News Segment
MARC BOLAN & T.REX ‘BORN TO BOOGIE’ COLLECTION HITS STORES JUNE 7TH:
April 14, 2005
SANCTUARY RECORDS TO RELEASE MARC BOLAN & T.REX BORN TO BOOGIE DVD and CD
DIRECTED BY RINGO STARR, THE COLLECTION INCLUDES BONUS FOOTAGE OF RARE & NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN MATERIAL
In Stores June 7th
New York, NY — Born To Boogie, the definitive concert documentary onBritish rock phenomenon T. Rex, will be released in a special 2-disc DVDpackage from Sanctuary Records on June 7th. Directed by Ringo Starr, theconcert DVD will include several hours of bonus footage and extremely rarematerial and marks the first time the film has been available on DVD. Aseparate double CD set will be released on the same day as a companion pieceto the film.
Although it was filmed in 1972, Born To Boogie wasn’t released in VHS formatuntil 1992 – a full 20 years after it debuted in movie theatres around theworld. The film chronicles a pair of epic concerts by T. Rex andfeatures appearances by Ringo Starr (who both directed and appears in thefootage), Marc Bolan, Elton John and a cameo by Geoffrey Bayldon(Catweazle). For decades, much of the original footage was thought to belost with only a handful of well-worn copies of the 35 mm cinema prints incirculation. Sanctuary Records coordinated the painstaking restoration ofthe original film, cleaning, repairing and transferring the material to highdefinition video.
At 5 hours and 25 minutes, Born To Boogie shows T.Rex at the height of theirsuccess, bringing Ringo’s visionary film back to its true colour andvibrancy, and revealing hours of material never used in the final cut. TheDVD also includes further rare, never before seen footage throughout the 2discs and DVD menus. All told, the extras stretch to over 90 minutes andare presented by Marc’s only son, Rolan Bolan. They feature newly recordedinterviews with the sole surviving member from the ’72 T.Rex line-up -drummer, Bill Legend. Also interviewed are Tim Van Rellim (Producer of Bornto Boogie and now a Hollywood film executive, responsible for filmsincluding A Knights Tale), Tony Visconti, Geoffrey Bayldon (famous forplaying Catweazle), radio institution Bob Harris, photographer Keith Morris,former roadie Mick Gray and fans of T.Rex. Also included is unique footagerecorded by Marc himself, plus equally unique footage of Marc and Ringobackstage between performances at the Wembley gigs.
Excerpts from the evening concert at Wembley formed the base of Ringo’sfilm; the DVD restores this concert to its original length and order,including three extra tracks, “Cadillac,” “Girl” and “Summertime Blues.”The matinee performance from that same day is presented here for the firsttime ever. Original T. Rex producer Tony Visconti recorded both gigs from atruck outside the Wembley venue. “This was the ONLY time I recorded the bandlive”, says Tony. The precious original multi-track recordings laygathering dust for over thirty years until being rediscovered for thisproject after months of searching. Visconti was the natural choice to re-mixthe audio for this DVD, a job lovingly undertaken at the NY studio he shareswith David Bowie.
Slated for simultaneous release, the Born To Boogie double CD set, includesthe restored soundtrack for Ringo’s film, the previously unheard matineeconcert from 18th March 1972, as recorded and remixed (over 30 years apart)by Tony Visconti and an extremely rare 12 minute interview with Marc fromlate 1971, not included on the DVD.
T.Rex, alongside their contemporaries Thin Lizzy and David Bowie, becamerenowned worldwide for breaking new musical ground at a time when “flowerpower and check shirts weren’t working for anybody anymore.” ConsideringMarc’s departure overseas in the mid-70s and untimely death in 1977, thestory of the success of T.Rex is all the more remarkable. At the height oftheir fame in 1972, newspapers dared to call them “bigger than the Beatles”.By 1972, the band was reportedly able to sell up to 100,000 records per day.
While their work in the studio created an unmistakable sound, the liveexperience was transforming. In concert, T.Rex displayed a raw power thatwould have stunned anyone who had only previously heard the gentle sounds ofMarc’s previous band – Tyrannosaurus Rex. Taking the opportunity to bringsomething new to fans, in concert Marc loved to turn electric songs intoacoustic numbers and transform studio recordings in to raw rock ‘n’ rollexperiences.
DVD PRODUCT INFORMATION
Title BORN TO BOOGIE
Release Date June 7th 2005
Certificate Exempt
Format 2-Disc DVD
Contents DISC 1 Born To Boogie – The Motion Picture Ringo’s original 1972legendary picture – restored and remastered Audio options include originaland remastered soundtrack, and Commentary with Tim Van Rellim (OriginalProducer) and Mark Allen (DVD Director) Jeepster, Baby Strange Tutti FruttiChildren of the Revolution Spaceball Ricochet Telegram Sam Cosmic Dancer TheSlider Hot Love Get It On Chariot Choogle The Wembley Evening Concert,8.30pm – 18th March 1972 Includes Cadilac, Girl and Summertime Blues 63minutes Born To Boogie Trailer Original Cinema Trailer with original sound
DISC 2 Wembley Matinee Concert, 5.30pm – 18th March 1972 Entire extraconcert 61 minutes Cosmic Rock – When T.Rex Ruled The World 47 mindocumentary, presented by Rolan Bolan feat. Interviews with Tony Visconti,Bob Harris, Emperor Rosko and more. Re-Born To Boogie – Restoration Doco 15min review of the restoration process Outtakes and Deleted scenes ‘The Eaterof Cars’ – Airfield outtakes & deleted footage ‘More Tea, Anyone?’ – TeaParty outtakes ‘Apple Outtakes’ – Extra Apple Studio sessions Video andAudio demonstrations Multi-Cam, Multi-Audio options ‘Before and After’ videoand audio tracks Plus much more rare, never before seen footage and hiddenEaster Eggs
Audio Dolby Digital 2.0 and 5.1; dts 96/24
Picture 16:9 Anamorphic, Full Colour – PAL and NTSC
DVD Region Code 1,2,4
DVD Disc Format 2 x DVD-9
Running Time 5 hours 25 minutes approximately
Courtesy of www.gigantemedia.com