Xulon Press presents the personal memoir of Bill Legend to be enjoyed by anyone that loves music, rock and roll or fans of the Marc Bolan & T.Rex band.
Legend’s early love affair with rock and roll music led him to unexpected fame in a highly honored, successful rock band. As he explains, this was quite an accomplishment for him as he was a somewhat shy and quiet Christian lad. In this book, Legend shares his legacy with readers, one that offers transparent insight into his role as the original drummer for the band, Marc Bolan & T.Rex.
Follow his story recounting tales of recording sessions, concert tours and more during the band’s meteoric rise to fame in the early seventies, and straight to their 2020 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in America. It’s a refreshing revelation and testimony of his Christian faith, not typically depicted in the world of rock and roll.
When asked what inspired the author to write this book, Legend said, “Giving life to my inside story of T.Rex and my time with the band, my personal testimony regarding my faith, and a legacy for my children and family.”
Bill Legend, original drummer for the band. Marc Bolan & T.Rex, was born and raised in England, just east of London in the county of Essex. Upon leaving school at sixteen he became an enthusiastic young apprentice, studying commercial art and design in a central London art studio. He began coupling his artistic skills with a love and passion for rock, drumming in bands since the age of 15. In addition to being a proud father of seven children, Legend also enjoys soccer and church clubs.
Bill Legend agreed to join T. Rex, immediately buying a number of the band’s albums from their days as Tyrannosaurus Rex to familiarise himself with Bolan’s previous work. At the time, T.Rex had enjoyed their first hit single with “Ride a White Swan”.
Bolan and his percussionist Mickey Finn had already recruited a bassist in Steve Currie, but still needed a drummer to complete the rhythm section of their new electric line-up. At Legend’s first session, he played drums on “Hot Love” and the B-side “Woodland Rock”. However, T. Rex stayed as a three-piece band for a short period, forcing Finn to mime playing the drums on Top of the Pops when “Hot Love” was at No. 1.
Bolan suggested Legend’s stage name, which was derived from the name of the band he had been playing in with Mickey Jupp. Legend played drums for T. Rex on four albums: Electric Warrior, The Slider, Tanx and Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow. The band had four UK No. 1 singles and four UK No. 2 singles in a three-year period, after which it began to disintegrate as the hits dried up. Legend reverted to session drumming afterwards.
Despite signing a petition against the 1997 formation of Mickey Finn’s T-Rex,Legend had his own tribute band called X-T. Rex, which in 2014 was expected to write an album of their own.
Bill Legend is the only surviving member of any T. Rex or Tyrannosaurus Rex line-up from August 1967 to June 1973. Bolan (in 1977) and Currie (in 1981) both died in car crashes, and Finn succumbed to illness in 2003. Finn’s predecessor Steve Peregrin Took choked to death in 1980.