One of the biggest bands of the Seventies are back in business.

And it's a former Bradford musician who has set them on the path to new success.

Barry Newby is managing the reformed T Rex, who will be making their live UK debut with their new singer in October.

The new-look T Rex feature three original members from the halcyon days, and Bradford-born Barry is keen to emphasise that the group are not a tribute act.

The 1999 line-up boasts percussionist Mickey Finn, who was with Marc Bolan at the time of hits like Ride a White Swan, Hot Love, Get It On, Telegram Sam and Jeepster; guitarist and vocalist Jack Green, who was originally with T Rex from 1973 to 1974; West Yorkshire-based drummer Paul Fenton, who left Christie to join T Rex in 1973, and newcomer Rob Benson.

Barry, who went to the former Highfield Secondary School in Bradford, played in many local bands in the Sixties and Seventies before setting up his own record shop and then PA hire business.

From 1987 to 1997 he was sound engineer and road manager for Bradford-based rockers Smokie, but this is the first time he has been a manager in his own right.

It was drummer Paul who persuaded Barry to manage the new-look T Rex.

"He lives in Batley and has been a friend of mine for 20 years," said Barry.

"He just asked if I'd like to manage the band and I said yes. I'd never managed a band before but I'd done ten years road managing and as a sound engineer, so I thought I'd have a go."

The last piece in the jigsaw was the recruitment of lifelong T Rex fan Rob Benson, who is giving up his day job for a career as a singer.

"We were doing a show at the Chicago Rock Caf in Northampton and Rob came along to the gig," said Barry.

"He had been a fan all his life and we got chatting. Just before he want he said, 'If you find you ever need to find a vocalist who sounds like Marc Bolan, give me a ring.'

"When we did hear him singing old T Rex he was brilliant. It was uncanny. If you shut your eyes you would just think you were back in the Seventies."

The added bonus for Barry is that Rob also sings in his own style. The band have recorded some brand new material featuring his vocals that sounds nothing like the old T Rex.

He has now lined up a series of UK dates this autumn - the nearest of which to Yorkshire is at Nottingham Royal Centre on October 22 - and is hoping to land a recording deal to release an album of new T Rex tracks.

Simon Ashberry

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.