HW: Lemmy years

[david hall]

I agree with what you say. As to studio output from 74 - 75, what can I
say...if only there had been one more. As for one more I've mentioned this
before but here goes, I'm sure there was a live recording from the warrior
tour which was intended for release. This has been mentioned in Hawkfan in
the past. Anyone know anything?

Dave
-----Original Message-----
From: Doug Pearson <ceres at SIRIUS.COM>
To: BOC-L at LISTSERV.SPC.EDU <BOC-L at LISTSERV.SPC.EDU>
Date: 19 June 2000 21:46
Subject: HW: Lemmy years


>On Sat, 17 Jun 2000 18:43:44 +0100, david hall
><dave at PARMA29.FREESERVE.CO.UK> wrote:
>>The "Lemmy years" (two and half lps worth of studio material, not a lot)
>
>This comment has been made a couple times over the course of this thread,
>so it's worth noting that those three albums were the three
>highest-charting [UK, obviously] studio albums in Hawkwind's career
>('Warrior' - #13, 'Doremi' - #14, 'Mountain Grill' - #16, with 'In Search
>of Space' - #18 being fourth-highest and 'Sonic Attack' [!? - must've been
>that major-label marketing budget] being their only other top-20 studio
>album at #19).  And that 'Space Ritual' was Hawkwind's *only* top-10 album
>(#9).  Also add two completely non-LP singles to the list of that era's
>releases, both of which were Hawkwind's only top-40 singles (#3 & #39).
>And that 'Roadhawks' (all Lemmy-era except two songs from the first album)
>is the only Hawkwind compilation to chart (#33 or #34, I think), period.
>
>So I think it IS entirely safe to say that the majority (not the majority
>of boc-l, but the majority of all who have heard Hawkwind over the years
>... a much larger and therefore more "accurate" statistical sample) would
>"prefer" that era.
>
>At least I'll take the era of (nearly) three GREAT studio albums and two
>GREAT non-LP singles over the era of (for example) two double-LP's with a
>few great songs and lots of filler ...
>
>>were marked by a great band playing together not because of any one
>>individual.
>
>YES!  By referring to '72-'75 as the "Lemmy" era, I in no way meant to
>detract from the contributions made by other members during that time (or
>imply in any way shape or form that it was "Lemmy's band" or that he alone
>made Hawkwind the great band they were at that time [as opposed to the
>different great band they've been at other times] ... I'm fully willing to
>accept that the great leap in sonic advancement from 'XISoS' to 'Doremi' is
>due just as much to Simon King as to Lemmy); it's merely the most
>convenient tag, since those years correspond with his membership.
>
>And yes, I like his vocals, both lead and backing, very much.  They fit
>very well with the music from that era of Hawkwind, and let's face it,
>Hawkwind have *never* had a "technically great" singer (not even remotely
>... it's good enough that most of them [save a keyboard player or two, and
>maybe a sci-fi author] have been able to sing in-key).  I would be very
>curious to hear from someone who prefers lead vocals on "Silver Machine" as
>done by Bob, Dave, Nik, Ron, or any other Hawkwind-er who's handled them (I
>know you're out there - I just want to know WHY you think so).
>
>        -Doug
>         ceres at sirius.com
>
>Note/Disclaimer: Chart positions from M.C. Strong's 'Great Rock
>Discography', which is so utterly riddled with errors that it reaches the
>point of being extremely questionable as a reference work, so any of these
>could *very easily* be incorrect.  Sue me for not getting an independent
>verification :^).
>