Tyrannosaurus Rex - Kings Of The Rumbling Spires (1969)

Although I grew up listening to the classic T Rex singles like 'Metal Guru', Hot Love', and 'Jeepster', when I really started to get into music in the mid 70's I went backwards into the band's career and discovered Tyrannosaurus Rex - the folk duo of Marc Bolan and Steve Peregrine-Took. The music was a world away from the glam rock of a few years later, but it was none-the-less captivating, and I had soon acquired their first four Regal Zonophone albums, which I played continuously. I also picked up the Music For Pleasure cheapo compilation 'Ride A White Swan', which amazingly included some songs that weren't available on their albums, including the superb 'King Of The Rumbling Spires'. Seeing that over the years those records had been reissued many, many times, I thought that I'd check them out to see if any other rare songs had been added as bonus tracks, and was amazed to find  enough to fill a forty minute album, and so here they all are. 'Sarah Crazy Child' was first recorded by John's Children, but this is a later take by Tyrannosaurus Rex, while 'Find A Little Wood' was actually recorded at the same 'King Of The Rumbling Spires' sessions as 'Demon Queen' and 'Ill Starred Man', but was used as the b-side to 'By The Light Of The Magical Moon' the following year. A number of the 1967 demos later appeared on 'The Beginning Of Doves' in 1974, and by adding in a few non-album singles and their b-sides, we end up with a credible late-60's Tyrannosaurus Rex album. The cover is based on the one for 'Prophets, Seers And Sages...'. but using an alternative colour shot from the same photo session.

Track listing

01 Rings Of Fortune (demo 1967)
02 Sarah Crazy Child (demo 1967)
03 Lunacy's Back (demo 1967)
04 Beyond The Rising Son (demo 1967)
05 Misty Mist (Highways) (demo 1967)
06 One Inch Rock (demo 1967)
07 Sleepy Maurice (demo 1968)
08 Jasper C Debussey (proposed single 1966)
09 The Beginning Of Doves (demo 1967)
10 Sally Was An Angel (demo 1967)
11 Pewter Suitor (single 1969)
12 Do You Remember (b-side of 'King Of The Rumbling Spires')
13 King Of The Rumbling Spires (single 1969)
14 Ill Starred Man (from 'King Of The Rumbling Spires' sessions 1969)
15 Once Upon The Seas Of Abyssinia (from 'King Of The Rumbling Spires' sessions 1969)
16 Demon Queen (from 'King Of The Rumbling Spires' sessions 1969)
17 Blessed Wild Apple Girl (from 'King Of The Rumbling Spires' sessions 1969)
18 Find A Little Wood (b-side of 'By The Light Of The Magical Moon' 1970)