HW 40th Anniversay Show

[Paul Mather]

On 25 Feb 2009, at 12:04 PM, Colin Allen wrote:

> Paul,
>
> That is a nicely nuanced commentary.  Just to clarify one point, it  
> was not Alan who instigated the taping/trading ban.  I was asked to  
> make the announcement about the ban by Kris, who was very angry  
> about the taping.

I might have been unclear in my original message regarding the taping/ 
trading ban.  I don't know whether Alan was behind it, just that he  
had been *portrayed* as the instigator.  That is why I found his  
denial in that interview interesting.  It sort of came out of the  
blue, so to speak.  Not to muddy the waters, but here is a message you  
sent to Neo-Quark, re: Bedouin, on 14th September 2002, about two or  
so months before Hawkwind announced their ban:

=====
Hi all,

I think that all of us here are interested in the survival and
success of Hawkind and the related bands. It has come to my notice
that Alan Davey is very unhappy with the recording and trading of
Bedouin concerts. I would like to think that we would respect his
views and cease audience recording and trading of Bedouin gigs.

I am not trying to be heavy but I feel that we should respect the
views of someone like Alan.

Colin
=====

How this unhappiness came to your notice you don't say, but obviously  
it means there is some pre-existing publicity for the notion that Alan  
is anti-taping/trading.  That's why I was surprised to read in that  
interview that, according to him, the Hawkwind ban didn't stem from him.

> The ban came about because, on the 2002 tour, there had been a  
> couple of instances where people were found recording shows.  In one  
> case, someone who was caught one night was caught again the  
> following night, despite promising not to do it again.

I remember at the time you passing on the ban message (and being the  
unfortunate messenger who subsequently got shot at), and clearly  
saying it was official and from Dave and Kris.  I do also have a  
recollection that, although we never seemed to get a straight answer  
as to why the ban was in effect, that a large part of the blame came  
subsequently to rest on Alan's (alleged) anti-taping/trading views.   
Certainly, this is how the authorised history came to be written, if  
this news announcement (reproduced from the Hawkwind Museum) is  
anything to go by:

=====
22.12.07 - More photos and a very special Christmas message

In case you missed it on the main index page (picture details at the  
bottom) -

Hawkwind are happy to let you know, (and we are sure that some of you  
will already have noticed :-), that since the departure of Alan Davey,  
we have been able to dispense with the computer, which was really  
Alan's domain and only used on his numbers…………. and we will also be  
able to lift the ban on trading!

Since AD’s trading embargo has been lifted, we are going to endeavour  
to release live cds or downloads of each new show, not each gig, but  
hopefully every major set-list change. Aiming for one show from each  
major set of dates, so that all of you who are unable to attend the  
actual shows will not miss out. The first of these releases will be of  
the Dec 2007 Astoria show which we will make available as soon as  
possible.

We have to be realistic and accept that many venues will not allow  
taping; we cannot overrule the individual venues.
Also trading does not mean bootlegging………but we are sure that you are  
all aware of the lines not to be crossed, just spread the word and  
keep the faith…..
[[...]]
=====

Describing the Hawkwind ban as "AD’s trading embargo" appears to lay  
the blame for it firmly at Alan's door.  That is completely at odds  
with what Alan says in that recent interview.

It's not my wish to rehash the unfortunate episode of the taping/ 
trading ban, because that was a very unpleasant affair at the time.  I  
am glad, as Hawkwind fans, it is behind us.  I was just pointing out  
that the news coming out of the "Hawkwind family," be it from the  
"official" Hawkwind (i.e., Brock) or ex-members (i.e., Turner, Davey,  
etc.) is extremely contradictory and confusing.  (Do I win the prize  
for Understatement of the Year, 2009?)  I don't know about you, but as  
for me, I take it all with a massive lorry load of salt.  Just when  
you think you've got something straight, along comes another Hawkwind  
source that completely undermines it, basically leaving you  
disbelieving it all in the end, and not knowing what to believe.

It wasn't my intention to take sides or be "nuanced."  I just found  
Alan's interview interesting because it contradicted a lot of the  
prevailing orthodoxy (including what I thought was his own).

Cheers,

Paul.

e-mail: paul at gromit.dlib.vt.edu

"Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production
  deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid."
         --- Frank Vincent Zappa