Better late than never, T. Rex has finally been admitted to the Rock Hall of Fame in its newest class, along with such rock-adjacent artists as Whitney Houston and Biggie Smalls (the Doobie Brothers, Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails round out this year’s honorees). This non-album single was the band’s first of four UK No. 1 hits. It was also the first T. Rex song I ever heard, and I was an instant fan. You have to admit Marc Bolan could lay down a funkier groove than most British lads of the day, and this “Top of the Pops” performance is credited with birthing glam rock, mainly because of the glitter teardrops a makeup artist added.
The song everyone in America knows was their next UK No. 1, “Bang a Gong.” His performance here shows a certain purple-obsessed musical genius found his stage persona by turning Bolan’s act up to 11. Take note of the keyboard player, a friend of Bolan’s who played frequently with T. Rex before his own career took off. I guarantee he’ll look familiar.
“20th Century Boy,” another non-album single released in 1973, was the last of the band’s 11 straight UK Top 10 singles that started 50 years ago, in 1970. Yet this year was the first time T. Rex was even nominated for the Hall. Next year The Smiths?
