The Fat Angel Sings

At the start of their career Tyrannosaurus Rex had no recording contract but Peel promoted them energetically, mentioning them frequently on air and taking them with him to his gigs in 1967 and 1968. Top Gear’s first producer Bernie Andrews disliked them, but they were booked for a first session on the programme on Peel’s insistence. In late 1967, Track Records rejected some early Tyrannosaurus Rex recordings as “too uncommercial”, causing Peel to express his frustration and to fantasise about issuing a 4 LP set by them on a label of his own which would be called Dandelion Records.But eventually they signed with Regal Zonophone and Peel contributed sleevenotes to their first LP, also reading a fairy story by Bolan at the end of its final track. Bolan became a close friend of Peel and Sheila, but this relationship ended after Bolan became a chart-topping teen idol in 1970-71.

The complete session recorded by T. Rex on 26th October 1970 for John Peel on the Top Gear show on BBC Radio 1 and broadcast on 7th November 1970.

Songs:

1. Ride A White Swan (0:07) 2. Jewel (2:10) 3. Elemental Child (5:41) 4. Sun Eye (13:24)