>> T. REX :: THE SLIDER / BOLAN BOOGIE

Hot and getting hotter. This album was conceived and recorded in the fever of T.Rextacy. We strutted into the Chateau D'Hérouville and Rosenberg Studios and recorded nearly 20 titles which became The Slider, various singles not included, and their B-sides. We recorded in these exotic cities not to get away from foggy London, but to avoid paying tax on our overseas earnings. The United Kingdom believes it is actually the Garden of Eden, and taxes its citizens accordingly. We, and many other recording artists didn't agree, so we tried to save as much money as possible (to, like, buy more guitars, homes for our loved ones, etc.).

We recorded night and day to get those tracks done. Marc wasn't a tourist. To him all hotel rooms, and countries for that matter, were the same. He wanted to get in and out quickly. Back in London we slowed down the pace to record the strings, brass and Flo and Eddie! This is also the first time a Mellotron made its way onto a T.Rex recording. I played the primitive beast for "Mystic Lady."

Two big hit singles were recorded for this album, "Metal Guru" and "Telegram Sam". But two great album tracks really stand out as classics -- "The Slider" and "Ballrooms of Mars."

The cover credits Ringo Starr as the photographer of the front and back covers, when in fact Marc handed me his motorized Nikon and asked me to fire off two rolls of black and white film while we were on the set of "Born To Boogie". Ringo, the director of the film, was busy all day lining up shots. But Marc apparently saw a photo "credit" opportunity and gave Ringo the credit for the photos. Months later when Marc was going over contact sheets I recognized my photos and blurted, "I took these!" Marc said, "Cool, just initial the ones you took and I'll give you credit on the sleeve if I use them."

Bolan Boogie was the second compilation of Marc's career, this time putting some of the singles and B-sides on one album that had previously only appeared on single records. Oddly, some Tyrannosaurus Rex tracks appeared on this hastily thrown together album. I had nothing to do with the choices, nor did Marc.