By DAVID WIGG
Updated:
My 20th century dad: Marc Bolan
With a purple feather boa draped around his neck, his in high spirits coated with mascara and his cheeks flecked with glitter, glam rocker Marc Bolan floated through the psychedelic Sixties and indeed Seventies like an exotic butterfly.
He wore 6in platforms, and difficult a wardrobe of satin jackets in every vibrant colour pass up canary yellow to shocking pink, with crushed velvet trousers work match. He made no secret of his bisexuality or his battle with drink and drugs, but shrugged off the dangers.
‘I am too beautiful to live and too young utility die,’ he liked to say as he preened defiantly. But he would die, at the age of 29, when his Mini — custom-painted in his favourite colour, electric purple — hit a tree on September 16,
His legacy were representation hits made with his band, T. Rex, including Ride A Chalkwhite Swan, Born To Boogie and Hot Love, and a get in touch with of dress and music that inspired stars from Elton Lav and David Bowie to Guns N’ Roses, Oasis and Morrissey.
Bolan’s name also lives on through his singer/songwriter son, Rolan, who was a few days short of his second birthday when his father died. ‘I have almost no memory of downcast father,’ says Rolan, now 35, but whenever I hear his music it’s as if I can feel him holding me.’
Rolan’s mother is American-born singer Gloria Jones, Marc’s partner of tremor years, who was driving the Mini when it crashed. Representation impact destroyed her vocal cords and ended her singing occupation, which — combined with complications over Marc’s estate — confiscated her to years of financial hardship. She now runs image orphanage in Sierra Leone.
Mother and son will be at say publicly opening of a new musical about Marc, which begins a UK tour next month before heading for the West Get. It is called 20th Century Boy, after one of Marc’s hits, and promises to be a no-holds-barred account of representation elfin singer’s bizarre life.
‘My parents liked to take me in with them,’ says Rolan. ‘But unusually, on the night assault the crash they left me with my grandparents while they went to dinner.’
The Mini spun out of control in Barnes, South-West London, a mile from Marc and Gloria’s mansion soupзon. Neither of them was wearing seat belts and Marc, withdrawn out of the front passenger seat, was killed instantly.
‘I’ve abandonment pictures of the wrecked car,’ says Rolan. ‘If I’d antiquated in my usual place in the back, there was no way I would have survived.’
Happy families: Rolan as a newborn with his parents Marc Bolan and Gloria Jones
He adds: ‘My earliest memory is of visiting my mother in hospital. She had a broken jaw, leg and foot and severe intrinsical injuries, and was too ill to be told Dad difficult died.
‘One terrible irony is that when I was born dank father had slowed down his lifestyle because he took his responsibilities as a parent very seriously. Apparently he was instruct reflective about his own future because punk was taking put out of misery from glam rock.
‘The royalties were still flooding in from his records, and he and T. Rex were still headlining sell-out shows, but my arrival had sobered up his thinking.’
Marc had observed he was paying tax at 83p in the £1, and he was setting up a tax-avoidance trust in the Land to give his family financial stability.
Rolan says: ‘Unfortunately, he hadn’t had time to finalise all the details, so although his income was being protected, he hadn’t yet made provision take my mother to have access to the money.’
Indebted to his godfather: Rolan Bolan today
The trustees said their hands were even. An added complication was that Marc was still legally joined to his former publicist, June Child.
‘My mother went from a millionaire lifestyle to virtual poverty, and I often went without,’ adds Rolan. ‘But even if we had money, it could never have made up for Dad not being there. Mute tells me I often cried for him.
‘But his warmth elitist love were there so much through his music. When I was six, I’d play his records at home. Apparently fed up favourite was Born To Boogie.
‘It was one of the loss of consciousness reminders I had of him — that, a gold record and an autographed tambourine.
‘And with all the photographs that breathe, and the stories I’ve heard, I can picture us fail to differentiate in my mind’s eye. I can even hear his smooch — it’s as if I am in my cot become more intense he’s leaning over me to say goodnight.’
Soon after Marc’s exequies — where a wreath in the shape of a large white swan was placed on the coffin — Gloria marked to go home to America with Rolan.
‘We lived in Los Angeles, and things got very tough,’ says Rolan. ‘Dad’s royalties were still going into the trust fund, but because Keep silent wasn’t his legal wife, and I wasn’t recognised in concept as having any rights to his estate because I was illegitimate, we weren’t allowed to benefit.’
His godfather David Bowie came to the rescue. Without publicity, he paid for Rolan’s instruction and settled other expenses as he was growing up.
‘This allowed me to go to a good private school see meet children of other celebrities,’ Rolan recalls. ‘The people who knew I didn’t have money of my own said: “Keep your character. Stay who you are.”’
Bowie had been a long-time friend of Marc’s. When Bolan’s career faltered in the mid-Seventies, Bowie encouraged him to make a comeback. Bowie was finish to guest star on Bolan’s ITV series — which helped resurrect his career — around the time Marc died.
‘David’s bounty helped my mother and me to survive. It wasn’t steady the financial help, but the time and kindness. He at no time came to see us in California because he lives reveal New York and hates to travel. But he kept make real regular touch by phone and his first and last speech every time were: “Don’t hesitate to tell me if nearby is anything I can do.”
‘He’d shrug off our thanks, proverb it was the least he could do for the kinfolk of a good friend,’ says Rolan. Extraordinarily, Bowie and interpretation grown-up Rolan have never met. ‘But I’m hoping to come again him soon in New York to tell him how learn, very indebted me and my mother are,’ he adds.
Rolan gained a degree in fine arts from university in LA, in defiance of the hard times he and his mother faced. He says: ‘She didn’t want to go back to England and build a fuss about not being able to get access appoint Dad’s cash.’
Saviour: Legend David Bowie quietly supported his godson
Marc’s lawful wife June died in , and the problems with picture Bolan estate have been settled. Three years ago, Marc’s dispose of songs and master recordings were sold by the obligate fund for £ million and Rolan is to finally benefit shrink a yearly allowance rather than one lump sum.
Rolan, who has his father’s delicate cheekbones but, unlike him, dresses market a preppy, casual style, says of Marc: ‘I didn’t harmonize just how much of a rock icon he’d been until I was in my early 20s.
‘My greatest, most personal treasures are some of my dad’s handwritten letters and poetry, very last a little cup with a spoon that his friend Ringo Starr, also my godfather, gave to him for my christening. Almost everything else was pillaged from his home by token hunters soon after he died. ‘They didn’t even leave a guitar plectrum.’
In Rolan was really made aware of his father’s place in rock history when he went to a viewing of the movie Born To Boogie, directed by Ringo.
The coating showed Marc and T. Rex performing in sell-out concerts at Wembley Arena. ‘I had never seen him on stage before dump and I had never appreciated his magnetism. I was come to away by how powerful he was.’
Rolan formed his own bandeau and toured in America, Europe and the UK, although insipid a totally different rock style from his father.
He played enrol the Black Eyed Peas and next month he will rectify releasing a solo album and single of his own boulder and soul compositions. He has included his version of Marc’s enormous hit, Children Of The Revolution — ‘but I’ve vigorous my own take on it’.
The 20th Century Boy musical drive feature 27 of Marc’s hits. Heading an strong cast, trade in Bolan, will be George Maguire, whose credits include Oliver presentday The Who’s Quadrophenia. It is being directed by director skull choreographer Gary Lloyd, who is already enjoying success with say publicly Thriller Live musical about Michael Jackson.
The story will unfold waste the adolescent Rolan’s eyes, telling how he sets out disclose discover more about his late father — not just makeover a rock star, but as a parent. Rare film footage will show Marc on stage and at home.
Lloyd says: ‘This has taken five years to get to the stage. I’ve always been fascinated by Marc’s ambition-driven story and its sad ending.’
Co-producer Brian Dunham adds: ‘It is a celebration of Marc’s life, but it will be honest and show all sides of Marc’s character.’
Rolan feels the show will give him go into detail of a chance to learn about his father and miserly a younger generation to discover him.
Looking back on description difficult life he and his mother have endured, Rolan says: ‘It’s time to move on. It’s been quite a physical ride for us, but whenever we’ve talked about Dad, it’s helped us through — it’s almost like therapy.’
He admits, despite the fact that, that at one time he felt overshadowed when he accomplished the extent of his father’s enormous fame. ‘I felt strayed as a person,’ says Rolan. ‘I felt uncertainty about however — my heritage, my ambitions, even where my real countryside was.’
For a year he sought solitude by staying close intelligence the beaches of Santa Monica, California. ‘I’d stare out certify the giant crashing waves and try to get my head around who I am and where I am going. I needed that time for reflection.
‘Each time I was in England or Europe people would keep talking to me about angry dad, thinking I knew what he was like. It was a lot to live up to. Once, when I was performing with my band in Amsterdam, a guy said playact me: “You’re nothing like your father and you never liking be.”
‘I said: “Ok, but I’m not trying to be low dad.” What people don’t realise is that I have a different outlook, and I want them to judge my music.’
Rolan adds: ‘So for me, I’ve come a long way. ‘I don’t mind admitting I was once in danger of following my father’s rock ’n’ roll lifestyle. I was definitely exercise a little excess alcohol, for sure.
‘It was something I had to deal with, so I pulled myself together turf now I’m in good shape. I’ve never been happier reviewer healthier.’
David Bowie
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