Electric Warrior

Infobox Album
Name = Electric Warrior
Type = Album
Artist = T.Rex


Released = September 24 1971
Recorded = March-June 1971 Trident Studios, London; Advision Studios, London; Wally Heider Studios, Los Angeles; Media Sound Studios, New York
Genre = Glam rock, hard rock, rock and roll
Length = 39:02
Label = Fly (UK); Reprise (US)
Producer = Tony Visconti
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:d9fixq85ldae~T1 link]
*Pitchfork (9.5/10) [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/22430/T_Rex_Electric_Warrior link]
*Robert Christgau (B) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=3946&name=T.+Rex link]
*"Rolling Stone" (Favorable) [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/trex/albums/album/232414/review/6068065/electric_warrior link] |
Chronology = T.Rex
Last album = "T. Rex"
(1970)
This album = "Electric Warrior"
(1971)
Next album = "The Slider"
(1972)

"Electric Warrior" is the sixth album by British rock group T.Rex, and is widely considered to be one of the quintessential glam rock releases. In 1987, it was ranked #100 in "Rolling Stone" magazine's list of the best 100 albums of the period 1967-1987. RS500|160

One of the best-known songs on the record is "Get It On", whose title was changed in the United States to "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" (as there was another hit song at the time called "Get It On" by the group Chase). This was T.Rex's biggest single and their only U.S. hit (#10). The track is followed by "Girl", which is separated from the rest of the album by an unusual flugelhorn arrangement. "Cosmic Dancer" is an acoustic-based song propelled by producer Tony Visconti's string arrangements. This track features over the opening credits of the film "Billy Elliot".

Also present on the album are Flo & Eddie, whose background vocals are most prevalent on the track "Monolith", but also feature on "Mambo Sun" and "Get It On".

"Electric Warrior" reached #32 in the US, thus paving the way for the greater success of "The Slider" there in 1972, while it went to #1 for several weeks in the UK, becoming the biggest album of 1971.

Bolan, in a 1971 interview contained on the Rhino Records reissue, said of the album "I think "Electric Warrior", for me, is the first album which is a statement of 1971 for us in England. I mean that's... If anyone ever wanted to know why we were big in the other part of the world, that album says it, for me."

The sleeve was designed by British art design group Hipgnosis. In the November 2001 issue of "Vanity Fair" American musician Beck chose it as one of his 50 favourite album sleeves. [http://sleevage.com/trex-electric-warrior/ sleevage.com]

Track listing

All songs written by Marc Bolan.
#"Mambo Sun" – 3:40
#"Cosmic Dancer" – 4:30
#"Jeepster" – 4:12
#"Monolith" – 3:49
#"Lean Woman Blues" – 3:02
#"Get It On" – 4:27
#"Planet Queen" – 3:13
#"Girl" – 2:32
#"The Motivator" – 4:00
#"Life's a Gas" – 2:24
#"Rip Off" – 3:40

Rhino Records reissue bonus tracks

#"There Was a Time" - 1:00
#"Raw Ramp" - 4:16
#"Planet Queen" [Acoustic Version] - 3:00
#"Hot Love" - 4:59
#"Woodland Rock" - 2:24
#"King of the Mountain Cometh" - 3:57
#"The T. Rex "Electric Warrior" Interview" - 19:35

30th Anniversary Special Edition bonus tracks

#"Rip Off [Work in Progress] " - 2:30
#"Mambo Sun [Work in Progress] " - 3:57
#"Cosmic Dancer [Work in Progress] " - 5:15
#"Monolith [Work in Progress] " - 4:47
#"Get It On [Work in Progress] " - 4:43
#"Planet Queen [Work in Progress] " - 0:56
#"The Motivator [Work in Progress] " - 4:19
#"Life's a Gas [Work in Progress] " - 3:14

Personnel

* Marc Bolan – vocals, guitars
* Mickey Finn – conga drums, bongos
* Steve Currie – bass guitar
* Bill Legend – drums
* Howard Kaylan – backing vocals
* Mark Volman – backing vocals
* Rick Wakeman – keyboards on "Get It On"
* Ian McDonald – saxophone
* Burt Collins - Flugel Horn

*Roy Thomas Baker - engineer
*George Underwood - artwork, photography

Notes