HW: Distant Horizons, drummers etc.

[John Majka]

I just got Distant Horizons in the mail today and just finished listening to
it, and I'm pleased to report that (contrary to popular opinion), the cover
art is OK, but unfortunately.... well....for the first time ever.... I'm
really let down by the new Hawkwind album!  This album is very musically
disappointing.  The way everyone has been talking about it, you'd think it
was an energy-driven psychedelic masterpiece, but to my ears it sounds very
tired, very half-done.  If this were a dodgy cassette of Hawkwind demos, I'd
be willing to say, "yeah, cool", but knowing that THIS is the new album is
bad news!  And to think that now I'll have to wait another year or two for
the next studio release...  Is it me or has Brock really taken a back seat
in recent years?  It seems like he doesn't play as much on the albums,
doesn't write as much, and what he does write these days is....kind of light
weight, keyboard-excessive meandering drivel.  It's hard for me to say that.
I won't be listening to this album much.  It definitely does not rock.
Neither is it a "mellow" or an instrumental album.  It is simply a demo-ish
release.  It sounds like a stalling maneuver until the band produces some
real songs.
As for drummers.... I like Richard Chadwick best.  And Ginger was also
great, despite all the negative comments people have about him.  I think his
playing is underrated in the Hawkwind camp because he was such a nasty
person.  Danny Thompson definitely sucked... the only thing that made up for
his lack of technique was that the rest of the band was particularly
musically strong at the time.  Huw's solos and Harvey's keyboards filled up
a lot of empty space, so at times you never notice how bad the drumming
actually is.  With Distant Horizons, I feel like Hawkwind has the weakest
lineup they've had in a long while.  I mean, Brock is of course
indispensable, and so is Richard for that matter.  Ron played reasonably
nice bass live, but on the new album you'd barely notice he's there really.
Jerry.... I don't know, I can take him or leave him.  I think "Alchemy" is
WAY too cheese metal/primitive RAWK for Hawkwind. And the keyboard playing
is definitely lacking...  Jeez, the band just isn't as strong as it has
been.  Calling Doctor Technical to the Bridge!  Calling Doctor Technical!
It's a case Dr. Brock can solve, if he'll just return to the ship's controls...
John Majka
flossbac at wcic.org