• Artist: T. Rex / Marc Bolan
• Title: Life’s A Gas (EP, also includes Find A Little Wood, Once Upon The Seas of Abyssinia, Blessed Wild Apple Girl)
• Label: Marc On Wax – Classic Rap series
• Catalog Number: RAP 1
• Format: 12” 45 RPM EP
• Country: UK
• Year: 1982 (Marc On Wax label launched posthumously in the early ‘80s to reissue Bolan/T. Rex material)
• Matrix / Dead Wax: RAP 1 A-1 / RAP 1 B-1 (first pressing)
• Provenance: Ex-BBC Gramophone Library copy (with BBC stickers, cataloging card, and “Gramophone Library” ink stamp directly on the label)
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Notable Details
1. BBC Gramophone Library Provenance
• This copy was part of the official BBC Gramophone Library, used for radio broadcast and archiving.
• Stickers include catalog code, barcode, “Please Return Promptly” card, and multiple Play At 45 RPM yellow dots — classic BBC institutional markings.
• The BBC ink stamp across the label confirms its broadcast provenance, making it a unique “working copy” rather than a commercial retail copy.
2. Label & Series Context
• The Marc On Wax label was founded in 1982 by Marc Bolan’s estate/associates to reissue and repackage Bolan’s catalog.
• The Classic Rap series featured rare tracks, demos, and outtakes in curated EPs.
• Life’s A Gas EP (RAP 1) was the first release in the series, making it a cornerstone title for collectors.
3. Pressing Information
• Matrix inscriptions RAP-1 A-1 / RAP-1 B-1 indicate this is a true first UK pressing.
• Stereo 45 format (unusual for 12” EPs in this era, many were 33 ⅓).
4. Tracks
• Side A:
• Life’s A Gas (alt. version)
• Find A Little Wood
• Side B:
• Once Upon The Seas of Abyssinia
• Blessed Wild Apple Girl
These were mostly demos/outtakes, appealing to hardcore Bolan fans.