Re[2]: When did "T. rex" come into usage?

["Matt D. Celeskey" <mceleskey@cabq.gov>]

Ron Dass wrote:

>Some time during the late sixties /early seventies there was a rock group
>called T Rex.  All I remember is a thumping, heavy metal type base line
>and a line that went "bang a gong, get it on" or somethong. Ring any bells,
>anyone?
>
>                                        -RD

A quick web search brought up an incredibly detailed biography of their lead
singer. No disputing matters of taste, I guess.

Anyway, the last half of 1970 was when they changed their name from
"Tyrannosaurus Rex" to "T.rex" to make it easier when writing out promotional
materials. There was no mention of any knowledge of scientific binomial
abbreviation, so I guess this instance racks up to convergent shorthand.

Anybody know if this really popularized the name? I don't recall hearing it
throughout much of the '80s or '90s until the Jurassic Park/Nova/Horner&Lessem
book inundated us with it over the past 5 years...

T.rex (the band) box sets are available at your local record store. E.coli has
been similarly co-opted as a band name.

Matt.

mceleskey@cabq.gov