Imagined Interview by Simon Roberts, Melody Maker
Spring 1970
Location: Bolan's London flat
Simon Roberts: Marc, thanks for inviting us into your grotto. The new album, A Beard of Stars, has just landed, and there's a lot of talk about the shift in sound. We've heard you plugged in.
Marc Bolan: The grotto is… evolving, you see. The music, it's always been about evolution. The wooden soul of the acoustic was beautiful, it carried us through the mists and the fables. But a new vibration is calling, a more… immediate, a more visceral sound. It’s still the same magic, just with a bit of fuzz on it.
Simon Roberts: The big change is also the band itself. Steve Peregrin Took has departed. What was that transition like, and what does Mickey Finn bring to the new sound?
Marc Bolan: Steve and I, we had our cosmic journey, and it was a fine one. But we were traveling different routes, you know? Mickey… Mickey has a certain kind of fire, a primal beat that just clicks with the electric. His bongos and congas have this earthy, tribal rhythm. It’s still very much about the percussion, but it’s heavier, you see?
Simon Roberts: That shift is most noticeable on a track like "Elemental Child." It’s a raw blues workout, something a bit unexpected for those who only know the whimsical, folkier side of Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Marc Bolan: Ah, yes, "Elemental Child." The raw energy. I've always had that in me, you know. I was a rocker before I was an elfin poet. It's about tapping into that raw, elemental power. It’s what happens when you let the spirit of the song take over and you just… plug in. It’s just as magical, but in a different way. It’s a bit of swagger, a bit of strut.
Simon Roberts: You still have the fantastically poetic lyrics on this album, especially on the title track. Was it a conscious decision to give a final nod to the old Tyrannosaurus Rex sound before moving forward?
Marc Bolan: Yes, a fond farewell to the elfin kings and the dragons. The beard of stars is really a bridge. It’s what the cosmic wizard wears as he steps out of the forest and into the streetlights. We're still conjuring, just in a different way. You've got to move forward, don’t you? The tales don’t stop just because the music gets louder.
Simon Roberts: "By the Light of a Magical Moon" was the single from the album. It feels like a real blend of the old and the new, with a touch of that electric power but still retaining the classic folky feel. Why did you choose that track for a single?
Marc Bolan: It's a bridge, isn't it? It gave the old fans something they knew, but with a glimpse of the future. It’s still got the whimsical, romantic lyrics, but the arrangement is bigger. It was a good way to say, “Look, we’re changing, but we’re still here.”
Simon Roberts: Tony Visconti’s production on this record is a real step up, and he really brings out the new sonic elements. How was the recording process different this time around?
Marc Bolan: Tony’s a true genius. With the electric guitar, we had a whole new palette to work with. There were so many more colours to paint with. The atmosphere was incredible—very creative and experimental. We were all buzzing with the new possibilities.
Simon Roberts: What does this all mean for the future, Marc? Will Tyrannosaurus Rex continue to evolve in this direction?
Marc Bolan: The cosmic dancer just keeps on dancing, you see? I don't think too much about it, I just follow the music. The melodies use me, not the other way around. It was an exciting time, a time of change. But I was just doing what I do: making noise and trying to put a bit of magic into the world. It wasn't about being popular; it was just about creating. And we've got plenty more to create, believe me.
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