Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow

Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow - A Creamed Cage in August
Studio album by Marc Bolan & T. Rex
Released	February 1, 1974
Recorded	1973
Genre	Glam rock
Length	46:17
Label	EMI / T.Rex Wax Co BLNA 7751
Producer	Tony Visconti
T. Rex chronology
Tanx (1973) Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow – A Creamed Cage in August (1974) Light of Love (1974)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Pitchfork Media	(5.8/10)

Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow – A Creamed Cage in August is the ninth studio album and a UK-only release by Marc Bolan & T. Rex, released in February 1974. When originally released the initial pressings were a multi-layered triple gatefold sleeve, a latticework image of the current cover featuring singer Marc Bolan's face in a pale gold surround. Japanese manufacturer Teichiku reinstated this as an elaborate limited edition paper sleeve in 2001.

At the time, Marc Bolan's success in the UK was beginning to slip, as a result of two factors: his constant desire to "crack" the US market (which resulted in a lessened effort on the UK charts) and his desire to expand T. Rex's sound. This can be seen on 1973's Tanx, which included new guitar effects, chord changes, string arrangements and other studio "tricks" Bolan had not employed before.

He had been listening to a sizable amount of US soul and R&B, no doubt influenced by his new affair with a backup singer and clavinet player he had hired for his 1973 US tour - Gloria Jones. These new sounds, in retrospect, were a year and a half before David Bowie's pioneering "Young Americans" album, often credited with making the most successful transition from UK glam rock (which was losing popularity) to radio-friendly, soul-influenced pop/rock. However, as successful as Bolan was in combining his new influences, the boogie/rockabilly sound at the core of the classic T. Rex sound can still be heard in the guitar work and the harmonies, in particular on the track "Nameless Wildness".

The songs reflect a darker mood than on Bolan's earlier releases, with lead track "Venus Loon" having quite grotesque subject matter. This was surely refective of Bolan's inner uncertainty about his status in the rock world now that he was no longer a teen idol. Other songs such as "Galaxy" and "Change" contain similar forebodings and dark imagery. The music, too, is ambitious and complex, containing some of Marc's most inventive extended guitar solos.

The album divided fans and critics into the two camps - a schizophrenic critical reaction that would remain with him until his death - some derided him as a washed-up teen idol, and others believed he would eventually make a resurgence in popularity. At that moment, however, Zinc Alloy marked a downturn in his fortunes - the contemporaneous album single, "Teenage Dream", made it only to #13 in the UK charts. While that would be a success for most groups, Bolan had spent all of 1971-1973 enjoying constant Top Ten and Top Five UK hits, including four #1's.

T. Rex would not enjoy another Top 20 UK hit until "New York City", in the summer of 1975.

Reissues

Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow was remastered for CD by Edsel Records in 1994 as part of their extensive T. Rex reissue campaign. A number of bonus tracks were added (see below). However, they chose to tag a new ending onto classic single Teenage Dream, a segment of a jam session. Only Japanese pressings of the album contain the original album and single version as it originally appeared. A companion release, entitled Change (The Alternate Zinc Alloy), was released in 1996 which contained alternative versions, studio rough mixes and demos of the main album and bonus tracks. A second remastered combined album digipak (MEDCD717) was released by Edsel in 2002.

Track listing

All tracks composed by Marc Bolan.

1. "Venus Loon" – 3:01
2. "Sound Pit" – 2:50
3. "Explosive Mouth" – 2:26
4. "Galaxy" – 1:48
5. "Change" – 2:47
6. "Nameless Wildness" – 3:06
7. "Teenage Dream" – 5:45
8. "Liquid Gang" – 3:17
9. "Carsmile Smith & the Old One" – 3:16
10. "You've Got to Jive to Stay Alive – Spanish Midnight" – 2:35
11. "Interstellar Soul" – 3:26
12. "Painless Persuasion v. the Meathawk Immaculate" – 3:26
13. "The Avengers (Superbad)" – 4:28
14. "The Leopards Featuring Gardenia and the Mighty Slug" – 3:36

1994 CD reissue (Edsel EDCD392)

15. "The Groover" – 3:24
16. "Midnight" – 2:49
17. "Truck On (Tyke)" – 3:09
18. "Sitting Here" – 2:21
19. "Satisfaction Pony" – 2:49

Change (The Alternate Zinc Alloy) (Edsel EDCD 440)

1. "Venus Loon" – 3:05
2. "Sound Pit" (Parts 1 & 2) – 3:01
3. "Explosive Mouth" – 2:33
4. "Galaxy" – 1:03
5. "Change" (Signs) – 1:54
6. "Nameless Wildness" – 5:19
7. "Teenage Dream" – 5:57
8. "Liquid Gang" – 2:56
9. "Carsmile Smith & the Old One" – 2:34
10. "Spanish Midnight" – 0:37
11. "Insterstellar Soul" – 1:55
12. "Painless Persuasion v. the Meathawk Immaculate" – 3:29
13. "The Avengers (Superbad)" – 3:27
14. "The Leopards Featuring Gardenia & the Mighty Slug" – 2:28
15. "The Groover" – 2:50
16. "Midnight" – 2:48
17. "Truck On (Tyke)" – 1:40
18. "Sitting There" (Sitting Here) – 2:01
19. "Satisfaction Pony" – 3:27
20. "Nameless Wildness" (Acoustic Demo) – 1:47
21. "Carsmile Smith & the Old One" (Solo / Acoustic Demo) – 1:45
22. "Carsmile Smith & the Old One" (Acoustic Demo with organ) – 1:17
23. "The Avengers (Superbad)" (Acoustic Demo) – 2:50
24. "The Leopards Featuring Geraldine & the Mighty Slug" (Acoustic Demo) – 1:08

External links

• Demon Music Group / Edsel Records