View source for Mickey Finn (percussionist)

{{Short description|British percussionist (1947–2003)}}
{{Redirect|Mickey Finn (musician)|other musicians of this name|Mickey Finn (guitarist)|and|Mickey Finn (Irish fiddler)}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Refimprove|date=November 2009}}
{{Infobox musical artist  <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| name             = Mickey Finn
| image            = Mickey Finn T Rex.jpg
| caption          = Finn performing with [[T. Rex (band)|T. Rex]] in the [[Laeiszhalle|Musikhalle Hamburg]], January 1972
| landscape        = yes
| birth_name       = Michael Norman Finn
| alias            =
| birth_date       = {{birth date|df=yes|1947|06|03}}
| birth_place      = [[Thornton Heath]], Surrey, England
| death_date       = {{Death date and age|2003|01|11|1947|06|3|df=y}}
| death_place      = [[Croydon]], Surrey, England
| instrument       =
| genre            = [[Psychedelic folk]], [[glam rock]]
| occupations      = Musician
| occupation       =
| instruments      = {{hlist|[[Bongo drum|Bongos]]|[[conga]]s|drums|bass|vocals}}
| years_active     = 1969–2003
| associated_acts  =
| label            = [[Fly Records]]/[[Reprise records|Reprise]], [[EMI]], [[Casablanca Records|Casablanca]], [[Demon Music Group]], [[Track Records|Track]]
| past_member_of   = {{hlist|[[T. Rex (band)|T. Rex]]|[[Hapshash and the Coloured Coat]]|[[Mickey Finn's T. Rex]]|[[The Blow Monkeys]]|[[The Soup Dragons]]}}
| website          =
}}
'''Michael Norman Finn''' (3 June 1947 – 11 January 2003)<ref name="BBC obit1">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2651733.stm|title=T Rex band member dies|date=13 January 2003|work=BBC News|accessdate=14 November 2010}}</ref> was an English musician. He was best known as the percussionist and sideman to [[Marc Bolan]] in his band [[T. Rex (band)|Tyrannosaurus Rex]] (on one album, ''[[A Beard of Stars]]'') and later the 1970s [[glam rock]] group [[T. Rex (band)|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.{{'"}}<ref name="BBC obit1"/>
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|date=January 2024}} In 1969–1971, Finn's contribution to Bolan's music, as [[bongo drum|bongo]]cero, backing vocalist and occasional bass guitarist, was essential, because T. Rex started off as Tyrannosaurus Rex, a [[Duet (music)|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.{{Citation needed|date=January 2024}}
In 1991, he joined the Croydon [[R&B]] band, WD40, which had a fluid line-up based around his old friend, drummer Stewart Childs, Colin Goody (harp, vocals), and Pete Robins (guitar, vocals). The band then added guitarists, [[percussion]]ists, etc. as required, but Finn was forced to retire after about 12 months due to failing health.{{Citation needed|date=January 2024}} A couple of live tracks survive from this line up.{{Citation needed|date=January 2024}} Finn was also invited to play at the Marc Bolan 50th Anniversary gig organized by Mick Gray (ex-T. Rex tour manager and roadie), to celebrate what would have been Bolan's 50th birthday at the Cambridge Corn Exchange on 30 September 1997.
Finn returned to the mainstream music scene in 1997, fronting [[Mickey Finn's T. Rex]] with [[Paul Fenton (musician)|Paul Fenton]] and [[Jack Green (musician)|Jack Green]], playing old T. Rex songs until his death.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://dailyvoice.com/new-jersey/hackensack/police-fire/new-t-rex-has-old-trex-fans-firing-zip-guns-at-iscariots/637195/|title='New' T-Rex has 'old' T.Rex fans firing zip guns at Iscariots|date=26 January 2011|newspaper=Hackensack Daily Voice|accessdate=13 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.contactmusic.com/news/bowie-and-legend-sign-petition-against-t-rex-tribute-band_1072892|title=Bowie And Legend Sign Petition Against T-rex Tribute Band|date=30 June 2008|website=Contactmusic.com|accessdate=13 January 2021}}</ref> He played on one live album by the band, [[Renaissance (Mickey Finn's T. Rex album)|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.<ref name="BBC obit1"/> In 2020, Finn was posthumously inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] as a member of T. Rex with Bolan, [[Steve Currie]] and [[Bill Legend]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Why T. Rex's Induction Into Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Could Cap Half Century Goal of Breaking America |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/8548085/t-rex-induction-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame |access-date=15 January 2020 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{T. Rex}}
{{2020 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Finn, Mickey}}
[[Category:English rock drummers]]
[[Category:1947 births]]
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Thornton Heath]]
[[Category:Glam rock musicians]]
[[Category:Alcohol-related deaths in England]]
[[Category:Bongo players]]
[[Category:Conga players]]
[[Category:T. Rex (band) members]]