A Beard of Stars

A Beard of Stars is the fourth studio album by English psychedelic folk band Tyrannosaurus Rex, and their last before changing their name to T. Rex. It was released on 13 March 1970 by record label Regal Zonophone.

A Beard of Stars
Studio album by
Tyrannosaurus Rex
Released13 March 1970
RecordedApril–November 1969 at Trident Studios, London, England
GenrePsychedelic folk, folk rock
Length35:03
LabelRegal Zonophone (UK),
Blue Thumb (US)
ProducerTony Visconti
Tyrannosaurus Rex chronology
Unicorn
(1969)		 A Beard of Stars
(1970)		 T. Rex
(1970)
Singles from A Beard of Stars
  1. "By the Light of a Magical Moon"
    Released: 1970

Music

A Beard of Stars was the act's first album with Marc Bolan's new musical partner Mickey Finn and featured Bolan on vocals, guitar, organ and bass and Finn on percussion and bass. It was notable for being the first album on which Bolan used an electric guitar, although that instrument had first appeared on the band's 1969 single "King of the Rumbling Spires"/"Do You Remember". According to Mark Deming of AllMusic, A Beard of Stars "was the turning point where Marc Bolan began evolving from an unrepentant hippie into the full-on swaggering rock star he would be within a couple of years, though for those not familiar with his previous work, it still sounds like the work of a man with his mind plugged into the age of lysergic enchantment".[1]

Four tracks from this album, including "Great Horse", were salvaged from spring 1969 sessions for a fourth album with original percussionist Steve Peregrin Took in the wake of "King of the Rumbling Spires". These four tracks were overdubbed for release by Finn, Bolan and Visconti.[2] A further four tracks from the Took sessions – rejected for the final album – subsequently surfaced on various compilations, three ("Once Upon the Seas of Abyssinia", "Blessed Wild Apple Girl", "Demon Queen") in Bolan's lifetime, the fourth ("Ill Starred Man") posthumously.

Release

A Beard of Stars was released on 13 March 1970 by Regal Zonophone in the UK and Blue Thumb in the US. It reached No. 21 in the UK Albums Chart.[3]

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Mark Deming of AllMusic called the album "a unique and very pleasing entry into their catalog".[1]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Marc Bolan.

Side A
No.TitleLength
1."Prelude"1:04
2."A Day Laye"1:56
3."Woodland Bop"1:39
4."Fist Heart Mighty Dawn Dart"2:45
5."Pavilions of Sun"2:49
6."Organ Blues"2:47
7."By the Light of a Magical Moon"2:51
8."Wind Cheetah"2:38
Side B
No.TitleLength
1."A Beard of Stars"1:37
2."Great Horse"1:42
3."Dragon's Ear"2:37
4."Lofty Skies"2:54
5."Dove"2:06
6."Elemental Child"5:33

Personnel

Charts
Chart (1970) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] 21
UK Albums Chart 21

References
  1. Deming, Mark. "A Beard of Stars – T. Rex,Tyrannosaurus Rex | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  2. Paytress, Mark (1992). 20th Century Boy – The Marc Bolan Story. Sedgewick and Jackson.
  3. "T. Rex | Artist | Official Charts". Official Charts. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  4. "Tyrannosaurus Rex - A Beard of Stars". discogs. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  5. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 302. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
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