The Mark of Marc
The full debt that pop stars owe to Mr. Bolan...

CORKSCREW HAIR
It's not a look that has stood the test of time in quite the same way as the Beatle cut or the punk spiky-top, but for a few years in the early '70s being naturally curly-haired was a definite asset for budding stars. Just think, no Marc - no Roger Daltrey, Leo Sayer, Brian May, Joe Toploader or Bruno from Fame. Which would've been a tragedy all round, right?

"...AND ON BONGOS.."
The classic rock band lineup of guitars, bass and drums (with occasional keyboards) was turned on its head when Marc first started recording under the name Tyrannosaurus Rex as a duo with bongo-happy partner Steve Peregrine Took. In fact it wasn't until the band lost their 'rannosaurus' that a bass player and drummer arrived, and even then Took's replacement Mickey Finn could be seen (but rarely heard) slapping away on congo drums at the front of the stage. Somewhere in London, a young M-Person with the unlikely nickname of Shovel (don't ask) was watching with great interest...

BLEAT TO THE BEAT
Before Marc, nobody had explored the possibilities of singing like Larry the Lamb riding his bike over a cattle-grid, and with good reason. Still this particular vocal quirk has been purloined by artists as musically diverse as Demis Roussos, Michael Stipe and little Mark Greaney from indie upstarts JJ72. Now we've caught these copy-cats out, bet ewe they're feeling sheepish [Ouch! -Ed.].

MADE UP MANIA
The 'Rex are one of only three bands for whom the tabloid press made up a word for the kind of intense fan hysteria they created everywhere they went. The Beatles had Beatlemania, Duran Duran had Durandemonium, and Marc's men had T. Rexstacy. Good job Rod Stewart's '70s band of rock scarecrows never won over the screaming teens, or mums all over Britain would now have to shame-facedly admit to a youthful case of Face-fever.

TALENT BORROWS, GENIUS STEALS
Many people have tried to cop some of the 'Rex's grooves for their own songs over the years, but the two most blatant steals both come from Manchester. 'Panic' - the Smiths' righteous rant against the iniquities of the Radio 1 playlist - is basically Marc's 'Metal Guru' with less squealing and more moaning. And we all know where Oasis got the, er, inspiration for the riff to 'Cigarettes & Alcohol', don't we?