1974-1977

‘1974-1977’ brings together 5 CDs absolutely bursting with music covering the most overlooked, but arguably most pioneering, period of Marc Bolan’s glittering career. It rounds up the final three T. Rex studio albums – Bolan’s Zip Gun, Futuristic Dragon and Dandy In The Underworld – and a string of 10 peerless late-period singles (and B-sides) that included New York City, Dreamy Lady, The Soul Of My Suit, and of course I Love To Boogie. Throughout the journey Marc’s restless muse and creative spark encompasses soul and R&B (Ride My Wheels, Dreamy Lady), excursions into proto-glam metal (Zip Gun Boogie, The London Boys) and nervy, spiky-sharp tracks (Think Zinc, Celebrate Summer) that nod towards the punk explosion happening in London during the period and upon which Marc had been such a pivotal influence.

Excitingly, the set also includes two CDs hosting a plethora of previously unreleased rehearsal takes, lovingly mastered and curated from a stash of Marc’s own tapes unearthed towards the end of 2024. A fascinating record of an artist with renewed vim and creativity, they also document how Marc and his super-hot band kept the tapes rolling when recording all over the world, from London to the USA, to Germany and France and back to Manchester.

Also included are the newly discovered complete recordings from 1977’s MARC Granada TV show. While the set of T. Rex classics performed on the show (Ride A White Swan, Hot Love, Jeepster and more) has been available before, they’d been taken from broadcast tapes and as such were of a vastly inferior quality - mono, with early fades and with added audience applause. Presumed lost for almost half a century, the discovery of the original full-length versions as laid down by T. Rex before they were mimed to in the show was a very pleasant shock.

There’s also of course I’m Dazed, the “lost” T.Rex single unearthed from those very same tape boxes in 2024. Remastered and released on cosmic yellow seven-inch on Marc’s birthday in 2025 (with a new take of Billy Super Duper on its B-side), it also helped mark the occasion of Marc being awarded an official English Heritage Blue Plaque. The honour made him just one of 5 pop musicians to ever receive the accolade, alongside Freddie Mercury, John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley. Two very different takes of I’m Dazed shimmer here: the 2025 single version remixed by Steven Wilson, and another, much slower take, led by languid drums, clavinet and piano.

74-77 comes in 7” Deluxe Packaging with a 24-page book including photography by Kevin Cummins, new sleeve notes by Jude Rogers, sleeve artwork and scans of those glittering studio tapes. The set was curated for Demon by “T.Rexpert” Martin Barden and mastering undertaken by AIR Studios’ Phil Kinrade.

CD1
BOLAN’S ZIP GUN
1. Light Of Love
2. Solid Baby
3. Precious Star
4. Token Of My Love
5. Space Boss
6. Think Zinc
7. Till Dawn
8. Girl In The Thunderbolt Suit
9. I Really Love You Babe
10. Golden Belt
11. Zip Gun Boogie

CD2
FUTURISTIC DRAGON
1. Futuristic Dragon (Introduction)
2. Jupiter Liar
3. Chrome Sitar
4. All Alone
5. New York City
6. My Little Baby
7. Calling All Destroyers
8. Theme For A Dragon
9. Sensation Boulevard
10. Ride My Wheels
11. Dreamy Lady
12. Dawn Storm
13. Casual Agent
Bonus Tracks
14. Do You Wanna Dance
15. Dock Of The Bay
16. London Boys
17. Laser Love
18. Life’s An Elevator

CD3
DANDY IN THE UNDERWORLD
1. Dandy In The Underworld
2. Crimson Moon
3. Universe
4. I’m A Fool For You Girl
5. I Love To Boogie
6. Visions Of Domino
7. Jason B. Sad
8. Groove A Little
9. The Soul Of My Suit
10. Hang-Ups
11. Pain And Love
12. Teen Riot Structure
Bonus Tracks
13. Dandy In The Underworld (Single Version)
14. Tame My Tiger
15. Celebrate Summer

CD4
L.A., LONDON, PARIS, MUNICH
1. Bolan’s Zip Gun
2. Bolan’s Zip Gun (Take 6)
3. I Really Love You Babe (Take 5)
4. Galaxy Wild (Take 2)
5. All Alone (Working Version)
6. Calling All Destroyers (Working Version)
7. Savage Beethoven (Take 4)
8. Bust My Balls (Take 6)
9. I’m Dazed (Take 3)
10. I’m Dazed (Take 2) (Steven Wilson 2025 Mix)
11. Billy Super Duper (Warm Up)
12. Damaged Suit (Take 3)
13. Damaged Suit (Take 5)
14. I Never Told You (Take 3)
15. Dreamy Lady (T.O.T.P. Take 2) (Instrumental)
16. Dreamy Lady (T.O.T.P. Take 3)
17. Ain’t That A Shame (Take 9)
18. Funky London Childhood (Studio Take)

CD5
LONDON, MANCHESTER
1. London Boys (T.O.T.P. Take 2)
2. Universe (Take 3) (Instrumental)
3. Teen Riot Structure (Studio Run Through)
4. We Love To Boogie (Take 1)
5. We Love To Boogie (Take 4) (Overdub)
6. I’m A Fool For You Girl (Take 1)
7. I’m A Fool For You Girl (Take 3) (With Overdubs)
8. 20th Century Baby (Studio Take)
9. Hot George (Studio Take)
10. Write Me A Song (Studio Take – Short Edit)
11. Mellow Love (Studio Take – Short Edit)
12. Celebrate Summer (Studio Take – Edit 1)
13. Write Me A Song (Studio Take)
14. Celebrate Summer (Studio Take with Overdubs Edit 2)
15. Mellow Love (Studio Take with Overdubs)
SONGS FROM MARC
16. Jeepster
17. I Love To Boogie
18. Endless Sleep
19. Celebrate Summer
20. Ride A White Swan
21. Hot Love
22. New York City
23. Let’s Dance
24. Groove A Little
25. Dandy In The Underworld (Instrumental)