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| Hawkwind - Hawkwind |
 Released: 1970/1996 Label: EMI Cat. No.: HAWK1 Total Time: 57:49 | |
Reviewed by: John "Bo Bo" Bollenberg, February 2001 I do remember very vividly how I armed myself against arriving enemies with the sleeve of Warrior On The Edge Of Time. When folded open the sleeve became a cardboard shield which illustrated perfectly the great creativity of the band. Founded at the end of ‘69 as Group X, the band evolved, via the name Hawkwind Zoo, to Hawkwind; this band has always had eyes and ears for detail in order to deliver Art with a big A! That art not only was apparent in their music but also in the sleeve designs. The coming of the compact disc made it difficult to continue to deliver that same Art. The tiny booklet in the kitsch-like cold, static, plastic jewel cases no longer has that Hawkwind feel. Fortunately EMI/Premier has seen how serious this was and has re-released the band’s first albums in digipack replicas. They did whatever it took to finally release the complete artwork even including various extras such as concert posters, exclusive photographs, extra sleeve notes and the almost obligatory bonus tracks. The debut Hawkwind was released in 1970 and must have been quite an eye opener (or should that be "ear opener"?). Whilst the opening track "Hurry On Sundown" still has that hippie-atmosphere, already the band is in that galaxy of psychedelica with the instrumental "The Reason Is?" The following "Be Yourself" paves the way for 25 years of obstinacy signed Hawkwind. "Be Yourself" comes close to the Pink Floyd of the day: the legal LSD-trip can begin! That very same Floyd feeling is apparent in "Seeing It As You Really Are," where we hear the first signs of the patented Hawkwind sound: "a sound is born!" The adoration for the Floyd can also be absorbed in the bonus track "Cymbaline" written by Roger Waters and recorded by Hawkwind Zoo. More about Hawkwind: Track Listing: Hurry On Sundown (4:55) / The Reason Is? (3:30) / Be Yourself (8:01) / Paranoia (Part 1) (1:12) / Paranoia (Part 2) (4:10) / Seeing It As You Really Are (10:44) / Mirror Of Illusion (6:59) / Bring It On Home (3:16) / Bonus tracks By Hawkwind Zoo: Hurry On Sundown (5:02) / Kiss Of The Velvet Whip (5:25) / Cymbaline (4:04) | |
| Hawkwind - In Search Of Space | |
 Released: 1971/1996 Label: EMI Cat. No.: HAWK2 Total Time: 57:42 | |
With the release of In Search Of Space in ‘71, the band found its sound whilst Krautrock entered the brains of Brock & Co, founders of "Brock’n roll"! The long, frightening "You Shouldn’t Do That" is a prime example. Monotonous, repetitive rhythms are alternated with electronic gadgets and stories of space like in the well-known "Master Of The Universe." Next to a replica of the Hawkwind logbook we get the original single versions of "Silver Machine" and "Seven By Seven" together with a live edit of "Born To Go." More about In Search Of Space: Track Listing:You Shouldn't Do That (15:41) / You Know You're Only Dreaming (6:36) / Master Of The Universe (6:17) / We Took The Wrong Step Years Ago (4:48) / Adjust Me (5:46) / Children Of The Sun (3:14) / Bonus tracks: Seven By Seven (Single Version) (5:21) / Silver Machine (Single Version) (4:39) / Born To Go (Live Single Version Edit) (5:05) | |
| Hawkwind - Doremi Fasol Latido | |
 Released: 1973/1996 Label: EMI Cat. No.: HAWK3 Total Time: 59:06 | |
The arrival of Motorhead’s Lemmy in ‘73 is probably the main reason why Doremi Fasol Latido is more of a rock album. "Brainstorm" is a neat example as well as the forgotten single "Urban Guerilla." The Anthony Phillips-like guitar in the intro for "Space Is Deep’ creates a nice anti-climax with the rest of the album’s material. The success of "Silver Machine" can be felt in "Lord Of Light," which sounds like a copy of the classic. The freaky sax solos from Nik Turner often take the band towards the edge of spacey jazz. More about Doremi Fasol Latido: Track Listing: Brainstorm (11:32) / Space Is Deep (6:20) / One Change (0:50) / Lord Of Light (6:59) / Down Through The Night (3:04) / Time We Left This World Today (8:43) / The Watcher (4:10) / Urban Guerilla (3:41) / Brainbox Pollution (5:42) / Bonustracks: Lord Of Light (Single Version Edit) (3:59) / Ejection (Previously Unreleased Version) (3:47) | |
| Hawkwind - Space Ritual | |
 Released: 1974/1996 Label: EMI Cat. No.: HAWK4 Total Time: 63:32 / 52:00 | |
Meanwhile, the band outgrew its cult status and a huge excursion is offered to the public by means of the double album Space Ritual, an unreal concept album. There’s music and short lectures from Robert Calvert on one side and readings from Michael Moorcock on the other side, recorded live in Liverpool and Brixton. If you want to listen to the complete album in one go without showing any extra symptoms, then I’m afraid you will have to drink quite a lot of that mushroomsoup! More about Space Ritual: Track Listing: Disc One: Earth Calling (1:46) / Born To Go (9:56) / Down Through The Night (6:16) / The Awakening (1:32) / Lord Of Light (7:21) / Black Corridor (1:51) / Space Is Deep (8:13) / Electronic No. 1 (2:26) / Orgone Accumulator (9:59) / Upside Down (2:43) / 10 Seconds Of Forever (2:05) / Brainstorm (9:20) | |
| Hawkwind - Hall Of The Mountain Grill | |
 Released: 1975/1996 Label: EMI Cat. No.: HAWK5 Total Time: 58:36 | |
With Hall Of The Mountain Grill Hawkwind returns to earth. The arrival of keyboard player/violinist Simon House gives the music an extra dimension, surely more well-considered than the work of DikMik as the devine Mellotron and violin in "Wind Of Change" will prove. The use of violin sometimes gives birth to an ELO-on-acid sound such as in the contagious "You’d Better Believe It." Compared to the other re-issues in the series, this release doesn’t offer interesting bonus material. From the four bonus tracks, three of them are single versions from tracks already on the album in full version. Nevertheless a very interesting bunch of releases and an example as to how re-issues should be treated! Long live Stacia! More about Hall Of The Mountain Grill: Track Listing: The Psychedelic Warlords (Disappear In Smoke) (6:51) / Wind Of Change (5:06) / D-Rider (6:15) / Web Weaver (3:15) / You:d Better Believe It (7:13) / Hall Of The Mountain Grill (2:23) / Lost Johnny (3:30) / Goat Willow (1:37) / Paradox (5:27) / Bonus tracks: You'd Better Believe It (Single Version) (3:21) / The Psychedelic Warlords (Single Version) (3:56) / Paradox (Remix Single Edit) (4:02) / It's So Easy (5:20) Musicians: Contact: Website: www.hawkwind.com Discography
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