Keystone, Getty Images Marc Bolan of T.Rex would've turned 65 years old today (Sept. 30) had he not perished in a car crash back in 1977, and according to Gloria Jones - his girlfriend and the. This gave Bolan a brief career as a model for fashion catalogs looking tough in sharp suits for the flash Mod-about-town. The night before he had been at Mortons restaurant in Londons Berkeley Square, celebrating Gloria Joness return to the UK from California, where she had been recording an album. The death of Marc Bolan has its own legend. But hold on. Ms Warner, 53, said: "A lot of people don't realise there was a fence between the tree and the road, because the fence was removed. What is also worth a mention is that that the site is on a bend with really nasty adverse camber which would not help the car to stay on the road. The music of Marc Bolan and T. Rex is being honored with a massive, star-studded tribute album. A young couple comfort each other in front of the floral white swan. What a load of tosh. It covers the accident in near forensic detail and I have located and interviewed pretty much every member of all 3 emergency services who were present and I can assure you that Chris Watts story is Not true. Bowie, Rod Stewart and Steve Harley were among the musicians who attended Bolans funeral September 20th at Golders Green Crematorium. Gloria Jones lost her husband and father of her child, from a pure accident that any of us, even good drivers, could make. Now, however, it has been revealed the legend was wrong. Within a few days their home was looted by thieves. Thanks. Why do people continue to diminish the word racist? Marc Bolan Photos Marc Bolan Photos Death Bolan died on 16 September 1977, two weeks before his 30th birthday. Marc Bolans mini-revival ended abruptly in the early hours of Friday, September 16, 1977. Marc Bolan and Gloria Jones at Rod Stewarts party at Mortons on the night that he died. It cant last, he told me in 1972, when the hit parade was studded with his records. From youtube. Please allow ads and let sponsors fund your surfing. Thanks for reading this. He would be good-looking and still sharp., Tony Visconti: I think he would have acted. In truth, Bolan had gone through a very problematic period of time. Will NEVER forget when I was told of his death. Another Welshman , Alexander Vlahos (played the kings brother in Versailles), might be good in a pinch, too. No one thinks they are going to get wrapped around a fucking tree in the early hours of the morning. Youre clearly a nasty, small-minded clown who needs someone to blame for this. Nina Hagens Nunsexmonkrock: Greatest (and weirdest) unsung masterpiece of the postpunk era? At the time of Marcs death I wasnt a huge fan, but now I really appreciate his work. As Visconti explains: Marc found a formula that he stuck with, which in the end didnt serve him well. Ride a White Swan. I was on the same label as him, EMI, and hed say: Oh yeah, my new single, its done 30,000. And Id say: Marc, Ive seen the figures. Surely Prince knew. You can see why. they put her in a coma on purpose to help her heal faster and calm her down. Glam rocker Marc Bolan lost his virginity at NINE and had a gay romp with his manager, a TV tribute reveals. Marc Bolan was my inspiration at a young age, I did see him live twice. So we cut the passenger out and he was taken by ambulance to hospital. Photo: Roger RM ER67A0 - Tree into which car carrying Marc Bolan collided, resulting in his death on 16th September 1977. Skip to main . I had traced Marc's Uncle by using the phone book. It was his first real hit, and Bolans elfin face and wispily Afro hair style suddenly hit the front pages, dominated the music magazines and almost single-handedly created the teeny-bop phenomenon. He specialised in covering rock music and helped popularise the new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) after using the term for the first time (after editor Alan Lewis coined it) in the May 1979 issue of Sounds. A pair of doors opened up like the mouth of Hades. I took my mother's rug from the back of my car and put it on the ground. Im a lunatic.. Mark Feld grew to fame as Marc Bolan, had the number one records, the dabblings with drugs and alcohol and kinky sex that are the first fruits of rock success, and he died in a car crash in the early hours of yesterday morning, just as he once foresaw. Alright, so I went through a period of time when I didnt want to say anything in the papers, but I think every artist goes through that". She had a very clear-minded American outlook in that respect. It never happened, but his music lives on the wheel nuts were loose, pressures wrong, slow puncture , gloria went to repair, but dont think mechanic liked her , any way the car hit concrete post and was propelled into , tying a fox in a tree, as Marc had predicted.. Did they even have seatbelts in that year and model? I read that he was thrown from the vehicle as he wasnt wearing a seat belt.You dont know what to believe. Marc on that night was celebrating and starting drinking after months of getting dry . The centrepiece was a huge white swan made out of chrysanthemums. The 2017 documentary "Marc Bolan - Cosmic Dancer" revealed that he often had thoughts about how transient life was, but this story goes further.Simon Napier-Bell, Bolan's manager, described a conversation between the two about stars who died young, in which Bolan imagined his future death: "Chet Baker was a hero of his, and James Dean. I adored him and his crazy madness.. The book also reveals that the tree so despised by fans actually prevented the car from sliding down an embankment and causing an even worse tragedy. I feel thats very likely so, but should anyone have been held accountable well all I can say to that is, that hindsight is a curious thing, no one was or has really been held responsible or accountable, but the only peace of mind that I have is that thankfully I dont think Marc saw it coming as it happened so quickly that he probably was gone, before he even had the chance to process everything ( and I truly hope I am right) for his sake). and then she became a TV producer. (in West Germany), My first record was 20 century boy,I was hooked, so sad,why dont they do a film of his life,like Freddie and Elton. About the time Hackney-born Marc Bolan was enjoying his first major hit, Ride a White Swan, in early 1971, Chris Watts from Shepherd's Bush joined London Fire Brigade, passing out top of his intake. Not long before his death, Bolan had publicly described his efforts successfully to overcome drug . From the archive, 17 September 1977: Marc Bolan dies in car crash The T Rex star was killed instantly when his car hit a tree in south London Singer Marc Bolan (1947-1977) on a tour bus in. However, Steve Harley believes Bolans endorsement of punk was purely a means to an end. You can imagine he was so heady with the success of T.Rextasy. and was an editor of Sounds music magazine. But when you think about some of Marcs phraseology Tyrannosaurus Rex eater of cars. Hubcap diamond star halo. Seventy-seven is going to be heaven. [The latter being a line from Bolans final single, Celebrate Summer.] A little before five oclock the car left the road at Queens Ride, Barnes Common, and crashed into a tree. Vicky Aram, 77, a former nightclub singer, was invited back from a party by Bolan, his girlfriend Gloria Jones and Jones's brother Richard to discuss musical projects. Now, he might have been forgetful. He loved kids and he loved kids TV shows. We were working on this rock opera called The Children Of Rarn, and I was dying to get back to him and do that one properly. Now in his 40s, Rolan contributed vocals to a new version of T Rex's 'Children of the Revolution' for a Marc Bolan tribute album in 2020. The tragic death of an English superstar who never quite made it in the U.S. T. Rex Guitarist Marc Bolan Dies in Car Accident, See BTS Jung Kook Debut New Single Dreamers at FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremony, Drake & 21 Savage, Selena Gomez and All the Songs You Need to Know This Week, Christian Leave Asks Why Not? on Bedroom Pop Singers New Single, The National Stay Up Late to Perform 'Tropic Morning News' on Fallon, David Lindley, Multi-Instrumentalist Who Shaped the Sound of Soft Rock, Dead at 78, How Deem Spencer Learned to be Vulnerable on His New Album adultSW!M, Suki Waterhouse Won't Take Romance for Granted on New Single 'To Love', Travis Barker Says His Finger Ligament Surgery Was a 'Success' After Postponing Blink-182 Tour. I remember one Top Of The Pops where Marc was wearing a toy plastic Roman breastplate that hed bought in Woolworths and one of his nipples was showing! He was afraid to let go.. While the music itself was standard, hard driving pop/rock, the performers clothes were something else. Including alternative versions of many of the group s most famous songs, plus a few cover versions (such as Marc Bolan s Debra and Frantic Desolation , originally composed and recorded by San Francisco s Sopwith Camel), the 19 tracks included form a quite extraordinary rarities collection of this oft-forgotten late-1960s act. Its a great idea you open up a cloak and its full of eagles. He and Gloria were driving in their Mini 127GT, after spending time at Mortons Club and Restaurant in Berkeley Square, London. Gloria Jones brother, Richard Jones, in hat behind them. Police said Bolan, 29, was killed when a car driven by his girlfriend, singer Gloria Jones,. One was Malvern Winter Gardens a premier venue at the time because it also hosted the Who, the Moody Blues and the Kinks, among others and the other was Frank Freemans Dance Studio in Kidderminster. she could not get out of the UK fast enough. It was amazing, because Bolan had just had his first big hit single. Thats the problem with me, you see. , Also how could Gloria be standing next to the car? So I went to the tree. The Flying V came up for sale as did the one he gave to ringo star , ringo sold it , and the late Bowie has one . My tour manager and I were on the first plane to England. Any proof? Sign up below to get the latest from Classic Rock, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox! Ive always got something interesting to say as long as the right person asks the right questions. They might be using one of my characters. His musical influence as guitarist and songwriter was profound; he inspired many later acts over the following decades. Too beautiful to live, too young to die, he used to brag in the heady days. We use ads to keep our content free for you. Its astute proprietor had recognised as soon as Little Richard uttered the immortal phrase Awop-bop-aloobopawop- bam-boom that things were moving on from ballroom. The death of Marc Bolan. When David started singing he and Marc forged a great friendship, recalls Jones today. The funeral held four days later at the Golders Green Crematorium was attended by Les Paul, Rod Stewart, Bolan producer Tony Visconti, Eric Clapton and a contingent of sobbing fans. Rod Stewart and friend. so how easy was he lifted out ? and the blanket was in vickys car behind.prior to going to a callbox for help.she told me he was in the car and appeared uninjured and laying on the floor of the car..Gloria appeared to have had head injuries and her brother took him from the car and layed him on a blanket from vickys boot while she went to a callbox to call emergency services.. I thought I might learn the details of Marc Bolans death this weekend. I heard the sad news on medium-wave radio, and I was just shocked. 1981. He was the cosmic punk again.. Police said Bolan, 29, was killed when a car driven by his girlfriend, singer Gloria Jones, struck a tree in southwest London. Last month, he was given his own television show again, featuring the punk bands who had learned so much from him. I also rang Chris Watts and he couldnt even tell me who his other crew members were. BP Fallon visited the crash site in Barnes personally. He was grounded in many respects. Bolans mind was brimful of new projects, some completed, several half-finished but most of which never saw the light of day. David can put a Kabuki painting to music, but for all his brilliance hes not a get-down rocknroller. I was suspicious of his story when I first read it years ago. As our interview progressed, it took on a jumbled, disorganised, almost stream of consciousness quality. Thats when the penny dropped. You can find instructions here as to how. Extreme Record Collecting: Confessions of an analog vinyl snob, A long, rambling blog post about my Nico obsession (+ some astonishing, seldom seen TV performances). It was less to do with fighting Rockers at Clacton than with the pursuit of style. Bolan was killed his seat swivelling through 180 degrees and ending up in the rear of the vehicle and Jones was severely injured. Also he has the watch colours wrong for the time of day. So was I. One of these must be true. Terrible isnt it dont tell the press! When he came of age he was made aware of his claim to the Off sure Bolan Trust , I went to dinner with one of the lawyers of the trust and questioned, in trust for for who they agreed In Prncipe that Marc son should inherit, but as a child out of wedlock, he was held back , but the courts have now recognized Rolan and Im pleased for Marc about that . I can understand that Gloria was probably under the influence and the car not as well maintained as it might have been. This article originally appeared in Classic Rock #111. Agree with Steve. Just so sad. The little girls soon started to scream for the singers whose music was aimed specifically at them the Osmonds, David Cassidy. It absolutely HAS to be a beautiful man failing Nye or Alex, a chap similar to both but in his 20s would be ideal. Although you would never have recognised him at the scene. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. Before such a meeting takes place, a publican could be thought of as trying to draw-in customers to regale them with gleefully-recounted prosy retellings of his merely accidental presence one night at a miserable event, of which even the misery wasnt of his own making ; which pitifully exposes how the ravenous hunger for a little recognition is so desired by the unloved, by the floundering, anonymous millions, aware as many might be that they shall at best find nothing more than temporary, misattributed-glory, by attaching their names to those whose talents, efforts or persona, not their lazy idling dreams, earned for themselves what the limpet trys to attach itself. He said: Have you heard the radio today? My PA back in London said: The journalists want a quote from you. I went: A quote? They helped time to pass on the long, and unsuccessful US tours. Fans from around the world have converged on the tree in south-west London where the glam rock star drew his last breath 35 years ago today. She told the Express of his regular predictions of an early death: "I don't know why he said . Marc was scared of driving and it was the drivers responsibility to ensure that they were compos mentis when doing so hence many fans will always blame Marcs early demise as her fault she couldve booked a taxi they couldve stayed in a hotel overnight many other options of course. Bolan never finalized a will and his estate was left in a mess. The glam rocker would go on cocaine and booze binges and eventually dedicated much of his time to his new love, American singer, Gloria Jones, per Louder. You cant believe a word of that. He had that tease, he had that sexuality, and he had a real sense of fun. . Why, even William Blake would have grooved to my lyrics, you know, Ive got a great story called Future Man Buick, which is incredible, it may be done as a movie. But who would be beautiful enough to play Marc? Marc was not cut out of the carby all accounts he was lifted from the back of the car and laid on a blanket.and attempt was made at reviving him, but that was not by the fire service.if he was alive at that point it would have been just a glimmer. Sounds silly to write about it now 53 years later but I have time now to reflect. I remember gulping down about three shots of something just to handle the news. Then came the rivalry, but their camaraderie never really diminished. her lack of shame, or any trace of sadness is mind-blowing. Now Ive levelled out. Jones only suffered a shoulder injury. Thats all documented, however it could be a forgetful mechanic who just didnt tighten the wheel nuts , as for a planned accident, I think not , but it has since been found out that the car hit a concrete bollard and was propelled into the tree . Cyclist passes a tribute to Marc Bolan, lead-singer & guitarist of the band T-Rex, beside the tree where he was killed in 1977 on September 15, 2007.