Marc Bolan & T.Rex - Golden Hits (2011)

Marc Bolan (English Marc Bolan, real name Mark Feld Eng. Mark Feld; September 30, 1947 - September 16, 1977) - English singer, songwriter and guitarist, leader of the group T. Rex. Before long creative work with T. Rex (since 1967) he recorded solo singles and collaborated with the band John's Children. He died in a car accident in 1977.
Bolan grew up in a simple Jewish family in the Hackney area of ​​London. In childhood, he was fond of early rock and roll, at the age of 9 he received his first guitar, and soon gathered a skiffle group. Even then, Mark was a rebel, at the age of 14 he was expelled from school. Among the performers who influenced Bolan are: Chuck Berry, Bob Dylan (the pseudonym Bolan was an abbreviation - from Bo [b] dan), Cliff Richard and Elvis Presley. Later Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd of the barrett period, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles and Beach Boys were added to them.
For a short time he worked as a model, in 1967 joined the group of John's Children. Bolan claimed that after their collapse, he spent some time in Paris with a magician who could fly through the air, from which he obtained secret knowledge. Then he began to write neo-romantic songs that were included in the first T.Rex albums.
Bolan made his living as a street musician, performing his songs on the streets of London. Tyrannosaurus Rex, his duet with percussionist Steve Peregrin Took, released a total of three albums and five singles that had no commercial success. According to manager Alex Napier-Bell, during the year, there was only one presenter on the English radio broadcasting the duet's music: John Peel. Soon Bolan’s partner on Tyrannosaurus Rex was Mickey Finn, with whom one album was recorded, after which the name was reduced to T. Rex, and the acoustic guitar was replaced with an electric one.
Bolan married June Child and began writing songs at home, hoping to create the first big hit. He succeeded in 1970 with the song Ride A White Swan and producer Tony Visconti. The single slowly rose in the British charts, reaching second place in early 1971. Thus began the heyday of the glam rock style, which brought fame to its most prominent performers - Marc Bolan with T. Rex and his friend David Bowie. Since 1971, the composition of T. Rex expanded, their singles became hits, rising to the top of the charts. In 1972, Bolan appeared in the musical documentary film about T. Rex “Born to Boogie”, filmed by Ringo Starr. In addition to the T. Rex concert, the film features footage shot at the John Lennon Mansion and a musical number with T. Rex, supplemented by Ringo Starr on the second percussion and Elton John on the piano.
Beginning in 1973, the success of Bolan and T.Rex began to decline, some participants left the group, and then Bolan’s first marriage broke up. He began an affair with singer Gloria Jones, who bore him a son in 1975. Bolan hid from the public for three whole years, but continued to release singles and albums. In the mid-1970s, the singer’s health deteriorated; he gained weight and got addicted to cocaine.
In 1975-1977, Bolan lost weight again, began to give concerts and appear on television where, in particular, he conducted the musical TV show "Marc", in the last issue of which he sang a duet with David Bowie.
On September 16, 1977, Mark Bolan died on his way home from Gloria Jones from a bar-restaurant — a car driven by Gloria crashed into a tree. Bolan himself never learned to drive a car for fear of dying like James Dean. In 2002, on the 25th anniversary of his death, his bronze bust was solemnly installed on the spot where Bolan died.
Bolan had a great influence on many musicians and on entire trends, such as punk rock and Brit-pop, there are many cover versions of his songs.