The Wizard’s Gown Rewoven: Beneath The Glitter Of Marc Bolan
by Tony Stringfellow

Anniversary edition of a fans’ favourite

Bolan’s emergence as the figurehead of glam rock outraged some of his earlier hippy followers, but in truth, he never fully deserted the mystical concerns of his first few Tyrannosaurus Rex records. There was still plenty of Tolkienesque (for want of a better word) imagery in the chart-topping singles and on his last album, Dandy In The Underworld, and it’s this side of the singer’s character that Stringfellow pores over with relish. Gaining access to reams of unpublished poetry and dozens of previously unseen photographs, the author takes an almost academic approach to Bolan’s words, much in the way that GCSE textbooks dissect the likes of Shakespeare or Betjeman line-by-line. Stringfellow finally reveals the figure who inspired Metal Guru (and it’s not for RC to print a spoiler here), just one example of the dogged research involved in what is clearly a labour of love. The first edition a few years ago was met with blanket praise by longtime fans, but this elaborate reprint, timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of Bolan’s death, may well find an even wider audience. There’s more than enough thought-provoking material on display to hold the interest of even the most casual T.Rex follower.

3 stars 3 stars 3 stars

ISBN 9780955554902

Reviewed by Terry Staunton
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