Marc Bolan: Beautiful Dreamer - Hardcover

John Bramley

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1786064480 ISBN 13: 9781786064486

Publisher: Music Press Books, 2017

Synopsis

Marc Bolan was the wizard who brought magic to rock music - his heart beat to the rhythm of rock. Moving from early folk influences and songs on the mythology of Tolkien, he transformed himself into a unique, sparkling and effervescent glam-rock icon. His boogie roots combined with Marc's own natural glitter dust, and propelled him forward on an adventure, with fortunes that were to ebb and flow over a decade. His diamond-studded halo was extinguished on 16 September 1977, at a time when his music was in the ascendancy.

The annals of history are strewn with stories of artists who passed away in shocking circumstances of those that died too young, from substance abuse, mysterious illnesses or even murder. Sometimes, the shock of their passing immediately elevates their standing in cultural memory and cements their work in a favourable light. Marc Bolan died at twenty-nine years of age, in a tragic car crash - an accident that could have been avoided. However, it took many years for people to start appreciating what Marc Bolan brought to a rock music scene in the early seventies which had stagnated in some corners after the explosion of creativity in the sixties. Yet, gradually, acclaim has grown for how he enriched the period, bringing colour and humour to an increasingly leaden genre.

Much like Hendrix before him, and Cobain after him, his natural charisma and striking beauty have underpinned his status as a dreamlike bard, an enigmatic pin-up whom boys wished they looked like and girls wished they were with. Yet it was his scorching talent as a performer and songwriter which have formed the bedrock for longevity as a legend.

Including rare and unpublished photographs, and works of Marc's own poetry, this book is put together by a true, original fan - one who followed Marc Bolan on tour, who bought every piece of vinyl he released and who was fortunate enough to have made Marc's acquaintance during the peak of his career. Published forty years on from Bolan's death, Beautiful Dreamer is unashamedly a book of love, a book that every Marc Bolan fan will identify with, because it paints a picture of the man that the fans idolised, worshipped and continue to cherish to this day.

About this title

From the Author

John Bramley was born in New York in 1955 and moved to England with his parents at the age of three. Marc Bolan had a massive effect on his life and, between 1980 and 1997, John undertook the rights to the Marc Bolan catalogue, ensuring that the legacy continued. As well as this biography, John has written the Marc Bolan Illustrated discography, and is a leading authority on T. Rex.
He attended Sheffield Hallam University, obtaining a degree in Sociology. A qualified generalist Advisor with the CAB, he now works helping people with Alcohol and Drug Addiction.

Book Description

Forty years after his tragic death, this homage to Marc Bolan pays tribute to one of the pioneers of the glam rock movement.

About this edition

• Publisher: Music Press Books
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1786064480
• ISBN 13: 9781786064486
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 288