Jeff Lynne talks about Marc Bolan in 1973
Marc Bolan's a friend of mine from a few years back. He was in AIR here, just over-dubbing something, and we had a good booze up, a bit of a reunion. It was the first time I'd met Marc for about two years, and he asked if we were doing any local gigs. Then he came along to Watford and joined us on Roll Over Beethoven, which was the last number. Right from the beginning the girls at the front spotted him at the side of the stage and they were screaming all through the set. It was an experience for us just to see it really happening but he must get choked off by the fact that he can't hear himself play because he really is a good guitar player now.
In fact, he came down here last Tuesday and he's been up since putting a couple of guitar tracks down. It was really good because it's given the whole thing a new feel. That doesn't mean were getting into a pop thing, because Marc asks what we want him to do and then he goes ahead and does it. Anyway, I like melodies too much to do rock 'n' roll all the time." As explained to Val Mabbs at Record Mirror
Jeff Lynne on Marc Bolan's guitar, used on the solo on Showdown:
"The Firebird is really great. Marc's been playing on a few sessions for us and he's come on stage for a blow. The Firebird is a funny looking thing and it makes a weird hard sound. It lacks sustain but it doesn't sound like any other guitar I've played."
Mike De Albuquerque, ELO bass player and backing vocalist, talking in 2002 to FTM about Marc guesting with the band:
"Ah, the dancing pixie came on-stage. I remember that Marc was a big ELO fan. He attended and played on some of the recording sessions but he also made no secret of the fact that he loved ELO - he was a big, big Jeff fan. He turned up at this gig in Watford and when he came on-stage, he was magic, he danced everywhere - he made us all look like amateurs (laughs). Marc was a fantastic stage presence, a fantastic and lovely personality."
