Steve Peregrin Took (July 28, 1949 – October 27, 1980)

Born: Stephen Ross Porter, Eltham, London

Known for: Member of Tyrannosaurus Rex (with Marc Bolan), later solo artist and frontman for several underground bands

Early Life & Tyrannosaurus Rex

Took was born Stephen Ross Porter on 28 July 1949 in Eltham, London. He attended Shooters Hill School and took his stage name from Peregrin Took, a hobbit in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.

At 17 he played drums with the mod band the Waterproof Sparrows before answering an advert for Marc Bolan’s new electric band Tyrannosaurus Rex.

After one disastrous gig the pair reduced the group to an acoustic duo (guitar and bongos).

They released three albums, scored two Top 40 hits, and were championed by John Peel.

Took contributed harmony vocals, bongos, African drums, kazoo, pixiphone and Chinese gong, helping transform Bolan’s sound into an exotic mix aimed at the hippie audience.

Producer Tony Visconti later described them as a true 50:50 partnership.

By early 1969 Took was writing his own songs and suggested they perform some of his material; Bolan refused.

Their lifestyles diverged sharply — Bolan living quietly with June Child while Took moved in underground circles with the Deviants, Pretty Things and Syd Barrett.

Took donated two songs (“Three Little Piggies” and “The Sparrow Is A Sign”) to Twink’s Think Pink album.

After a US tour in which Took’s onstage behaviour (including self-whipping in the Iggy Pop style) became a pretext for his dismissal, Bolan replaced him with Mickey Finn and later renamed the band T. Rex.

Pink Fairies, Shagrat & Solo Years (1969–1973)

Notable DetailsAfter leaving Bolan, Took formed a prototype Pink Fairies with Twink and Mick Farren. He appeared on Farren’s Mona – The Carnivorous Circus (credited as Shagrat the Vagrant).

In 1970 he formed Shagrat (named after a Lord of the Rings orc) with Larry Wallis, recording electric tracks and later acoustic demos (“Amanda”, “Strange Sister”, “Still Yawning Stillborn”, “Beautiful Deceiver”).

From 1971–72 he worked mainly as a solo acoustic performer, supporting Hawkwind, the Pink Fairies, MC5, Stealers Wheel and others, and appearing at benefit shows. In 1972 former T. Rex manager Tony Secunda took him on, hoping to recover royalties and launch him as a star.

Took recorded demos in a Mayfair basement studio that attracted visitors including (reportedly) Syd Barrett. Highlights of the Secunda-era tapes were later released as The Missing Link To Tyrannosaurus Rex (1995). One track, “Syd’s Wine”, is believed to feature Barrett.

Later Bands & Final Years (1973–1980)

Took worked with Robert Calvert, Adrian Wagner and Nik Turner, formed short-lived bands in Kent (including Jolly Roger and the Crimson Gash), and in 1976–78 led Steve Took’s Horns with Trev Thoms and Ermanno Ghisio-Erba (later of Inner City Unit).

The Horns recorded three tracks at Pathway Studios in 1977 (released posthumously in 2004 as Blow It!!!).

He guested with Inner City Unit in 1979–80, performing at the Music Machine and Stonehenge Free Festival.Took died on 27 October 1980 in Notting Hill, aged 31.

The official cause was asphyxiation after inhaling a cocktail cherry; drugs were not listed as a contributory factor although the circumstances are often described as a “drugs misadventure”.

He was buried at Kensal Green Cemetery. He had one son with Lou Tunstall and was stepfather to Lemmy’s son Paul Inder.