Birth of Marc Bolan
Birth of Marc Bolan.
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Marc Bolan Biography and Timeline
Follow Marc Bolan through 89 dated historical records for Great Britain.
Marc Bolan, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
89Distinct records
1 of 3Page
1947–1971Years on this page
1947
1959
Susie and The Hula Hoops
Joins Susie and The Hula Hoops, whose lead singer is Helen Shapiro.
1965
Beyond The Rising Sun
Releases Beyond The Rising Sun as the B-side to The Wizard.
The Wizard
Releases The Wizard as an early Marc Bolan single.
1966
The 3rd Degree
Releases The 3rd Degree as an early solo single.
1967
Steve Peregrin Took
Retains percussionist Steve Peregrin Took and continues Tyrannosaurus Rex as an acoustic duo.
Tyrannosaurus Rex
Founds Tyrannosaurus Rex after the first four-piece version breaks up following a single Electric Garden performance.
Come And Play With Me In The Garden
Releases Come And Play With Me In The Garden with Sara Crazy Child.
Desdemona
Writes Desdemona for Johns Children, a single later banned by the BBC over its lyrics.
Hippy Gumbo
Releases Hippy Gumbo during his early solo recording period.
John Peel
John Peel befriends the band, ferries them to gigs in his Mini and later appears on record with them.
John Peel
John Peel champions Tyrannosaurus Rex on radio, helping the duo reach clubs, stages and record buyers.
Johns Children
Joins the protopunk band Johns Children and brings his songwriting into the group.
Midsummers Night Scene
Records Midsummers Night Scene, later known through withdrawn promo and test pressing copies.
Remember Thomas A Beckett
Issues Remember Thomas A Beckett as the B-side to Desdemona.
Steve Peregrin Took
Took adds percussion and unusual instruments that help turn Bolan's music toward an exotic hippy style.
Tyrannosaurus Rex
Tyrannosaurus Rex release three albums and achieve two top forty hits during the acoustic period.
Tyrannosaurus Rex
Marc Bolan forms Tyrannosaurus Rex after leaving John's Children, turning toward acoustic psychedelic folk with Steve Peregrin Took.
1968
Concert
Supports Donovan at the Royal Albert Hall.
Debora
Debora is released and reaches number 34 in the UK chart.
Concert
Tyrannosaurus Rex play the Royal Festival Hall.
Child Star
Issues Child Star as the B-side to Debora.
One Inch Rock
Releases One Inch Rock with Salamada Palaganda as a Tyrannosaurus Rex single.
Salamada Palaganda
Issues Salamada Palaganda as the B-side to One Inch Rock.
T.Rex
Appears at the first free Hyde Park festival.
1969
Do You Remember
Issues Do You Remember as the B-side to King Of The Rumbling Spires.
King Of The Rumbling Spires
Releases King Of The Rumbling Spires with Do You Remember.
Pewtor Suitor
Releases Pewtor Suitor with Warlord Of The Royal Crocodiles.
Warlord Of The Royal Crocodiles
Issues Warlord Of The Royal Crocodiles as the B-side to Pewtor Suitor.
poetry book The Warlock Of Love
Publishes the poetry book The Warlock Of Love.
the poetry book The Warlock Of Love
Publishes the poetry book The Warlock Of Love.
1970
Ride A White Swan
Records Ride A White Swan, later released in autumn and reaching number two in Britain.
Gibson Les Paul
Buys a vintage Gibson Les Paul guitar, helping set the musical direction of the T. Rex sound.
Is It Love
Issues Is It Love as part of the Ride A White Swan single release.
Oh Baby
Releases Oh Baby as Dib Cochran And The Earwigs.
Ride A White Swan
Releases Ride A White Swan as T. Rex, creating the new pop-oriented breakthrough sound.
Summertime Blues
Issues Summertime Blues as part of the Ride A White Swan single release.
T.Rex
Moves T. Rex toward a more pop-oriented sound after the acoustic Tyrannosaurus Rex period.
Universal Love
Issues Universal Love as the B-side to Oh Baby.
1971
Glam Rock
Appears on Top of the Pops wearing glitter and satin, a performance often cited as glam rock's breakthrough moment.
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.