HW: Mr Beardy's Quim

[Tony Wilson]

> On Thu, Jan 17, 2002 at 03:38:15AM -0000, Richard Lockwood typed out:
> > (I'm going to get a kicking for this one...)
> >
> > After hearing so many good things about Mr Quimby's beard, I've finally
sat
> > down and downloaded some tracks. Hmm.  Splendid.  If I'd never heard
> > Hawkwind, or Alien Planetscapes, I'd think it was fantastic.
> >
> > Maybe I need to get back to smoking those funny big herbal cigarettes
> > (Something I've not done for many a year now) but to me it sounds like a
> > bunch of blokes doing a very good Hawkwind impersonation.
> >
> > Emporer's new clothes, or have I missed the point?
>
>         That was more or less the impression they gave at the Forum gig,
> but I think there's a shortage of such stuff around so I didn't really
> mind. The vocal styles are different, I don't think Hawkwind ever had a
> singer that sounded like that, but I'm yet to be sure whether or not I
> like it... (And I still haven't got any AP so don't know how that
> compares) What it lacks, to me, is the edge that HW seem to have got from
> not really knowing what it was they were doing. So it's as smooth as the
> later stuff, _Electric Tepee_ onwards, but has a feel more like _Live '79_
> in terms of togetherness and structure. Not the ideal combination then,
> but still very good. Depends whether you're searching for something new or
> you don't mind getting the same trip recycled. I had given up expecting
> new things of the British side of the genre until I happened on _Return to
> Earth_ by Starfield which is certainly getting there. (I owe Captain Black
> a review still... ) Yours,
>

Not again............
Is there some kind of competition going on that I've never been told about??
"Hawkwind VS. Every other band....."
Can't you accept that spacerock is a genre of music and not something that
belongs solely to Hawkwind, Richard ???

I know this will win me no friends but AP !!! come on, they've had a couple
of ok'ish albums and the rest of their stuff is just self indulgent dribble
with poorly played synths over the top. And if you're looking for something
new you'll not find it on the Starfield album (which btw I really like). I
don't think I've ever heard a band sound as close to HW as they do Jon.

As for Mr Quimby's Beard, have either of you heard any of their albums ??? I
can't imagine you have or you'd know that they draw from many other musical
influences as well as HW.
I'll put my neck on the line and say.... I think Mr Quimby's Beard are
currently offering more to my favourite genre of music (Spacerock) than any
other band including Hawkwind (who I've loved for many years), and that
their album "The Definitive Unsolved Mysteries Of." is the best and most
complete album I've heard since long before Electric Tepee.
When you see them live as at the forum, supporting someone like Hawkwind, it
is unfair to even try to compare the 2 acts, as, the headliner (HW) will
have all afternoon to sound check (and rehearse) the opener (MQB) will be
given (max) 20 mins if any time at all. The headliner is drawing from a
catalogue of songs which some of us grew up listening to, the opener is
playing you songs you're hearing for the first time. The headliner has 2
hours to impress, the opener 40 mins. The headliner is performing to a
stoned or drunk audience, the opener to people still arriving and sober. The
headliner has a full light show to add to the atmosphere and draw you in,
the opener has a couple of spot lights (if they are lucky). The headliner
has a truck load of  expensive equipment and back ground personnel to ensure
they sound great, the opener has so little room on stage that they are
forced to down scale and use the minimum of equipment......I could
continue.... and they still left a BIG impression on me..
Did anyone here see them Headlining in the states last year ??? If so did
they impress or depress ??? :-}
Tony Wilson