An English drummer, bass player, vocalist and songwriter best known for his membership of Tyrannosaurus Rex with Marc Bolan.

Born in Eltham, south London, he took his name from the hobbit Peregrin Took in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. At the age of 17, he answered an advert in Melody Maker for the electric band Tyrannosaurus Rex that Bolan was forming after his departure from John's Children. However, the paper came out only hours before a gig at the Electric Garden and the gig was a disaster.

Took and Bolan then formed an acoustic subset of the band, initially busking to earn a living but later moving onto the club and stage circuit and recording 3 albums and two top 40 hits. It was Took's arrangements which were instrumental in transforming Bolan's music from the straightforward rock'n'roll it had once been (and would later be again) into an exotic brew of musical influences which so enthralled Bolan's new target audience.

While in Tyrannosaurus Rex, Took contributed harmony backing vocals and also provided bongos, African drums, kazoo, pixiephone, Chinese gong and later some bass guitar and a full drum set. He also began to develop his own songwriting and, by early 1969, with recording just complete on their 3rd album, Unicorn, tentatively proposed some of his own material to Bolan. However, Bolan refused.
Also, by this time, their lifestyles were in direct conflict. Bolan was living quietly with wife-to-be June Child, while Took was leading a wild life and was heavily into drugs.

After Bolan's rejection, Took took two of his songs to Twink and subsequently they were included on Twink's seminal album Think Pink. Bolan was reportedly furious at this.

Took had also developed a friendship with Syd Barrett, through a common interest in LSD and psychedlic music, and also worked with David Bowie.

Before the poorly organised and promoted first Tyrannosaurus Rex tour of America, Bolan and his management sacked Took. Although Took was contractually obliged to go on the US tour, on their return Bolan replaced Took and formed the more successful band T. Rex.

Took then formed the first version of the Pink Fairies with ex-Deviant Mick Farren and Twink, which evolved out of the drinking club of the same name which included Took, Barrett, the Pretty Things, the Deviants and others in 1969. However, Twink and the other Deviants soon formed a new version of the Pink Fairies without Took.

In 1970, Took formed a new band called Shagrat and played support slots for Hawkwind and the Pink Fairies, as well as jamming as third drummer, and once even playing bass guitar for the Pinks. He worked with a number of Hawkwind members during his lifetime, most notably Robert Calvert and Nik Turner.

He later formed Steve Took's Horns, members of which later joined Inner City Unit. However, Took felt that their first gig at the Roundhouse in 1978 had gone badly and he disbanded after they came off stage.

Took died in a flat he was sharing off Portobello Road in 1980, although whether this was from a drugs misadventure or choking on food is not clear.