Henry Cow was in the same category as other bands like Van der Graaf Generator, Gong, Soft Machine and Matching Mole who had a unique approach to music, very different from the typical 'mainstream progressive rock band' that John was known to dislike. Like many of the bands Peel favoured, their roots were in the late 1960s underground scene, although they were more politicised, and more musically avant-garde, than most of their peers. They entered (and won) Peel's "Rockortunity Knocks" contest in 1971, recording their first Top Gear session as a result, and also performed at the 1971 Glastonbury Fayre, which Peel attended. After that, his producer John Walters booked them for five more sessions, between 1972 and 1975.