📰 The Godfathers of Rock – Feature: Mar. 1973
- T.Rex
- Mar 3, 1973
- 3 min read
A Melody Maker deep‑dive into the power brokers behind the American concert industry, profiling New York promoters Howard Stein and Ron Delsener — with Marc Bolan as a cultural touchpoint.
Melody Maker explores the business side of rock through two of New York’s most influential promoters, revealing how Stein and Delsener shaped the live music landscape of the 1960s and early ’70s.
📰 Key Highlights
• Multi‑page feature in Melody Maker, March 3, 1973
• Written by Michael Watts, MM’s New York correspondent
• Profiles Howard Stein and Ron Delsener, two major U.S. rock promoters
• Discusses their work with The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, and others
• Examines the economics and psychology of rock promotion
• Includes commentary on Marc Bolan’s U.S. prospects
• Features a large performance photo of Bolan
📰 Overview
By 1973, the American concert industry had become a powerful machine — one driven not only by artists but by the promoters who controlled venues, ticketing, and the logistics of touring. Melody Maker’s feature “The Godfathers of Rock” pulls back the curtain on this world, focusing on Howard Stein and Ron Delsener, two New York impresarios who helped define the modern rock show.
📰 Source Details
Publication / Venue: Melody Maker
Date: March 3, 1973
Issue / Format: Multi‑page feature
Provenance Notes: Sourced from original print scans.
📰 The Story
Michael Watts frames the piece with a provocative question: if you couldn’t be a rock star or a manager, would you become a promoter? The article positions promoters as the unseen power figures of the industry — present backstage, onstage, and in the newspapers, yet rarely the focus of public attention.
Howard Stein, 36, and Ron Delsener, 41, are presented as the twin pillars of New York’s rock scene. Both began in the early 1960s and, between them, promoted nearly every major act of the era: The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, and countless others. Stein speaks candidly about the financial realities of the job — “You make a lot of money if you’re a successful promoter” — while Delsener reflects on the pressures of keeping artists, audiences, and venues aligned.
Watts explores the “oiling of the rock machine,” describing how promoters shape the cultural landscape by deciding which artists get stages, which cities get tours, and how shows are marketed. Their insights reveal a rock world increasingly driven by scale, spectacle, and business acumen.
Marc Bolan appears as a case study in the shifting dynamics of stardom. A large photo of Bolan accompanies the article, captioned with the line: “18‑year‑olds won’t make him a superstar.” The implication is that Bolan’s U.S. trajectory depends not only on fan enthusiasm but on the strategic decisions of promoters like Stein and Delsener — a reminder that fame is as much engineered as earned.
The article blends industry commentary, personality profiles, and cultural observation, offering a rare look at the backstage architects of rock’s golden age.
📰 Visual Archive
Marc Bolan photographed in Melody Maker, March 3, 1973, accompanying Michael Watts’s feature on New York rock promoters Howard Stein and Ron Delsener.
📰 Related Material
Explore the tags below for connected posts and themes.
📰 Closing Notes
“The Godfathers of Rock” captures a moment when the business of rock was becoming as influential as the music itself — and when promoters, not just performers, shaped the future of the industry.
📰 Sources
• Melody Maker, March 3, 1973
• Contemporary U.S. concert industry documentation
• Secondary commentary on 1970s rock promotion
📝 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.
📰 Excerpt II
A behind‑the‑scenes look at the men who built the American rock touring empire — and the artists whose careers depended on them.
📰 Alt Text Box
A newspaper feature titled “The Godfathers of Rock,” with a large photo of Marc Bolan performing. The article discusses New York promoters Howard Stein and Ron Delsener, their work with major artists, and their influence on the rock industry.
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