FEE'S BOLANIC MEMORIES - MEETING JUNE BOLAN
Late 1978
Late 1978
While I was in London I tried to track down as many people as I could who knew Marc.I managed to get hold of a telephone number which I was told was June's.
Nervously I called it from the 'pay phone' in the hall of Simon Slider's flat in Fulham.
A woman's voice answered.
"Hi can I speak to June please?" I asked hopefully.
However, disappointment awaited me.
It was a phone number for where June had worked until she had stopped to have her daughter Ilona.
They gave me another number to try.
So getting some more change ready for the 'phone I dialled that number.
A man answered.
"Hi can I speak to June please?" I asked hopefully.
"Who is it?" came the reply
"Fiona Bolan" I said (for it was true) and at that time I was still 'Fiona' rather than 'Fee'.
"Oh, June's sister?" the male voice asked.
"Yeah, sort of" I lamely replied not sure that I sounded convincing!
I honestly didn't know for many years that June actually had a sister whose name was 'Fiona'.
Lucky for me.
This time the number I had been given was June's hairdresser! The Hairdresser gave me a third number to try.
"Am I being given the run-around?" I wondered as I dialled this new number.
A female voice answered. ... "Here we go again," I thought.
"Hi can I speak to June please?" I asked expecting to be given a forth phone number or not even that!
But the reply was "Speaking".
OH MY GOD I WAS SPEAKING TO JUNE! ARRRHHH! PANIC!
I tried to sound calm as I asked if it would be possible to meet her. We agreed to Simon and I visiting June's home, also in Fulham the following day in the morning.
Simon and I arrived and knocked on the door. I think June had over slept. She answered the door all floating black silk. "Come in" she said in her husky voice - and we did. She gave us drinks and then June opened a cupboard and brought out a long cream 'Kimono-Style' Robe with black embroidery (see the image left). I recognised it immediately as one I'd seen Marc wearing in the newly published 'Tribute' book. Simon and I touched it in reverence. June commented on the photo in the tribute book saying that it was an erie picture because it almost made Marc look as though he was 'laid out'.
We sat there chatting and smoking. I remember June smokes Marlborough which I hated because they were far too strong.
June admired my waistcoat. (see right above) It was a man's one from an old suit and I'd carefully 'personalised' with velvet and satin patches and gold threaded embroidered ribbon.
The waistcoat also featured pieces of my pink and black Lurex Jacket my mother made me when I was around 13.
I was overjoyed that June liked my handi-work.
I'd always loved children and so for a time I bounced June's daughter Ilona who I'd guess was around nine months old at the time on my knee. I remember her being a happy child.
I always doused my waistcoat with bottles and bottles of patchouli oil so that it gave off the scent all the time. I distinctly remember June complaining and telling me off when I handed Ilona back, because June said in a Most Disapproving tone: "You've made her smell of Patchouli". I remember thinking that as June had lived through the late 60's I'd have thought she'd have been immune to the smell!
On the right you can see me wearing this waistcoat at Golders Green Crematorium on September 16th 1978 in the image right and below it twenty seven years later, I wore the same waistcoat to meet Ilona for the second time at the Memorial Plaque Ceremony at The Shrine where a Memorial Plaque had been installed for June :-)
So there Simon and I sat in June's lovely Victorian terrace house close to the back of the house. We could see into the small back garden which had an old high brick wall surrounding it. I remember clearly that these walls were almost completely covered in climbing plants so that the effect was of sitting in a tropical forest. It just added to the total magic of that meeting. When I met June's daughter Ilona in 2005 she introduced me to some of June's oldest friends. One was Denni and it turned out that June was actually stopping at his home in Fulham when Simon and I visited so the lovely walled 'tropical' garden was actually his! Denni told me in 2005 that after Marc died one regular visitor to see June was Steve Peregrin Took.
What a Small World!
I so wish I'd known that when I met June, but at the time it wouldn't have mattered to me because Marc was my 'Main Man' and I had no interest in anyone else who had played with Marc ... Other than to ask them about Marc. How I wish that I had actually 'seen' that there were two people on the Unicorn Album Cover and not just Marc plus 'anyone'. Hindsight, and advancing age is a wonderful thing!
I recall June telling us how Ringo had been like an uncle to Marc and how he'd say things like "Really Marc you shouldn't be doing so much cocaine!"
June's daughter Ilona's father was a member of the band 'Arrows'. They were one of Chin & Chapman and Mickey Most 'stable' of acts. Their records were released on Rak Records. Others included Sweet, Suzi Quatro and Mud. For a time I'd been into Mud. Another band which, like T-Rex had brought the 'fun' back into music. But of course I never 'gave up' on Marc & ALWAYS bought his music as soon as it came out! :-) I did actually feel guilty - as though I was having an "affair" with Mud behind Marc's back!When I saw 'Mud' at the 'Rainbow' in London on the 30th June 1974 I'd managed to get into the after-gig party with my two friends. Just about all of the of Chin & Chapman and Mickey Most 'stable' were there. It was a Fab 'Do' with lots of free food and booze. Just the thing for three fifteen year olds! I think I was the youngest - I had just turned 15 a few days earlier - This was my Birthday Present!. My two friends were also from the Midlands and my father had booked us all into a three-bed room in a cheap Paddington Hotel which he used when he had to go to London on MOD Business. By doing that it meant we wouldn't miss the end of the gig and as it turned out it meant we could go to the after-gig party & not worry about the time we left!
"What has this got to go with June Bolan?" You might be asking ... When my friends and I left the Rainbow a taxi pulled up for what I took to be all three members of the 'Arrows'*, and quick as a flash we three girls jumped in and the driver drove off leaving the three men I took to be the 'Arrows' *standing in the road with the rain pouring down on them. My friends and I laughed all the way back to the Hotel (possibly due to the copious amounts of free booze that we'd guzzled???). We waved to the getting soggier by the moment 'Arrows'* as we disappeared into the distance, back to Paddington and our Hotel. So that was my one 'meeting' with Ilona's father. |
I honestly can't remember exactly what June said about Marc, other than that she spoke very fondly of him. How I wish I'd taken a tape recorder. How I wish one of us had had the sense to take a camera. But then it somehow seems rude and 'fan-like' to want to take photos of yourself with famous people. After all I was 18 and FAR too old to still be doing such things!
I'm not sure how long Simon and I were there. A few hours I think, but when it came towards lunchtime and Ilona needed feeding Simon and I said our goodbyes and thanked June for a wonderful morning.
It came as a huge shock to me when June died. She had always been so fit and so health conscious. When I met her she was so vibrant and full of life and spirit. II always hoped I'd meet her again but it was not to be. I went back to the Midlands to organise the Malvern T-Rex Party and due to meeting Kev never returned to London so I never got the chance to see if I could visit June again (remembering not to wear patchouli this time!).
June had mentioned that she'd been invited to a party at Ringo's and had I returned to London then I'd have tried to see if I could have got an invite too! Ringo was my first 'hero'. He was always by favourite Beatle - since the age of four!
June was a wonderful person. She had a strong character which was what Marc needed. I, as a fan never resented June as some fans do when their 'star' marries, but then Marc was already married to June before he became famous and for me, that meant they were a set. A team. I was heart broken when I heard, via the changing room 'underage smokers club' that Marc and June had split up.
Above June in the early 1990's.
I love a girl, she is a changeless angel
She's a city it's a pity, that I'm like me
Yeah
The lyrics are from 'Spaceball Ricochet' on the 'Slider' Album.She's a city it's a pity, that I'm like me
Yeah
If you have the 'Inside T-Rex 1970 - 1977 DVD Set you'll know that I said 'Spaceball Ricochet' was one of my favourite tracks from 'Slider'
In 2005 TAG installed Memorial Plaques on the steps. One plaque was for June in recognition for the contribution she made to Marc Bolan's Life and Success.
To read about the Project and see photos of June's daughter Ilona receives a Presentation for her Mum, Click Here
You can also read An account of June's Memorial Service Here
Go Back to - Fee - a Bolanic History
Go Back to the Main History of Marc Bolan's Rock Shrine