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mahatmakanejeeves

(57,434 posts)
Wed Sep 16, 2020, 11:18 AM Sep 2020

On this day, September 16, 1977, Marc Bolan was killed in a car wreck.

Oh, man, I need TV when I've got T.Rex.

Fri Sep 29, 2017: Happy 70th Birthday (Saturday), Marc Bolan. Yeah, I know.

Marc Bolan

Marc Bolan (/ˈboʊlən/ BOH-lən; born Mark Feld; 30 September 1947 – 16 September 1977) was an English singer-songwriter, musician, guitarist, and poet. He was best known as the lead singer of the glam rock band T. Rex. Bolan was one of the pioneers of the glam rock movement of the 1970s. He died at age 29 in a car accident a fortnight before his 30th birthday.

{snip}

Death

Bolan died on 16 September 1977, two weeks before his 30th birthday. He was a passenger in a purple Mini 1275GT (registration FOX 661L) driven by Gloria Jones as they headed home from Mortons drinking club and restaurant in Berkeley Square. Jones lost control of the car: it struck a steel reinforced chain link fence post and came to rest against a sycamore tree after failing to negotiate a small humpback bridge near Gipsy Lane on Queens Ride, Barnes, southwest London. Neither occupant was wearing a seat belt. Bolan was killed instantly, while Jones suffered a broken arm and broken jaw and spent time in hospital; she did not learn of Bolan's death until the day of his funeral. Bolan's home, which was less than a mile away at 142 Upper Richmond Road West in East Sheen, was looted shortly thereafter.

At Bolan's funeral, attended by David Bowie, Rod Stewart, Tony Visconti, and Steve Harley, a swan-shaped floral tribute was displayed outside the service in recognition of his breakthrough hit single "Ride a White Swan". His funeral service was at the Golders Green Crematorium, a secular provision in north London, where his ashes were buried. The car crash site has subsequently become a shrine to his memory, where fans leave tributes beside the tree. In 2013, the shrine was featured on the BBC Four series Pagans and Pilgrims: Britain's Holiest Places. The site, referred to as Bolan's Rock Shrine, is owned and maintained by the T. Rex Action Group.

Bolan never learned to drive, fearing a premature death. Despite this fear, cars or automotive components are at least mentioned in, if not the subject of, many of his songs. He also owned a number of vehicles, including a white 1960s Rolls-Royce that was loaned by his management to the band Hawkwind on the night of his death.

{snip}

Under the circumstances, it's almost ghoulish to do this, but here's something he did about a motor vehicle:



T.Rex - Jeepster [Live In London 1972]
552,798 views•Mar 16, 2008

Music20thCentury
1.44K subscribers

T.Rex - Jeepster
Live At The Empire Pool Wembley 1972

My dream in life is to walk into a thrift store or rummage sale and find clothing like that, in my size, or at least close enough that I can get away with wearing it. So far, no such luck.

Bonus video, also with a line in here about cars. I think he switched pants with the bass player from the first video.



Marc Bolan Bang A Gong (Get It On)
633,461 views•Apr 21, 2009

SameMarcChannel
1.72K subscribers

http://www.beniceaf.com
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