Based on a few positive responses to a post I made in the “what album by album thread would you like to see next” thread I decided to try and tackle Hawkwind. They are essentially a cult band and I doubt there is going to be lots of participation in this thread, but the band in a fun one that sucks you in and they have had a wild and interesting evolution over the years. They are also infinitely collectable and IMO the greatest spacerock band to date. This thread will not be an easy endeavor because their discography is a nightmare of crappy compilations and live dreck interspersed through their remarkably long catalog that stretches from 1970 to the present. They have been actively recording and releasing product in each decade, and though not always consistent in quality, each of the canon releases has something to recommend it. I would like to suggest that the following releases be treated as “canon” and discussed as part of this thread while acknowledging that other live releases, singles, b-sides and period rarities will need to be discussed from time to time to give this band it’s due. Please feel free to make suggestions as to what should be included as nothing is set in stone. Studio Albums 1970 Hawkwind 1971 In Search of Space 1972 Doremi Fasol Latido 1974 Hall of the Mountain Grill 1975 Warrior on the Edge of Time 1976 Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music 1977 Quark, Strangeness and Charm 1978 25 Years On 1979 PXR5 1980 Levitation 1981 Sonic Attack 1982 Church of Hawkwind 1982 Choose Your Masques 1985 The Chronicle of the Black Sword 1988 The Xenon Codex 1990 Space Bandits 1992 Electric Tepee 1993 It Is the Business of the Future to Be Dangerous 1995 White Zone 1995 Alien 4 1997 Distant Horizons 1999 In Your Area 2000 Spacebrock 2005 Take Me to Your Leader 2006 Take Me to Your Future 2010 Blood of the Earth 2012 Onward 2012 Stellar Variations Key Live Albums 1973 The Space Ritual Alive 1980 Live Seventy Nine 1986 Live Chronicles 1991 Palace Springs 1994 The Business Trip 1996 Love in Space 2008 Out of the Shadows (2002 show)
Looks like a nice list to me, though "Stellar Variations" is technically "Hawkwind Light Orchestra" a subset of the current Hawkwind.
Yeah, 71-75 is there classic period with Lemmy on bass for most of that time. They peaked early, then again and again later.
You are right, also included the Hawklords "25 Years On". But both efforts are "Hawkwind" in all but name.
I really like all of their stuff from the 1st up to and including Warrior on the Edge of Time. What is worth getting after that?
Quark, Strangeness and Charm and the Hawklords albums are great if you like Bob Calvert (which I do). Count me in on this thread! I went on a Hawkwind listening binge earlier in the summer. I could do that again easily! -------- Chris
Great idea for a thread. I love the band. I have all the CD's up and including Warrior... Plus some CD compilations. I have Space Ritual, Hall of the Mountain Grill and Quark... on vinyl. I know nothing about their later material.
Listening to the first album right now! I really like "Hurry on Sundown". The rest of the album is fun once in awhile, but it is a spaced-out jam. IIRC some of the song titles were basically appendages. Except maybe for "Be Yourself". Primitive as it is, the first album does lay the groundwork of the basic Hawkwind sound - pulsating drums, heavy riffing and lots of echo / special effects. For some reason I'm noticing the influence of early Pink Floyd here. Proper songs would come on later albums..... ------- Chris
Wow, that's intimidating. Whenever I'm looking to get into an artist I don't know well I get super intimidated when I see a catalog that extensive. I tend to put it off. I've been meaning to check them out ever since hearing Jeff The Brotherhood cover them, after seeing that list I may continue to put it off for a bit. Where might one begin? The first LP? (below is the cover btw)
I'm a big fan of Hawkwind, but I only own about five of their studio records and a few compilations. Of what I do have, I'd be happy to comment on. Great idea for a thread and I applaud you for your bravery, prognastycator!
The first album is good, but unlike what was to come after. A slower more nightmarish album book ended with the 2 poppy singles cuts. The liner notes are kind of funny. I found this quote from the liner notes to the first album: "We started out trying to freak people (trippers), now we are trying to levitate their minds, in a nice way, without acid, with ultimately a complete audio-visual thing" I have the One Way CD so I didn't get all the bonus tracks from the 1997 remasters. They did a good version of Cymbaline.
To me, Hawkwind are the greatest "rock & roll" band of all time. I think "Space Ritual" should be included with their studio albums, since it's almost all original songs. I am not really a fan of their early material, which is pretty "spacey" compared to the succinct SF storytelling of the Charisma & RCA albums. They were blessed with some of the great talents of the '70's & '80's, including lead guitarist Hugh Lloyd Langton, Ginger Baker (ex-Cream), Ian Kilmister (Motorhead), Simon House (Mike Oldfield, David Bowie) and Michael Moorcock ("The War Hound & the World's Pain" among other fantasy novels). Dave Brock & Bob Calvert were a powerful writing team. I'd recommend Quark, Strangeness & Charm and 25 Years On to any rock music or Science Fiction fan interested in visions of the future that include space travel, psychic phenomena, and robotic mayhem (and yes, they've all gone horribly wrong!). The truly mad music fan should check out Steven Wilson's new surround remix of Warrior on the Edge of Time.
on the remaster of the s/t album one of the bonus tracks is a cover of Pink Floyd's Cymbaline...and they also do a cover of a Velvet Underground song somewhere else...I have everything up through Church of Hawkwind...btw they'll be playing the U.S. in October, with Tim Blake in the band, doing Warrior on the Edge of Time with a full light show...they're playing the House of Blues in L.A. and in S.F.
The first two Robert Calvert solo records should probably be included in this list as well. Many members of Hawkwind contributed to these two records. One of them was produced by Brian Eno too.
I have Captain Lockheed and the Starfighters on tape recorded for me by a friend a long time ago and have one of his later more synth based albums Test Tube Conceived on CD.
yeah, I consider those Hawkwind albums myself...Ejection from the most awesome Captain Lockheed album is a Hawkwind song....
Has anyone picked up the 4 Men w/ Beards reissue of the s/t Hawkwind album? I have the CD with the bonus tracks but there's a certain mystique about the Hawkwind catalog on LP. Originals can command a premium. But even prices on the reissue seem kinda steep to me - is it worth it? ------ Chris
another great album, the one that turned me onto Hawkwind in Germany in 1980 is Roadhawks, a beautiful gatefold comp of the UA years, released in 1976...it features the 1st release on LP of the singles tracks Silver Machine and Urban Guerilla, as well as a live cut of You Shouldn't Do That, that was just released for the 1st time on CD as a bonus track to Space Ritual (recorded at the same shows)
I had no idea there was a new one, but I have all of them up to it. The last one I really liked was Electric Tepee, they've been very hit and miss since then.
I haven't heard anything since 1990, when I had the Xenon Codex and saw them on that tour in SF, the last time they toured the U.S. until this year...afaik they only played in the U.S. on the Space Ritual Tour w/ Man, in 1978, and in 1990...