T. Rex

Fronted by Marc Bolan, T. Rex began life as the psychedelic-folk duo Tyrannosaurus Rex before transforming into one of the pioneering artists of ’70s glam rock. ∙ In 1970, they released their commercial and artistic breakthrough, “Ride a White Swan,” which characterized the sound of T. Rex and, to a large extent, glam rock itself. ∙ Their chart-topping 1971 LP, Electric Warrior, was included among Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and Pitchfork’s 100 Best Albums of the 1970s. ∙ “Bang a Gong (Get It On),” released in 1971, was a million-seller that topped the UK chart and became a Top 10 hit in the US as well as the band’s signature song. ∙ The Smiths’ Johnny Marr said that “Metal Guru,” from T. Rex’s 1972 LP, The Slider, changed his life: “I had never heard anything so beautiful and so strange, but yet so catchy.” ∙ The 1972 T. Rex concert film, Born To Boogie, was directed and produced by Ringo Starr. ∙ From 1970 to 1973, the group charted 10 Top 5 hits in the UK, including 4 No. 1s, and in 1972 alone their releases accounted for 6 percent of all UK record sales. ∙ In 2020, Ringo Starr inducted T. Rex into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.