Metal Guru The Life And Music Of Marc Bolan Paperback – Illustrated, 21 Aug. 2017

I have been a Marc Bolan fan since the early 70’s and have read pretty much every book about him since, with few exceptions. However, for some strange reason I seem to have missed the other various Bolan books by this author - Paul Roland. Having said that - I do have a copy of his ‘Electric Warrior’ which he explains here was a bit of an early ‘cut and paste’ effort released under a pen name.I know that ‘Marc’ fans can be a bit of an overly ‘sensitive’ bunch and seem very particular about who should be allowed to write about their idol, so I for one, take my ‘Slider’ top hat off to any who are brave enough to accept the challenge. I know of one T.Rex fan who refused to read the “excellent” ‘Rise And Fall of a 20th Century Superstar’ by Mark Paytress, simply because it states the word ‘fall’ in the title. Many believe that Marc did not ‘fall’ it seems, and if he did, we are not allowed to mention it! Anyhow, I am so glad that I persuaded myself to get a copy of ‘Metal Guru - The Life & Music of’ by this brilliant author. This book is clearly a work of love, well researched and worth every penny. A masterpiece which easily stands head and shoulders above the rest. (The only one exception being the aforementioned Mark Paytress work, perhaps?).I am totally hooked by Paul Roland’s writing style. He doesn’t waste a single sentence or paragraph it seems. Everything is relevant, factual and to the point. It flows beautifully and there is never a dull moment, and to my mind, he has captured the definitive work about the enigmatic superstar.I love some of the author’s many excellent quotes which run throughout. For example: “Bolan had played Puck for long enough. Now he was jumping down from his toadstool and bringing rock to Hobbiton.” Cleverly put - I thought.Although Paul is clearly a Marc Bolan fan, this is a well balanced work and he doesn’t hold back from revealing Marc’s darker side either.The only thing which lets this work down in my opinion is the way that it has been cheaply published. I’m not over keen on the cartoon-like cover image if I’m honest and it is a bit of a struggle to prise through this tightly bound paperback trying to keep the pages open. I am very surprised that a work as good as this has not been given special hardback treatment.Anyhow, if you’re a Marc Bolan fan this is the book you need and even if you’re not - you would still enjoy this trip back in time before ‘TV talent shows manufactured and marketed pop stars to order’ as the author puts it. I can only apologise to Paul Roland and hopefully make it up to him by seeking out and reading his other Marc Bolan books. However for the moment, I simply don’t want this one to end, it’s great!

Latest in a long line of biogs on the former T.Rex vocalist and songwriter Marc Bolan. For the uber-fan there are not usually too many eye-opening revelations on the pages within.However, although Paul Roland has trodden some well-worn paths in this respect, he has turned his spotlight on a few of the more oblique aspects of his subject matter, such as the musical construction of the songs themselves. For those apathetic to the intricacies of chord sequences and mutations, these technical insights will possibly seem a little Open University - or even unnecessary - but the author at least highlights Bolan's musical prowess to a degree which has not been adequately explained or explored before now.Many fans agree that Marc has never received the critical acclaim he deserves as a bone-fide guitar hero who should be up there in the top division with the elite. This dissection of the finer details in the art of song construction further endorses the claims of the faithful.There are a number of previously-unpublished anecdotes here, and Roland doesn't shy away from including some of the less-than-shining examples of Bolan's treatment of friends and acquaintances during his Rock Star years, making for a reasonably-balanced retrospective. The chapters are interspersed with quotes from Bolan and contributions from those connected to him - a format which makes reading a little disjointed and not conducive to fluidity.Another negative aspect is that the book's cover itself is far from inspiring, in title and design; both smack of laziness, which is disappointing.But those grumbles aside, bearing in mind a considerable number of publications covering Marc's life and career have been published, it has been some time since such a comprehensive edition was produced.Metal Guru is definitely worth adding to your library, be you a young or not-so-young fan of Marc Bolan.

I've read a number of biographies about Marc Bolan and this is as good as any. This uses a lot of his own words as well as key commentary from people around him. Reveals a driven and complex person who, for all his failings, was a pop genius and had an influence on many that followed. Paul Roland is particularly strong on analysing the early Tyrannosaurus Rex stuff and its place in music history.

Arrived in perfect condition. My dad loved it.

As marc bolan books go it's as good as any but his life story never dissapoints

A good book with a great insight into Marc. I really liked this. KALMIYH

Some interesting info, but most of it old news

This is easily the best Bolan biography ever written.