T.Rex: "Light of Love" Album (2024)

Marc Bolan and T.Rex’s Light of Love was released as a special 50th Anniversary Edition 140g orange vinyl album in the UK by Demon Records (catalog number DEMREC1258) on September 6, 2024, housed in the original sleeve design with a new inner sleeve, following its original US-only release on Casablanca Records in September 1974.

The album combines three tracks from the UK album Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow (1974) with eight new songs recorded in spring 1974 at Music Recorders Inc. Studios in Hollywood, which later appeared on Bolan’s Zip Gun (1975). Engineered by Gary Ulmer and produced by Marc Bolan himself (marking his debut as a producer without long-time collaborator Tony Visconti), this release captures T. Rex during a transitional period, blending glam rock with funk

and soul influences. Despite a US tour and promotion, the original album failed to chart, marking the end of Bolan’s pursuit of US pop stardom. The 2024 reissue celebrates its historical significance and Bolan’s evolving artistry.

Historical Context

By 1974, Marc Bolan and T. Rex were past their UK glam rock peak (1971–1973), which saw hits like “Get It On,” “Metal Guru,” and “Telegram Sam” dominate the charts. After Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow (1974) failed to sustain T. Rex’s UK success and was not released in the US, Bolan, dropped by Reprise Records, signed with Neil Bogart’s newly founded Casablanca Records. Eager to maintain a US presence, Bolan recorded eight new tracks in Hollywood, intended for Bolan’s Zip Gun (1975), and combined them with three Zinc Alloy tracks for Light of Love. This US-only release was a strategic move to rekindle “T. Rextasy” in America, but its commercial failure—despite publicity and a tour—highlighted Bolan’s struggle to break the US market. The album reflects Bolan’s attempt to evolve beyond glam rock, incorporating funk, soul, and rockier elements, influenced by his relationship with Gloria Jones and the US music scene.

Track Listing

Side: 1

1 Light Of Love

2 Solid Baby

3 Precious Star

4 Token Of My Love

5 Space Bos

6 Think Zinc

Side: 2

1 Till Dawn

2 Teenage Dream

3 Girl In The Thunderbolt Suit

4 Explosive Mouth

5 Venus Loon

Production and Credits

Producer: Marc Bolan, marking his first T. Rex album without Tony Visconti’s production.

Engineer: Gary Ulmer, at Music Recorders Inc. Studios in Hollywood.

Key Personnel: Includes Gloria Jones and Sister Pat Hall (backing vocals), B.J. Cole, Steve Currie, Mickey Finn, Jack Green, Lonnie Jordan, Bill Legend, Danny Thompson, and David Katz & The Pop Arts Orchestra (strings). Tony Visconti arranged strings for “Till Dawn.”

Cover Design: David Larkham and Ron Wong, with photography by Neil Preston and Fortune-Rodabaugh.

Critical Reception:

The original 1974 release of Light of Love was met with mixed reactions. Fans of T. Rex’s early glam hits like Electric Warrior found the shift toward funk and soul jarring, with tracks like “Girl in the Thunderbolt Suit” and “Think Zinc” criticized for stretching Bolan’s lyrical credibility. The backing vocals by Gloria Jones and others lacked the ethereal quality of Flo & Eddie from earlier albums, leading some

to describe the album as “Bolan at fifty-percent power.” However, reviewers like those at Connollyco.com note that tracks like “Precious Star,” “Venus Loon,” and “Space Boss” recapture some of T. Rex’s magic, and the album’s uniqueness in the glam landscape makes it a “cup half full.”