# The day David Bowie discovered the next T Rex in Leeds: “Couldn’t get any better”

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-day-david-bowie-discovered-the-next-t-rex-in-leeds-couldnt-get-any-better/
- Published: 2026-08-04T13:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-08-25T09:09:21+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/david-bowie-discovered-the-next-t-rex/
- Topics: Music

## Key points

- Bowie praised the Mekons on Radio 1 in 1978, likening them to young Marc Bolan
- Their single "Where Were You?" sold roughly 27,000 copies via Fast Product
- The band never matched that success again but retains cult status

## Summary

In 1978, David Bowie helped spark wider attention for the Leeds post-punk band the Mekons when he praised their single "Where Were You?" on Radio 1, comparing them to a young Marc Bolan. This mattered because Bowie was then at a critical high point following Low and Heroes, and his endorsement lent unusual credibility to a fledgling DIY act, boosting interest in both the band and the Fast Product label that released them.

The Mekons formed in 1976 out of the Leeds University art school scene, alongside acts such as Gang of Four and Delta 5. Their second single sold around 27,000 copies after airplay from John Peel, a huge figure for an independent release, and guitarist Tom Greenhalgh later told The Guardian that Bowie's comparison "couldn't get any better." Although the band never repeated that level of commercial success, the episode cemented their cult status and their lasting place in Leeds' post-punk history.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.