📰 NME News Page – T.Rex, Slade Mott: Feb. 1971
- glamslam72
- Feb 13, 1971
- 5 min read
A collection of music news items from New Musical Express, published February 13, 1971.
📰 Excerpt
A roundup of early‑1971 music news including T. Rex’s forthcoming maxi‑single, Slade’s dispute over a cancelled appearance, and updates on Mott the Hoople’s touring schedule.
📰 Overview
This New Musical Express news page from February 13, 1971 captures a busy week in the UK music scene. T. Rex prepare to release a new maxi‑single while “Ride a White Swan” continues to sell strongly. Slade issue a statement claiming they were removed from a concert bill at T. Rex’s request, prompting a rebuttal from the T. Rex camp. Additional items include tour updates for Mott the Hoople and details on upcoming releases from Fly Records.
📰 Source Details
Publication: New Musical Express
Date: February 13, 1971
Issue: News page
Provenance Notes: Original print edition; part of NME’s weekly music news coverage.
📰 The Story
The page includes news of T. Rex’s upcoming maxi‑single “Hot Love,” recorded quickly and scheduled for release while “Ride a White Swan” remains in the charts. The article highlights the involvement of Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman on backing vocals and notes the strong sales of both the single and the T. Rex album.
A second item reports Slade’s claim that T. Rex had them removed from a concert bill, citing concerns about attracting skinhead fans. T. Rex’s publicist denies this, explaining that the issue was logistical and related to the number of support acts booked.
The page also includes a brief update on Mott the Hoople, whose American tour has been delayed to allow completion of their new album Wild Life, alongside details of their upcoming European dates.
📰 Key Highlights
T. Rex announce a new maxi‑single, “Hot Love,” featuring two additional tracks
“Ride a White Swan” continues to sell strongly after 14 weeks in the chart
Slade claim T. Rex had them removed from a concert bill; T. Rex deny it
Fly Records preparing a Best of T. Rex compilation
Mott the Hoople delay their US tour to finish Wild Life
📰 Visual Archive
📰 Alt Text Box
A New Musical Express news page from February 13, 1971 featuring items on T. Rex, Slade, and Mott the Hoople.
📰 Caption
News items from New Musical Express, February 13, 1971, including T. Rex’s upcoming maxi‑single and Slade’s claim of being removed from a concert bill.
📰 Article Text
T. Rex announce the release of a new Fly maxi‑single titled “Hot Love,” recorded only days earlier and featuring two additional tracks, “King of the Mountain Cometh” and “Woodland Rock.” Marc Bolan describes the lead track as “cosmic rock,” and the article notes the involvement of Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman on backing vocals. Despite “Ride a White Swan” still selling strongly after 14 weeks, the new release is being rushed out, with sales of the earlier single reportedly exceeding 400,000.
A separate item reports Slade’s claim that T. Rex had them removed from a scheduled concert appearance, suggesting concerns about attracting skinhead fans. T. Rex’s publicist denies this, explaining that the issue stemmed from the number of support acts booked and insisting that the group will play to any audience.
The page also includes an update on Mott the Hoople, whose planned American tour has been delayed to allow completion of their new album Wild Life. The group will tour Sweden before returning for UK dates later in the month.
📰 Related Material
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📰 Closing Notes
This news page captures the energy and movement of the UK music scene in early 1971, with T. Rex’s rapid rise, Slade’s public frustrations, and Mott the Hoople’s evolving plans all contributing to a lively snapshot of the era.
📰 Sources & Copyright
All original text and images remain the copyright of their respective publishers and creators.
This post is presented for historical, educational, and archival purposes only.
📰 Tags
T. Rex maxi-single due
T REX --Is whose "Ride A White Swan" is still at No. 11 in this week's NME Chart rush releasing a new Fly maxi-single next Friday (19). "Hot Love" is the title of the disc and of the promoted track, and the other two items are "King Of The Mountain Cometh" and "Woodland Rock." All three are Mare Bolan songs, with a total playing time of 14 minutes. Recording was completed only on Saturday of last week.
Bolan describes "Hot Love" as "cosmic rock; it is not how I re-member a 1950's rock record, but rather how I want to do it now." Mothers of Invention vocalists Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman, who worked with T. Rex on the duo's current album, are featured on "Hot Love" as backing vocalists.
The maxi-single is being released despite the fact that White Swan" is still selling well after 14 weeks in the Chart. T. Rex publicist B. P. Fallen claims sales of over 400,000 fer the single to date, and 30,000 for the T. Rex album.
As previously reported. Fly is re leasing a "Best Of T. Rex" album on March 5. Selling at 1. it in-cludes two never-before-issued tracks by the duo, "Once Upon The Seas Of Abyssinia" and Blessed Wild Apple Girl."
A five-week American tour for the duo begins on March 26. Among forthcoming British dates are Guild-ford Civic Hall (next Monday), Bir mingham Town Hall (Tuesday). Dundee University (Wednesday) and Nottingham University (February 20). A three-day Irish tour takes in Cork (March 1), Belfast (2) and Dublin (3).
'T. REX STOPPED US FROM APPEARING' - CLAIMS SLADE
A STATEMENT from Slade's publicists this week says: "Slade was to have played a concert at Top Rank on Monday. Dut due to the fact that the top-of-the-bill act T. Rex stated that they did not want Slade on the same bill as themselves, the group was forced to withdraw. T. Rex gave no reason at all for their decision to have Slade removed from the bill." A spokesman for the group added: "I suppose they were afraid that a lot of skinheads would come to the ballroom to see us. This annoys us, because we thought we were finally rid of the skinhead image."
In reply, T. Rex publicist B. P. Falion, commented: "As a rule T. Rex do not use a support group, but on this occasion the Roy Young Band had been booked. Slade was added as well, and no one connected with T. Rex was informed. Really because of the time limitations, T. Rex couldn't have two support bands. As far as being afraid of skinheads is concerned, T. Rex will play to anyone who wants to see them skinheads or old-age pensioners. It looks to me like a case of Slade trying to get seme publicity out of it."
HOOPLE U.S. TOUR DELAYED
Mott The Hoople's projected eight week American tour has been put back one month, and is now due to start in April. This is to enable the group to finish its new album Wild Life, which is scheduled for March 19 release by Island. The outfit begins a six-day Swedish tour on February 16 and returns to play Tottenham Sisters on February 26.
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