📰 T. Rex Oldies / Bolan-Fly Dispute – News : Apr. 1972
- T.Rex
- Apr 29, 1972
- 2 min read
NME reports on the release of a new T. Rex compilation album of early hits alongside the escalating dispute between Marc Bolan and Fly Records.
The page buzzes with the tension and excitement of T. Rex’s rapid rise, capturing the moment when Bolan’s success began to create friction with his former label.
🗞 New Musical Express
📅 Date: April 29, 1972
⏱ Length: 5 min read
📰 Key Highlights
• Announcement of the new compilation album “The Golden Hits Of T. Rex” by Fly Records, due May 5
• The album gathers all Fly-era hits never before released on one LP, including “Ride A White Swan,” “Hot Love,” “Get It On,” “Jeepster,” and several others
• Most tracks feature Mickey Finn; the album is also being released on cartridge and cassette by Precision Tapes
• Coverage of the growing dispute between Marc Bolan and Fly Records over the “Deborah” single reissue and other matters
• Additional news on Fortunes, McLean Diamond, and other singles/releases
📰 Overview
Published on April 29, 1972, this NME page combined exciting news of a new T. Rex hits compilation with the first public signs of tension between Marc Bolan and his former label, Fly Records. It reflected the intense commercial activity surrounding T. Rex during their breakthrough year.
📰 Source Details
Publication / Venue: New Musical Express
Date: April 29, 1972
Format: News page
Provenance Notes: Verified from preserved page scan; layout and typography consistent with NME’s April 1972 issues.
📰 The Story
The main story announced Fly Records’ forthcoming compilation “The Golden Hits Of T. Rex,” set for release on May 5. The album collected the band’s early hits that had not previously appeared together on one LP, featuring tracks such as “Ride A White Swan,” “Hot Love,” “Raw Ramp,” “Get It On,” “Jeepster,” and others, most with Mickey Finn on percussion. Precision Tapes was also preparing cartridge and cassette versions.
Alongside this positive news, the page reported on the emerging dispute between Marc Bolan and Fly Records. The conflict centred on the reissue of the early track “Deborah” and other contractual or release-related issues, adding a layer of tension to T. Rex’s otherwise triumphant year.
📰 Visual Archive
Dense newsprint layout with bold headlines, columns of text, and small accompanying images or graphics typical of early 1970s NME. The page includes the “T. Rex oldies album” story and the Bolan-Fly dispute report side-by-side.
📰 Related Material
See tabs at foot of page
📰 Closing Notes
This April 1972 NME page beautifully illustrates the double-edged nature of T. Rex’s meteoric success. While fans eagerly awaited a new hits compilation, the first cracks were appearing in Bolan’s relationship with Fly Records — a sign of the growing pains that often accompany sudden stardom in the music industry.
📝 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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