Hawkwind At Concorde 2, Brighton On Thurs 12th Dec
Published 5th Dec 2002 by Alison@c2

Thursday 12th Dec Hawkwind. The return of the 'mind blowing? psychedelic lords ! Both Arthur Brown and Tim Blake (Gong) will be joining Hawkwind for their 2002 winter tour. With lighting by Chaos Illuminations, expect a psychedelic rock show with a few surprises. 7.30pm. ?14.


The band was formed in 1969 as ?Hawkwind Zoo? by Dave Brock and although it has been subject to numerous line-up changes through the years it is still led by him.

In 1970, the band appeared at the Isle of Wight Festival where Jimi Hendrix was spotted in the audience. In the same year they played at the Glastonbury Rock Festival. These activities helped establish them as the people?s band, as well as becoming identified with creating a brand new genre as a ?space-rock? underground band. In 1970, the band?s first single, ?Hurry on Sundown?, was released. The debut album, the self titled ?HAWKWIND?, which was released on the major label EMI, soon followed, and even to this day it still sells steadily.

By 1972, the band was already very well known around the gig circuit. They played at the famous Chalk Farm Roundhouse in London. The recording of this event is still a highly prized item among record collectors today, and it was at this gig that their trademark single ?Silver Machine? was recorded. The single, which featured Lemmy (now of ?MOTORHEAD?) on vocals, brought the band to the attention of the general public after it reached number two in the UK charts.

The success of ?Silver Machine? financed their famous ?mind blowing? themed tour, entitled ?Space Ritual?.

This show set the precedent for all future Hawkwind shows. The band?s wealth of creative talent, including contributions from the likes of sci-fi author Michael Moorcock, poet and visionary Bob Calvert, designer ?Barney Bubbles?and lighting engineer ?Liquid Len? created the world?s first truly multimedia touring roadshow. The barrage of light, sound, dance and theatrics has since become a hallmark of all subsequent Hawkwind shows, making each gig a unique and spectacular event, rather than ?another standard rock concert?.

Following the ?Space Ritual? UK tour, the band went on to continue the tour in the USA coinciding with the release of their acclaimed third album; ?DOREMI FASOL LATIDO?, and then the live recording, ?SPACE RITUAL ALIVE?.

In 1973, Simon House (electric violin) joined the band, and throughout the 70?s, 80?s and 90?s, the World famous science fiction author Michael Moorcock often wrote lyrics for the band as well as recording and appearing with them. After a drugs bust in USA in 1975, Lemmy left the band and went on to form ?MOTORHEAD?.

Throughout the 70?s Hawkwind released a series of classic albums;

IN SEARCH OF SPACE
DOREMI FASOL LATIDO
SPACE RITUAL
HALL OF THE MOUNTAIN GRILL
WARRIOR ON THE EDGE OF TIME
ASTOUNDING SOUNDS, AMAZING MUSIC
QUARK STRANGENESS & CHARM
PXR 5

In 1979, Dave Brock formed another nucleus, with Huw Lloyd-Langton on lead guitar, Simon King on drums, Harvey Bainbridge (from Hawklords) on bass and Tim Blake (from ?Gong?) on keyboards. The album ?LIVE 79? went straight into the national top ten charts chart. In 1980, Ginger Baker briefly replaced Simon King on drums and they recorded their classic album, ?LEVITATION?. Again, this album went straight into national top ten charts.

From 1979 to 1985 the band?s singles and albums were never out of the national, independent and heavy metal charts with albums such as;

SONIC ATTACK
CHOOSE YOUR MASQUES
CHURCH OF HAWKWIND
CHRONICLE OF THE BLACK SWORD
LIVE CHRONICLES
XENON CODEX

In 1985, the band performed ?CHRONICLE OF THE BLACK SWORD?, an ambitious and spectacular live show inspired heavily by Michael Moorcock?s epic saga, ?ELRIC?. During this period, the also band reached a whole new audience with the emergence of ambient acts such as ?The Orb? openly acknowledging Hawkwind?s influences.

In 1986, the band headlined at the Reading Rock Festival, and their performance was transmitted live on national BBC Radio 1, and later released as the ?FRIDAY ROCK SHOW SESSIONS?.

The band performed throughout the nineties with further album releases and national and international tours:

SPACE BANDITS
PALACE SPRINGS
ELECTRIC TEPEE
IT IS THE BUSINESS OF THE FUTURE TO BE DANGEROUS
THE BUSINESS TRIP
ALIEN 4
LOVE IN SPACE
DISTANT HORIZONS

During their entire existence the band also have continued to perform in numerous free concerts, notably STONEHENGE, and have supported many and various charities, including SHELTER, GREENPEACE, TRAVELLERS AID TRUST, BRAINSCAN, FREE TIBET CAMPAIGN and SAVE ENDANGERED SPECIES.

Also in 1997, the band headlined the ?1st SPACEROCK FESTIVAL USA?.

The year 2000 saw the band stage the highly successful ?HAWKESTRA? event at Brixton Academy which saw many past members reunited on stage with a nucleus of Dave Brock, Huw Lloyd-Langton, Simon House, Richard Chadwick, Ali Davey, Tim Blake, Ron Tree and Jerry Richards.

In 2001 they were voted the ?8th top progressive band? in the country on national Channel 4 TV in the UK, as well as performing on national TV in Australia while on tour there.

More releases followed in 2000-2002, including ?YULE RITUAL? which was recorded live at the London Astoria the previous year to a capacity audience.

August 2001, Hawkwind headlined at the Canturbury Festival and employed the guest vocals of Arthur Brown. A live CD of this concert featuring Arthur Brown is to be released in December 2002.

In October 2001 Hawkwind headlined a week of psychedelia at The Royal Festival Hall in London followed by a tour to sell-out venues across the country.

In July 2002, the band headlined their own three-day space-rock festival in Devon,
?HAWKFEST?, featuring many space-rock related bands. A double CD of this festival is due for release early next year.

October 2002, Hawkwind play The Wembly Arena as special guests of Motorhead.
Arthur Brown (Kingdom Come, Crazy World of Arthur Brown) was a guest vocalist for Hawkwind and Lemmy played on stage for ?Silver Machine?, much to the delight of the audience.

Both Arthur Brown and Tim Blake (Gong) will be joining Hawkwind for their 2002 winter tour. With lighting by Chaos Illuminations, expect a psychedelic rock show with a few surprises.

QUOTATION:

?Seeing the band is probably best described as "mind expanding". Proponents of psychedelic music, or acid rock, since their formative days, Hawkwind believe in matching images to the music they make. This takes the form of a light show, back projected images, dancers, fire-eaters, performers, smoke, strobes... you name it.
The intention appears to be to create an immersive experience for the audience, to drag them into the things happening on stage. Usually, the audience knows what to expect and happily meets the band more than half way; newcomers to the live band can expect to see, hear and feel the performance in a way that will leave them either disoriented and slightly lost or begging for more?.


CURRENT BAND NUCLEUS:

Dave Brock ? Guitars, Vocals, Keyboards and Synthesizers
Huw Lloyd-Langdon ? Guitars & Vocals
Ali Davey ? Bass, Vocals and Wave Sequencers
Richard Chadwick ? Drums, Percussion and Sequencers
Simon House ? Electric Violin ? Keyboards

Guests:

Arthur Brown ? Vocals
Tim Blake ? Keyboards & Synths

Occasional Guests:

Keith Kniveton ? Synths
Captain Rizz+ - Vocals
Jezz Huggett - Sax


FireShow Performers:

Kris Tait
Scouse

Lightshow:

Chaos Illumination


CONTACTS:

HAWKWIND MANAGEMENT

PO BOX 28
HONITON
EAST DEVON
EX14 8AP
ENGLAND

e-mail: management@hawkwind.org.uk

Website: www.hawkwind.com


HW TRIVIA:

The band has been active for 33 years.

Founder member Dave Brock has been a constant presence in the band over its entire existence.

The 1972 song ?Silver Machine? was featured in 2000 as the soundtrack of a major Mazda cars TV advert campaign in the UK

The Sex Pistols opened their 2002 comeback gigs with ?Silver Machine? in the UK and USA.

The band performed on the ?Marc Bolan? TV show in the 70?s

Samantha Fox Guested on vocals at a major reunion gig at Brixton Academy in 2000

N.A.S.A in USA have used sound tracks from ?LOVE IN SPACE?.

The band performed the Rolling Stones? ?Gimme Shelter? on a charity single for the homeless (again with Samantha Fox on guest vocals)

Everyone who attended the 2001 Xmas Party at the Forum, Kentish Town in London, received a FREE Cd from the band, featuring exclusive tracks by Dave Brock, Tim Blake, Huw Lloyd Langton and others...

The May 2002 issue of Record Collector magazine featured a multi-page article with front cover graphics featuring the band, with photos, discographies and interviews.
The issue was the biggest selling copy ever.

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