It's All A Bit Of A Blur Really

The Internet is indeed a wonderful thing. For years I have been trying to remember the name of the first album I ever bought as an impoverished school boy on child labour newspaper round wages: 17/6d a week, whatever that translates to in 'new' money. All I could remember was that it was by 'Tyrannosaurus Rex', as opposed to 'T.Rex', an important distinction as this was pre-fame days before Marc Bolan paired up with bongo playing Micky Finn, and that it had a picture of a fly on the label and was squared by bright colours on the sleeve.

For years I've been asking 'knowledgeable' friends and work colleagues what the name of the album, or LP as we used to call them was, offering them this basic description, so that I could answer the question: "What's the name of the first album you ever bought?" Just in case I was ever asked. No one ever knew so it's just as well I've never been asked.

The Electric Warrior would be suggested, (too late and too famously T Rex.) The Slider? (No No No I have that one still, with the blurred photograph taken by Ringo Starr of Bolan wearing a strange hat which barely contained his wild ringlets. "What about Prophets, Seers and Sages, The Angels of the Ages?"
Does that one have the squared colours?
No. A black and white photograph of Marc Bolan and Steve Peregrin Took; Steve Peregrin Took: demon of the bongos, African drums, kazoo, pixiephone and Chinese gong.
Well it's not that one is it? Duh!

Hmm. And so life went on, me never knowing the elusive name of that album. But I've never until now tried an Internet search. Today I did, prompted by Mike at Troubled Diva who recently asked his huge body of readers to remember the first single they ever bought. Mine was Malt and Barley Blues by McGuinness Flint and I'm going to race over to his site as soon as I've finished here to tell him so and let him know what a wonderful memory I have.

Actually I have a terrible memory and a poor grasp of the facts in this case as they say in law circles. The album is - as can be clearly seen - by the diminutive 'T Rex' name as opposed to the full versioned 'Tyrannosaurus Rex' which means that they, Bolan and percussionist Micky Finn were both together and on the up and up on this one, and that Steve Peregrin Took, of Tyrannosaurus Rex, demon of the bongos, African drums, kazoo, pixiephone and Chinese gong was, for whatever reason, consigned to the pop history books as a nearly man.

Anyway at least I know now.