HW: The key components

[dave hall]

All this discussion of who did what, for how long, and how much, in Hawkwind reminded me of when I recruited some new converts in the late seventies with the hook "you'll like them: imagine the first Motorhead LP (Motorhead) and Phaedra by Tangerine Dream played at the same time". Which more or less, for me anyway, sums up Doremi and Space Ritual: the threesome of Brock/King/Lemmy basically is the band - the rest being add-ons(good though they may be). With this in mind I've cast me critical eye over Hawk-history.
 
Hawkwind - Hawkwind
I love this one - completely unlike anything they recorded later. Obviously Hurry on Sundown and Mirror of Illusion are the more structured (Brock) compositions the rest being looser. The solo on Mirror is it Huw or Dick Taylor? I note on the re-master the compositions are now credited Brock-Hawkwind. 
 
In Search of Space
This one seems a real group affair. Dave A drives it along nicely on bass (hi Doug P!!). Can't really fault this at all although Terry's drumming isn't strong enough. Dave B, Nik, Del, and DikMik all are credited as either having a go at audio generator or synth. One of them could have done it easily (Dave certainly did later). I love all the bubbling synths - so much I went out and bought one. However, in saying that (and I'm now about to duck for cover here) Del and Dikmik weren't actually that good - tune into what Tim Blake was doing with Gong in 72 onwards and you'll hear the difference.
 
Doremi/Space Ritual/Silver Machine
Ah ha - the thruster motors engage. In come Lemmy and Simon King. The core unit of the band: Brock/King/Lemmy (you can hear an embryonic Motorhead here). Bob adds some tunes/inspiration as does Nik - both are certainly catalysts. Nik's instrumental input dropping away here - especially in SR where it just become background noise. Del and Dikmik - again I love the synths, but, well anyone could do it.
 
Urban Guerilla/Capt Lockheed
Bob at the forefront on UG and CL should be considered a HW LP - what would things have ben like if Bob had stayed on board.
 
Hall Of The Mountain Grill/Warrior on the Edge Of Time
The arrival of Simon House!!! This line-up shockingly under-recorded. Half of HotMG is studio - incidently where is the rest of the gig that You'd Better Believe It etc. were recorded at - release it now! Both LPs stunning but, for me, HotMG is the better one, Nik Turner delivers a belter: D-Rider. Superb. Nik again on form on Warrior and I prefer him doing the poetry then MM. Real solid band efforts these with the classic nucleus:Brock/Turner/King/Lemmy/House. Is Opa-Loka a deliberate lift from Neu's Hallo Gallo
 
OWN GOAL #1 Lemmy gets the boot
 
ASAM
Gets better with age this. Doesn't feel like a band though more like a collection of individual concepts.
Nik gets the bullet - but goes on to release Xitintoday. Pretty essential, produced by and played on by Steve Hillage and featuring Tim Blake. I spent a long time growing my hair, wearing woolly hats, and playing guitar - so the whole thing s pretty spiffing.
 
Quark/PXR5
Ah ha #2. Side 1 of Quark is probably the best bit of studio Hawkwind; side 2 pretty perky too!
Brock/Calvert/King/House/Shaw
Ade Shaw - I spent a long time in the eighties wishing he'd rejoin.
Where is the rest of the show that the live material on PXR5 was culled from. Get that released! Who needs Glastonbury 90 if this is in the vaults!!
 
Hawklords
I realy like this one - for me though it has never sounded like Hawkwind. A damn fine side project.
 
Live 79/Levitation
Own Goal#2 Simon King leaves or booted out. Drum the stool is not adequately filled until the arrival of Richard Chadwick.
Huw is on scorching form. Harvey is adequate but not inspiring. Tim Blake superb.
 
Sonic Attack/Masques/Church
Some flashes of brilliance: Angels of Death etc. The studio material is just a shadow of the live performance!!
 
Note: a whole lot of bands/artists who were fantastic in the seventies seemed to hit a fallow period in the early eightis.
 
Rumours persist of the return of Bob,Nik etc. Lemmy and Dave patch it up. A pity that the execution does not meet the expectation.
 
Flicknife release things by the bucketload - there are few pearls here.
 
Nik rejoins but the fabled Earth Ritual only half materialises.
 
Black Sword/Chronicles
Alan Davey arrives. I've got mixed feelings - he's so influenced by Lemmy there was a danger of the band turning into a Lemmy-era Hawkwind tribute band. He can be a great player - but please please be yourself!!Not Lemmy. The stand-out performance from this period is Huw.
 
Huw, Harvey gradually move on - the studio ouput drops in quality towards the end of the eighties.
 
Simon rejoins but tragically barely makes it onto recorded work.
 
The nineties sees the Brock/Davey/Chadwick nucleus...with occasional add-ons (the less said.....)
 
Electric Tepee is a stand-out release. Brilliant.
 
Ron Tree arrives ah ha #3 the Alien LP, tour. live lp, awesome return to form.
 
Own goal #3
Distant Horizons ....why? 
In your area...why?
 

And now it's 2001. There's a tour, there's a line-up (what a line-up)...can Dave get it into the studio to produce the goods?
 
I think that this probably the best line-up with the best potential that the band have ever had - don't blow it!
 
Dave