Remembering Marc Bolan
Alejandro De LunaShare
Marc Bolan sadly passed away on 16 September 1977 in a tragic car accident in Barnes, London. He was just 29 years old when the Mini he was a passenger in struck a tree on Queens Ride, near Gipsy Lane.
Though his time was short, the influence of Marc Bolan and T. Rex on British music cannot be underestimated. He is without a doubt one of the most influential British musicians of all time, an architect of the glam rock movement, with an influence stretching from the 70s and 80s through punk rock, post-punk, new wave, and all the way to Britpop in the 90s. It is inconceivable to imagine the DNA of British music without the legacy of Bolan. From Roxy Music, David Bowie, and Paul Weller to Robert Smith, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Smiths, Primal Scream, Suede, and Oasis, they all carried echoes of Bolan’s songwriting, sound, and swagger.
These photos of his memorial were taken respectfully in 2014, at the site where fans still gather to honor his legacy.
“What I saw in Marc Bolan had nothing to do with strings, or very high standards of artistry; what I saw in him was raw talent. I saw genius.” — Tony Visconti
