It was 30 years ago today...

...that Marc Bolan died, death by catapultion from a car following engagement of said mini car with large tree.

The crash site has since become a shrine to Bolan especially since his son Rolan (yes, Rolan Bolan, these wacky rock stars eh? ) unveiled a plaque there five years ago and no doubt today a notorious tree in Barnes, South London, will be plastered with pictures, goodbye messages, and teddy bears, there are always teddy bears at times like these.

In a rather sick twist to the story Bolans home was looted within minutes of the news of his death, no doubt if they'd had eBay in 1977 then someone would have made a killing which is a rather inappropriate and unfortunate turn of phrase, but strangely befitting.

I liked Marc Bolan, he and his band T Rex were a part of my teenage-hood and while devotees of the earlier incarnation Tyrannosarus Rex would always condemn his commercial output during the period 1970-73, to me its part of the musical wallpaper of my youth, a mixed up, muddled up wallpaper its true for my musical tastes were then, as always, very eclectic, but still...

The song "Jeepster" has the most evocation for me, when I hear it I am instantly transported to those saturday afternoons that we spent in the underground (literally undergrond for it was in the basement of the Mecca Dance Club) hippie market perusing stalls of bead jewellry, silver bangles, puzzle rings, embroidered patches for your jeans and denim jacket, and exotic strips of shimmering cloth to tie "Country Joe" style around your flowing locks, for yes, in those days I had flowing locks, hard to believe now I know, but its true, my locks flowed down over my shoulders, I wore an ex-RAF great coat, loon pants and platform shoes, I was one of the beautiful people back then and I praise God that no photographic evidence exists for I must have resembled the worst sort of twat.

It still shows occasionally now - ust a few years ago we were invited to a 70's theme fancy dress and whilst everyone in the room who was aged thirty and under paraded self conciously in white suits in a John Travolts stylee, I had gone back to my hippie roots and hired outrageous flares, a womans silky, flouncy blouse, pink "John Lennon" sunglasses, lots of glitter and a wig that was intended by the fancy dress shop owner for a Captain Hook outfit, yes I went as Marc Bolan's long lost twin and I relished every moment, keeping the wig on all weekend, a fleeting two days with hair again I can't tell you how good it felt to brush the curly flowing locks from my eyes and have to tie it all up in a bandana.

So we remember Marc Bolan this weekend and in particular we remember "Jeepster", the soundtrack of the underground hippie market and some glorious saturday afternoon browsing...