Over-drugged, fat and almost alcoholic, he was rescued by a lovely black American singer called Gloria Jones. For 25 years, the tree on Barnes Common, into which the purple Mini, which Jones was driving, crashed on September 16, 1977, killing Bolan instantly, has been an unlikely shrine, draped with. He had been reduced to playing Londons Lyceum Ballroom on his Futuristic Dragon tour in front of just 1,000 people. It's very unlikely that a manslaughter charge would have stuck. Nowhere is the affection between Bowie and Bolan clearer than in the way Bowie took care of Bolan's son Rolan. Well her brother and her Career along with the song writing should not of left her destitute but I dont know the in and outs of why she claims to have been very poor as a bonus David Bowie put in place in education facility for Marcs son. When the iconic figure and lead singer of T-Rex, Marc Bolan, sadly died following a fatal car crash in 1977 and the musical world was thrown into widespread mourning. To mark the anniversary, BBC . Her rendition of "Dock of the Bay" appears as a bonus track on T.Rex's album Bolan's Zip Gun. I spoke with the journalist who took the interview in 2008 and to be honest he wasnt convinced at the time, but there was a Bolan Anniversary on the horizon so they ran it. He was thrown out of the car during the accident and was not cut out of the car at all. The tree the Mini had run into. Steve Harley, the Cockney Rebel frontman and close confidant of Marcs, states of Bolans later work: It was just fifth-form poetry. And there was booze. Because that was the plan. Its a very strange feeling.. But they were such contrasting personalities. Their first album, Beard of Stars, was a dramatic success, but again, limited to the cult market. His death haunts so many of us to this day.But how low down for this guy to fabricate such a tale,when there are so many documented accounts of the crash site. I was a big fan and read at the time he was thrown from the car on impact. Heres how it works. Barnes Station. Any proof? Do you have any unpublished photos, anything, that we might all enjoy, please, from that time ? People got as weirded-out with Marc as they did with Bowie. Marcs dead. It was unreal. She pulled him back to normality. Jones released an album in 1976, called Vixen . , Also how could Gloria be standing next to the car? A woman, who had been driving, was standing by a vehicle that had hit a tree and crushed the passenger, said Chris. After negotiating a humpback bridge on Queen's Ride, near Gypsy Lane, the car lost control. She recorded the original version of "Tainted Love" as a B-side in 1964 and the powerful track was instantly forgotten - if it was known. died Friday in a car crash in a London . AN UNTIMELY DEATH. I know exactly how you feel Susan. A few heads grumbled the words sell and out, but Bolan left them for dust. Why tell the truth when an exaggeration would do? I had a soft spot for Marc Bolan but back then there werent no internet, so we had no real access to detailed news etc. (dont get me wrong the 80s were full of musical talent). No other vehicle was involved. You think, what would Jimi Hendrix have done if hed lived? BA1 1UA. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Marc on that night was celebrating and starting drinking after months of getting dry . They had a baby, and this year, Marc Bolan began to make a come-back. Hello. So I miss him to this day. T.Rex Action Group. Marc you beautiful man. This is the story of his final hours, You see, my idea of rocknroll is that subterranean homesick blues feel, said Marc Bolan. Artistic Director (and Hair Advisor) should be Danielz from T.Rextasy Danielz knows Marc inside out, IMO. Gloria Jones' biggest claim to fame came by accident. He would be good-looking and still sharp., Tony Visconti: I think he would have acted. It was September 16, 1977. She was gorgeous. 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.] When Tyrannosaurus Rex morphed into T.Rex, mystic aura and attentive audience (small) was replaced by wild sexuality and riotous audience (large). Two weeks before his thirtieth birthday, Bolan was killed when the Mini his partner Gloria Jones was driving hit a metal fence. He soon came across the accident and called for help. She was later summonsed to appear in court in London on charges of being unfit to drive and driving a car in a dangerous condition, but she never returned to face the allegations. Gloria nearly died in the accident, and was in the hospital for several days afterwards. What pees me off in this day and age is you never hear any Bolan records played on radio stations. This topic is very interesting. Now, he might have been forgetful. [2] Richard Bevan, interview with Simon Napier-Bell, 19 April 2006: "Well, Marc Bolan never came out but he was completely bisexual. Magical stories, in that peculiar handwriting of his. The British Establishment clasped him to its grisly bosom, and he appeared in anti-litter advertisements. She told me his face looked so beautiful and he had one little mark over his eyebrow, says Tony Visconti. Jones was seriously injured; Bolan died. All the events that happened subsequent to his death just added insult to injury. Their Hippy period had never been as fey as Britains, and there were no American DJs with dues to pay to their flower-power pasts. Not one of Marcs best-known works, admittedly. Here was a guy with glitter on his cheeks, wearing gold shoes. Bond Street. Ill have to get back into cars, I might be doing something with Marvel Comics. Until a face-to-face meeting is arranged between those concerned, the event shall always be associated with tedious, time-wasting, appalling lies. The Old Rectory at Weston-under- Penyard, near Ross on Wye belonged to the Hereford Diocese and was put up for sale because it was too expensive to maintain as a clergy house. A Tale Untold is on course to be published late this year. Bowie was due to guest star on Bolan's ITV series . The mini hit a tree in Queens Ride, Bawnes and was a Write-of''. Unfortunately, it didnt. Im still shocked and saddened that his house was ransacked and emptied very soon after his death was broadcast. Think the conspiracy theories might be getting a bit stretched. Steve Harley takes up to story: Muriel Young kick-started it all. Late reply: This entire situation sounded horrific. On 16 th September 1977, a car crash shocked the world of music, when a 29-year-old musician and the lead singer of British heavy metal band T-Rex Marc Bolan lost his life that night. Remember him saying he would not live to see his 30th birthday. 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! I remember gulping down about three shots of something just to handle the news. Embed from Getty Images. You can imagine he was so heady with the success of T.Rextasy. news journalist, retired, Your email address will not be published. Although you would never have recognised him at the scene. I only ever interviewed him once. One of the rare exceptions was Marc Bolan. Theyll grow up soon and change. Hair tinted with wispy gold and blue hues, he sported large square spectacles, presenting a somewhat bizarre cross between Cliff Richard conservativeness and Elton John outlandishness. Marc had been drinking heavily for most of the day. Many comment on this , and growing , I did read on this site ,that Marc house was a mile away from Mortons , we its not is much further , and that persons comments on Gloria have been responded to negatively. It was such a jolt that I had to find the nearest place to get a drink. Ive written some great lyrics, and people say its all mindless garbage. Then Ride A White Swan [Bolans 1970 hit single] happened and suddenly I was very sellable. I mocked him, constantly. The book Marc Bolan: A Tale Untold will now be published in the New Year. My point with this book is to expose the much repeated erroneous reports and false statements surrounding the last few months of Marc Bolans life and to hopefully draw a line under things once and for all. His former manager, Tony Secunda, said the son of a Hackney porter whose real name was Mark Feld had always feared he would die in a car crash. How revolting, like he didnt matter There will be unanswered questions indefinitely, and it is a shame that todays younger generation arent exposed or more exposed to T-Rex Marc Bolan music. Eddie Cochrane became one of the first of the rock legends whose fame rests as much upon the manner of his death a car crash as upon the matter of his music. 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 . recalled Chris Watts, then a member of London Fire Brigade but for the past 21 years licensee of the Albion Inn, Bath Road, Worcester, when a call came to attend an accident on the South Circular. BOB HARRIS OBE with a fistful of bowie money, she took rolan and headed to cali. Crews at the capitals other stations were ordered to standby as cover and the men from Blue Watch at Manchester Square W1 took to the road in readiness. 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 . The little girls soon started to scream for the singers whose music was aimed specifically at them the Osmonds, David Cassidy. And he was very excited as you would be. ": How porn, poop and chicken coops derailed Guns N' Roses' Chinese Democracy, Every issue delivered direct to your door. No one thinks they are going to get wrapped around a fucking tree in the early hours of the morning. The time of the crash was 5am, just as dawn was breaking. Did I detect some slight nervousness, a little apprehension behind those lenses? Soul Funk. Radio 1 DJ John Peel who brought Tyrannosaurus Rex to public attention ferried Bolan and Took up to Kidderminster for an allnighter on Easter Sunday, April 14, 1968, following an appearance on his Top Gear show in London. My names Marc. There was a rabbi reading a eulogy, and Marcs coffin was in the middle of these twin tracks, like on a railroad. All that money ended up in trust in the Caribbean, some money was paid out to his wife at the time and then the tax man got a hold of a couple of million. Im a lunatic.. Its all writ. To get there he had adopted whatever guise would advance him best - he was a mod, a Dylan imitator, and found credibility and modest success with ethereal acoustic duo Tyrannosaurus Rex. He went on stage and Ill never forget what he said: Hi. This article originally appeared in Classic Rock #111. She was very badly and seriously injured. She couldnt understand how that had killed him. Marc wanted to live forever. The demo was put out posthumously, and it had all the signs of a great work. Stay up to date with in depth music reviews, exclusive interviews and widespread coverage of whats happening from your favourite music genre. Im talking about him as if I can see him now. Fans are still distressed by his death without someone trying to make it more gruesome than it was.can this man supply us with official records ? The vehicle struck a tree in the Southwest London area, and both the passengers were hospitalized. At the time of Marcs death I wasnt a huge fan, but now I really appreciate his work. Hed got rid of his drug habit, hed gone through his arrogant stage, he was almost humble. All the same, I listened intently, half in awe of the man, half in bemusement at his agitated blathering. 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. BBC Four - Marc Bolan: Cosmic Dancer. He was lifted out of the car by Glorias brother. It was two weeks before his 30th birthday. The leader of . Nevertheless, it heralded a comeback of sorts, reaching No.13 in the chart. He was, in fact, killed when his Mini hit a steel-reinforced fence post. Gloria Jones was driving the Mini 1275GT early yesterday morning when it crashed into a tree on Barnes Common. A big robotic arm appeared out of a crack just in front of the coffin and moved it along the rails. Jones broke her jaw in the accident. Rolan turned out to be a wonderful man. The story is false. A subscription makes a thoughtful gift for both family and friends. He said: Have you heard the radio today? Just so sad. she was never extradited. I would be surprised if Gloria had been stone cold sober..but she wasnt charged with any offense. My Electric Warrior character was meant to be a sort of Conan, actually, except that he didnt follow the conventional boring barbarian pattern, Bolan rambled on, going round and round in ever-decreasing circles. Mark Feld, born on September 30th, 1947 is better known as Marc Bolan, who was a singer and songwriter in 'Tyrannosaurus Rex', later 'T.Rex', from 1967 until his death in a car crash in 1977. I heard the sad news on medium-wave radio, and I was just shocked. I still think that, regardless of what anybody writes in the papers, its good to have the space, he continued. So were my friends, the next day I told them about the incident. Besides, what Marc Bolan and T. Rex did was more than just standard. At the height of his fame in 1972, as his band T. Rex topped the charts with singles like Telegram Sam and Metal Guru, Bolan bought a beautiful former rectory in Herefordshire, where he planned to retreat from the hurly-burly of London, relax and write songs. It did 3,000., Marc had to talk everything up. So ended the life of Marc Bolan, the founder of glam rock, one of the most bizarre fashion styles British popular music has ever produced. I know of two in collections and I have his telecaster bought from Christies , I also have a burns flyte bass he gifted and the slab body bass he bought for steve Currie to use on ride a white swan. In retrospective, back then Marc Bolan dying was just as shocking as the death of David Bowie, and some others of the brightest rock stardome. He found it within a year, with a single called Ride a White Swan that combined the bizarre imagery of his Hippy days with a driving, insistent rhythm that spelled commercial success. If Paul McCartney had died and John Lennon had lived, what wouldve happened then? They might be using one of my characters. He was a passenger in a mini driven by his common law wife GLORIA JONES. Im afraid it is. Talking about punk, Bolan was one of the few mainstream music stars not to be horrified when Babylon began to burn. But it was an occasion Ill never forget. What Chris didnt know was that he had been in at the death of one of the most flamboyant figures in British pop music of the second half of the 20th century. What actually gets forgotten is how uptight a lot of strait-laced people got with Marcs behaviour, BP Fallon reflects. Marc Bolan - lead singer with English glam rock band T. Rex - died in the early hours of Friday 16th September 1977. Mr. He never thought he was going to die young. One of these must be true. Many years ago I though Johnny Depp would have made a good Marc then time passed and my hopeful baton went to Orlando Bloom more time passed and it looked like Aneurin Barnard (as he was in The White Queen) would have been amazing maybe the best (hes a great singer, too). Its also known that Gloria took the car into have a tyre change . Lesley-Ann Jones captures perfectly the spirit of the time, and tells beautifully the wider story of Marc's extraordinary life. The car crash that killed him 30 years ago this month, brought him abruptly to the end of a . You might have seen me on Top Of The Pops. It was absolutely brilliant. Gloria Jones lost her husband and father of her child, from a pure accident that any of us, even good drivers, could make. Gloria Jones went back to America after recovering from the accident. You have your guess the year on Peak 107 in my area (Chesterfield Derbyshire) from the 80s onwards and its the same old stuff repeated. When David started singing he and Marc forged a great friendship, recalls Jones today. A local man who witnessed the crash said, "When I arrived a girl was lying on the bonnet and a man with long . In the 1970s she was a keyboardist and vocalist in Marc Bolan's glam rock band T.Rex. According to the dead star's manager who was with them during the evening, Miss Jones had been drinking moderately at the restaurant. That was how Geoffrey Bayldon [the actor in Catweazle] got a part in the Born To Boogie movie. THE legend of Marc Bolan, Glam Rock's inventor, is one of innovation, hedonism, decadence and tragedy. By the time Marc Bolan joined the ranks of John's Children in 1967, the British band had already established quite a reputation. Indeed, many of the burgeoning bands of the day such as Generation X and The Jam guested on Marc. Marc wasnt perfect, far from it, but he put himself out there and God bless him! In his brief heyday in the early Seventies, Marc Bolan was the biggest pop star since The Beatles. This is not factually true. You are right. We dont need sensationalism right now, she states plainly. I can say that in absolute, total truth. Today though, interest in Bolan is thriving. He is best known for his work with British rock band T. Rex. And Richard got her out of Uk . The night I cut Marc Bolan from the wreckage of his car By Mike Pryce THIRTY one years ago, in the early hours of the morning of September 16, 1977, a huge fire broke out in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, pulling most of the fire appliances from the south of London. But Television-Man had said we were crazy, said we were juvenile delinquent wrecks Aw man, I needed TV when I had T-Rex? Motown. Her sole Motown effort , a lost masterstroke of the era, is a dazzling showcase for a . I can understand that Gloria was probably under the influence and the car not as well maintained as it might have been. His music, as well as his highly original sense of style and extraordinary stage presence, helped create the glam rock era which made him one of the most recognisable stars in British rock . I went to 3 of the performances of 2012s 20th Century Boy The Musical at the Coventry Belgrade Theatre the first two and the last one and I absolutely loved the whole cast, including George Maguire, who played The Man Himself but sadly he might not be quite right on film, being so tall. so how easy was he lifted out ? There was also talk that the vehicle may have been one of several used by Pink Floyds management company, and that it had been souped-up in accordance with the bands thirst for high-speed motor racing., I was in Los Angeles when it happened, Steve Harley recalls. So we cut the passenger out and he was taken by ambulance to hospital. Thanks for all your research. I think I was still a schoolboy, actually, recalls Captain Sensible of The Damned. Either Jones brother, or a former fireman is a practised liar; one of them is trying to be the tenant of a lifetimes lease on the publics memory, by borrowing the fame neither the annonymity of public service should bring, and doesnt; or by being, otherwise just the brother of a performer. Gloria. RIDE A WHITE SWAN: THE LIVES & DEATH OF MARC BOLAN: I remember the time I spent with Marc and June in the late '60s with massive affection. In fact she did not even learn of his death until after his funeral. Marc. Despite Bolans bravado, Futuristic Dragon only reached a feeble No.50 in the UK album chart. She offered Marc a teatime TV series. I talked to Stan Lee, the head of Marvel, when the Conan The Barbarian weekly comic first came out in Britain. Same, I needed TV when I had T-Rex to see his 30th birthday himself. 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