Marc Bolan's Rock Shrine is the memorial to Marc Bolan where he died when the car in which he was a passenger hit a sycamore tree on Queen's Ride in Barnes, London on September 16, 1977.
Contents |
Marc Bolan died, aged 29, when a purple Mini in which he was travelling as a passenger, collided with the sycamore. Ironically the registration number of the car was FOX 661L and within the lyrics of his single "Solid Gold Easy Action" are the lines "Easy as Picking Foxes from a Tree" and "Woman from the East with her headlights shining". From the very day of the accident the site became a place of pilgrimage to Bolan fans and this was reported in various newspapers from 1978 onwards.[1]
In September 1997 the Performing Right Society installed a Memorial Stone for Marc facing into Gipsy Lane at the base of the embankment from the 'Bolan Tree' located in Queen's Ride. The Memorial Stone was unveiled by Marc's only child - Rolan Bolan. In late 1998 the Daily Mail reported that the Tree was in danger of falling as it was by a busy main road and was becoming unsafe. In 1999 the T-Rex Action Group (TAG) was formed with the specific aim of caring for the site. TAG were granted an in perpetuity lease on the site with ownership and full responsibility for the 'Bolan Tree'. During 2000, TAG built steps up the muddy embankment between the 'Bolan Tree' on Queen's Ride and the PRS Memorial facing Gipsy Lane and took the action needed to make the 'Bolan Tree' safe so that the threat of falling was removed.
In 2002 Marc's only child Rolan Bolan unveiled a Bronze Bust of his Father at the site, paid for exclusively by TAG Founder Fee Warner and sculpted by Canadian sculptor Jean Robillard.
In 2005 Memorial Plaques were fitted to the Steps to remember other members of T-Rex who have also 'passed over': Steve Peregrin Took; Steve Currie; Mickey Finn and Dino Dines. A Memorial Plaque was also included for June Bolan (née Child) as recognition for her contribution to Marc's success.[2]
In 2007, appropriately the 30th anniversary of Marc Bolan's death, the work done by TAG since 1999 was recognised by The English Tourist Board in their New Guide of Sights of Rock 'n' Roll Importance - 'England Rocks', published in February. The Guide 'England Rocks' features 113 sites in England. In London 29 sights are listed, but many are 'general sights' such as Abbey Road & Wembley stadium which are not 'person specific'. In fact only Marc Bolan, Jimi Hendrix & Freddie Mercury make it in to the Guide in their own right.[3]
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||