurus actually has some pretty good stuff. With the onset of his Glam Rock movement a sizable number of Bolan’s fans deserted him, accusing him of selling out and dumbing down his writing. I’m of the opinion that stripping the content down made his work more fresh and poetic, and putting the rock and roll beat behind it helped him to come into touch with a rising generation, namely his own. It seems to me that the dance quality of T-Rex’s music is the one part of their legacy that hasn’t become completely dated. And dated is fine, believe me, I have no problem with dated. At least it had it’s time, and T-Rex always had great style. But dance keeps going. Music shifts around. In the early seventies, when Rock and Roll was becoming too tame, Punk Rock shouldered past to start some shit. In the same way, Glam Rock and the New Wave commercial music of the 80’s would eventually have their fashions and costuming stripped away by the visceral, class-conscious hand of Grunge. This sort of thing has to happen all the time and it’s the sort of change that Marc Bolan inflicted upon himself and his writing. Maybe the transition from Hippie to Glam Rocker was exactly what was needed for T-Rex. Who knows? I dunno. Whatever.
Glam Rock, or Glitter Rock, is one of those sub-genres of Rock and Roll whose distinction has very little to do with the actual music. It’s all about overt sexuality, make-up and costumes (although some of the lyrical content has to be taken into account, usually consisting of fantasy lore, blowjobs and space). It’s a bizarre mixture of sci-fi nerd and sex idol. When Mark Bolan stood up off the Persian rug, strapped on an electric guitar and started really moving about, the music he was playing was essentially Rock and Roll. The reason he was powdered with the Glam Rock rouge was because he was still singing about wizards and toad-sabres and wearing glitter under his eyes. In 1970, T-Rex was one of the few bands to bring nerds and hot chicks together. Never would such a match be made in such numbers until the first few John Hughes movies arrived. Glam Rock may not be much more than a fashion-based subgenre of a music that has admittedly become too broad, but if it was needed to make excellent dance music and get guys like Jobriath and Mark Bolan laid, it gets a pass with me. Those cats are alright.
Now you listen here mister,
ReplyDeleteI don't know where you think you get off, but I've a thing or two to say a half of what's on my mind!
Heaping and a boppin every which way you call that a dance? I know what I see when I see it and I saw it not today.
I enojed a lot of it. But if you make more I'll be right he waiting for more.
I'll dance and dance till I set fire to my breifs. I like to dance too what's your favorite?
Whoa. Hold up.
ReplyDeleteWhat sort of punk shit crap krap is this. whoa. just kidding. it's great.
Just kidding it's krap.
Just j/jking.
Goodness, Ricardo. Get your bald head out of your buff butt! Why you gotta be so rude? Why you gotta be so rude?
ReplyDeleteHonky, I liked your dance. It was sophisticated in an entirely bitch way.
hurr durr durr.
ReplyDeleteI like cheese and cheese likes to be liked by cheese liking mee durr hurr.
DURR
HURR
this is good. it reminds me of other good things. like this:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.freedomgifts.co.nz/res/products/CB-ZP-CRT1-m.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.freedomgifts.co.nz/collapsible-robot-toy.aspx&usg=__Ob8bnFDjMBsYzf4dCPPcooZeCFU=&h=300&w=300&sz=83&hl=en&start=124&sig2=IE3ieQLdxT7EmmiKRv9Wjw&zoom=1&tbnid=GkUL2LTqIbmFzM:&tbnh=119&tbnw=130&ei=ua88TcHpO5H6sAPE8pzfAw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcollapsible%2Btoy%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1008%26bih%3D533%26tbs%3Disch:10,3005&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=265&vpy=226&dur=374&hovh=146&hovw=146&tx=127&ty=125&oei=la88Te2LMo70swPAhsWbAw&esq=2&page=8&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:13,s:124&biw=1008&bih=533
Ricardo is invited to co-star in one of my future exibitions of punk shit crap krap. Same goes for ohcomeoffitgetreal. by the way, I know your secret identities. So be careful guys.
ReplyDelete