Hawkwind Press Releases, Part 8

Hawkwind Press Releases - Part 8

These two press releases were kindly supplied by the ever-brilliant Wilfried Schuesler, and were translated (loosely) from the original German into Englische by yours truly.

Title:                     Choose Your Masques

Artist:                    Hawkwind

Catalogue Number: PL 25440

Production:             Professor Pat Moran
                             & Hawkwind for RCA
                             London

The English group Hawkwind has existed since 1969. One can classify them as Hard Rock, although strong electronic influences are unmistakable. In the course of time, musicians from bands like the Pretty Things, Gong and Amon Düül II came and went, and Ginger Baker played drums for them for some time. Motörhead are, so to speak, a Hawkwind-spinoff.

Hawkwind’s anthem is "Silver Machine". It reached Number 1 on the English charts in 1972. In the following years, re-releases of "Silver Machine" emerged again and again in the hit parades. On the new album, Hawkwind have immortalized "Silver Machine" with a new version and again it stands just outside the threshold of the English Charts. The LP, by the way the 2nd album for RCA, is listed already in the British LP Chart.

Key tracks: Silver Machine, Fahrenheit 451

The above was from 1982. The one below is a *very* early piece from United Artists Germany, dating from the first half of 1970.

It began as “Group X”, with a concert in London’s artist’s quarter, The Grove. Today – as Hawkwind – the members of this band are well on the way to becoming stars. But already the first distinction must be drawn concerning this way of life: Hawkwind are definitely not your normal pop group, for whom renown is the object, and the music is just the means to the end.

Hawkwind have developed such strong communal feeling that the only solution was for the band to form a complete partnership of like-minded musicians out of their previously permanently changing occupations. They are not actually doing this “for the revolution”, on account of the destructive, nihilistic, too obviously militant vibes that have gone down before. Hawkwind still stand for the ideals of peace, love and flowers. Anachronistic, perhaps, for who today still believes in these early hippy philosophies?

But within this context, Hawkwind are a definite rock band, more abrasive than the music of yesteryear, perhaps not sounding all that peaceful. In contrast to this the group stand as almost obstinate representatives of the Hippy ideals of the '60s generation. As a consequence, Hawkwind are determined to arrange more and more free Concerts. It’s no longer enough just to get up on stage like the Stones and sing “Street Fighting Man”...

For most of their followers, Hawkwind’s music has a deeper meaning than their expressed views on the world and future possibilities. Spaced Out Rock is the perhaps most appropriate label for this music, which forces a reaction, good or bad, from the listener. One reason is the use of electronics, as a most important stylistic element of Hawkwind, because it produces sounds that seem to go “directly into the back brain”. Hawkwind are a head-band in the best sense, you sense that they address the intellect more than the emotions, despite the possibly misguided trappings of love and peace.

Dave Brock, 6-and 12-string guitar, harmonica, percussion and the band’s songwriter, born 28 years ago in Richmond, began playing banjo and in 1957 joined the Canal Street Jazz Band. As a street musician, he travelled through Europe. With his first blues bands, he played on the albums “Blues Anytime“ and “British Blues Anthology“. After an excursion to Holland, Dave met bassist John A. Harrison at the Roundhouse; the first ideas for Hawkwind were brewed. Dave: “The group continues to progress in leaps and bounds. The saxophone has taken us in one direction, the electronics in another. We’re waiting for the next impetus to discover new ways and possibilities”.

Nik Turner, alto sax, 29, comes from Kent, and began playing the clarinet in 1960. Nik became acquainted with Dave while playing with a Dutch band - he’d become interested in 1968 after jamming with free jazz musicians in Berlin. Nik uses a wah-wah and does magic with it, producing guitar-and violin-like sounds on the saxophone. Germany’s number one underground band, Amon Düül II have greatly influenced Nik as well as the rest of Hawkwind.

Huw Lloyd Langton, guitar, 19 years old, comes from London. Huw previously played in various English blues bands and joined Hawkwind after bumping into his old acquaintance Dave. For Huw, the music lives through improvisation, to which his main contribution is the addition of his experience in blues and classical guitar music.

John A. Harrison, bass guitarist, 28, is from London. For the last 18 years of his life John has played all possible varieties of music, from dance bands to jazz: jazz musicians Jimmy Smith and Kenny Burrell had great influence on him. John has worked for some time as a session musician. He and Dave discovered a common interest in electronic music, but the band uses this interest very realistically – it is John who holds the whole unit together...

Terry Ollis, 18, of Hammersmith in London, plays percussion in Hawkwind. Just a year ago he answered Dave’s ad in Melody Maker, which is where it all began. Terry provides the drive in Hawkwind, but embroiders the music too, never staying tied to a single theme.

DikMik, 25, from Richmond, was first of all Hawkwind’s roadie and Man Friday. DikMik is an Electronics guru and thereby immediately became a fully integrated member of the band. His audio generator is fed through a stereo echo system. DikMik plays the main theme at the beginning and end of the piece and in between leaves room for rhythm and improvisation. He dreams of getting hold of a Moog and an additional mixing desk, to explore whatever further electronic possibilities he can.

Nik says: “There is horror, beauty, feeble-mindedness and ecstasy in the music. We’re expressing in our music what it’s like to take a trip.”

Here’s what the music press says about Hawkwind:

“…advanced – even in these progressive times!” (Record Mirror)

“Hawkwind fuse bass, guitar, electronic effects and percussion into big, unique, swirling soundscapes. In comparison Dave’s voice is almost sluggish, floating over this turbulence and making the entire thing a total and absorbing experience.” (Disc)