Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, On the 35th anniversary of the glam rock star's death in a car accident, an eyewitness reveals what happened, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. Stan doesnt really like Conan that much, did you know? 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. All Rights reserved. then the courts decided they were going to prosecute her for manslaughter. Gloria Jones was famous for being the performer of the song Tainted Love composed by Ed Cobb (the . I can understand that Gloria was probably under the influence and the car not as well maintained as it might have been. Success has its degrees. Fee Warner, founder of the T Rex Action Group, bought the land where the sycamore tree stands to stop it from being felled. 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. Their first album, Beard of Stars, was a dramatic success, but again, limited to the cult market. It was a Jewish ceremony. A subscription makes a thoughtful gift for both family and friends. RMER67A0 - Tree into which car carrying Marc Bolan collided, resulting in his death on 16th September 1977. Steve Harley takes up to story: Muriel Young kick-started it all. This story is from the November 3rd, 1977 issue of Rolling Stone. Ive written some great lyrics, and people say its all mindless garbage. Thanks for all your research. Lifes a gas I hope its gonna last, Bolan crooned at the peak of his fame. He was grounded in many respects. We had a little semi-detached in Croydon. Despite Bolans bravado, Futuristic Dragon only reached a feeble No.50 in the UK album chart. What a load of tosh. This site was Created, Designed & is Updated by TAG CIC: Legal Guardians of Marc Bolan's Rock Shrine in Barnes, London. 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. But they were such contrasting personalities. So we could blame the car , the tyre shop Gloria went to , the rain , Marcs himself declared his early death , and some lyrics in his songs match the accident . June at home with Marc and Mickey How Did Bolin Die? Marc Bolan Death On September 16, 1977, Marc was on his way home from a club in Berkeley Square with Gloria Jones. Theyll grow up soon and change. David was, and indeed still is, an artiste with an e at the end. 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.] 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! The driver of the car, Gloria Jones, who was also Rolan's mother, emerged from the accident alive but severely injured. T-shirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and more, designed and sold by independent artists around the world. Thats when the penny dropped. He saw every little appearance on the small screen as making him more famous in Sainsburys. I still think that, regardless of what anybody writes in the papers, its good to have the space, he continued. He was getting fit, the cheekbones were coming back, he was excited, he had a great band, and the songs were getting better.. Cause of death was trauma and blood loss, and there is a suggestion that a bolt from a fence post punched into his temple and that was what finished him off. In June 1973 he proclaimed: Glam rock is dead. In spring 1974 he quit Britain to binge on cocaine and booze, and, in thrall to his new love, American singer Gloria Jones, try his hand as a soul-music producer in the States. Now Ive levelled out. 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. Still, that didnt stop Melody Maker describing Marc as a faded old tart in a live review. On September 16, 1977, returning from a tour with the punk group The Damned, Bolan dies in a car accident in London. Here was a guy with glitter on his cheeks, wearing gold shoes. It caused outrage., While its true that the hits never totally dried up for Marc Bolan, theres little doubt his creative muse fizzled rather than sizzled in his latter years. Marc Bolan's Rock Shrine David Dawson on Flickr (Creative Commons) Father of the glam-rock trend during the 1970's along with his band T. Rex, Marc Bolan was tragically killed, like so many. Marc was never cut out. Marc Bolan's Funeral 1977 44,348 views Jul 20, 2017 Rod Stewart and David Bowie at Marc's Funeral in Septem .more .more 392 Dislike Share A Thousand Mark Feld Charms 376 subscribers. 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. Marc Bolan's latest news, photos, videos, movies, albums, or awards info from Yahoo . High quality Marc Bolan-inspired gifts and merchandise. T-Rex & Marc Bolan Memorabilia Photos, T-Rex & Marc Bolan Memorabilia Posters, Original T-Rex & Marc Bolan Memorabilia, Mugs/Coasters . Exactly..Gloria was in a coma when Marc died and didnt come around until after his funeral..so there are some obvious lies here! Just some hours before his unfortunate death, the Hall of Famer was told by The Miami News Jon Marlowe to take care of himself. The images here are courtesy of a new website devoted to nostalgia, Flashbak and the Press Association. The couple had a son together in September 1975, called Rolan Bolan. She told the Express of his regular predictions of an early death: "I don't know why he said . You think, what would Jimi Hendrix have done if hed lived? I couldnt even believe hed died., I was sitting out in my garden. Still love him. I can still remember hearing the news on Radio one that fateful morning ! Manchester Square was what they called an RTA station and our appliance was carrying specialist rescue equipment.. What pees me off in this day and age is you never hear any Bolan records played on radio stations. Marc Bolan (born Mark Feld) was an English singer-songwriter, musician, guitarist, and poet. 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. Was Bolan, after all this time, still dubious about talking to the press? It was once said of the Rolling Stones: Would you let your daughter marry one of these? But as far as the stars of glam rock were concerned you had to work out the gender first. Jones was driving. It was such a jolt that I had to find the nearest place to get a drink. Marc was a rocknroller, and his other passion was mythology. Build your family tree online . We want to hear it. So sad to read false testimony. That was how Geoffrey Bayldon [the actor in Catweazle] got a part in the Born To Boogie movie. 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 . 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.. Rolan Bolans godfather David Bowiewho would quietly provide for Gloria and Rolan and paid for his educationarrives at the service. The couple began their set at 3am and then slept Easter Monday off at the family homes of the clubs disc jockeys Rod Gilchrist and Paul Jennings. Im a lunatic.. From his early passion for pop music, as a young East End kid, the young Mark Feld grew naturally into that most flamboyantly introspective of the moods of the 1960s the cult of the young Mods. I saw genius', Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Ive just come across all this. Chris states that his unit was on route to a large warehouse fire in Kingston and was redirected to the accident in Barnes. 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. Not a chance. , Also how could Gloria be standing next to the car? People were saying that I was done for even from the time when Debora [Tyrannosaurus Rexs 1968 single] came out, he told me. 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. I think he would have stretched out into other fields. Clarifying certain points and dealing with police and coroner in particular, has been a very slow procedure with many legal hoops to jump through ( or find a way around). Re: Chris Watts interview. I wonder what would have happened if I had gone back but of course I can never know. I adored him and his crazy madness.. My tour manager and I were on the first plane to England. There was no one there apart from me. I remember being in a pub when I was 20 and living in NZ, and going over to the bloke named Brendon Perry who had just joined a punk band and changed his name to Ronnie Recent, and telling him about Marc Nolan dying in a car crash. Wed 16th Sep 2020 16.00 BST. For you to say its unfortunate that she didnt also die and take pleasure in her being ripped-off from Marcs inheritance is just appalling and you should be ashamed of yourself. Trending Words & Music. Marc was the son of Phyllis Winifred (Atkins) and Simeon "Sid" Feld, a lorry driver. For the next six and a half years their lives were to continue a universe apart, until late one night they crossed at a sycamore tree by a hump back bridge on the South Circular. Surrealistic rocknroll. There was a rabbi reading a eulogy, and Marcs coffin was in the middle of these twin tracks, like on a railroad. Bolan looked coolly confident, well accustomed to the experience of The Interview. It seemed like the car, which had been a Mini, had failed to make a left hand bend, crossed the road and hit the tree. When David started singing he and Marc forged a great friendship, recalls Jones today. In 1973, Ringo Starr documented T. Rex success in the movie Born to Boogie. BP Fallon visited the crash site in Barnes personally. Another Welshman , Alexander Vlahos (played the kings brother in Versailles), might be good in a pinch, too. I havent been into cars for years. Trouble is it is not the true or full story.To read the true story look up Vicky Aram who was there that night as a guest of Marc and Gloria. She was very badly and seriously injured. 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. Marc Bolans mini-revival ended abruptly in the early hours of Friday, September 16, 1977. He had had a son with her, Rolan. Marc's macabre prophecy: A new documentary reveals how T. Rex star Marc Bolan had a death wish to die in a Mini. Agree with Steve. Marc bought me The Lord Of The Rings and said: If you want to know more about me, read this., BP Fallon was Bolans publicist at the height of his charges fame. He was a little afraid. It was a sunny afternoon, if I remember rightly, says Captain Sensible. I was at the Weeley Festival in 1971, where Marc played. Now, he might have been forgetful. All of what he says is complete nonsense. I got a phone call in the morning from my friend Fachtna OKelly, who was the manager of The Boomtown Rats. Last month, he was given his own television show again, featuring the punk bands who had learned so much from him. We need to move on now., It has been alleged that Jones was drunk at the wheel but one source who does not want to be named, but who was close to Jones at the time, refutes this: Gloria had a lot of self-control. To see him on stage playing his guitar, laughing and singing now that was rocknroll, yknow? In 1977, a memorial stone and bust of Bolan, Marc Bolan's Rock Shrine, was unveiled at the site where he died in Barnes, London. Bolan was killed his seat swivelling through 180 degrees and ending up in the rear of the vehicle and Jones was severely injured. 1. in respectful memory of marc bolan musician, writer and poet. Browse 7 30th anniversary of the death of marc bolan stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. In 1970, Micky Finn replaced Took, the group shortened its name to T. Rex and began moving toward more of a hard-rock sound. . 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. Marc Bolan, best-known as the frizzy-haired leader of T. Rex, died September 16th in a car crash. 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. I went back home to Wales. It was a long time ago. The "little beetle" was the Mini driven by Gloria Jones. With his band T. Rex, Bolan helped create glam rock, and the band enjoyed a top-10 hit in America. Showing Editorial results for marc bolan. "Surrealistic rock'n'roll. In Britain, they bridged the stunning gap between the orgasmic excitement of concerts, and the boredom of hotel rooms that followed. so how easy was he lifted out ? That explains something which I have never been able to understand: why the damage to the tree is far higher than anything a Mini could have done. ", Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. He lived for the day. Bless you Marc and thank you for simply being you . I was unable to return to London Marc Feld was at this time already becoming famous under another stage name, Marc Bolan. 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. 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. 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? Its wheels had been balanced and a tyre had been replaced. yeah yeah yeah, His guitars , well actually a few are around , Marc Bolan and Gloria Jones at Rod Stewart's party at Morton's on the night that he died. . It was November 1975 in the offices of Tony Brainsby Publicity, shortly before the release of the Futuristic Dragon album. By the end of 1973 he was drinking a bottle a day. Photo: Roger RM ER67A0 - Tree into which car carrying Marc Bolan collided, resulting in his death on 16th September 1977. He was my mate. I doubt it. Over the years, expert Marc Allum has seen a host of weird and wonderful objects but has revealed the one item that caused him to "collapse" with shock at being handed such a rare item. Welcome to Bolan world, the light of love shines on ! Sign up below to get the latest from Classic Rock, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox! I had traced Marc's Uncle by using the phone book. Born: 30 September 1947 in Hackney, London, England, UK. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. Hi Penny..Could you please make contact with me via email thanks Bari. For the last couple of years Ive been researching and writing a book which covers the last few months of Marcs life. I mean those who do so for paid, self-publicity, as some may perhaps either be unwell, or have become somehow deranged, which can eventually happen if you constantly dwell on morbidity, because of love, or curiosity; the constant pining seeks relief. Friday January 30th, 1970 - T-Rex singer Marc Bolan and June Ellen Child got married at the Kensington Registry Office. Gloria Jones, hospitalized with a broken jaw and arm was not to find out about Marcs death until the day of his funeral. And tights. Shame on the fake fireman. Marc Bolan was one of the biggest stars of the 70s until his tragic death in 1977 Its all writ. And I dont necessarily mean Watts. Gloria has made life hard for herself , she claimed Marc to be violent , and she appeared back in Uk. 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 ? Love and Death. At age 16, she moved to New York City, where she attended fashion . The Damned werent bona fide punks, anyway. Marc Bolan was killed instantly. Im afraid it is, he admitted. Marc you beautiful man. RIP Marc. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). When I started out with Tyrannosaurus Rex the press were always very good to me no one ever understood me, but it was quite nice, they helped to give me exposure. they put her in a coma on purpose to help her heal faster and calm her down. They might be using one of my characters. Whatever happened to all his guitars etc people out there know what happened !!! Because that was the plan. The managing director of EMI, Bob Mercer, phoned me up. Assuming we are all on This site as fans of Marc , best we dont claw over Gloria , she has worked on a giving charity project , and she claims to be very poor when Marc passed away . Elvis had died not long before, and I was round Marcs house when the news broke. They had a baby, and this year, Marc Bolan began to make a come-back. People got as weirded-out with Marc as they did with Bowie. Tom Sizemore, Heat and Saving Private Ryan Actor, Dead at 61 After being friendly glam-rock adversaries, the pairs careers veered off in radically different paths. What actually gets forgotten is how uptight a lot of strait-laced people got with Marcs behaviour, BP Fallon reflects. But Even sober people can (and often do) crash their automobile when driving at the early hours of the morning down dark, poorly-lit roads, even when they havent been partying all night. When we came to build some steps, we found that when they had taken the fences away, they had taken away the ones that were undamaged, but the damaged ones had become buried on the site. What T. Rex conquered in their decade long . Im really glad I didnt die today because I wouldnt have made the main story. When Marc died I think it was the same day as Maria Callas he got the main story, thank goodness. He was thrown out of the car during the accident and was not cut out of the car at all. A few heads grumbled the words sell and out, but Bolan left them for dust. Marc Bolan Photos Introduction - Early Years Marc Bolan - born Mark Feld on the 30 September 1947 - and died on the 16 September 1977) was an English singer-songwriter, poet and guitarist. 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. But with his days as the teen-scream Guru Of Glitter well behind him, with the great ship T.Rextasy lost off the misty coast of Albany, he needed the press. Based on Taylor Jenkins Reid's bestselling novel of the same name, the Prime Video original miniseries stars Riley Keough as Daisy Jones and Sam Claflin as Billy Dunne, the "heat-seeking" co-lead singer-songwriters of [] When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Despite its unlikely sounding name, Franks place had been a mecca for Midlands beat groups for years. Marc Bolan's T-Rex, and is designed . He couldnt walk past a shop window; he couldnt walk past a fucking bus stop without looking at his reflection in the glass. Gloria did not pen the song Tainted Love. I say this with no criticism and no malice, but Marc was a fully paid-up member of the Fantasy Island Club. Bolans mind was brimful of new projects, some completed, several half-finished but most of which never saw the light of day. It was thought Bolan was killed when his car hit the now much-beribboned sycamore tree. T. Rex's Marc Bolan: This one sounds like a crackpot conspiracy, but it's actually completely true. I would also say that I had a similar mini; it could be skittish and let go at the rear end. i have watched a TON of interviews with her, and you would think there was a third person in the car driving. and then she became a TV producer. In an eerie parallel with Bolan's death, Ms Aram said she crashed into a tree on the way to give evidence at Bolan's inquest a month later. 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. But his good looks, catchy songs, air of mystique and untimely death at the age of 29 meant interest in the star has never waned. To the best of Classic Rocks knowledge, Jones has never spoken publicly about the smash. He was afraid to let go.. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Marc Bolan T Rex 2 x 7" singles lot YOU SCARE ME TO DEATH + Flexi/BOLAN'S BEST at the best online prices at eBay! All in all very sad that people need to lie after the event all in all it would seem that Marc was a fairly decent sort of person. A young couple comfort each other in front of the floral white swan. One of these must be true. Thanks for reading this. He loved Tolkiens stories, but Bowie had no interest in them at all. Neither of the people involved had been wearing a seat belt. But the extremely pretty young Marc Bolan had already enjoyed the fruits of that kind of triumph, and found them inadequate. She and volunteers preserve the shrine dedicated to Bolan. Soon after joining T. Rex, Jones and Bolan became romantically involved. He sang about the 80s just before his death and before Prince sang about the 90s in the 80s. #, "Thats what people forget about Marc. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, His musical influence as guitarist and songwriter was profound; he inspired many later acts over the following decades. Until a face-to-face meeting is arranged between those concerned, the event shall always be associated with tedious, time-wasting, appalling lies. However, Steve Harley believes Bolans endorsement of punk was purely a means to an end. The pair headed to their house in Upper Richmond Road West, East Sheen. So we cut the passenger out and he was taken by ambulance to hospital. Penny..would you email me pleasethanks Bari. The scale of the task ahead was rammed home when, on May 3, 1976, Marc and Gloria Jones went to see David Bowie play Wembleys Empire Pool. released a flop of a record for Decca called The Wizard. He was the cosmic punk again.. Camila Morrone is an American model and actress. Speaking to The Independent on Sunday this weekend, Ms Aram described how she was driving just seconds behind Bolan on the ill-fated night: "As I came over the bridge with Richard [Jones] beside me, I can still in my mind see, so clearly, a purple car which looked like a little beetle. This is not factually true. Early life [ edit] Plaque marking Bolan's childhood home, 25 Stoke Newington Common, Hackney. 1964 (pre Marc Bolan) I was 18 he was 16/17 He was the lead singer of rock band T. Rex. Then Ride A White Swan [Bolans 1970 hit single] happened and suddenly I was very sellable. And America never really went for glitter, the spangles on the trousers and the facial cosmetics that dominated British stages in those years. Regards to all. Early 1971. she told lie after lie, somehow excusing herself from the situation like she was never there. So an accident, yes , was a front wheel lose on the mini , YES , if your a mechanic you would understand how dangerous and Easy to lose control , but most persons would continue to drive especially in the rain . We didnt meet again. This is not true ,Marcs brother said Marc looked perfect, like he was just asleep,Ive seen the photos of the car ,it had not been cut open ,werent wearing seatbelts,of course not,cars didnt have them then .This man wants to get his facts straight ,just looking for attention obviously and should stop spreading disinformation ,I spent a day photographing the fire brigade as a photojournalist and Ive seen what a car looks like that has had someone cut out of it .why does this man make it sound like Gloria was standing by the car ?