In the late '60s, Tyrannosaurus Rex were a twee psychedelic folk duo led by elfin singer/songwriter Marc Bolan, a former Mod and occasional male model. After three albums of bongo-driven acoustic guitar jams, Bolan put on eyeliner, plugged in, and shortened the band name. Quickly becoming the face of glam rock, T.Rex ruled the UK singles charts with Bolan's quirky mix of Eddie Cochran and J.R.R. Tolkien for several years in the early '70s. After a slow period in the middle of the decade, Bolan was in the middle of a punk-fuelled career upswing when he died in a car crash in 1977.