Sir Elton John says Marc Bolan was a "great role model" as he was developing his stage persona.
The ‘Rocket Man’ hitmaker has heaped praise on the late T. Rex frontman – who tragically died aged 29 in a car crash – and admitted seeing someone with the complete package "had a great effect" on him as an artist.
He told The Guardian newspaper: "He was the perfect pop star. His songs were great, his records rocked, he had attitude, he had performing skills, he looked fabulous, he dressed the part.
"At a time when I was still becoming Elton John, he was a great role model.
"I thought: ‘This guy doesn’t give a f***, he’s just being who he is and he’s loving every single minute of it.’ And that had a great effect on me."
Elton has teamed up with U2 on a cover of the band’s iconic hit ‘Get It On’ for tribute album ‘Angelheaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan & T. Rex’.
He pointed out the influence Marc had on those who came after him, including ‘Purple Rain’ singer Prince, who passed away in 2016.
Elton added: "When I met Prince, I thought he was like Marc: ethereal, very androgynous.
"If you look at the two of them, they’re very similar, the way they posed. I can imagine Prince singing ‘Telegram Sam’, I can imagine Marc singing ‘Raspberry Beret.’ "
He also recalled listening to 1970’s ‘Ride a White Swan’ – the first album released as T. Rex, after four under the name of Tyrannosaurus Rex – for the first time.
He said: "I heard John Peel play it and I thought: ‘This is amazing.’ It sounded like something that had come down from a spaceship; it was so out-there."