T. Rex

Biography

T. Rex, originally Tyrannosaurus Rex, was an English rock band formed in London in July 1967 by singer/songwriter/guitarist Marc Bolan, who served as the band's leader, frontman, and only consistent member throughout its existence.[3] The band initially emerged as an acoustic psychedelic folk group, with Bolan recruiting percussionist Mickey Finn after the departure of original drummer Steve Peregrin Took. This lineup headlined the first Glastonbury Festival in 1970 and completed the fourth album, A Beard of Stars, which marked the final release under the Tyrannosaurus Rex name and showcased the band's progressive shift toward electric rock with higher production values and more accessible songwriting.[3]

In 1969, Bolan orchestrated the band's transformation into T. Rex, shortening their name and fundamentally reimagining their sound from predominantly acoustic numbers to electric rock. This pivotal shift was inspired partly by Mungo Jerry's commercial success with "In the Summertime."[2] The single "Ride a White Swan" became the career-changing breakthrough that propelled Bolan and T. Rex into the mainstream, establishing them as pioneers of the glam rock movement of the early 1970s.[2] Subsequent hits including "Hot Love" and "Bang a Gong (Get It On)"—which reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1972—solidified their status as one of the era's most influential acts.[1] The band's aesthetic, characterized by glitter, androgyny, and theatrical stage presence, became synonymous with glam rock culture.

Despite their UK dominance, T. Rex achieved limited American success beyond "Bang a Gong (Get It On)."[1] The band's lineup expanded to include drummer Bill Legend and bassist Steve Currie, with Bolan increasingly taking creative control over production and sound.[2] In 1977, Bolan assembled a new iteration of the band and released the album Dandy in the Underworld, embarking on a UK tour with punk band the Damned as support to attract younger audiences.[2] Tragically, Marc Bolan's life and the band's trajectory were cut short when he died in a car crash on September 16, 1977, just before his 30th birthday, leaving behind an enduring legacy as architects of glam rock.[1]

Fun Facts

• Marc Bolan was expelled from school at age 15 for bad behavior, but had already begun performing his guitar to audiences of friends during school lunch breaks starting at age 9 when his father gave him his first guitar.[1]
• Bolan's stage name went through several iterations: he was born Mark Feld, briefly performed as "Toby Tyler," signed to Decca Records as "Marc Bowland" at age 17, and finally settled on "Marc Bolan"—with conflicting accounts suggesting it was derived from someone else's name, was a contraction of Bob Dylan, or was chosen by Decca Records themselves.[1]
• Bolan purchased a white Fender Stratocaster decorated with a paisley teardrop motif, which became an iconic symbol of his visual aesthetic and the glam rock movement.[1]
• The car crash site where Marc Bolan died on September 16, 1977, near Gipsy Lane in Barnes, southwest London, has since become a shrine to his memory, where fans continue to leave tributes beside the tree that the vehicle struck.[1]

Members

• Marc Bolan - guitar, lead vocals, original (from 1967 until 1977-09-16)
• Steve Currie - bass guitar (from 1970 until 1976)
• Bill Legend - drums (drum set) (from 1971 until 1973)
• Jack Green - guitar (from 1973 until 1974)
• Miller Anderson
• Peter Dines
• Paul Fenton
• Mickey Finn - percussion
• Herbie Flowers
• Gloria Jones - background vocals, keyboard
• Gloria Jones
• Tony Newman
• Steve Peregrine Took - background vocals, bass guitar, drums (drum set), percussion

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Simon Napier-Bell - Producer and early manager who discovered Bolan at his front door in 1966 and became instrumental in shaping his early career direction and arrangements (Early Tyrannosaurus Rex material and initial recordings) [1966-1970s]
• Tony Visconti - Producer who oversaw the pivotal "Ride a White Swan" session that transformed T. Rex's sound from acoustic to electric ("Ride a White Swan" and subsequent T. Rex recordings) [1970-1970s]

Key Collaborators

• Mickey Finn - Percussionist and key member who replaced Steve Peregrin Took and remained with the band through its most successful period (A Beard of Stars, T. Rex era albums and singles) [1968-1970s]
• Bill Legend - Drummer who joined T. Rex during their glam rock peak (T. Rex glam rock era recordings) [1970-1976]
• Steve Currie - Bassist who was part of T. Rex's classic lineup during their most commercially successful period (T. Rex glam rock albums and singles) [1970-1976]
• Gloria Jones - Keyboardist, backing vocalist, and Bolan's girlfriend who contributed to later T. Rex recordings and was driving the car during Bolan's fatal accident (Later T. Rex albums including Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow) [1973-1977]
• Jack Green - Second guitarist who joined the expanded T. Rex lineup (Later T. Rex recordings) [1973-1976]

Artists Influenced

• The Damned - Punk band who toured as support to T. Rex in 1977, representing the cross-pollination between glam rock and emerging punk movements (1977 UK tour with T. Rex) [1977]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Get It On (Electric Warrior)
2. Bang a Gong (Get It On) - 2003 Remaster (Electric Warrior [Expanded & Remastered])
3. Hot Love - A Side (Electric Warrior)
4. Cosmic Dancer (Electric Warrior)
5. Children of the Revolution - Remaster (Tanx (The Visconti Master))
6. Jeepster (Electric Warrior)
7. 20th Century Boy - Remaster (Tanx (The Visconti Master))
8. I Love To Boogie (Dandy In The Underworld)
9. Mambo Sun (Electric Warrior)
10. Get It On

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #folk-rock, #glam-rock, #pop-rock