HW: Ron and Jerry

[Jonathan Jarrett]

On Fri, Dec 28, 2001 at 09:04:55AM -0000, IAN ABRAHAMS typed out:
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jonathan Jarrett" <jjarrett at CHIARK.GREENEND.ORG.UK>
> >         Um, I'm less sanguine than you are. It says that the band are
> > "waiting for them to get in touch", which doesn't to me suggest anyone's
> > tried to contact them... More worryingly, I heard, albeit from a source I
> > can't check, that Jerry was taking Brock to court over royalties
> > disagreements from _Yule Ritual_.
>
> Why spread a story that you can't authenticate?

        Possibly bad play on my part. I know what the route of the
information was to me and it seems to come from someone who ought to
know; but as I myself don't know that person I can't go checking it. I was
all-prepared to believe it but the news that Richard and Jerry are working
together on Star Nation still (does anyone know what's going on that
disk? Is it out yet? Is it just a full release of the EP stuff or is it
new material? Anyone? <http://www.star-nation.co.uk/cd2_details.html> is
full of light and hype but no actual information) causes me to doubt thia
as presumably they wouldn't be if Jerry was suing HW. Ach, whom can you
trust. Sorry to have started that hare.

> The downside of being fans rather than casual listeners is that we tend to
> want all the background stuff as well as the music..and discover our heroes
> are just like anybody else. Why are we surprised? Why is it anything at all
> to do with us? Not a single other member of Hawkwind (in my opinion) could
> have done what DB has achieved over the last 30 years.

        I'm not surprised, at all. They're people, and people with
business sense as poor as mine it seems :-) But since they demand my
loyalty and money every now and then, I occasionally wonder what keeps
them from delivering. I have by now made it entirely clear, I think, that
I personally want a new studio album by this line-up and want to know why
it's not happening. It's not actually any of my business what they're
doing but since it seems they want to be seen as worthwhile musicians
whose views are acceptable and who engage with the fanbase, and not just
faceless professionals, I get more involved than I might do. In terms of
ethics or whatever I have my own views as to what's going on and who has
the right of it. In terms of what the band can tell, that is, income, I go
to all the concerts I can reach by both HW and XHW/ICU, and I buy what I
can afford from both camps with decidedly less discrimination than I use
with other bands and spin-offs. That's my loyalty. That, I think, gives me
the right to comment on what they do and produce, although not to be
listened to or accommodated, I stress!

        And my current comment is that Dave Brock's strategy often seems
to be seen by other members as a bit iron-handed (fair?) Which is fine
when he has the ideas but at the moment I think allowing the other
crew-members a piece or two more of the decision-making and especially
song-writing and recording actions would see more and better Hawkwind
product sooner. I also think Nik should stop using the Hawkwind moniker at
all if he can possibly can (I recognise that no promoter who wants to make
money will put up with this if they're putting him on though), and I think
Brock and co. should if they're going to take anyone to court (no idea if
they are or not but the XXX-gestalt always seems keen to gather
infringement examples) take the promoters or OZ-It, not Nik. It all seems
to distract from the main business too much. If they put that much energy
into new music and finding a competent manager...

        I may be utterly wrong about all this. But they want me to be
interested and dammit I am. But not uncritical because after all they told
me "Don't be a sheep" and I assume they meant even if they were the
shepherds, right? Right?

        And the fact that they can't get EBS going again, even if it's
just by signing Brock's portion over to Alan or Richard for an ongoing
consideration, really really fails to impress me as from all (little) I
know about it there are only personal reasons for this which could and
should be overcome.

> Isn't it funny? Most X-Hawkwind want to slag the guy off. And most
> X-Hawkwind members would rejoin tomorrow if asked....

        It all comes down to money usually though doesn't it. Nik's the
only one who seems to have an ideological beef with Dave, but both he and
Dave seem to be quite ready to hit each other in the purses in pursuit of
it which I think is very sad.

> >         "Did you know, I'm actually taking out five law-suits at the
> > moment? It's really good fun, actually, it's become my hobby... "
>
> A Calvert quote I think.

        From _At the Queen Elisabeth Hall_, indeed, you win a cookie.

        Hopefully I've not offended anyone by going off on one here. I
just wanted it to be understood on what basis I criticise and what my
preconceptions are. And to apologise for passing on unchecked
information; will be more careful with that source next time. Yours,
                                                                     Jon
Jarrett

ObCD: Black Label Society - _Sonic Brew_
--
        Jonathan Jarrett                Birkbeck College, London
                 jjarrett at chiark.greenend.org.uk
        --------------------------------------------------------
  "The large print giveth and the small print taketh away." (Tom Waits)