HW: NiXtar - Nikwind

[Paul Mather]

On Fri, 12 Apr 1996, Keith A Henderson wrote:

> No, that's not what I said....to repeat, "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 that last part is very important....AND CALL IT HAWKWIND.  Nik forming a
> band of musicians to act as his rhythm section for himself and the other
> ex-Hawks is fine, it's just that I don't see that it can be nearly as legit
> from either a musical or legal perspective as the real thing.  And music is
> often taught to people in terms of a 'pyramid', fat on the bottom (laying the
> foundation, so to speak), and then adding the texture above.  I think Hawkwind
> may be the epitome of this, so I guess it's exaggerated in this case.

I think this is a matter of opinion.  Quark-era Calvertwind is a perfect
counterexample to your claim; a version of Hawkwind built upon an
essentially faceless rhythm section that could be called Hawkwind (for
some, the "real" Hawkwind).  In that version it is the "top" that defined
the band.  Will the real Hawkwind please stand up.

> No, I didn't like (some of) them because they were too long and boring.  I
> don't think HW today could play them like SR now either, and you know what??
> They don't....which is great, because a couple of the early songs I never
> liked, eg. Shouldn't do that, and Time we Left are fantastically improved by
> the 90's lineup IMHO...and not *just* because of shortening...they just got a
> lot more "dynamic" on Palace Springs and the most recent tour.  Maybe the real
> reason was the poor quality of the original masters actually... :) (I haven't
> heard the remastered discs yet) :(
>
> So, I'm not looking for something to be recreated *only* in it's original form.
> To the contrary, I think pieces like 'Mask of Morning' are brilliant, a brand
> new song, I'd say.  More power to anyone remaking something in a new classic
> form.

This is the great thing about Hawkwind fandom, IMHO.  Personally, I think
the remakes you mention are hideous abominations---especially the pompous
bubblegum version of "Time We Left" on _Palace Springs_.  I guess
Hawkwind really are all things to all people. :-)

Cheers,

Paul.

obCD: Fats Domino, _The Fat Man_

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