Songwriter John Howard has put down his own music manuscripts this month to turn his attention to the late Marc Bolan.
As Howard was emerging from the North West of England into the bright lights of that there London in the early 1970s, Bolan’s pop tracks from 20th Century Boy to Get It On were mainstays on Top of the Pops and radio.
But on this five track EP Howard focuses on some of the T. Rex frontman’s lesser-known, earlier songs, back when the band were the more psychedelic folk than glam pop and went by the name Tyrannosaurus Rex.
The Seal of Season’s from Tyrannosaurus Rex’s 1969 album Unicorn is here, meanwhile Dove, Great Horse and A Day Laye from 1970’s A Beard of Stars also get the Howard treatment.
Another is Diamond Meadows, from their 1970 self-titled debut album T Rex, the first under their more familiar name.
“It’s exciting to know that an EP I’ve been planning to record for the last five years is finally done and out there,” said Howard.
All five tracks are unfamiliar to this writer and for the purposes of this review I’ve decided to not listen to the originals until I’ve finished writing
I’m keen to look at these purely as Howard tracks. Dove opens strongly, with the psychedelic Tolkein-esque lyrics throughout blending well with Howard backed mainly just by piano.
The harpsichord and cellos are dusted off for Diamond Meadows, with more nature imagery mixed with sauciness this time here.
Its back to more simple piano and vocals on the Sea of Seasons and Great Horse as Bolan’s lyrics of nature and love dance around Howard’s piano keys.
A Day Laye adds more of a backing layer to the music and feels the most upbeat here.
What is good about listening to these songs for the first time is how embedded in the late 1960s ideals of nature, peace and love they are.
There’s an innocence to them from a time before Bolan’s face wasn’t in every magazine and adorned on every teenagers’ bedroom wall.
It was a time when Bolan and his partner used to be best friends with John Peel and his wife Sheila Ravenscroft, who recount in their book Margrave of the Marshes of the sadness of fame replacing them in the T.Rex man’s affections.
Right, I’m off to listen to the originals now. That hippy Bolan better not disappoint.
Words by Joe Lepper
John Howard: Songs for Mr Feld can be found on Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal.
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