HW: Ron no Bob! (was: OFF/HW: Cybernetic Love with your

[Stephen Swann]

Christian Mumford writes:
>
> At 17:18 20.11.97 -0500, Steve Swann wrote:
>
> >How strange.  I think Tree is the best thing to happen to Hawkwind's
> >live show in years (haven't heard him yet on album).
>
> As a zany punk frontman, yes I agree. Blew me away at the Limelight '95
> since I had no clue who he was and he put on a truly exciting act.

I was at that same show, and he blew me away, too.  He claims he was
drugged out of his skull (to the point of not being aware of his
actions at times) during that show - and I don't have any problem
believing it.  ;-) But that doesn't detract one bit from my enjoyment
of his performance.

> >  I love the fact
> >that he brings a lot of Calvert's work back into the mix, and I think
> >he does it with a real flair for the poetic/dramatic element in
> >Calvert's spoken word pieces - something that's very hard to do well.
> >I tend to see poetic recitations during rock concerts as being fairly
> >ridiculous in general, and only a certain combination of audacity,
> >showmanship, and inner conviction will carry it off well.  Calvert had
> >it.  I think Tree has it, too.
>
> Ron Tree = poetic flair???? Are you losing your mind? :)
> The guy is about as poetic as slamming headfirst into a brick
> wall at 200 mph with The Knack blaring at full volume!!! Calvert had a
> sinister delivery, was a twisted crazy maniacal bastard, whereas
> Tree is but a mere Hawk-sapling who's poetic achievments go no further
> than Robotussin induced X-Files quotes scribbled on a high school lavatory
> wall! Still, that can be enjoyable enough, I enjoy alot of awful poetry
> myself! (not to mention post my own on BOC-L...)
>
> I wouldn't even place Tree and Calvert together in one sentence (OOOPS!!!)

Let me be very clear here: I was refering to Tree's delivery of
Calvert's poems, in concert, which I thought was excellent.  I have no
knowledge of Tree's own writings, or how he comes across on record.

> Well, all his corny alien stuff on Alien 4 is IMHO pretty unlistenable,
> and I certainly *can* appreciate bad comic book writing, awful sci-fi
> flicks, crappy Hawklords novels - u-name it, dear god, I can't keep a
> straight face even looking at that CD... let alone play it... every now
> and then I put it on, and then violently take it off in giggle-induced
> fits of madness!

Sounds almost worth picking up, just for that.  ;-)

Steve
swann at panix.com