Summer 1969. The ‘Swinging Sixties’ were about to give way to the ‘Sensational Seventies’, while music and the arts flourished in an explosion of creativity and new ideas. It was an exciting time, bursting with innovation. Musical styles, in particular, were in a constant state of transition, partly due to the trend for the use of LSD and partly down to the rapidly widening field of electronic experimentation. The former expanded the musician’s imagination, while the latter enabled them to put it into practice. A cultural revolution was in full swing and new sounds were on the way!
In that glorious setting, a bunch of hippies playing under the name of Group X, took to the
Hurry On Sundown and Sweet Mistress of Pain (then called Kiss Of The Velvet Whip), both penned by Dave Brock, are two of the tracks from that demo and bridge the gap between Brock’s days as a busker and member of blues bands to the days of being the prime mover of an imaginative and experimental psychedelic space rock band.
The tape for these two tracks languished in Dave Brock’s archive for many years, till he came across it one day and wondered if Hawkwind fans would be interested in hearing it. Would they? Too right they would! Enjoy them. Two priceless Hawkwind songs which played a vital part in getting the band off the ground.
Hawkwind: We Do It
While early Hawkwind did play some 'real' songs, they were renowned for their long instrumental pieces, with powerful, driving rhythms, along the lines of much of the German rock of that which Dave Brock, at least, was a fan - he wrote the sleeve notes for the first Neu! album. Words were merely chants which served to intensify and dramatize the rhythm. Even lead instruments such as guitar and saxophone were mixed low enough so that they served to embellish the rhythm rather than dominate it. Within this framework, the use of bleeps, burps and whooshes from the synthesizer seemed quite natural and complemented the sound. At concerts, this was performed to the accompaniment of flashing strobe lights, swirling lightshows and, sometimes, dancers. We Do It is a classic example of a ‘live' cut from that early Hawkwind period. Tribal Music indeed!
Earth Calling
Another Hawkwind tradition lies with the use of poetry and short pieces of oration to further dramatise the music about to follow. It is hard to imagine the likes of Led Zeppelin or Rainbow doing such a thing, yet, such is the sense of drama and mystique with Hawkwind that when they do it, it seems quite natural to lead up to a song or show in that manner. Earth Calling performed such a role, guiding the audience into the epic journey of 1972/3, The Space Ritual
Kings Of Speed
Much as Hawkwind have always enjoyed offering us a feast of electronic psychedelia over the years, the band has ever liked to also supply a rich diet of 'heads down and boogie' rock. With Kings Of Speed, offered here as an instrumental, instead of with the Michael Moorcock lyrics, Brock and co. show why they have always been able to please the headbangers occupying the floor near the stage. It's not just rock, it's fun!
Motorhead
The song Motorhead is, of course, strongly associated with its writer, Lemmy. It was released on the flipside of Lemmy’s last single with Hawkwind (Kings Of Speed) and he took the song with him when he formed his new band, Motorhead. The previous track is unusual in that it is a lyriced song performed as an instrumental and this track too is unusual. Oh, it has vocals all right, but it has ever been the case with Hawkwind that the person who writes the words is, with rare exceptions, the one to sing it on record…well, unless, of course, the, writer is one of the many who has since left the band! However, in this particular rendition of Motorhead, although Lemmy plays on it (who could miss that bass sound?), it is Dave Brock whose voice you hear.
Spirit Of The Age / Robot
The ever-changing line-ups of Hawkwind have led to different writers and collaborations providing the songs. Of these, the most successful has been the partnership of the poet Robert Calvert penning words for Dave Brock to put to music. Robert’s easy command of words, vivid imagination and often offbeat point of view gave him the ability to write more lengthy, interesting songs. Sometimes, it was simply his fine poetry which lent itself so easily to the music of Dave Brock and, therefore, Hawkwind. This is the case with Spirit Of The Age, which is in fact the combination of two of Robert's poems, Starfarer's Despatch and Spirit Of The Age. These two give us a song which is destined to always be a Hawkwind favorite. In fact, twenty years after it was first recorded, this song was voted third most favorite of all Hawkwind songs in a Hawkwind magazine poll.
One of many common bonds between Brock and Calvert was their shared love of Science Fiction, the subject motivating Hawkwind's brand of space rock. Robert Calvert was (and Dave Brock still is) inspired by the books they read, which is why so many Hawkwind tracks relate to the works of Moorcock, Zelazny, Asimov, Ballard, Hesse, Farmer and so on. The song Robot drew on the Robot stories by Isaac Asimov, in which the fundamental rules for controlling all 'intelligent' robotic forms were laid out. Asimov's robots were virtually human control. With a few well-chosen words and phrases, Calvert depicts the scene, while Hawkwind's solid, punchy rhythm sets the mood.
Sonic Assassins: Over The Top / Free Fall / Death Trap / Golden Void
One would think that the constant personnel changes within Hawkwind, continually adding new dimensions to the music, would give Dave Brock all the variety he needed. Yet in 1977, he and Robert Calvert got together with Harvey Bainbridge, Martin Griffin and Paul Hayles of the band Arc, to form the Sonic Assassins. The plan was to play 'local' gigs in the west of England when Hawkwind were not touring or recording.
The Sonic Assassins arranged to play at the Queens Hall, Barnstaple, just before Christmas in 1977, the headlining act to a festival day with something to offer for all the family. At this gig, Robert Calvert demonstrated his ability to weather the storms of whatever surprises were thrown at him on stage.
Shortly before the great event, Robert decided he didn't want to do it. Then, at the last minute, he changed his mind and returned to the fold, where he was welcomed back, but not informed that changes had been made to the playlist! You can hear the result on Over The Top. Calvert was expecting the band to launch into Master Of The Universe, but they just kept on playing music unfamiliar to him and ignoring his remarks that they should get on with the proper set. When he realized that he had been left out on a limb, he simply ad-libbed, incorporating the words to The Awakening and Over The Top and we are fortunate enough to be able to hear the result.
It had been planned to release an album of the Sonic Assassins set, but this never came to pass and only four Sonic Assassins tracks have been made available. Make the most of them.
Hawklords: Valium Ten / Time Of
When Hawkwind folded for a while in the spring of 1978, the Sonic Assassins, with Steve Swindells taking the place of Paul Hayles, came to the fore. Under the name Hawklords, they recorded an album and toured the UK in the Autumn of 1978. As with Hawkwind, the line-up was prone to changes and by 1979, when these two tracks were recorded, Mick Smith had taken the place of Martin Griffin on the drum stool and Robert Calvert had 1eft to pursue a solo career.
No longer writing music to suit the lengthy lyrics of Robert Calvert, Dave Brock quickly indulged himself in the luxury of the pulsating rhythms and chants which were a feature of early Hawkwind. The Harvey Bainbridge influence encouraged the words to relate to insights into the world around us, rather than looking into space. Valium Ten takes that route and one can't help but feel that Brock would have been happy to keep it up for hours. Time Of... is an example of the Hawklords (and, equally, Hawkwind) jamming in the studio for fun and to see what comes out. The band having a good time.
A handful of other new songs were recorded, but there was a strong cry for the return of Hawkwind and so the Sonic Assassins/Hawklords were set aside, though not before Dave Brock lured Harvey Bainbridge into the ranks of Hawkwind.
Hawkwind: The Earth Ritual Preview EP (Night Of The Hawks / Green Finned Demon / Dream Dancers / Dragons & Fables)
This EP, recorded late in 1983, was issued to coincide with the Earth Ritual tour in the Spring of 1984. The four tracks showed different sides of Hawkwind music, with the principal track, Night Of The Hawks, stealing the show with its fast pace and rousing chorus. You could picture the band standing in the middle of Stonehenge, playing this song while lightning flashed from rolling, black thunderclouds above, the wind howled and thunder echoed to the rhythm of the music. A great Hawkwind headlining the Stonehenge free festival, an event which was banned by law from 1985 onwards.
The song is special for another reason too. Ex-members of Hawkwind often turn up to join the band at the odd gig and sometimes in the studio. On this occasion, the great Lemmy was around and not only do you hear his mighty Rickenbacker, but on Night Of The Hawks you also hear his gravelly voice. A Night Of The Hawks indeed!!
The Interview With Dave Brock
A rare and interesting ending to this CD set. Dave Brock tends to speak his mind, so be prepared for anything. This has only been previously available as a bonus disc in The Official Picture Log Book box set of albums, issued in the UK in 1987 as a limited edition and now as scarce as hen’s teeth.
Hardly a conventional way to round off a CD set, but then, when have Hawkwind ever bowed to the norm?
Enjoy!!
Brian Tawn
Hawkwind Feedback
August 1998
In the original programme, the text was interspersed with song lyrics, including some (Psychedelic Warlords and Infinity) which would not be released until years later. Since the lyrics are widely known and are anyway to be found elsewhere on this site, I have not included them below. However, I have left the song titles in places to show where they were to be found amid the narrative.
Contemporary press articles mention that for the Space Ritual tour, each member of the audience was given a free programme "so they can understand what's going on." The following text does not exactly tie in with the claimed theme of the Space Ritual (the dreams of seven starfarers in cold sleep) but this is Hawkwind - do not panic!.
Instellation 15 - Sonic Attack
Silence. Darkness... Voices one by one building to incoherent chant.
Earth Calling
Wearily, Nik Turner, captain of the Galactic Union space ship Hawkwind, fighter for the Holy Imperium army, champion to Her Most Illustrious Majesty Queen of Thorasin, flicked off the switch and ran a hand over his face. Fiery acid vision blinded his eyesight. The scream of wounded horses and the smell of burning machinery rang in his mind. Sonic starbursts, rainbow chords and arched curving sound flared in his ears. Outside cool and dark space stared back unblinkingly through the plexiglass.
"Pulsars negative. Trip circuit function." clattered a hypnopod at his side. Purple light from the dials washed over his face and as he readjusted the coordinates, his consciousness soared into channels of fire. He thought of the six musical orb sensors resting in their piles in the hold below, each humming slightly from their pumatic influx drivers. Six gleaming towers of chromium, custom built by the master craftsmen of Xenon. Smooth. Efficient. Waiting. He thought of the charter. And his mind flashed to the words engraved on the crystal... We the representatives of the Galactic Union, with the authority delegated to us by our Great Mother and in accordance with the Brotherhood of Men send greetings to the leaders of planet Terra...with the growing certainty that your ambitions are causing an imbalance to the Galaxy, are not in accord with the great flow and are therefore, no longer tenable... suspend immediately all traffic in arms... the break down of complex defence systems... please show our emissaries unrestricted powers of investigation...
Lord of Light
Was it really ten light years since they had blasted off from the sacred lake at Abydos? Ten long years of dreary flight routine. Peace ambassador? As the Queens champion he'd had to obey the cnichts code and accept the commission. Missionary work to a race of superstitious natives. This quest was not to his liking. He was a man of action. Years of battling in the Queen's army had toughened and made him lean. He stroked his plaited beard and felt a surge of energy flow shudderingly through him.
“Nik - NIK!" a voice came hazily through his mental fog. A red light was strobing in front of him. He stared uncomprehendingly at the light. as it became larger and turned into a bleeding heart and then slowly melted and dissolved into a stage, perfectly smooth, stretching away in all directions to infinity. He saw rows of gleaming expectant faces and the musical orbs. Strangely familiar red lights blinked over them. He put his hand out toward the light and to his amazement found a flute in it.
Down Through The Night
"Nik - for fuck's sake man - are you spaced or something? Get out of the way."
A hand appeared and stabbed at the emergency button. The ship veered sharply, gyros hissing as they stabilized the floor level.
"Another meteor storm methinks, eh Cousin DikMik?"
"How boring Milord Lemmy, now let’s see - three degrees east, I fancy."
The ship accelerated, mighty engines burning fuel at a thousand metons a minim. Gravipull sucked them back, their ears popping, but then the warning light blinked off and was replaced by the green fail safe.
'"And now a six degree bank. There!"
The retrorockets screamed and hundreds of miles flashed past in a ten minim burst.
"Yet another success, Sirrah!”'
“Touché milord"
The two cavaliers, both fashionably dressed in the latest Thorasin style, threw their arms around each other’s shoulders. DikMik waved an elegant hand and danced a mock quadrille in the baroque style favoured in the royal courts. Lemmy yawned and popped a blue peppermint pill into his mouth from out of a tiny engraved casket.
"Pray Milord Dik and Milord Mik: but if you must dance the harbuck then please do it with some decorum."
"Avaunt thee noble Lord Lem but I think the honourable Nik here owes us all an apology."
Nik looked at them. These men he trusted. So many a battle they had fought side by side - or was it played side by side... The others stared curiously at him, Lemmy, Lord of Darkness, neat but intimidating in his elegant black armour. A black cloak bearing the clenched talons of the royal hawk was thrown carelessly over one shoulder. An eloquent speaker who could talk for hours. A dabbler in sorcery who knew the elixir of eternal youth. Seemingly weak, yet the broad sword champion of Saturnus. DikMik, heavily loaded with metal ornaments, gay coloured feathers and beautifully wrought leather trappings ingeniously set with precious stones. From his shoulders hung a short cape of white fur, lined with brilliant scarlet silk.
"I’m sorry DikMik," he mumbled and focused his mind on the Bhoodan training chant.
The Black Corridor
Space Is Deep
He looked around the council chamber trying to recognize anything which could earth his racing thoughts. It was a spacious, circular cabin having that dull blue sheen peculiar to boroniurn metal. In the centre, fountains watered the necessary oxygen-producing jungle plants. He noted with pride the latest Ganter series of computer banks which lined the perimeter and provided a steady background noise with their busy clicking. Overhead their standards hung with the Union’s banner correctly placed in the centre. Exotic soft furnishings and rugs from Aruscansus draped over the grilled floor and the massive anthroguns, completing the stark decor. A disturbing thought flashed onto his consciousness. Again those images. Was it all remembered, or in the future, or even was it now and he really wasn't sitting there at all? Dim visions smoked his brain. Pictures of people standing and screaming and a band playing loud shrieking metal music. Heavy electronic drum throbs filling his head. Was this reality, or was this more suspended animation dreams or was it hallucination? He stared at a fountain and watched the water fragment into a million faceted diamonds. Abruptly he snapped the intercom. "Give me Simon, can you."
A tinny voice replied "Sire - he's in the wenching room - "
"I don't care where the fuck he is. Get him up here – quick!"
He swivelled round on the plastimould chair and looked across at his fellow ambassador. Baron Brock lay flat on his back, comfortably lounging on a pile of cushions. He strummed a melody on his new Zenith basinett, humming the words to himself.
Orgone Accumulator
But his thoughts were far away with his woman and family on their ventec farm. An image of a smiling face came to his mind with the last rays of the Divonium sun reflecting off the long hair.
"Thinking of home again, Dave?”
"Yes and I’ll be right pleased when this mishugomy is done with."
The two friends smiled at each other and in a glance Nik took in his fellow lord of light. The fresh face and the well muscled body. The long hair flowing over armour of grotesquely writhing entwined dragons. The dents in the intricate metal work which told of many a campaign. A clash of arms and a gong announced the arrival of another lord. The guards snapped into the double handed hawk salute. Count Simon leRoi was tall, rangy and had the bowed legs typical of a Rohrusse plains rider. At his side loped two massive Boorhounds, spiked collars fitting tightly round their necks. He flung himself into the nearest chair then bounded up and made towards Nik. The dogs got up and padded over with him.
"Look man, what's this all about? A guy’s got to have some relaxation on this crate, and…”
“I'm sorry Simon, but we're nearing our destination and it's time we got a few things sussed out."
"Well OK but let me know a little earlier next time." He grinned. "Those Kapok femchiks can get a little wild if you leave them for too long you know."
"And then they'll bite you to pieces, eh Simon," said a voice. Del the dwarf had entered noiselessly and stood looking at the five lords.
"You called for me?" he continued without waiting for a reply and bowing his head in their general direction. Del, a man of few words but fiery actions. Leader of the hammer-throwing dwarfs. Small, broad of shoulder, narrow of hip and wearing the characteristic double forked beard of his tribe. His hair had grown thin on top from long wearing of his two-horned war helmet. He stood there now looking at them with an impatient frown. Absentmindedly he tossed his huge hammer from his thong and spun it several times before catching it and throwing it up again.
Brainstorm
"Yes gentlemen. We are swinging in on our final run for Terra. We shall arrive in about eight hours time. But before we prepare ourselves I have something important to tell you. Very important. You remember the feast of Baccho after the battle of Mu?” Grins of pleasant memories creased their faces. "That night, the priests of Ilbrahim imprinted on my mind some information that was to be triggered as we approached the end of our travels. Well, that time has come. You are all familiar with the saga of Doremi Fasol Latido. Of how the Hawklords left their planet, after a losing fight but swearing one day to return and rid that planet of evil. Of their final arrival at Thorasin. Of how they put their swords and men as the disposal of the Great Mother. Of how these lords became great champions for the Galactic Union and led many a crusade...”
"Yes yes, just drop the history bit and get on with it."
"So gentlemen, if I can continue - without interruptions," and Nik glared at Simon, "our collective amnesia has been lifted. You see, we are here to fulfill many prophecies and settle many scores. We are from this planet and we are coming home. In short, we are those same Hawklords."
In the stunned silence only the swish of the air-conditioning could be heard.
Ten Seconds of Forever
Seven By Seven
The chronometers said it was evening. Green lights flicked on, automatically dimming the main lighting. The newspeak crackled over the loud speakers - "This is the Galactic Union broadcasting on all astrophonic metawaves.” Over a soothing background choir of femchiks a honeyed voice droned. “Increased fighting on the hydroplanet Xeseus continues. Fresh squads of hydras have been called in. Beep Beep. Appeals against the law courts. A record six thousand hovermobiles damaged by unworthies so far this segment. Beep Beep. Kraken woman has 36 children, father says…”
"Turn that thing off for fuck’s sake"
The lords were gathered round a glowing visor globe. The light giving their faces a conspiratorial glare.
"That’s their moon or rather, our moon over there” said Brock.
"And that's Terra. By cepheid just look at that mother."
"So that's Terra. Oohwee, look out wenchlings, here come the Hawklords."
Nik smashed a fist against the barrel of an anthrogun.
"No! How many… Listen! The Hawklords are known in a thousand galaxies - sonic assassins, psychedelic warlords, dragon commandos - all these things they call us, and fear us. No, here we show restraint. Would you cross the Great Mother. Bring peace with honour, she said."
"Honour my arse, give me a good wenchling and some cocaine" snorted Lemmy and turned to his basso.
A figure crept in from the shadows.
"Milord, time is getting short and the priests wish to start the landing ritual."
DikMik turned pill-bleary eyes to the priest and swayed slightly.
"Listen godman, we don't need your interference with this sort of job."
"But I protest milord, we must show the proper observances – "
"You talk false preacher" and he stepped a pace forward, his hand going to his sword. "Get down with the ladies - I didn't get these scars by wailing to my gods when things got difficult."
"Gently DikMik" said Nik, "please show the priests in."
Time We Left
A retinue entered the chamber. Two roboscribes came first swinging incense holders followed by six pages dressed in the Imperium livery and bearing the lords’ banners. Next came seven priests and seven witches in the middle of whom walked a tall thin woman of proud hearing with a painted silver face of the prime sorceress caste. Sparkles of light flashed in her waist long hair. Flowing filmy white material billowing around her as she walked on with head held erect and eyes staring at a point beyond space. Two drummers playing a slow measured beat followed her. Some lieutenants completed the procession and stopped nervously, clustering around the air lock. The priests and witches formed two half circles facing each other.
The pages stopped at the centre fountain and the sorceress stepped in front of them. The drums stopped beating.
Infinity
An aura of stillness came into the chamber and the lords knelt in front of her. She breathed deeply sending a convulsive shiver through her body. Abruptly her eyes opened and flashed at the scene, as if it was the first time she was aware of her surroundings. She raised her arms to the metal grill ceiling, her eyes fluttering, her pale skin growing even more pallid from the dimmed lights.
"Hail to thee most noble Great Mother" she began in a low wail "we raise our standard to your crescent face."
"So it is spoken, so it is done," murmured the force.
"We make union with the spheres, we bring the message."
"So it is spoken, so it is done."
Thirty six minutes to touch down rattled a roboscribe.
Her body stiffened, "I am the great mother. I traverse millions of years. I am she whose being has been reborn in her eye. I shall not die. I shall prevail. In the name of Crom. In the light of darkness. I call upon the sounds of the spheres to enter these sons of freedom and grant success to their holy grail. Come most excellent Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Ti Do, come from your glittering palaces of sound. Enter in. Activate the orbs. Fill the bodies of the lords Captain Nik, Baron Brock, Lord Lemmy, Count Simon, Sir Del and Sir DikMik with your radiant light."
With a clash of arms the company raised their swords, leather bucklers and bronze cujons flashing in the glare. The ritual was at an end and the chamber became immediately changed to a war ship.
Psychedelic Warlords
Coordinates centering at red delta two plus seven.
The witches hurriedly led off the sorceress. With the ease of a band that had made many such landings, the men went efficiently to their tasks. All was quiet in the chamber except for the monotonous printout of the robo screen, “Astrological conditions favourable. Terran data system functioning.”
The planet jerking and jumping in the visor globe began to show brown and green with an occasional flash of blue. Nik adjusted his silver spurs and loosened the thongs of his sword. The drug fire engulfed him again. Images merged into each other. Faces with landscapes. Bodies with stars. Wailing guitar, electronic rainbows spraying over the audience. "Ley lines observed and show information accurate. Twelve minutes to landing. Lasgun primed and ready." Rippling flute notes curving in arcs into a circus of sound. A man coughed and grim anxious faces glanced quickly at each other. The great desert plains of Egypt started to loom up on the visors. “Four minutes to landing and counting. External heat building up.” Echo shouts. “Zantor squad report position secure. Retrorockets burning. Altitude decrease normal.” A great pyramid appeared, wobbled, focused and spun slowly into position. “Landing as marked. Cut down steady.” Climax after surging sound climax built to an all-powerful crescendo. The lords braced themselves against the coming impact. A last thought, “will these people accept us... or must there be another bloody crusade…” Touch down. The rocket roar cut off. The music stopped, or did it begin...
The Watcher
They recorded just four albums for the label— including one as Hawklords — between 1976 and 1979, but during that period produced some of their strongest music and most imaginative lyrics.
Here, at a jam session lasting just a few minutes at the All Saints Hall was a band comprising Dave Brock, Nik Turner and Mick Slattery (of Brock’s Famous Cure band), plus Terry Ollis, John Harrison and DikMik performing under the name of Group X. This was the first Hawkwind lineup — known initially as Hawkwind Zoo — and in 1969 they signed to United Artists records.
Hawkwind had apparently been one of Nik Turner’s numerous nicknames. The band became well known for their experiments with sound, light and drugs and their following soon grew to legendary status after a 1970 appearance at the Isle Of Wight festival. Their early music and lifestyle truly embodied the “underground” spirit of the time and many people were stunned when they broke through into the singles chart with ‘Silver Machine’ in 1972, which got to the number three position.
They recorded six albums for U.A. and made "live" contributions to album sets like ‘Greasy Truckers Party’ and ‘Glastonbury Fayre’. Their lineup had changed drastically, so by the time they split from U.A. in 1976 just Brock and Turner remained of the original band. Former members had included bassist Lemmy, who went on to form Motorhead, and the “larger-than-life” lady dancer Stacia, who went off to get married.
Hawkwind arrived at Charisma in the summer of 1976 with a lineup of Brock — guitar and vocal; Turner — sax and vocals; Bob Calvert — poet and vocalist: Simon King — drums; Simon House — keyboards; Paul Rudolph — bass; and Alan Powell — drums.
The first release for the label was the single ‘Kerb Crawler’ (CB 289), in July 1976, closely followed by the album 'Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music' (CDS 4004), including the menacing 'Steppenwolf' track. In 1977 came a new single ‘Back On The Streets’ which predated a further change of lineup. Nik Turner departed and set up Sphynx, whose ‘Xitintoday’ LP (CDS 4011), was released by Charisma in June 1978. Rudolph and Powell were getting a bit funky for the likes of Brock and Calvert, so they were shown the door and formed a short-lived outfit called Kicks. Adrian Shaw, bass and vocals, was drafted in for a new slimline band. Shaw was from a band called Magic Muscle, from Bristol, who had supported Hawkwind on tour.
The new five-piece recorded the great ‘Quark, Strangeness and Charm’ album (CDS4008), released in June 1977 and reaching number 30 on the album chart. A single version of ‘Quark’ (CK 305), was released in July '77 and is the version that appears on this album. Their autumn tour was named after another popular track of the LP, ‘Spirit Of The Age’.
Early in 1978 they recorded the ‘PXR5’ album (CDS 4016), which was not released until May 1979 as the band split up shortly after it was recorded. Simon House left to join David Bowie's band and they recruited Paul Hayles to play keyboards for a US tour. Because of legal complications and a Calvert concept the band dropped the name Hawkwind and appeared next as Hawklords. Hawklords comprised: Brock and Calvert; Martin Griffin (drums), Harvey Bainbridge (bass) and Steve Swindells (keyboards). Simon King left the band but was to later return to their ranks.
The 'Hawklords' album (CDS 4014), was released in October 1978 and reached 38. A single version of 'Psi Power' (CB 363), was released in October '78, while a 12" metallic grey version of '25 Years' (CB 332 12), appeared in May 1979.
Bob Calvert left for solo ventures and Hawkwind became a four-piece for a while. With the release of 'PXR5' in May 1979 (which made it to number 42), Hawkwind left Charisma and a new Hawkwind took to the road in September.
For the new fans this album is intended as a useful introduction to an exciting period in the band's development. To the established fan it serves as a timely reminder as to the band's excellence. Long may they fly.
- David Brown
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