Matt LuceyT-Rex, a staple of British rock, were formed in 1967 in London. Brought together by the leader Marc Bolan, this band was an iconic part of the music landscape in Britain at the time. While the majority of their music in the early years was catagorized simply as psychedelic rock, Bolan strived to break free of these musical limitations. Through the 1970s, Bolan and the band branched out into different avenues of rock. While they might have been considered a Glam Rock band by the mid 70’s, T-Rex were heavily influenced by Soul music, funk and other genres at the time. This unique exploration of sounds gave T-Rex a true signature in their music. Like many English bands at the time, their stardom in the UK led them to the US charts, which sky-rocketed them to global acclaim.
Through the years
While the band had a variety of members through the years, Marc Bolan was always the leader. Singer, songwriter and guitarist, Bolan certainly helmed the bands musical direction. Unfortunately, in the early years, T-Rex struggled. They had joined the music industry at a momentous time. With Hendrix, Clapton, Yardbirds and more in full swing, it was hard for them to create a signature sound that would stand up against their peers. It wasn’t until the release of Ride a White Swan in 1970 that the band began to gain a following.
This initial win gave Bolan the sign he had been looking for and was quickly followed by “Hot Love“. These brought some attention to the band and, to the relief of us today, T-Rex had found their sound. That was it. T-Rex existed in the zeitgeist. The following years had the band touring widely, releasing hit songs and albums. Bolan in particular gained acclaim for his role. With the band rotating members on a regular basis, Bolan’s contributions would be recognized above all others. He was T-Rex. This streak would continue until, unfortunately, Bolan lost his life in a car crash in 1977. Naturally, as a result of this, the band went their separate ways.
A new release?
That brings us to today. On the day that would have marked Bolan’s 78th birthday, the unreleased track “I’m Dazed” was finally released. The track was initially recorded by the band in 1975, but was never released, with Bolan dying two years later. This particular track included Bolan, Steve Currie, Gloria Jones, Davey Lutton and Dino Dines. Bolan himself acted as producer, with sound engineer Reinhold Mack.
I’m Dazed
The song itself is certainly worth a listen. The first thing that came to mind when I listened was the songs similarity to Bowie’s sound. The year prior to its recording, Bowie had released Diamond Dogs. The song is very similar to Bowie’s sound at the time. This is interesting because it takes a very psychedelic approach to its sound, something that T-Rex were laying off at the time. This is no doubt the reason the song wasn’t released at the time.
The vocals are fantastic. Its nice to hear an unreleased track like this, giving us a new piece of Bolan’s genius, this long after his death. The rhythm and backing instruments are also Bowie-esque. With the guitar shining in short portions between vocals and the bass really shining through, the influence is clear. Overall, its a short song that reminds us of the band in its height. Had it been released back then, it would no doubt have been overshadowed, but now, as a standalone, we can sit back and enjoy it on its own. It really is a great track.
Conclusion
This release, marking Marc’s birthday, deserved respect. With other bands like The Beatles and The Hendrix Experience releasing songs after the deaths of members, its nice to see other bands releasing their previously unheard songs. While the song might be slightly unpolished, its stamped all over with Bolan’s style.
