Harlan's Race

PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED RADIO SESSIONS FROM THE CLASSIC IDLE RACE LINE-UP Formed from the ashes of Birmingham s Nightriders (formerly featuring Roy Wood) The Idle Race were christened sometime in early 1967. Well received by the music press for their melodies, whimsical lyrics, and inventive production, the band were championed too by DJs John Peel and Kenny Everett, but despite critical respect and famous admirers such as The Beatles and Marc Bolan, Idle Race failed to catch fire with the public. They did however release two classic albums and a raft of superb singles on Liberty while Jeff Lynne was a member, and a further LP in 1971 after he had left (ironically, to join Roy Wood in the Electric Light Orchestra.) The Idle race also recorded many radio sessions for John Peel s Top Gear programme on the newly formed Radio One, and this CD features seven such sessions recorded between 1967 and 1969. Including alternative versions of many of the group s most famous songs, plus a few cover versions (such as Marc Bolan s Debra and Frantic Desolation , originally composed and recorded by San Francisco s Sopwith Camel), the 19 tracks included form a quite extraordinary rarities collection of this oft-forgotten late-1960s act. Released here for the first time, this compilation will prove a delight for fans of Idle Race, of Jeff Lynne and of classic 1960s Beatlesque pop music in general.