Steve Currie
Encyclopedia
Steve Currie was born in Grimsby
, North East Lincolnshire
, England
. He was best known as the bass
player and long term member of the English glam rock
band T.Rex.
Whilst still at Grimsby tech college Steve played with local Grimsby group "The Aztecs" before he worked as a shipping clerk on the docks. He then was in local jazz rock band "The Rumble Band". He joined T.Rex (recently renamed from Tyrannosaurus Rex) as bass guitarist in late 1970 (although the band were still listed as a duo) and continued to play with them until late 1976.
He appeared on all of Bolan's most memorable hit singles from "Ride a White Swan" (1970) to "Laser Love" (1976), as well as the albums Electric Warrior
(1971) to Dandy in the Underworld (1977). His innovative and, for the time, sophisticated bass playing can be seen to good effect in the movie Born to Boogie
.
After leaving T.Rex he went into session
work, working for the likes of Chris "Motorbikin'" Spedding
.
He died in a car crash on 28 April 1981, whilst returning to his home near Vale de Parra, Algarve, Portugal
. His death came less than four years after T.Rex lead singer Marc Bolan
had died in a car crash.
Grimsby
Grimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
, North East Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He was best known as the bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
player and long term member of the English glam rock
Glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
band T.Rex.
Whilst still at Grimsby tech college Steve played with local Grimsby group "The Aztecs" before he worked as a shipping clerk on the docks. He then was in local jazz rock band "The Rumble Band". He joined T.Rex (recently renamed from Tyrannosaurus Rex) as bass guitarist in late 1970 (although the band were still listed as a duo) and continued to play with them until late 1976.
He appeared on all of Bolan's most memorable hit singles from "Ride a White Swan" (1970) to "Laser Love" (1976), as well as the albums Electric Warrior
Electric Warrior
Electric Warrior is the sixth album by British rock group T. Rex, and is widely considered to be one of the quintessential glam rock releases. Electric Warrior reached number thirty-two in the US; it went to number one for several weeks in the UK, becoming the biggest album of 1971...
(1971) to Dandy in the Underworld (1977). His innovative and, for the time, sophisticated bass playing can be seen to good effect in the movie Born to Boogie
Born to Boogie
Born to Boogie is a 1972 concert film based around a concert at Wembley Empire Pool starring Marc Bolan and T. Rex. Directed by Ringo Starr, the movie was released on The Beatles' Apple Films label...
.
After leaving T.Rex he went into session
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
work, working for the likes of Chris "Motorbikin'" Spedding
Chris Spedding
Chris Spedding is an English rock and roll and jazz guitarist, best known for his session work. Allmusic states - "Spedding is one of the UK's most versatile session guitarists, and has had a long career on two continents that saw him tackle nearly every style of rock and roll, as well as...
.
He died in a car crash on 28 April 1981, whilst returning to his home near Vale de Parra, Algarve, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
. His death came less than four years after T.Rex lead singer Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and poet. He is best known as the founder, frontman, lead singer & guitarist for T. Rex, but also a successful solo artist...
had died in a car crash.