Tanx & Zinc Alloy

If you're looking at this collection, you more than likely already have 1973's "Tanx" and 1974's "Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow" and are wondering if there's anything new here that would merit purchasing this collection. The decision to purchase something like this comes down to (1) your love for these albums and the desire to buy anything related to them; (2) unique or unreleased songs; (3) unique extras that come with the package (e.g., book, posters, shirts, etc.).2014 marked the 41st anniversary for T. Rex's "Tanx" (1973) and the 40th anniversary of "Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow" (1974). These are two albums that many (myself included) feel mark the end of the classic "T. Rex sound." This is mainly due to this being the last album with Marc's longtime producer, Tony Visconti. Similar to how many people consider George Martin the "fifth Beatle" due to his involvement in producing their recordings, Visconti was just as intimately linked to T. Rex. One of the motivating factors for me in purchasing this package was Tony's involvement in handling the remastering and the hardcover book that includes his memories of recording these two often-overlooked albums.I've done reviews on Tanx's and "Zinc Alloy's" numerous releases and repackagings over the years. If you're interested in a review of the music from either of these albums, be sure to check out the reviews for each; fans have left some great comments and insight over the years. So a review of the music would be redundant. It's the packaging and the quality of this release on which I want to focus.There were apparently only 1,500 of these "boxed sets" manufactured by Demon Music Group. When originally announced, there were three tiers:* The Ultimate Fan Bundle - included a T. Rex tote bag, colored 7-inch vinyl single of Solid Gold Easy Action b/w The Groover* The Deluxe Fan Bundle -- with just the T. Rex tote bag* The Deluxe Edition - No extras, just the hardcover book, discs, and DVDThe remasters by Ted Jenson and Tony Visconti are excellent. They are better than the 2002 remasters that seem to be set with loudness in mind rather than bringing out the nuances of each track. Tony knows the fans of these albums are intimately familiar with each track: the mellotron on "Mister Mister," the bird sounds on "Life is Strange," and the lush strings on "Broken Hearted Blues" - so much care and attention to detail is given.If you've purchased the previous releases of either album, you more than likely have the demos and outtakes that come on disc 2 and 4. These have been released in some form on the Unchained series from the 90's, as well as on  Alternate Tanx  and  Change (The Alternate Zinc Alloy) . This set, however, provides everything in one place. Also included is a DVD with the following tracks:1. Children Of The Revolution (Top Of The Pops Performance)2. Solid Gold Easy Action (Top Of The Pops Performance)3. Mad Donna (Cilla Black Show Performance)4. The Groover (Promo film)5. Teenage Dream (Top Of The Pops Performance)6. Children Of The Revolution (Promo film)So is it worth getting? If you have the albums or CDs and are happy with them -- then probably not. There's really nothing new here that you probably don't already have. On the other hand, if you're a Bolan completest, the limited release and packaging may appeal to you. Personally, I love both of these albums and have several versions of both. After seeing the deluxe versions of Electric Warrior and The Slider, I'm glad to see something similar done to these two often overlooked masterpieces. However, I would have liked to have seen them released as individual deluxe sets. If done properly -- each album has enough history behind it to tell a good story. But I couldn't pass this up. As a fan of Marc Bolan and his music -- especially these two albums -- I had to add it to the collection.

Mit dieser Box werden die Alben Tanx und Zinc Alloy in angemessener Weise gewürdigt! Sehr wertig und schön gestaltet, ein MUSS für jeden Bolan Fan!

In this big, serious box set the Tanx album is given prominence and comes first in the selection of discs. Though it is a great album, it represents the ‘tail-end’ of the Bolan’s manic fame-phase that lasted from 71-73. It is a rich, startling sound experience, with Bolan’s melodic gifts greatly in evidence. The playing from the members of the original T.REX is superb, ably assisted by saxophonist Howie Casey and Tony Visconti, that many-talented producer and instrumentalist, who contributes mellotron and recorders to the sumptuous mix.Where Bolan falls down sometimes is in his slavish need to give another hit to the ‘kids’ and many tracks here could easily have been hits: Shock Rock, Country Honey, Rapids and The Street And Babe Shadow could all have be released as singles. In fact the album is expanded with many great singles such as 20th Century Boy and Children Of The Revolution. All of the tracks on this album are without doubt the apex of pop-rock, perfectly produced and performed. The sense of giving up on the fame-game is perhaps most fittingly illustrated by the silly ending to Left Hand Luke And The Beggar Boys, the original album closer. When Bolan, perhaps drunkenly, spits out the final syllable, he unwittingly gives the clear impression that Tanx is a bit of a throwaway collection.Zinc Alloy, however, is Bolan's greatest album, an album so brimming with confidence and ideas it's almost bursting at the seams, it's his Sgt Pepper, his Smile, his Exile On Main St, and every song is mesmeric. The ferocity of his guitar playing, and it's amazing fluidity and grace makes every song endlessly fascinating. Even shorter, throwaway tracks like Spanish Midnight/Jive To Stay Alive are filled with his superb extemporisation, with vocal and musical inventiveness in abundance.Some of the tracks hark back to the old T.Rex boogie machine, such as Nameless Wildness and Painless Persuasion Vs The Meathawk Immaculate, other tracks are extremely futuristic and sublime like Sound Pit and Explosive Mouth. Many tracks could have been released as singles, especially opener Venus Loon, despite it's at times gruesome lyrical subject matter. Teenage Dream was the official single, and it is Bolan's Day In The Life, his Good Vibrations, his Life on Mars. The lyrics are verbose and poetic, leaning towards a melancholia only understood by the first rock generation realising that their dream of rock n roll transforming the world into some kind of rebel paradise was never going to happen. Every time I hear the closing track Gardenia (and The Mighty Slug) I am reminded that only Bob Dylan himself ever wrote anything remotely as weird and surreal, whilst at the same time deeply moving.The only trouble with this Tony Visconti remaster, though it sounds spectacular and beautiful, is he has still repeated the mistake of the Bolan fan club (who reissued the album on cd in the 80s) and included the horrendous 'bootleg'-style ending to Teenage Dream, which did not appear on the original album. This is not how Bolan intended the song to end! On the plus side, he has included Squint Eye Mangle, The Groover, Truck On, Midnight, Blackjack, Sitting Here and Satisfaction Pony as bonus tracks, as Edsel did, but leaving that stupid drunken ending on the end of Bolan's greatest lyrical masterpiece is a crime. C'est la vie, I suppose, he’s the producer and it’s his choice what is used.The discs of outtakes and demos are revealing and insightful, some very stark versions of the songs, others full-band workouts, and great songs in their own right. The dvd that comes with the set has that great TOTP performance of Teenage Dream, with saxophones instead of strings and some different guitar parts, and is a bit of a treat for all Bolan fans. Marc really belonged on that star.The notes by Visconti himself are always insightful and I loved seeing his original musical scores reproduced - also, the biographical journalism by Mark Paytress is well written and informative. What a great set!

なにしろ高過ぎる。予約した私は結局9,961円での購入だったが、4/27現在のアマゾン価格は驚愕の14,990円也！他でもだいたい似たような価格帯である。事実上の2枚組デラックス・エディションと考えれば輸入盤では2000円そこそこ、国内盤でも3500円程度が妥当。それが2セット＋ボーナスDVD（これがまたショボい内容…）にまあまあ立派なブックレットが付いただけで1万円はどう考えてもボリ過ぎだろう。これで内容が良ければまだ我慢もするのだが、以前からある2枚組のリマスター盤の収録テイクで漏れているトラックもかなりある（曲数もこちらはだいぶ少ない）。ファンクラブ向けのクリスマス・メッセージなんてレアなトラックもあるにはあるが、関連音源の完全収録には程遠い。一応グローバルで1500セット限定という触れ込みらしいがいまだ新品がオーダー可能、売り切れていないのも納得の内容と価格だ。悪いことは言わない、おとなしく数年前に発売された2枚組を買っときましょう。

Tanx is a great great album which I first bought when it was originally released. Loved it then still love it and really like the improved sound quality to hear even more of the "sound". I've never been taken with the sleeve image and for me it's still a poor selection that devalues the quality of the songs and talent of the artist. The other sleeve images including ZInc Alloy are all really strong so I'd love to understand what the deal is with the Tanx image. Having said all that great songs. Zinc Allloy I think is a very under rated album and as the man said at the time it was a different sound and has some great songs. Personally I would have preferred that they were released individually but no doubt the marketing guys considered and rejected this. Take it we'll be seeing the other gems coming our way?? T.rex always!

Fantastic remaster from Tony Visconti albeit the bass and percussion seems to be slightly more forward in the mix than on the original albums I bought back in the day. Tanx is an undervalued album and has become one of my fave Boley albums with the passage of time. Great idea to include the associated singles from the relevant period but not sure that all the demos and studio tryouts etc are warranted but guess great for the Bolan completist. Detailed notes from Tony Visconti and Bolan professor Mark Paytress are detailed and honest, warts and all, which make for interesting reading, all in all a superb item for T.Rex fans, arrived on time and very well packaged.