Mark Bolan, leader of the group T. Rex: biography, creativity

The short musical career of Mark Bolan became a vivid illustration of how to achieve the set goals. He had to endure many difficulties and disappointments, but never thought that he should stop. His magnificent example and the music he created are still remembered.

The beginning of the life path

Mark Bolan (born Feld) became the second son in a poor London family, born on September 30, 1947. He was a very restless child, whose imagination was fueled by stories about ancient animals and fantastic films that he saw in the movies. Mark often imagined himself as one of the heroes of these stories, which gave him confidence.

In his eight years, Mark Feld becomes a member of a street gang, bearing the same name as a group from the West Side Story - the Sharks. He was terribly pleased when they raced through the streets of their hometown in the helmets of wartime.

Passion for music

Like most English students of that time, Mark Bolan fell in love with rock and roll. His life-fervor allowed him to dream of becoming a musician whose professionalism would surpass the skills of Elvis Presley himself. First, a teenager had a drum set, and later a guitar. At the age of 12 Mark performed in the school ensemble playing folk songs.

Especially the vain teenager shook the unexpected success of Helen Shapiro, one of the five participants in their school ensemble. With her deep voice and charm, she attracted special attention and just for a couple of years made her way to the big stage. Mark did not feel sincere joy for his friend, since he always believed that in his place there should have been him. He did not want to be remembered only as a former acquaintance of a famous singer, so he was determined to act decisively.

Leaving school and finding yourself

At that time, Bolan had lost a small interest in schooling before, his mind was now filled with the desire to become like Cliff Richard. On the statement of his friend that he does not know how to sing or play, the teenager answered with enthusiasm: "I will learn!"

He really began to overcome the science of music on his own, because of what he missed school. The deduction from the institution did not in the least upset Mark Feld, who, by his behavior and bright clothes in the style of Elvis Presley, shouted to others that he was the future rock and roll star.

The next stage of the growing up of the young future star was the choice of a new idol, which became Bob Dylan. At this time in the head of a teenager is a rethinking of the essence of life, he is fond of the myths of ancient Greece, English and French poets and romantics. Now Mark is already passionately dreaming of being a poet.

First setbacks

The first significant attempt by Mark Feld to make a statement came in the same teenage years, when he armed himself with an acoustic guitar and covered his head with a cap, performed folk songs in London clubs. Participation in the then popular children's TV show general attention to himself Mark could not be attracted, but Alan Warren did notice him. He was well versed in the laws of show business and undertook to produce a young performer, so much like Cliff Richard. As a result of this cooperation, nothing, except experience and acquaintance with show business, a beautiful and ambitious Mark has not received.

After the fervent young man changed his name to the pseudonym Mark Bolan, he made another attempt to take a step towards his popularity. In the autumn of 1965, the beginning singer recorded two songs - The Wizard and Beyond The Rising Sun - in a professional studio. Although after that his name became more recognizable, but he did not get the expected popularity. For a while after that Bolan is working as a model.

New life turn

Once, in search of production support, Bolan dialed the number of Simon Napey Bell, who, fortunately, agreed to help him. As a result, in 1967 Mark became the guitarist of one of the two groups of Simon - John's Children. The group consisting of four people, behaved on the stage extremely defiantly: shouts and fights during their performance were something quite normal.

Yes, being a member of a popular rock band is a success, but not for Bolan. He was just "one of", and he wanted to be "single". Scandalous popularity of John's Children did not satisfy him. Absolutely all the songs of Mark Bolan was performed by Andy Ellison. Once his patience burst, and he left the group, which soon completely disintegrated, went into free swimming.

Continuation of a series of failures

After leaving the group, Bolan submits an advertisement to the newspaper about the creation of a new group, which he decided to christen as Tyrannosaurus Rex, shortening the name to T. Rex later. As a result, the members of the group were her creator and eighteen-year-old drummer Steve Took. The musicians grew their hair, put on silk shirts and began to perform in clubs with the most successful old works of Mark, unable to produce their own records.

In 1968, producer Tony Visconti concluded a contract with the rock duet. Their single "Deborah" was well received by critics and even hit the hit parade. "My people were honest and the sky played in his hair, but now he is satisfied with the stars that adorn his eyebrows" and "Prophets, seers and sages-angels of all generations" - so named Mark Bolan albums of his group. The reaction of critics to them can not be called positive.

At this time, the light saw a collection of Bolan poems "The Wizard of Love", which became a bestseller. After the release of the third album with the name "Unicorn", the group breaks up. The reason for that was for the most part the hobby of the Tuk drug.

The long-awaited success

Mark Bolan, whose biography is full of failures and disappointments, felt a taste of real success when Steve's place in T. Rex was taken by Mickey Finn, who was invited by him. Finn did not play as well as Steve, and in some places he faked, but he was ready to work tirelessly. He was quiet and calm, never contradicted Mark.

In 1970 Mark marries June Child, who works in a production company, and writes songs at home. In the same year, with producer Tony Visconti, he recorded a song that became a real hit. "Ride A White Swan" already at the beginning of next year reaches the second place in the hit parade. All subsequent songs of the group, which, by the way, began to increase its composition, immediately became hits. So Mark Bolan became one of the brightest representatives of the glam-rock style. In 1972, a musical-documentary film was made about the group of T. Rex.

In 1973, Bolan's marriage collapsed, and some members of the group withdrew from her. After the experience, the musician for some time disappears from the public, although he continues to produce new songs and albums. During this time, he has a relationship with the singer Gloria Jones, who gives him a son. Mark became addicted to drugs and strongly gained weight.

Since 1975 Bolan has cleaned himself up and began to appear frequently in public and even became a leading TV show. His renewed active activity was interrupted by an accident: the car in which she and Gloria drove home, from the restaurant crashed into a tree. So the musician passed away, not living two weeks before his thirtieth birthday.

You can learn a lot from the talented, ambitious and persevering Mark Bolan. In particular, the fact that if you want to achieve the fulfillment of your dream, you need to fight for it, not paying attention to the numerous failures. It is not known which vertices he could achieve, if not for tragic circumstances, but he left his mark in the music world.