January 11, 2003 - Remembering Mickey Finn

Who passed on this date aged just 55, Michael Norman Finn was born in Thornton Heath, Surrey. After he joined Tyrannosaurus Rex in late 1969, it was rumoured that Bolan had hired Finn for his good looks, and because he admired his motorcycle, rather than for his musical ability. Finn was unable to recreate the complex rhythmical patterns of his predecessor, Steve Peregrin Took, and was effectively hired as much for a visual foil for Bolan as for his drumming. The BBC news commented on this, saying "Marc Bolan was supposed to have said of Finn: 'He can't sing... but he looks superb.'

Mickey Finn stated, on a radio show in Denmark on which he and Marc Bolan were appearing as guest DJs, that his big influence in percussion was the prolific Master Henry Gibson from Curtis Mayfield's band.[citation needed] In 1969–1971, Finn's contribution to Bolan's music, as bongocero, backing vocalist and occasional bass guitarist, was essential, because T. Rex started off as Tyrannosaurus Rex, a duo and Marc needed a replacement for Took. Something of a character both on and off stage, Finn was often to be seen wearing a hat (including a green bowler), a trademark that was adopted by a significant proportion of T. Rex fans.

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Finn made a handful of guest appearances with the West London rock band, Checkpoint Charlie, fronted by Mick Lexington