Born to Boogie - The Motion Picture Q&A

Music producer Tony Visconti discusses working with Marc Bolan and T Rex after a screening of Born to Boogie - The Motion Picture, Ringo Starr’s joyful and psychedelic concert film.
Interviewer: Rock journalist Mark Paytress
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[@cjknotty]

I was at the NFT for the showing and Q&A. Very entertaining! Pleasing to see so many fans of Marc there.

[@lucluc9541]

I saw Born To Boogie back in 1973 during a school trip from France to London UK I was 16 !

[@peggyshealy451]

I would just love to see anything new with Marc on it that Tony has. Just talking, playing or anything would be great. I thought he said he had a video or something that he should release but I havent seen anything new. Marc was just a beautiful, talented person and Im so sorry he didnt get to see how we hardcore fans still love him as much as ever.

[@robiclark8898]

Luv marc ❤

[@danteshydratshirt2360]

hahahaha at Visconti dissing the Hipster look around the 5 minute mark - hes gone up in my estimation

[@philipsanders9192]

he don't have those guitars

[@SimonLiddo]

Love Tony Visconti but it interviewer is a waffling fool.

[@grahamrogers3345]

It is Mark Praytess who wrote a brilliant biography of Bolan.

[@megaspongebob6]

Tony seems such a nice guy and goes to great lengths to keep Marc's name alive and respected

[@sharonedwards6010]

Tony was the 5th T.rex in the earlier years in my opinion.

[@bullinskybulli5401]

u r right sharon ....

[@suep3806]

The 5th member was June.

[@richarddiddler3380]

Tony played bass before Steve, he was a member.

[@djbryanladd]

I love hearing Tony Visconti talk about music, especially Mark Bolan.

[@robertellis464]

Tony is a Legend!!

[@davidkoval6415]

This Guy is A True Master at his Craft of Recording! Unreal at Tape Editing!

[@lindat2009]

Having a real retro music time and finding Tony’s stories fascinating. How wonderful to have someone around to relay all this to us decades late. Pure joy!

[@dourtan6928]

Tony No. 1 producer hands down!

[@vincehall]

great video thank you for taking the time to record and upload

[@vertxxgg]

great movie ... Bolan was hero in South Africa in 70s beat bongo hippy jumba elfins and magic was sensation Tony Visconti made it possible a very very nice guy......see the fantastic video NOW THAT I OWN THE BBC ..by SPARKS in South Africa in tegno DISKO they Meal Bros were kings in 80s...with ELLA MENTAL a local Sparkian Pop team southafrikaans

[@vertxxgg]

kyk n bietjie JOHNNY KONGAS a local bongo and congas hero with bantu touch

[@songshed2709]

Really interesting. I've grown to appreciate 'Tanx' more in recent years but still think 'Zinc Alloy' was the start of Bolan's creative decline, or rather, musical rut he was in.

[@dummytree]

"Tanx" is my favourite with the eponymous "T.Rex" album. The sound is fantastic on "Tanx".

[@TruckOnTyke1]

Never got the hate that Truck On Tyke received. Thought the lyrics about riding dinosaurs were great and the song really rocked.

[@twisttrax]

Oh how I wish tony could’ve done another album with Marc. A great producer. Humble too x

[@richarddiddler3380]

Didn't know what he was singing about. These reporters.🥴 Marc was singing about the magical and etherial.

[@royferguson2297]

Saw B T B nine times in a week when it came out.

[@rocknrollbuff]

im sure the interviewer is the author of bolan bio books, as for tony, met him twice are real class act, i own three of marcs guitars , and will get them back in action with the correct set, would be a blessing if tony produced x

[@AshtonArcher]

Which guitars?

[@waltersobchek2465]

Yeah which three you got there big boy?

[@JordanJ1263]

Can I have one of those guitars ??? ;)

[@stevehenson5737]

Are they the guitars that were stolen from his flat when he died and Gloria was still in the hospital?

[@CB-xr1eg]

@@stevehenson5737 No, I have those!👍😂

[@marchenson-ds3ym]

Thank you Tony for being the sound of Marc together I live n die for Marc's music

[@michaelcameron2292]

zinc alloy was his best album

[@CB-xr1eg]

@Marc Bell Electric Warrior has to be his best. Zinc Alloy was drug addled rubbish in my opinion. I mean.." Metal Guru's in the loo with my glue "...wtf was that all about?

[@CB-xr1eg]

@Marc Bell So you think being drug addled is a good thing...ok That must be why you describe Electric Warrior as " crap ". His top 5 for me are... Electric Warrior T.Rex ( Brown Album ) A Beard Of Stars The Slider Tanx.

[@CB-xr1eg]

@Marc Bell Hang on, you said Electric Warrior is crap, but you agree with me having it in my top 5? You sure its not you that's drug addled? McCartney was doing LSD when Sgt Pepper was made, not coke. and it was John that wrote the more nonsensical lyrics around that time. Such as I Am The walrus or Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.

[@CB-xr1eg]

@Marc Bell I never claimed to be a " true " Beatles fan. I like their music but I don't know all the ins & outs of their private lives. So I stand corrected about Paul and his coke taking. However, you're wrong about Electric Warrior & Zinc Alloy. They are brilliant and crap...in that order.

[@dourtandouar1318]

@Marc Bell Bolan called it "Sky Church Music" during this phase in Berlin with album.

[@Sigurd-r5]

By all accounts there was hundreds of feet of unused film footage does any of it still exist?

[@Servoboy]

Tony is a super bloke. His work with David and Marc / T.Rex was just amazing and so many others have been spurred on by the production qualities that Tony gives. What is weird from a personal point of view is Tony has crossed over to so many other artists I also like. I'd have loved to see Tony Produce the Smiths. The album he did with Morrissey was fantastic and unfortunately I don't think Mozza will do a part 2 and 3 - there was a chance of some super Tony Work... Then there's the Good the Bad the Queen , The Damned , Hugh Cornwell (Stranglers) and so many more. He's amazing. Dandy in the Underworld was Marc returning to form. I think if TV produced it, it would have been incredible. Marc needed reeling in, taking down a little. Who ever told him that going all Spinal Tap Teenage Dream on TOPs with the Star that rose up with Marc crucified on it wielding his axe, to badly mime a tune. It was a career in peril. I found solace in the B sides Light of Love... WTF...? but on the other side Explosive Mouth. Amazing..... Marc had talent , drugs and drink spoiled him a little, but a good producer would have got him past that. I still miss Marc and I miss Tony too. I miss DB, great stuff...I could listen to Tony's snippets all day long. That is a man that has truly lived, loved and given much to music? Can I have another Damned and GBQ album. Please Swebby - ex Bowienet. Love on ya Tony - we all need T.V!

[@lunasanja4574]

Well, Marc was not on a path of self-destruction and sobered up, got back in shape. In an interview from 76 he said you can't be a vegetarian in the States (he used to spend there some time with Gloria during to avoid British taxes) so yeah. And even Tony said that Marc had some songs in line-up that would have surpassed Dandy in the Underworld even and that he (Tony) couldn't wait to produce again with Marc. Unfortunately, it didn't came to that.

[@stephenkater9621]

All the artists are drawing pictures with their songs and records and all but when i see Tony Visconti i see someone who draws an even bigger picture !! Love Tony !!!

[@creator2149]

Brian Jones went to dhali lama but, i think that was just to go for a trip and get his picture taken.

[@supermamamaxi]

Great interview and great set of questions.

[@Gary.S]

Tony great stings great musician 🎉

[@susankirkland3852]

Fantastic interview

[@lowersaxon]

Michael. Sry. but I couldn’t disagree more. But, keep calm, if you think so that’s fine! I myself as an individual belong to the heavy losses he had to face then , with and after Zinc... The magic had gone then. The magic meant T.Rex( the brown album), Electric Warrior and Slider, even Tanx was below though I liked it. Zinc, hmmm, it’s great here and there , but you know Bolans prestige came from , inter alia. Jewel and Mambo Sun. compare this to Left Hand Luke.... which is great in itself for me seen nowadays. The thing to note is that you like the Zinc album most which is only a sign of his great style creating capabilities. All the best ....

[@MRROBBIEWATTS]

Only thing i found annoying about this interview was the interviewers constant annoying 'chewing gum' action

[@DonnaHarrisMusicStudio]

Why is the interviewer chewing gum during an interview?! LOL Other than that, this is good find. It answered one of my questions. Thanks.

[@clausm2203]

Great interview

[@creator2149]

I remember being 8 years old and seeing this "weird" stuff on t.v. I didn't know they were such big stars in UK. Who could forget Bolan's voice.

[@creator2149]

and, the freakishness of his style. he read poetry and lived in drug land hippie era. they were all shell shocked from the two world wars.

[@bedfordsimon8]

watch the concert and you can hear lots of guitars have been overdubbed. so not sure what the heck visconti is talking about

[@ethanblackhurst8593]

I think he was talking about the screaming.

[@PAULLONDEN]

Sure ...hysteria galore.....the big mistake is that some people like to call it "Beatle mania", while it was far from that..... "T-Rextacy" was solely limited to the U.K. , as soon Marc stepped off a plane in other countries, gone were the screaming hordes. Unlike the Beatles , he was treated as a struggling artist , who had yet to prove himself after this one hit (Get It On)....Apart from that , his financial situation was far from "Beatle" like....You can't blame Marc too hard though, when you were anointed by ex Beatle Ringo, who after all The Beatle mania had subsided for him, found himself in a black hole , and liked to have a taste of that again by anointing Marc into "The Beatle" pantheon.... His "fly on the wall" work on "Born to Boogie" is highly amateurish... which is putting it mildly.......after that little venture we never saw a Ringo "movie" again..... Tony Visconti is a great guy and a brilliant producer ofcourse, who besides Bowie & Bolan had produced many other interesting bands.

[@twisttrax]

PaulLonden I think his influence is bigger now than ever. He is one of the most covered artists and most used in film tracks and advertising. His estate is worth in excess of £30million so not too bad I guess!

[@trishyoung800]

@@twisttrax agree it seems you here more T.Rex songs on commercials and film soundtracks. His work does stand out and hasn't dated at all.

[@PAULLONDEN]

"Born To Boogie" was horendous ....no surprise Ringo never tried something like that again.... That exercise had a bad influence on Marc also , he began to believe his own hype , like being a heir to the Beatles . Inevitably his decline began two years later. That banker type interviewer is almost interviewing himself , what a type......would've liked to seem him during glam rock.