📰 Get It On in LA – Article: 1972
- T.Rex

- Feb 26, 1972
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 26

Melody Maker reports on T. Rex’s explosive Los Angeles breakthrough during their early‑’72 U.S. tour.
A packed Hollywood Palladium, feverish press attention and a swirl of celebrity interest mark T. Rex’s arrival in Los Angeles, as Melody Maker captures Marc Bolan’s rising American momentum.
📰 Key Highlights
• Hollywood Palladium show sells out amid heavy hype
• U.S. press compares T. Rex’s popularity to Beatlemania
• No riots despite sensationalist expectations
• Marc Bolan pushed through an intense promotional schedule
• Post‑show party draws major names, including Mick Jagger
📰 Overview
In February 1972, Melody Maker published a one‑page report on T. Rex’s Los Angeles triumph, documenting the band’s sold‑out Hollywood Palladium concert and the media frenzy surrounding Marc Bolan’s attempt to break America. The article captures the tension between British hype, American curiosity and Bolan’s growing international profile.
📰 Source Details
Publication / Venue: Melody Maker
Date: February 26, 1972
Issue / Format: One‑page article
Provenance Notes: Sourced from a contemporary Melody Maker clipping covering T. Rex’s Los Angeles appearance during their U.S. tour.
📰 The Story
T. Rex Get It On in LA presents the band as the talk of Los Angeles, arriving with a reputation inflated by British press stories of Beatle‑level hysteria and fan riots. The article notes that the Hollywood Palladium show sold out completely, with local media primed for chaos that never materialised. Instead, the night unfolded as a tightly packed, high‑energy performance that confirmed T. Rex’s growing American appeal.
Marc Bolan is depicted as being shuttled relentlessly between interviews, photo calls and promotional obligations — a demanding schedule designed to push the band deeper into the U.S. market. Despite the pressure and the lingering mythology of torn clothes and car chases from the UK, Bolan is described as grounded, composed and surprisingly unaffected by the circus around him.
The piece also highlights the post‑concert party, which drew a number of high‑profile attendees, including Mick Jagger, who reportedly struggled to leave the venue unnoticed. The presence of such figures underscores the cultural curiosity surrounding Bolan’s American push.
The article frames the Los Angeles show as a pivotal moment: a successful, riot‑free performance that demonstrated T. Rex’s ability to command attention in a city saturated with rock royalty. It captures the early stages of Bolan’s attempt to translate his UK superstardom into U.S. recognition — a campaign built on relentless touring, media saturation and the irresistible swagger of “Get It On.”
📰 Visual Archive

T. Rex Get It On in LA — Melody Maker, February 26, 1972.
Press Report – U.S. Tour – 1972
• Hollywood Palladium sell‑out
• Heavy media hype and comparisons to Beatlemania
• Bolan’s intense promotional workload
📰 Related Material
Explore the tags below for connected posts and themes.
📰 Closing Notes
This article captures a crucial moment in T. Rex’s American campaign — a night where hype, expectation and genuine star power converged, revealing Marc Bolan’s determination to break through in the world’s most competitive music market.
📰 Sources
• Melody Maker, February 26, 1972
• Contemporary U.S. tour reporting
• Archival provenance notes
📝 Copyright Notice
All magazine scans, photographs and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non‑commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.





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