Dec 14

Tyrannosaurus Rex

TYRANNOSAURUS REX
 
 
T. Rex was an English rock band, formed in 1967 by singer-songwriter and guitarist Marc Bolan.  The band formed as Tyrannosaurus Rex, releasing four underground acoustic albums under the name.  (More from Wikipedia)
 
 
In about 1970, Mick Farren formed the Pink Fairies with Steve Peregrin Took – formerly the other half of Tyrannosaurus Rex with Marc Bolan, who then shortened the name to T. Rex – and Twink, the drummer for a terrific R&B band in 1964-1965 called the Fairies; he was also in Tomorrow and drummed for the Pretty Things for a while.  The Pink Fairies had the same great sound as the Deviants sans the politics, though Farren dropped out almost immediately and kept his earlier band alive instead. 
 
(August 2011)
 
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Twink is also renowned as a founding member of the hard psych band the Pink Fairies, along with the Deviants’ Mick Farren and Steve Peregrin Took, who was Marc Bolan’s partner in the original Tyrannosaurus Rex band.

Besides Twink, the other bandmembers in Tomorrow – originally called the Four Plus One – included guitarist Steve Howe, which was later in Yes; Junior Wood; and Keith West, who was evidently the best known member of the band when their album came out.  Of note is the fact that Tomorrow was featured on the very first of the Peel Sessions by DJ John Peel on BBC Radio 1, on September 21, 1967. 

 

(July 2013)

 
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The musicians on Mona – The Carnivorous Circus include compadres that Mick Farren worked with over the years, including Steve Peregrin Took (previously in Tyrannosaurus Rex with Marc Bolan, who found great fame after shortening the band name a few years later to T. Rex) and Twink (real name:  John Alder), who is best known as the drummer for the Pretty Things when they made one of their most renowned albums, S.F. Sorrow. 

 

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I picked up a 2001 CD by Shagrat called Pink Jackets Required, and it is a delight.  This music was evidently made by the earliest lineup of the band.  In the review of the album for Allmusic, Dean McFarlane gives it four stars and reports:  “This album was recorded in 1969 just before Tyrannosaurus Rex embarked on their first U.S. tour and was completed on [Steve Peregrin] Took’s return.  Although it is in effect a collection of demos, and some of the tracks will be known to fans of Think Pink – primitive takes of ‘The Coming of the Other One’ and ‘The Sparrow Is a Sign’ will be familiar – in fact, Pink Jackets Required is one of the most astonishing albums either of the pair recorded, and in popular opinion and rock-evidence surpasses the Twink Think Pink album.  The name Shagrat was bounced around for an incarnation of one of Twink’s other groups with members of the Pink Fairies, but that unit was entirely different from the genius brilliance of the project with Steven Peregrin Took.  Simply, this should be tracked down and given serious attention by those who love A Beard of Stars [by Tyrannosaurus Rex], Deviants, Pretty Things, and early T. Rex.” 

 

However, the Wikipedia article on Shagrat states the following:  “Shagrat was a British supergroup formed by Steve Peregrin Took and Mick Farren in February 1970 after they split with Twink, their partner in the prototype Pink Fairies supergroup of late 1969.”  Thus, the tracks on Pink Jackets Required might not be by Shagrat, strictly speaking.  According to the liner notes:  “The Think Pink tracks [“The Coming of the Other One”, “The Sparrow Is a Sign” and “Three Little Piggies”] were recorded at Recorded Sound Studios, London 1969 with various members of ‘The Pink Fairies Motorcycle Club All Star Rock and Roll Band’.  The ‘Demo Versions 1 & 2’ [all other songs] were recorded at Denmark St. Studios, 1969 & 1970”.  Individual musicians credited are Steve Peregrin Took, Twink and Paul Rudolph.   

 

(March 2014/1)
 
Last edited: April 3, 2021