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The Slider

 
Album Review: The Slider

  • Artist: T. Rex
  • Rating: StarStarStarStarHalf Star
  • Release Date: July 21, 1972
  • Total Time: 53:15
  • Type: Lyrics are included with the album
  • Genre: Rock

Review

Buoyed by two U.K. number one singles in "Telegram Sam" and "Metal Guru," The Slider became T. Rex's most popular record on both sides of the Atlantic, despite the fact that it produced no hits in the U.S. The Slider essentially replicates all the virtues of Electric Warrior, crammed with effortless hooks and trashy fun. All of Bolan's signatures are here -- mystical folk-tinged ballads, overt sexual come-ons crooned over sleazy, bopping boogies, loopy nonsense poetry, and a mastery of the three-minute pop song form. The main difference is that the trippy mix of Electric Warrior is replaced by a fuller, more immediate-sounding production. Bolan's guitar has a harder bite, the backing choruses are more up-front, and the arrangements are thicker-sounding, even introducing a string section on some cuts (both ballads and rockers). Even with the beefier production, T. Rex still doesn't sound nearly as heavy as many of the bands it influenced (and even a few of its glam contemporaries), but that's partly intentional -- Bolan's love of a good groove takes precedence over fast tempos or high-volume crunch. Lyrically, Bolan's flair for the sublimely ridiculous is fully intact, but he has way too much style for The Slider to sound truly stupid, especially given the playful, knowing wink in his delivery. It's nearly impossible not to get caught up in the irresistible rush of melodies and cheery good times. Even if it treads largely the same ground as Electric Warrior, The Slider is flawlessly executed, and every bit the classic that its predecessor is. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Metal Guru Marc Bolan T. Rex (2:25)
Mystic Lady Marc Bolan T. Rex (3:09)
Rock On Marc Bolan T. Rex (3:26)
The Slider Marc Bolan T. Rex (3:22)
Baby Boomerang Marc Bolan T. Rex (2:17)
Spaceball Ricochet Marc Bolan T. Rex (3:37)
Buick Mackane Marc Bolan T. Rex (3:31)
Telegram Sam Marc Bolan T. Rex (3:42)
Rabbit Fighter Marc Bolan T. Rex (3:55)
Baby Strange Marc Bolan T. Rex (3:03)
Ballrooms of Mars Marc Bolan T. Rex (4:09)
Chariot Choogle Marc Bolan T. Rex (2:45)
Main Man Marc Bolan T. Rex (4:14)
Cadillac [*] Marc Bolan T. Rex (3:51)
Thunderwing [*] Marc Bolan T. Rex (3:46)
Lady [*] Marc Bolan T. Rex (2:12)

Credits

Micky Marmalade (Roadie), Tony Visconti (String Arrangements), Mark Volman (Vocals (Background)), Howard Kaylan (Vocals), Mickey Finn (Conga), Tony Visconti (Producer), Mickey Finn (Percussion), Dominique (Engineer), Mark Paytress (Liner Notes), Mark Volman (Vocals), Bill Legend (Drums), Marc Bolan (Guitar), Steve Currie (Bass), Mickey O'Halloran (Roadie), Mickey Finn (Vocals), Howard Kaylan (Vocals (Background)), Ringo Starr (Photography), Dominique (Engineer), Marc Bolan (Composer), Marc Bolan (Vocals), Freddy Hansson (Engineer), Chris Welch (Liner Notes), Mickey Finn (Hand Percussion), David Katz (Orchestra Contractor)
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Wikipedia: The Slider
Top
The Slider
Studio album by T. Rex
Released 21 July 1972
Recorded March-April, 1972 at Rosenberg Studios, Copenhagen; Château d'Hérouville, Paris; and Elektra Studios, Los Angeles
Genre Glam rock
Length 53:51
Label EMI
Producer Tony Visconti
Professional reviews
T. Rex chronology
Electric Warrior
(1971)
The Slider
(1972)
Tanx
(1973)
Singles from The Slider
  1. "Telegram Sam"
    Released: January 1972[5]
  2. "Metal Guru"
    Released: May 1972[5]

The Slider is the seventh studio album by British glam rock band T. Rex, released on July 21, 1972. Produced by Tony Visconti, it was the band's second record released with their new glam rock style opposed to the bands previous folk oriented music.

Singles of "Telegram Sam" and "Metal Guru" were released to promote the album. The Slider peaked at number four on United Kingdom charts and number seventeen on the Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart. The album received very high praise from modern critics, with Steve Huey of Allmusic describing the album as "flawlessly executed, and every bit the classic that its predecessor is."[1]

Contents

Production

On the recommendation of Elton John, The Slider was recorded outside of Paris at Château d'Hérouville to avoid British taxing laws.[6] Production started on March of 1972 and the basic recordings were completed in Strawberry Studios in five days.[6][7] One of the songs recorded at Chateau was "Metal Guru".[7] Bolan described the song as a "festival of life song" and that he related "Metal Guru" to "all gods around...someone special, a godhead. I thought how god would be, he'd be all alone without a telephone".[8]

Further recording was done at the end of March in Rosenberg Studios in Copenhagen, Denmark.[7] The backing vocals by Flo & Eddie were recorded in Elektra Studios in Los Angeles in April.[7]

Release

Two singles were released to promote The Slider. The first was "Telegram Sam" which was released January 1972 and charted in the United Kingdom for 12 weeks and peaked at number one.[9][5] "Telegram Sam" also charted in the United States and peaked at 67 on the Pop Singles chart.[10] The second single was "Metal Guru" which was released in May 1972 and charted in the United Kingdom for 14 weeks and peaked at number one.[9][5] It didn't chart in the United States.[10]

The Slider was one of T. Rex best-selling releases. The Slider entered the United Kingdom charts on August 5, 1972 where it charted for 18 weeks, peaking at number four.[11] The the United States, it peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart.[12]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Marc Bolan[1]

Side one
# Title Length
1. "Metal Guru"   2:25
2. "Mystic Lady"   3:09
3. "Rock On"   3:26
4. "The Slider"   3:22
5. "Baby Boomerang"   2:17
6. "Spaceball Ricochet"   3:37
7. "Buick Mackane"   3:31
Side two
# Title Length
1. "Telegram Sam"   3:42
2. "Rabbit Fighter"   3:55
3. "Baby Strange"   3:03
4. "Ballrooms of Mars"   4:09
5. "Chariot Choogle"   2:45
6. "Main Man"   4:14

Personnel

Technical staff

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Huey, Steve. "allmusic ((( The Slider > Overview )))". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0zfwxql5ldhe. Retrieved 2009-04-02. 
  2. ^ a b "T. Rex - The Slider (Deluxe Edition)". Rhino Records. http://www.rhino.com/store/productdetail.lasso?number=73218. Retrieved 2009-04-02. 
  3. ^ Deusner, Stephen M. (2006-01-05). "[http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/22431-the-slider-zinc-alloy-and-the-hidden-riders-of-tomorrow-dandy-in-the-underworld-the-t-rex-wax-co-singles-as-and-bs-1972-77 T. Rex The Slider / Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow / Dandy in the Underworld / The T. Rex Wax Co. Singles: A's and B's 1972-77]". Pitchfork Media. http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/22431-the-slider-zinc-alloy-and-the-hidden-riders-of-tomorrow-dandy-in-the-underworld-the-t-rex-wax-co-singles-as-and-bs-1972-77. Retrieved 2009-06-17. 
  4. ^ "Slider (RMST) (DLX)". buy.com. http://www.buy.com/prod/slider-rmst-dlx/q/loc/109/201995172.html. Retrieved 2009-11-03. 
  5. ^ a b c d Paytress, 2002. p.341
  6. ^ a b Paytress, 2002. p.208
  7. ^ a b c d Paytress, 2002. p.209
  8. ^ Thompson, Dave. "allmusic Metal Guru". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:azfqxqldldde. Retrieved 2009-04-02. 
  9. ^ a b Warwick, 2004. p.1082
  10. ^ a b "The Slider Charts & Awards Singles". Allmusic. http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0zfwxql5ldhe~T31. Retrieved 2009-04-02. 
  11. ^ Warwick, 2004. p.1083
  12. ^ "The Slider". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0zfwxql5ldhe~T3. Retrieved 2009-04-02. 
  13. ^ Thompson, Dave. "allmusic ((( The Slider [Code 90> Overview )))]". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0vfuxqtdldte. Retrieved 2009-04-02. 
  14. ^ Huey, Steve. "allmusic ((( The Slider [Expanded Edition> Overview )))]". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gjfrxqy0ldke. Retrieved 2009-04-02. 

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Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
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