T. Rex at the BBC (August 3 1971) The Bob Harris “Sounds of the 70s” Session

Tuesday 3 August 1971, Marc Bolan and T. Rex stepped into BBC Studios TT in Shepherds Bush, London, and laid down one of the most vibrant radio sessions of their imperial glam phase. The date falls right in the middle of T. Rextasy: Hot Love and Get It On had already conquered the charts, Electric Warrior was about to drop, and Bolan’s star was ascending at dizzying speed.

The session was recorded for Bob Harris’s Sounds of the 70s (often referred to simply as the Bob Harris Show). Harris, a longtime friend of Bolan since their early John Peel days, provided a sympathetic platform. The tracks were first broadcast on Monday 23 August 1971 and repeated (minus one song) on Monday 4 October 1971.

The Session Setlist

Here is the full recorded sequence (track numbers as they appear in archival references): Marc Bolan Featuring John's Children, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Marc Bolan & T. Rex – Marc Bolan At The BBC (Radio Sessions And Broadcasts 1967 -1977)

T. Rex – Bob Harris Jingle – 0:19

T. Rex – Sailors Of The Highway – 2:46

T. Rex – Girl – 2:13

T. Rex – Cadilac – 2:48

T. Rex – Jeepster – 3:20

T. Rex – Life’s A Gas – 2:18

“Sailors Of The Highway” stands out as a genuine rarity. It was a brand-new Bolan composition at the time and appears to have been recorded only for this session (a different, funkier home demo exists, but the BBC version is the definitive band performance).

“Girl,” “Jeepster,” and “Life’s A Gas” would all appear on Electric Warrior the following month, while “Cadilac” (the distinctive spelling used in the session logs and later official releases) would surface as the B-side to “Telegram Sam” in early 1972.

The short Bob Harris jingle adds a charming period touch.

The repeat broadcast on October 4 omitted “Girl,” a small archival detail that collectors still note.

Context and Atmosphere

By August 1971 the classic T. Rex line-up of Marc Bolan, Mickey Finn, Steve Currie and Bill Legend was fully locked in.

The band had moved decisively from the acoustic-folk Tyrannosaurus Rex era into full-tilt glam-boogie.

Bob Harris would later go on to compere the Electric Warriors UK tour later that year, cementing the personal connection.

Listening to the session today, you can hear the confidence and playfulness of a group riding an unstoppable wave—tight, swaggering, and already sounding like the soundtrack to a generation’s summer.

These performances have been officially released on compilations including Bolan at the Beeb and the larger Marc Bolan at the BBC box sets, preserving the energy of that Shepherds Bush afternoon for new listeners.

Sources & Credits There Was A Time – Marc Bolan a Chronology

Cliff McLenehan,Marc Bolan Featuring John's Children, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Marc Bolan & T. Rex – Marc Bolan At The BBC (Radio Sessions And Broadcasts 1967 -1977)

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