Trollheart

Good review, BE, and good to see you back again. I'll be posting mine soon.

Just wondered, have you heard their new one, "Onward"? I was mightily impressed that they're still making great albums this far down the line...

I don't have a large Hawkwind collection -- think it's "Masters of the universe", "Levitation", "Church of hawkwind" and one of those best of things, "Repeat performance". From your review here it would seem "Warriors on the edge of time" is one I should have: any others?

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Big Ears

Thanks TH. Yes, the last two albums, Onward and Blood of the Earth, are pretty good.

These are the first six albums and they are essential:
Hawkwind (1970)
In Search of Space (1971)
Doremi Fasol Latido (1972)
The Space Ritual (double live) (1973)
Hall of the Mountain Grill (1974)
Warrior on the Edge of Time (1975)

The next two albums are okay:
Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music (1976)
Quark, Strangeness and Charm (1977)

The first Hawklords' (a Hawkwind spinoff) album 25 Years On (1978) is not bad either, although I do not know what to make of their new album, We Are One. Reviewers at Amazon seem to love the album. If you get to hear it, I'd be interested in what you think.

Bob Calvert's Captain Lockheed and the Starfighters (1974) is the best album Hawkwind never made. It's fantastic. Viv Stanshall, Paul Rudolph, Dave Brock, Arthur Brown and Lemmy are all involved.

I like Sonic Attack (1981), but it is not a favourite of many Hawkwind fans. I do not know the reason, but maybe it was a bit too much like straight ahead heavy rock (as can be Dave Brock's tendency).

All the Hawkwind albums you mention are worth having. Although there are various versions, it took me a while to track down Church of Hawkwind. Another I want to get is Choose Your Masques.

Unknown Soldier

Will get my review up by tomorrow latest.

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Unknown Soldier

1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in?

The first thing that strikes me is the tightness of the album and it really makes no difference whether the tracks have vocals or are pure intrumentals here and being space rock the long instrumental sections featuring high-volume guitars and searing synthesizers all provide the backbone for much of the album, and all is highlighted by some great effects.

2. What did you think of the opening tracks?

As perfect as a space rock album should be, so without repeating the above again, I'll leave it at that.

3. What did you think of the later tracks?

All great and Lost Johnny, Goat Willow and Paradox are a great trio here.

4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate him/her? Any impressions?

Dave Brock's vocals suffice here, as space rock tends to be more about the actual music than the quality of actual singers. Lemmy provides a heavier vocal style on "Lost Johnny" which as said was later done with Motorhead and Nik Turner on "D-Rider" seems to have that Syd Barrett style. It's a shame that both Nik and Lemmy only sang one song each here.

5. Did the music (only) generally appeal to you, or not?

When I listen to Hawkwind I have to be in the mood, if not the sound just seems to fly over me. When I'm in the mood though, the heavy druggy Hawkwind vibe gets me everytime. In essence listening to Hawkwind is very much an exercise in listening to the music and then dissecting it down to its finer details, not always an easy thing to do with Hawkwind.

6. Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)?

Hawkwind albums always sound better on multiple listens.

7. What did you think of the lyrical content?

After Robert Calvert left the band, the lyrics seemed to be more straightforward and more of an emphasis on the music.

8. Did you like the instrumental parts?

The album is littered with instrumentals, either as instrumental songs on their own or as extensive instrumentals within the songs. As said by Big Ears, Simon House is probably the standout performer here, but Del Dettmar is good as well .

9. What did you think of the production?

This is a sudio album that captured the raw magic of Space Ritual.

10. How well do you already know the band/artist?

The core seventies material I'm very familiar with but anything after this period I'm quite vague with and as always is somewhere on one of my eternal music listening lists to be done.

11. What sub-genre, if any, would you assign this music to?

Space rock but could easily be classified under progressive rock.

12. On repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less?

I think this is their best studio effort overall, so I always really enjoy it.

13. What would you class as your favourite track, if you have one?

Psychedelic Warlords (Disappear in Smoke), D-Rider and Paradox.

14. And the one you liked least?

You'd Better Believe It because it's one of those tracks that seems to be very overrated and nowhere near one of the band's best songs.

15. Did the fact that this album is a debut/sophomore/middle period or later period allow it, in your mind, any leeway, and if so, was that decision justified or vindicated?

The band are at their creative peak here and they were often seen as a lesser band after Lemmy went, this is debatable but I'd sooner listen to Hawkwind over Motorhead most days of the week. Not a fair comparison I know as Motorhead put out a basic blood and guts sound and I don't know enough of Hawkwind's discography after Lemmy left.

16. Are you now looking forward to hearing other albums by the band/artist?

I always look forward listening to this band and so their unknown stuff to me does appeal yet again.

17. Did you get, thematically, the idea behind the album if there was one?

Never paid any real attention to the theme but am now aware of it after reading Big Ears' answer.

18. Did the album end well?

Solid from beginning to end.

19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved?

Possibly more vocals given to Lemmy or Nik Turner.

20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss?

The album is really an exercise in what cohesive music is all about, so the answer is a clear yes.

Overall Album Rating: 9 out of 10 One of the finest albums ever of its kind, only the Pink Fairies were putting out anything as druggy sounding as this at the time.

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Big Ears

You make some good points here, US. I would have liked to have heard a bit more singing from Lemmy or Nik Turner. Also, I always think of Pink Fairies (the band) when listening to Hawkwind.

Unknown Soldier

...and I never knew that the album was partly named after a cafe in Portobello Road.

I'm a big fan of the Pink Fairies especially the albums Neverneverland and Kings of Oblivion. I also liked the Deviants before them.

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Big Ears

City Kids on Kings of Oblivion is one of my all-time favourite tracks. Larry Wallis should have been bigger, but he was always just a cult hero. I have heard The Deviants' version of Lost Johnny and it is very different to Hawkwind's. It is all I have heard by them.

Unknown Soldier

I love most of that album but the single song that really does it for me is "I Wish I Was a Girl" I could listen to this song all day.


The Pink Fairies - I Wish I Was A Girl - YouTube

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Big Ears

I would post City Kids but apparently it is not available in my country!

Unknown Soldier

It's not on there, only a live version of the song.

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Pounding Decibels- A Hard and Heavy History