Hawkwind compilations - where to start?

[Kavus Torabi]

Roadhawks was a fine introduction to the band, with a mix of non-album singles, an unreleased live version of You Shouldn't Do That, and a tasteful segue of the following tracks:

Space Is Deep (Doremi), Wind Of Change (Mountain Grill), and Golden Void (Warrior)

They've been mixed so well that as a first timer I thought it was one continuous piece.

Yeah. Quite agree and same here, back in 1988.

[AndiSexgang]

Hi Kavus, thank's for Admirals Hard, what a wonderful album. Any plans for a second one?

[Kavus Torabi]

Hey Andi! What a funny thread for Admirals Hard to pop up in.
Unfortunately not.
AH was a ‘fun’ band featuring a gaggle of ex-Plymouthian musicians who had moved to London to pursue, shall we say, more ‘rehearsal intensive’ music.

We thought it would be a lovely thing to perform traditional songs of the sea, both to honour our heritage and to have a group that could turn up and play gigs with just one (or sometimes no) rehearsal. Also, given that we featured members of Stars In Battledress and The Monsoon Bassoon, it was a real novelty to have a group where the audience could sing along with the songs having never heard them before.
We played on and off for about ten years but sadly some of the key members moved back to the south west so our gigs became more infrequent.
The album Upon A Painted Ocean was a way of documenting our set.

I’m so happy with how it turned out, we are all still friends, see each other and are, potentially, always up for the occasional gig but life, circumstance and distance prevents it being an ongoing project, unfortunately.
A shame, the gigs were always ridiculously good fun, I could actually play while drunk (something I never do in my ‘proper’ bands) with no noticeable consequence and we all loved the material. We took a few liberties with some of the arrangements (adding in the occasional ‘funny’ chord, joining two trad folk tunes together, inserting passages of Iron Maiden) but kept the sound largely authentic.

Thank you for mentioning it though. I love that record!


So then, back to Hawkwind comps....

[arturs]

I haven't picked up the anthologies by Esoteric/Atomhenge because I began picking up their individual album reissues at that time. I generally endorse anything by the Esoteric/Atomhenge imprint, because everything I have bought from them has been excellent.

This thread put me on the biggest Hawkwind binge of my life. Been listening on youtube for the last month. I figure my "try before you buy" period is now over and I should really invest in some plastic. What I have learned is (1) the 80s and 90s are spotty, but (2) the continuity is so important in the individual albums that the mediocrity of some tracks doesn't matter as long as they get you to another good one.

So the big question is whether to do the two Atomhenge comps (1976-1984 and 1985-1997) or the individual cds. Again the dilemma: the comps might reduce the dross substantially but they might also lose the flow that may be vital. Thoughts?

[dropforge]

You should absolutely own [the reissues of] Choose Your Masques, Chronicle of the Black Sword, The Xenon Codex and Space Bandits. Skip It's the Business of the Future.

[moecurlythanu]

The subject lines should have been... "Hawkwind compilations - when will they stop?"

Or, "The Difference Between Hawkwind Compilations and Tribbles?"

[GuitarGeek]

You should absolutely own [the reissues of] Choose Your Masques, Chronicle of the Black Sword, The Xenon Codex and Space Bandits..

Also, the 3 CD reissue of Levitation. You need Levitation anyway, but the three CD version has a full gig recorded on the one and only tour they did with Ginger Baker on drums, but unfortunately, after Tim Blake had been kicked out of the band. I don't care what anyone says, the live stuff is fantastic, including material that appeared on This Is Hawkwind Do Not Panic and Zones.

Sonic Attack is also worth having, as it has some really good songs on it, like Rocky Paths, Living On A Knife Edge, Streets Of Fear, Lost Chances (and on the CD reissues) Transdimensional Man.

Never miss out on a chance to hear Huw Lloyd Langton play guitar!