TYRANNOSAURUS REX
Prophets, Seers & Sages
The Angel Of The Ages
Expanded Edition
Original Edition:
Regal Zonophone SLRZ 1005, 1968
Expanded & Remastered Edition:
Polydor / Straight Ahead Production 982 251-0, 2004
Tracklist:
1. Deboraarobed 3:33
2. Stacey Grove 1:59
3. Wind Quartets 2:57
4. Conesuela 2:24
5. Trelawney Lawn 1:46
6. Aznageel the Mage 1:59
7. Friends 1:19
8. Salamanda Palaganda 2:15
9. Our Wonderful Brownskin Man 0:51
10. O Harley (The Saltimbaques) 2:19
11. Eastern Spell 1:41
12. The Travelling Tragition 1:48
13. Juniper Suction 1:13
14. Scenescof Dynasty 4:11
15. One Inch Rock (Single 'A' side) 1:48
16. Nickelodeon (take 1) 2:06
17. Wind Quartets (take 1) 2:55
18. Conesuela (take 9) 2:26
19. Trelawney Lawn (take 1) 1:51
20. Aznageel the Mage (take 1) 1:57
21. Salamanda Palaganda (take 4) 2:16
22. Our Wonderful Brownskin Man (take 2) 0:53
23. O Harley (The Saltimbaques) (take 4) 2:23
24. Eastern Spell (take 5) 1:44
25. The Travelling Tragition (take 2) 1:47
26. Juniper Suction (take 4) 1:15
27. Scenescof Dynasty (take 4) 4:08
28. One Inch Rock (take 3) 1:51
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Review from AMG.com
The most underrated of Tyrannosaurus Rex's four albums, Prophets Seers And Sages was recorded just six months after their debut and adds little to the landscapes which that set mapped out. There is the same reliance on the jarring juxtaposition of rock rhythms in a folky discipline; the same abundance of obscure, private mythologies; the same skewed look at the latest studio dynamics, fed through the convoluted wringer of the duo's imagination - the already classic pop of the opening "Debora" is further dignified by its segue into the same performance played backwards, a fairly groundbreaking move at a time when even the Beatles were still burying such experiments deep in the mix. But if the album itself found the duo rooted to the musical spot, still it delivered some of Marc Bolan's most resonant songs. The nostalgia-flavored "Stacey Grove" and the contrarily high-energy "Conesuela" were as peerless as any of Bolan's more feted compositions. Equally intriguing is the confidence which exudes from "Scenescof Dynasty," a successor of sorts to the last album's "Scenescof," but presented with just percussion and some strange vocal noises to accompany Bolan's singing - at a time when "singing" was maybe not the term a lot of listeners would employ for his vocals. The excited "one-two-three-four" count-in only adds to the dislocation, of course. Finally, the owlishly contagious "Salamanda Palaganda" offers a first-hand peek into the very mechanics of Bolan's songwriting. Other composers, stuck for a rhyme, either reach for the thesaurus or abandon the lyric altogether. Bolan simply made one up, and in the process created a whole new language - half nonsense, half mystery, but wholly intoxicating. Just like the rest of the album, in fact.
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Bio - Notes about Tyrannosaurus Rex from the Tapestry of Delights:
Personnel:
MARC BOLAN gtr, vcls A B C
STEVE PEREGRIN TOOK drms, bs, perc, piano A B
MICKEY FINN perc, vcls C
ALBUMS:
1(A) MY PEOPLE WERE FAIR AND HAD SKY IN THEIR HAIR... BUT NOW THEY'RE CONTENT TO WEAR STARS ON THEIR BROWS (Regal Zonophone SLRZ 1003) 1968 R1 15
2(B) PROPHET SEERS AND SAGES, THE ANGELS OF THE AGES (Regal Zonophone SLRZ 1005) 1968 R1 -
3(B) UNICORN (Regal Zonophone SLRZ 1007) 1969 R1 12
4(C) A BEARD OF THE STARS (Regal Zonophone SLRZ 1013) 1970 R1 21
5 MY PEOPLE/PROPHETS (Cube/Fly TOOFA 3) 1972 1
6 UNICORN/BEARD OF STARS (Cube/Fly TOOFA 9) 1972 44
7 BEGINNING OF DOVES (Track 2410 201) 1974 -
45s:
1 Debora/Child Star (Regal Zonophone RZ 3008) 1968 34
2 One Inch Rock/+ Salamanda Palaganda (Regal Zonophone RZ 3011) 1968 28
3 Pewtor Suitor/Crocodiles (Regal Zonophone RZ 3016) 1968 -
4 King Of The Rumbling Spires/Do You Remember (Regal Zonophone RZ 3022) 1969 44
5 By The Light Of The Magical Moon/Find A Little Wood (Regal Zonophone TZ 3025) 1969 -
Reissue 45s:
6 Debora/One Inch Rock/Woodland Bop/The Soul Of Seasons (PS) (Magni Fly ECHO 102) 1972 7
7 Debora/Beltane Walk (Old Gold OG 9234) 1982 -
8 Debora/One Inch Rock (Old Gold OG 9234) 1982 -
NB: (1) and (4)+ Promos came with picture sleeves and are very rare and collectable. (7) Mispress.
After his departure from John's Children Bolan recorded material for the Beginning Of Doves album, although it was not released until 1974. He also tried to form a five-piece electric band which apparently failed when the hire purchase company repossessed their equipment. So eventually, he and Took, the only surviving members of their abortive venture, ended up as an acoustic duo and the first two Tyrannosaurus Rex albums are entirely acoustic and full of Bolan's own compositions. They were produced by New York-born London-based Tony Visconti and the first was recorded on a budget of just £400. Both albums were well received. The first climbed to No 15. Their first two 45s - Debora and One Inch Rock - were also minor hits. The third album includes more instrumentation and is perhaps the best this underground act produced. After this, Took left the band, being keen to branch out and write his own material and the final album was made by a modified line-up and was transitional between the predominately acoustic Tyrannosaurus Rex and the electric T Rex. Bolan, in fact, played electric guitar on many of its tracks. Took never got it together to record any material for release at the time, despite the fact Tony Secunda (Bolan's manager) made available funds and gave him every encouragement to do so. However, he did record some tapes in 1972 which found their way onto CD in 1994, The Missing Link To Tyrannosaurus Rex - Steve Peregrin Took.
Tyrannosaurus Rex, being much a part of the 'progressive' underground of the late sixties, received considerable assistance from John Peel. They often appeared on his 'Top Gear' programme and he used his influence to secure several gigs for them. They also issued five singles and the first three were all minor hits. Promotional copies of the first two appeared in picture sleeves and these are now particularly collectable. Both 45s had particularly distinctive acoustic styles. Later in August 1969 King Of The Rumbling Spiers charted at No 44. Around 200 copies of these were issued in picture sleeves, which were used as promotional copies for reviewers. All are now extremely rare and very sought-after by Bolan collectors.
Tyrannosaurus Rex were unique in style and are worth investigating. Later, of course, Bolan formed the much more successful but much less interesting T Rex.
Steve Peregrin Took died in November 1980 choking on a cherry which lodged in his throat after a cocktail of morphine and magic mushrooms. Marc Bolan was killed in September 1977, when his car, driven by singer and girlfriend Gloria Jones, hit a tree on Barnes Common.
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