Who We Are: T. Rex, from London Since 1967
We're T. Rex, the London band Marc Bolan founded in 1967. Here's who we are, where our name comes from and how the band changed along the way.
Where did we start?
In London, in July 1967. Marc Bolan, fresh from his time in John's Children, started Tyrannosaurus Rex as an acoustic duo with percussionist Steve Peregrin Took. The sound was psychedelic folk: acoustic guitar, hand percussion and Marc's voice.
Why "T. Rex"?
The full name was a mouthful. In 1970 we shortened it to T. Rex, with our self-titled album that year. By then Marc had already moved to electric guitar on A Beard of Stars, and the band was heading somewhere louder.
Who was in the band?
The line-up of the early hits:
- Marc Bolan: vocals and guitar, 1967 to 1977.
- Mickey Finn: percussion, 1969 to 1975, after Steve Peregrin Took (1967 to 1969).
- Steve Currie: bass, 1970 to 1976.
- Bill Legend: drums, 1971 to 1973.
Later line-ups included Gloria Jones, Paul Fenton, Jack Green, Davey Lutton, Dino Dines, Herbie Flowers, Tony Newman and Miller Anderson.
What did we sound like?
Glam rock and pop, after the folk years. Producer Tony Visconti worked with us from the Tyrannosaurus Rex records into the early T. Rex ones, and around Electric Warrior our publicist BP Fallon called what was happening "T. Rextasy".
And Marc?
Marc Bolan died on 16 September 1977, aged 29, in a car crash in Barnes, south-west London. In 2020 T. Rex was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Where does the merch come in?
Our designs come out of that story: the name, the glam and the records. You'll find each one on tees, long sleeves, crewnecks and hoodies.