Session 13 - Hawkwind

 

We've got a new sound system for the third floor atrium space, so I've agreed to put it to the test with a return to ProgRock concert video screening. I've long promised a Hawkwind evening, and as we're close to the summer solstice, it's very apt. So, ladies and gentlemen, this Friday I'm happy to bring you the one and only, legendary Hawkwind.

Hawkwind are critically important in the history of rock music. A British band formed by Dave Brock in 1969, they are the originators of the "space rock" genre, a style of music that layers sweeping synthesizer sounds, eastern motifs, and strong pop hooks atop a metallic repetitive-but-compelling minimalist rock vamp. Space Rock has inspired hundreds of bands - its derivatives have led to currently popular idioms like "stoner", "shoegaze", etc. - other branches have embraced a jazz-like complexity (e.g., the øresund space collective, Hidria Spacefolk, Ozric Tentacles, etc.). This music is loud, brash, and arrogant while also being uplifting and compelling. There are moments in life when nothing else will do - great space rock always delivers. And Hawkwind were its pioneers.

The band has been extremely volatile - Brock has always held the helm but frequently hired and fired many great and notorious musicians. This includes Lemmy (who went on to form Motorhead after being sacked from the band), Huw Lloyd Langton (a classic guitar hero), Robert Calvert (something of a Syd Barrett here), Tim Blake (of Gong), Nik Turner (sax and craziness), Arthur Brown (yes - Fire!), Simon House (violin), and so many more... The famous British science fiction & fantasy writer Michael Moorcock is closely associated with Hawkwind, and has often joined the band on stage for live narrations - indeed, they did an entire performance around his Elric novels, and Moorcock has dedicated entire books to the band (e.g., the great Hawkmoon series). Science fiction themes are heavily leveraged in Hawkwind's music - if you think of the highly produced Pink Floyd records as perhaps "Star Wars," then Hawkwind are "Dr. Who."

Hawkwind have been very prolific (iTunes informs me that I have over 80 of their albums), and have re-invented themselves many times. Their genesis in the early 70s defined the technical edge of psychedelia, as they played a foggy rock minimalism with heavy light shows, naked dancers, and sweeping (analog) electronic effects - when it all got to be too much, they paired it down into a beautiful folky song, only to soar right back into space once more. Their subsequent incarnations flirted with theatrics and early punk (the Calvert era), and metal (when Langton rejoined) - the band is still going strong with great music that crosses all these genres but is fundamentally still space rock. It's rumored that Hawkwind were one of the main influences on Rob Reiner when he made Spinal Tap.

I've got 3 or 4 Hawkwind DVDs that span their career from the mid 80's on, and these are what I'll be pulling from on Friday. With our new sound system please remember - "In the case of sonic attack on your district, follow these rules". Michael Moorcock's advice will fit the occasion well.

The web is full of Hawkwind. Their site is: http://www.hawkwind.com/ and of course wikipedia does a great job too: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawkwind

This one should be fun. Remember - Do Not Panic! I plan to start around 7 PM.

 

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Joe Paradiso (Summer 2012)