Children of the RevolutionT. Rex

T. Rex

Singer-songwriter and guitarist Marc Bolan, accompanied by multi-percussionist Steve Took, formed Tyrannosaurus Rex as a psychedelic folk duo in 1967. They seemlingly got their name from Ray Bradbury’s short story “A Sound of Thunder”.

Science fiction, nursery rhymes and most of all, high fantasy books such as The Chronicles of Narnia set the tone of Bolan’s lyrics, fitting perfectly with the acoustic-guitar and creative percussion of the music. The duo released three albums and four singles in 1968 and 1969, and achieved some success in the UK underground, having then rising radio personality John Peel as a fan and two time collaborator of the band (as narrator of some wild child stories featuring in two of the Tyrannosaurus' albums).

Creative differences made the duo split apart and Took was replaced by Mickey Finn in 1969. By then it became clear that Bolan was the band. Starting with the single “King of the Rumbling Spires”, they started experimenting with electric guitars, bass and full drum kits, and within a year, transitioned into a whole new band, less hippie and more glam, now going bt the abbreviation T. Rex. Lyrics also became simpler and more sexually oriented, although Bolan never lost it’s childish wonder and flair.