20th Century Boy: The Ultimate Collection

by T. Rex, Marc Bolan & T. Rex

Overview

Given that the T. Rex/Marc Bolan catalog is cluttered with collections, all recycling much of the same material, it's easy to be suspicious of another hits compilation, such as Hip-0's 2002 release 20th Century Boy: The Ultimate Collection, especially if it's billed as an "ultimate" retrospective. Against all odds, this 23-track disc really is an "ultimate collection," or at least as close as it can possibly get, given the labyrinthine nature of Bolan's catalog. What this gets right is that it samples it all, from Tyrannosaurus Rex to Dandy in the Underworld, hitting all the big songs along the way -- "Debora," "One Inch Rock," "Ride a White Swan," "Bang a Gong (Get It On)," "Cosmic Dancer," "Telegram Sam," "The Slider," "Children of the Revolution," "20th Century Boy" -- which is the first time all of these have been on a collection so concise, succinct, and winning. Sure, some may complain about a missing single or album track, but this is a stellar, pitch-perfect compilation, balancing the aforementioned big hits with relatively lesser-known gems like "Raw Ramp" and a cover of "Summertime Blues," resulting in the only single-disc compilation to capture all sides of Marc Bolan and T. Rex. And that means it's not just a necessary introduction, it's also essential for those who already have a bunch of albums, because it puts his career in perspective. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	08/20/2002
Label:	Hip-O
UPC:	0731458494829
Rank:	33797

Tracks

1. Debora
2. One Inch Rock
3. King of the Rumbling Spires
4. By the Light of a Magical Moon
5. Elemental Child
6. Ride a White Swan
7. Summertime Blues
8. Jewel
9. Beltane Walk
10. Hot Love
11. Bang a Gong (Get It On)
12. Raw Ramp
13. Cosmic Dancer
14. Jeepster
15. Telegram Sam
16. Metal Guru
17. Mystic Lady
18. The Slider
19. Children of the Revolution
20. Solid Gold Easy Action
21. Born to Boogie
22. 20th Century Boy
23. I Love to Boogie

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Marc Bolan & T. Rex   Primary Artist
T. Rex   Primary Artist
Flo & Eddie   Guest Artist
Steve Currie   Bass
Burt Collins   Flugelhorn
Barry St. John   Vocals (Background)
Howard Kaylan   Vocals (Background)
Mark Volman   Vocals (Background)
Dino Dines   Keyboards
Dave Lutton   Drums
Mickey Finn   Bass,Tabla,Clay Drums,Percussion,Pixiephone,Vocals (Background)
Marc Bolan   Fiddle,Guitar,Vocals,Harmonica,Harmonium,Guitar (Acoustic)
Will Legend   Drums
Ian McDonald   Saxophone
Victoria "Vicky B" Brown   Vocals (Background)
Sue & Sunny   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Smay Vision   Art Direction,Design
Daniel Hersch   Mastering
Dave Thompson   Liner Notes
Pat Lawrence   Executive Producer
Tony Visconti   Producer
Jerry Capehart   Composer
Michele Horie   Art Administration
Dana Smart   Executive Producer
Marc Bolan   Composer,Producer
Eddie Cochran   Composer
Geary Chansley   Photo Research
Robin Schwartz   Licensing