HW: NiXtar - Nikwind

[Paul Mather]

On Thu, 11 Apr 1996, Keith A Henderson wrote:

> Despite being a founding member, and a songwriter for a half-dozen or so
> classic HW tracks, I don't see Nik's musical contribution as being much more
> than an 'effect', ie., a single extra layer of sound over top of the basic
> rhythms below...in that context, his sax/flute plays no more role in the sound
> as Simon House's violin or Blake's/Harvey's synth lines or Moorcock's/Calvert's
> 'over the top' ranting (vocals other than standard verses, that is).  (Could
> there then, also be a legitimate 'Housewind' or 'Blakewind' -I don't think so.)

Do not underestimate the input of individual members.  Where would
_Warrior..._ be without the input of Simon House?  The best incarnations
of bands are synergies; no member is redundant (see The Beatles for
details; none of the four were particularly great individually, but
combined they produced marvelous music, IMHO).

> Meanwhile, the "core" of Brock/Lemmy or Davey/King or Chadwick is really
> playing the song underneath.  Of course, both elements are important to the
> overall HW sound, it's just that I only see the latter as being something that
> you can build a band on, and call it Hawkwind.  And none of these guys are
> playing with Nik....he's only got the 'top' parts of classic HW, ie. the synth,
> violin, sax, flute, and (God forbid)....his singing.  Then Pressurehed plays
> the role of the bottom part...not really Hawkwind IMHO.

So, in effect, you are saying that it is the rhythm section that defines
a band?  Although I lean towards being more of a fan of rhythm than
melody, I'd have to disagree with you.  An obvious counterexample: Stevie
Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble.  IMHO, you could slip anyone in behind SRV
and you'd not notice much difference.  The reverse isn't true, though.

To some people, Calvert-era Hawkwind is *the* Hawkwind.  None of the
rhythm section you mention were present then; it was the "front men" who
"defined" the sound.  As for 80s-era heavy metal Hawkwind (which some
have publicly declared to be the "real" Hawkwind), you have Harvey
Bainbridge playing bass (for some of the time, at least), and Danny
Thompson on drums providing the "bottom end."  Both are normally
lambasted.  In that era, Huwy and Dave "defined" the sound.  So it seems
there are two "favourite" incarnations of Hawkwind that had, essentially,
"faceless" rhythm sections.

> So, in this context, the 'style' argument from Paul is no longer applicable.
> Just because he played old HW standards for a length of time similar to that
> which HW played them years ago doesn't mean squat to me.  The bottom line is,
> Nikwind couldn't pull them off IMHO....they were just rather dull and boring as
> opposed to brilliant and lively (with Brock, Lem, etc. the reason...see SR for
> details).

And, again, it comes down to a matter of taste in the end.  You didn't
like Nikwind playing SR-era standards because they didn't sound like the
SR-era band.  It may be pertinent to point out that neither does the
contemporary band.  Why?  Because the same chemistry does not exist
because the same members are not present.  So does that mean the "real"
Hawkwind no longer exists?  In some people's mind, yes.  In some others,
it never existed until the 80s.  For some others it died with Calvert.
All are right, for them.

It's ridiculous to say "Nik doesn't sound like Hawkwind," because then
you have to define what Hawkwind are "meant" to sound like.  And if you
can do that, you're a better man than I... ;-)

> > To me, _Space Ritual '94_ Nikwind sounds a bit like the 80s heavy metal
> > Hawkwind.
>
> really very similar either I don't think.  But it was pretty heavy & driving
> though...maybe that's what you were referring to....

Yes, the relentless, even paced, music is what I was referring to (as
opposed to the looser, more fluid music of the earlier Hawkwind).

> Well, that's all I'm going to say about this thread....one of these days, it'll
> become a dead horse, and we'll all get on with it...but not yet. :)

Well, IMHO, it is a non-thread.  Some people seem to get riled up when
they see any mention of Nik Turner using the name Hawkwind (especially
when he goes under the monniker "Nik Turner's Hawkwind").  IMHO, he has
as much right to it as any, especially when he has so many ex-members
playing with him.  I don't know why people get so het up about it.  All I
was trying to say in my post was not that I am pro-Nik, but that
"Hawkwind is in the eye of the beholder." :-)

Cheers,

Paul.

obCD: Jeff Healey Band, _Cover to Cover_

e-mail: paul at csgrad.cs.vt.edu                    A stranger in a strange land.