Mickey Finn

Michael Norman Finn (3 June 1947 – 11 January 2003) was an English musician. He was best known as 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. After Bolan's death and T. Rex's demise, he worked as a session musician for The Blow Monkeys and The Soup Dragons.

Career

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. He played on one live album by the band, Renaissance (2002).

Death Finn died in Croydon, Surrey, on 11 January 2003, aged 55. His manager, Barry Newby commented that it was likely that Finn's illness and death were due to liver and kidney problems but it was not confirmed at the time of the interview.