COMPETITION: WIN T.REX – THE VINYL COLLECTION

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Competition time! Gigslutz have one amazing box set of ‘T.Rex – The Vinyl Collection’ up for grabs.

The box set of 8 albums is a real cracker for lovers of vinyl. All re-pressed on vinyl by Demon Music the set includes T.Rex, Electric Warrior, The Slider, Tanx, Zinc Alloy & The Hidden Riders of Tomorrow, Bolan’s Zip Gun, Futuristic Dragon and Dandy In the Underworld.

The vinyl collection set is released on 15th December and retails at £129.99 – But you could get your hands on a copy for absolutely nothing by entering our mega competition

To enter all you have to do is ‘follow’ us on Twitter and ‘like’ us on Facebook. Then, ‘retweet’ the competition tweets and ‘share’ the Facebook status. If you have already ‘followed’ and ‘liked’ simply ‘retweet’ and ‘share’ and you will be in the hat. One winner will be picked at random on Monday

 

The eight original titles featured in the box are as follows:

 

  1. Rex (1971) With Ride A White Swan the surprise hit of winter 1970, T.Rex was the transition album that saw Bolan successfully reach out beyond his old hippie audience (and ditch the group’s previous mouthful of a name, Tyrannosaurus Rex). Friend and photographer Pete Sanders took the stunning cover photo of Marc and percussionist sidekick Mickey Finn, both of whom wore make-up for the shoot to accentuate their androgynous beauty.

 

Electric Warrior (1971) Not just the flagship T. Rex album, but a chart-topping rock classic that has grown in stature ever since its release, thanks to the mix of inspired song writing and raw, seemingly effortless performances. Features iconic, John Kosh-designed artwork based on a photograph by Kieron ‘Spud’ Murphy, and includes the hits Get It On and Jeepster.

 

The Slider (1972) Released in summer ’72, when T. Rextasy/Bolanmania was evolving into the generation-defining Glam Rock movement, The Slider captures the definitive T. Rex sound at its commercial peak. Bolan insisted that Ringo Starr took the cover shot (in fact it was Tony Visconti); the songs contained within, including hits Telegram Sam and Metal Guru, have since proved no less timeless.

 

Tanx (1973) Eager not to be trapped by his fame and spectacularly successful hit formula, Bolan introduced a range of new instruments including the Mellotron into the T. Rex sound for this rich, satisfying set. Includes Born To Boogie, a theme tune of sorts, and a sleeve that features Bolan suggestively astride a toy tank.

 

Zinc Alloy & The Hidden Riders Of Tomorrow (1974) An extraordinary provocation at the time, with Bolan taking an impassioned leap into the gutsy sound of US soul, Zinc Alloy is the surprise package in the T. Rex catalogue and remains ripe for reappraisal. Includes Teenage Dream, Bolan’s extraordinary, self-willed farewell to pop stardom, and a striking cover photo that reflects his conversion to what he called “space-age superfunk”.

 

Bolan’s Zip-Gun (1975) In exile both from Britain and his pop past, Bolan hung loose in Los Angeles, and freed himself up in the studio. The results weren’t greatly appreciated at the time, when soft-rock prevailed, but the years have been kind to this, the ‘The great lost Marc Bolan album’ thanks in part to Bolan’s own direct, contemporary sounding production. Includes Light Of Love and the lost classic Think Zinc.

 

Futuristic Dragon (1976) The title was reminiscent of Bolan’s days as a late 60s underground cult hero, and so did the artwork, illustrated by David Bowie’s long-time pal George Underwood, who was responsible for the fantastical painting that appeared on the first Tyrannosaurus Rex cover back in 1968. Includes two of Bolan’s best-loved hits, New York City and Dreamy Lady.

 

Dandy In The Underworld (1977) Back in London and energised by the punk rock sound then sweeping the capital, Bolan put together a new-look T. Rex for what would be his swansong release. Featuring a gutsier, R&B based sound, though with Bolan’s trademark lyricism still much in evidence, as well as the infectious revivalism of his 1976 hit, I Love To Boogie, Dandy returned Marc Bolan and T. Rex to the news columns. This re-emergence was cruelly curtailed when pop’s most distinctive, and in so many ways influential Superstar of the Seventies was killed in a car crash in Barnes, London, on September 16, 1977.