T. Rex: T. Rex (180g, coloured vinyl) [VINYL ME, PLEASE]

Why you'll love it

Vinyl Me, Please cut this all-analog edition from the master tapes at Sterling Sound and pressed it on 180g coloured vinyl, with an obi and a listening notes booklet. The album reached the UK top ten, and "Ride a White Swan" went to No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart.

This edition

• 180g vinyl
• Coloured vinyl
• All analog (AAA) lacquers cut from the master tapes
• Obi strip
• Listening notes booklet
• Stereo mix

About the album

Marc Bolan considered calling it The Wizard, or The Children of Rarn, before settling on the band's new, snappier name. The songs were cut at Trident in London in the summer of 1970, while the duo was still officially Tyrannosaurus Rex, and the record is the sound of that hippie folk act sprouting electric wings.

Tony Visconti produced, played bass and recorder here and there and scored the strings, while Mickey Finn handles drums, bass and Pixiphone. Howard Kaylan of the Turtles sings backing vocals. "Jewel" and "One Inch Rock" boogie, "Beltane Walk" skips along, "The Children of Rarn" frames the album like a fairy tale, and this American sequence ends with "Ride a White Swan." Bolan sings and plays guitar, bass and organ.

It broke T. Rex in Britain, and the No. 1 "Hot Love" followed soon after. The punk band Eater even took its name from a line in "Suneye." The feather boas were, presumably, already on order.

Also at Kops: more T. Rex on vinyl · browse Rock

Tracklist

Listen

On Vinyl Me, Please / Reprise (cat# RCV1 726317), a reissue of the 1970 album.