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Of course, all the key events in the band's history are here recounted, all the highs and lows, in detail, by the people who were there, though human memory is fallible as is proven time and again by differing opinions as to what actually happened on many occasions. And some of the anecdotes are priceless. Here, there is no holding back or hiding behind sweeping generalisations: indeed, they all seem to speak quite freely of their opinions of each other, and most of the juicy anecdotes and comments are quoted directly.
Two important threads emerge as you progress through the book: one is the dominance of 2 strong characters (Dave Brock and Nik Turner) and their opposing views on the purpose and direction of the band, differences which finally blew up into a bitter court case 4 years ago. It could be argued that the author 'sits on the fence' by not taking sides, but by giving both sides an even opportunity to air their views she enables the reader to make a far more balanced judgement.
The other thread which permeates through most of the book is - money, and this is my only serious criticism. There is so much bickering over money, and much of it is relatively small amounts. It tends to give the impression that they are/were a bunch of money-grubbing moaners but I suspect this has been blown out of proportion in the fall-out from the divisive court case as a lot of old grievances have risen to the surface.
If you thought of Hawkwind as a bunch of drug-addled zombies then this book will hopefully enlighten you. Similarly, you should not expect a 'Hammer Of The Gods' style of sex-orgy exposé (notwithstanding the nude dancer and nude drummer!) But, if you are at all interested in the band, and in delving into the characters behind the music, then you will find this an entertaining and essential read.
While each reader will find their own heroes and villains here - it will make you seethe with indignation in places as the tale unfolds - ultimately this is a great story of the variable nature of personalities, just as you'd expect in a band as long-lived as the Hawks.
One or two gripes though: niether Carol Clerk nor Ian Abrams seem that into the music -both of them fail to note Nik Turner's contribution to 'Choose Your Masques' (there is sax at the end of 'Void City' both of you, but there is no flute on the album -i recall there is some on live versions of tracks from that LP on a bootleg or something similar )and both fail to address the content of he bands lyrics and music in any depth. Finally, there is a reference to 'Free Fall' (referred to by the interviewee as 'falling' and Carol fails to correct or 'sic' this. This may seem like nit picking, but it's the kind of thing every serious fan will find irritating.
Despite these minor moans, this is an otherwise excellent book that belongs in every Hawkwind collection.
This is a generally enjoyable, well-written book - but at 548 pages, it's not for the casual reader. It could certainly do with a quick-ref guide to all the characters involved - I was constantly having to thumb back to remember who various passing Hawks were. The book's strong on evoking the atmosphere of hippy London in the late 60s/early70s, & by the end proves the old saying, that if you hang in there long enough doing what you do, you'll eventually get popular again. Hawkwind coped with the punk upheaval a lot better than most of their musical contemporaries, & were later given recognition by many on the rave scene, who felt an affinity with the group's pulsing droning rhythms, extravagant lightshows, use of DJ & maybe even their unrelenting druggy vibe.
There are parts of the book that are pure Spinal Tap, such as the Hawkestra disaster (& subsequent court case), or just plain sad (the rancourous Bob Calvert "benefit" show). In the end, tho, the main thread of the book comes down to the many conflicts between Dave Brock & Nik Turner. Carol Clerk tries to be even-handed & allow both men their say, without overtly taking sides. At times it's hard going unless you're an expert on Hawkwind bootlegs or the ins & outs of various small & obscure record labels. Initially I leant towards the idealism of Nik Turner, & his view that Hawkwind is a constantly evolving entity that can't can't be owned or laid claim to by one individual. But as the book went on, I came to see Dave Brock as being more like an old-school Duke Ellington-type bandleader: people come & go, & often return, but he takes the ultimate responsibility for keeping the show on the road. In the end, any ongoing enterprise like this - however alternative - can't function on a kind of stoned communal "it'll be ok in the end" vibe (a la Nik Turner). Someone has to take responsibility for putting a shilling in the meter, as it were, & taking decisions when they need to be made - and be prepared to make themselves unpopular in the process. The book shows that Dave Brock's certainly succeeded on all counts there, being described as "peace, love & bullsh*t" by a former manager, while inspiring real loyalty elsewhere.
There are soom good b/w photos with the book too - it's a pity that format & budget preclude any colour pics of Hawkwind's impressive artwork & live fx over the years. I guess one could say that the book's length means that it'll be largely "preaching to the converted" audience of people already into the group - but it's also a fascinating account of underground culture from the late 60s on, & there are some great tales along & the way.
Don't be put off by the book's length, it's a really good read.
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