Mickey Finn

Mickey Finn or occasionally Micky Finn (born Michael Norman Finn, 3 June 1947, Thornton Heath, Surrey, England — died 11 January 2003, Croydon, Surrey), was the percussionist and sideman to Marc Bolan in his band Tyrannosaurus Rex (on one album, A Beard of Stars), and later, the 1970s glam rock group, T.Rex. Often confused with other musicians by the same name, Michael Norman Finn (apart from T. Rex) only ever played for a tour in the 1960s with Hapshash and the Coloured Coat. After Bolan and T.Rex's demise, he played sessions for The Blow Monkeys and The Soup Dragons.

It was rumored that Bolan hired Finn for his good looks, and because he liked 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.

In the early 1970s, Finn's contribution as bongocerro, backing vocalist, and, occasionally, bassist, to Bolan's music was essential, because Tyrannosaurus Rex and T. Rex started off as a duo and Marc needed a replacement for Steve Peregrin 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.

However, due to T. Rex's sound becoming more and more electric-influenced, and the presence of a 'proper' drummer, Bill Legend, Mickey's bongo playing became effectively obsolete, and he left the band in late 1974.

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.

Finn returned to the mainstream music scene in 1997, fronting a new, controversial version of T. Rex, Mickey Finn's T. Rex, playing old T. Rex songs. However, Finn died from alcohol related liver problems, on 11 January 2003, aged 55.

Mickey Finn stated, on a Radio show in Denmark that he and Marc Bolan were appearing on as guest DJS, that his big influence in percussion was the prolific (Master) Henry Gibson, from Curtis Mayfield's band.