Hawklords

from Wikipedia:

Hawklords were an English music group active between 1978 and 1979. They were borne from the disbanded Hawkwind (Robert Calvert – vocals, Dave Brock – guitar and Simon King – drums) and a local Devon group named Ark (Harvey Bainbridge – bass and Martin Griffin – drums) with the addition of former Pilot keyboardist Steve Swindells.

The use of the name Hawklords instead of Hawkwind may have been due to legal reasons concerning their former management company or may simply have been due to the band wishing to give the impression that this was a new musical venture.

In 1978, the band released their only full studio album 25 Years On.

The band have now reformed,

The present line-up of the Hawklords is: Nik Turner - sax, flute, vocals / Ron Tree - vocals / Alan Davey - bass, vocals / Adrian Shaw - bass, vocals / Jerry Richards - guitar, vocals / Meurig Griffiths - drums / Steve Swindells - keyboards, vocals / Harvey Bainbridge - keyboards, synths, vocals. although this is not technically a reformation of the original Hawklords, just a grouping of ex-Hawkwind members calling themselves Hawklords (with only two original members, Swindells and Bainbridge). Former Hawklords and Hawkwind member Martin Griffin played drums when they first regrouped. Dan Thompson (Hawkwind drummer from 1984-88 and 2002) played drums for a brief period. Former Hawkwind and Space Ritual bassist Dave Anderson has also guested with the Hawklords.

Live

Allmusic linkThe Hawklords chronology

The release of the album 25 Years On was promoted with a 41 date UK tour during October and November 1978. The stage show was designed by Barney Bubbles and was based on a Metropolis/Mao Tse-tung dystopia theme, featuring a projected film based light show, dancers in drab clothing performing mundane tasks, and spotlight towers creating an oppressive internment camp atmosphere. During the course of the tour the show was cut-back due to financial constraints, sufficiently upsetting Bubbles enough for him to refuse to work with Brock again. Some of the musicians felt that this action lightened the atmosphere resulting in the shows becoming more powerful. For the Hammersmith Odeon gig on 13 October, Lemmy guested on "Silver Machine".

The Brunel University, Uxbridge concert (24 November) was professionally filmed by Charisma Records, but to date only snippets have been aired on UK television. The Plymouth Polytechnic concert (23 November) was professionally recorded, and subsequent archive albums have included portions from it.

A tour programme was sold at this gig detailing the weird science behind the '25 Years' project. It outlined the aims and achievements of Pan Transcendental Industries and its programme for the industrialisation of religion. It described the construction of the first 'Metaphactory' staffed in part by car crash victims whose function was to generate new forms of social behaviour through the transformation of private into public fantasies. The nine million workers who populated this giant factory complex are described in the song 'The Age Of The Micro Man' wherein it is shown that they have no idea what they are working for. In fact the new rulers of this dark industrial age received contact from aliens that they believed were actually angels. These 'angels' said they would provide enlightenment, but at a price. The payment was nonsensical but nevertheless the human race was enslaved.

Set-list

The following set-list is that from the Hammersmith Odeon, 13 October 1978 performance. The set-list would slightly change during the course of the tour, significantly "Flying Doctor" being dropped half way through.

Releases

Weird Tape 4Recorded at Plymouth Polytechnic, 23 November 1978June 1981, Weird Tapes, WEIRD104, UK cassetteSeptember 2000, Voiceprint Records, HAWKVP9CD, UK CDHawklords LiveRecorded at Brunel University, Uxbridge, 24 November 1978. Also includes the additional track "Over The Top" from the Sonic Assassins concert1992, Dojo Records, DOJOCD7, UK CDMay 1992, Griffin Records, GN03921-2, USA CDLive '78Recorded at Brunel University, Uxbridge, 24 November 197829 June 2009, Atomhenge (Cherry Red) Records, ATOMCD1014, UK CD

Tour dates

The band undertook a 42 date UK tour in October and November 1978, with support from Patrik Fitzgerald and The Softees.

6 October – Oxford, New Theatre7 October – Manchester, Apollo8 October – Liverpool, Empire9 October – Edinburgh, Usher Hall10 October – Newcastle, City Hall11 October – Middlesbrough, Town Hall13 October – London, Hammersmith Odeon – guest appearance from Lemmy14 October – Milton Keynes, Leisure Centre15 October – Croydon, Fairfield Halls16 October – Portsmouth, Guild Hall17 October – Birmingham, Odeon18 October – Dunstable, Queensway Hall19 October – Blackburn, King George Hall20 October – Bristol, Colston Hall21 October – St. Albans, City Hall22 October – Ipswich, Gaumont23 October – Leicester, De Montfort Hall24 October – Sheffield, City Hall25 October – Bradford, St. Georges Hall26 October – Leeds, Queens Hall27 October – Stoke On Trent, Victoria Hall28 October – Paignton, Festival Theatre29 October – Poole, Wessex Hall2 November – Malvern, Winter Gardens3 November – Cambridge, Corn Exchange4 November – Ilford, Gants Hill Odeon5 November – Reading, Hexagon6 November – Cardiff, University8 November – Gloucester, Leisure Centre9 November – Folkestone, Leas Cliff Hall10 November – Derby, Assembly Rooms11 November – Nottingham, Rock City13 November – Hemel, Pavilion15 November – Glasgow, Apollo16 November – Carlisle, Market Hall17 November – Lancaster, University18 November – Oldham, Queen Elizabeth Hall19 November – Blackburn, King George Hall22 November – Wolverhampton, Civic Hall23 November – Plymouth, Polytechnic – professionally recorded24 November – Uxbridge, Brunel University – professionally filmed25 November – Hastings, Pier Pavilion

Rockfield Studios, 1979

After the tour, the band were to tour North America but Calvert, wishing for the return of King, dismissed Griffin who then concentrated on his studio business and playing for Richard Strange before returning to Hawkwind for the 1982 Sonic Attack album. Swindells recalls the five members spending time at Rockfield "where we rehearsed and jammed and wrote... Calvert was suffering definite mental problems when we were there. I think he was going through a divorce from his novelist wife, Pamela, and he was very unstable." Calvert left the band going on to write the novel Hype and recording an accompanying album, and he never appeared on any of the recordings released from these sessions.

"Who's Gonna Win The War?" (Brock) 5:55One of the few titles that was worked into a complete track for Levitation, this was released as "live". It may well have been recorded without overdubs, but it wasn't recorded in front of an audience. Available on: Weird Tape 1; Hawkwind, Friends and Relations Volume 1; 7" (FLS209) A-side; Levitation 2009 re-master."Valium 10" (Brock/Bainbridge/Swindells/Smith) 7:51Drums on this track were played by Mick Smith of The Softees, who were the support for the Hawklords tour. Available on: Weird Tape 2; Hawkwind, Friends and Relations Volume 1; 7"&12" (FLS205) B-side; Levitation 2009 re-master."Douglas In The Jungle (Ode to a manager)" (Brock/Bainbridge/Swindells/King) 6:53This track is a tribute to their manager Douglas Smith. Available on: Weird Tape 2; Hawkwind Anthology; Levitation 2009 re-master."Time of the Hawklords" (Brock/Bainbridge/Swindells/King) 4:07This track is named after the title of the Michael Butterworth novel, although often abrreviated to "Time of...", and some times erroneously titled "Time Off". Available on: Weird Tape 2; 7" (FLS209) B-side; Levitation 2009 re-master."British Tribal Music" (Brock/Bainbridge/Swindells/King) 3:57Available on: Hawkwind Anthology; Levitation 2009 re-master."Motorway City" (Brock)Available on: Hawkwind Family Tree

Return to Hawkwind

Swindells wrote "Shot Down in the Night" at these sessions, and the band considered it ideal for single release, but with the band having no record contract Swindells departed when offered a solo deal, resulting in the album Fresh Blood. The remaining three members were joined by Huw Lloyd-Langton (lead guitar) and Tim Blake (synthesizers), choosing to revert to the name of Hawkwind and embarking upon a UK Winter 1979 tour resulting in the album Live Seventy Nine. Swindells' studio version and Hawkwind's live version of "Shot Down in the Night" were released as singles simultaneously in 1980, both curiously featuring Lloyd-Langton and King.