📰 Really We’re Just Pop – Article: Mar. 1970
- Tyrannosaurus Rex
- Mar 27, 1970
- 3 min read
Writer: Nick Logan / New Musical Express
Date: March 28, 1970
Length: 4 min read
A sharply observed NME feature capturing Tyrannosaurus Rex at a turning point — Marc Bolan shedding the last traces of psychedelic whimsy and stepping toward the electric future that would soon become T. Rex.
Marc Bolan dismantles the myths around Tyrannosaurus Rex and reframes the duo as something simple, direct, and defiantly pop.
In this March 1970 NME profile, Marc Bolan pushes back against the intellectual barriers built around Tyrannosaurus Rex, insisting that beneath the unicorns and mysticism lies pure pop instinct. With Micky Finn newly in the lineup and A Beard of Stars freshly released, the article captures the moment the band’s sound began to electrify — literally and figuratively.
📰 Key Highlights
• One‑page NME feature dated March 28, 1970
• Marc Bolan rejects the “elf‑folk” stereotype
• Introduction of Micky Finn after Steve Peregrine Took’s departure
• Discussion of the band’s shift toward electric instrumentation
• Coverage of the new album A Beard of Stars
📰 Overview
By early 1970, Tyrannosaurus Rex had already built a devoted following — and an equally vocal group of detractors. Their mystical lyrics, acoustic arrangements, and Bolan’s elfin delivery made them a lightning rod for both adoration and ridicule. Nick Logan’s NME article confronts this divide head‑on, opening with the observation that even the mention of the band’s name could provoke strong reactions.
The piece arrives at a pivotal moment: Steve Peregrine Took had recently departed, Micky Finn had joined, and the duo’s sound was evolving. A Beard of Stars, released the week of publication, showcased Bolan’s growing fascination with electric guitar — a shift that would soon explode into the glam‑rock revolution of T. Rex.
This article captures the hinge between eras: the last breath of Tyrannosaurus Rex’s acoustic mysticism and the first spark of the electric future.
📰 Source Details
Publication / Venue: New Musical Express
Date: March 28, 1970
Format: Feature / Artist Profile
Provenance Notes: Verified via issue header (“Week ending March 28, 1970”) and NME’s publication style of the period.
📰 The Story
Nick Logan frames the band’s reputation with humour and honesty, noting how Bolan’s early imagery — unicorns, woods, elfs — had become a cultural flashpoint. Bolan responds with characteristic charm, insisting that Tyrannosaurus Rex is, at heart, “just pop,” and that the intellectual barriers surrounding them are projections rather than intentions.
The article traces Bolan’s journey from mod beginnings to would‑be pop idol, to his stint in John’s Children, and finally to the formation of Tyrannosaurus Rex. Logan highlights the crucial role of John Peel, whose early support helped the duo gain traction through Radio London and BBC’s Top Gear.
With Steve Peregrine Took gone, Bolan speaks warmly of new percussionist Micky Finn, whose arrival coincides with a shift toward electrification. Logan emphasises Bolan’s surprising skill on electric guitar — a revelation on A Beard of Stars — and suggests that this innovation marks the beginning of something far larger.
The piece ends with a sense of momentum: Tyrannosaurus Rex may still be working with the whimsical textures of Unicorn, but the road ahead is widening, brightening, and humming with electricity.
📰 Visual Archive
A black‑and‑white NME photograph featuring Marc Bolan and Micky Finn in close portrait. Both appear from the shoulders up, Bolan on the left and Finn on the right, framed in classic early‑’70s press style.
Tyrannosaurus Rex — Marc Bolan and Micky Finn — photographed for New Musical Express, March 28, 1970.
📰 Related Material
• A Beard of Stars (1970)
• Tyrannosaurus Rex live performances, 1969–70
• Transition to T. Rex (1970–71)
📰 Closing Notes
This NME feature stands as a snapshot of Marc Bolan on the cusp of transformation — still rooted in the acoustic mysticism of Tyrannosaurus Rex, yet already reaching toward the electric swagger that would soon define a generation. It is the sound of a door closing and another swinging wide open.
📰 Sources
• New Musical Express (March 28, 1970)
• Tyrannosaurus Rex discography chronology
• Archival press references
📝 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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