Hawkwind

Hall Of The Mountain Grill is the only album I have ever had, what else is worth checking out? Your (Hawkwind fans) fave albums by the band?

Near enough everything up until Choose Your Masques is absolutely essential. Then again, most of their releases after then are also worth having. But bear in mind that I am a Hawkwind nut and may be ever so slightly biased.

Favourites? Well, depends on many things, state of intoxication, level of herbal/chemical consumption, time of day, time of year, ambient conditions, etc etc. Regular players on my system though are:

Space Ritual - the greatest live album ever in the history of the universe (but bias may be ever so slightly to the fore again)
Doremi Faso Latido
In Search of Space
Quark, Strangeness And Charm
Warrior On The Edge Of Time
PXR 5
Sonic Attack

Oh I could go on and on, they all have their worth. Just dive in and take a chance, you can't go wrong, but avoid Bring Me The Head of Yuri Gagarin and be really careful of dodgy reissues under various names.

The best idea though is to get this Irish PPU sorted out and meet me there and I will get you sorted out (just ask Tommo about that one), or send me an email (address in my profile) and we can work something out.

I envy you slightly, I wish I was just discovering them, what a long strange trip you are in for!

'I envy you slightly, I wish I was just discovering them, what a long strange trip you are in for! '

Ha! Something similar I got after admitting not that long ago being newbie to Neil Young.
There isn't their first album on your list, is it good?

And thanks for the offer, so far no panic as I paralelly checking out Gov't Mule as well. If some guestions(problems) to arise, I'll not hesitate to give you a shout!

Might be a big problem I stopped consuming mind expanding/enhancing stuff good while ago. '0)

It's all pretty good up to the point where the wind player - can't recall his name - and Lemmy both left; which I think was just after Hall of the Mountain Grill. So go for albums earlier than that rather than later.

It's not essential to be intoxicated, but you do need to get into that 'trippy' state of mind - probably the more so, the earlier you go.

First album is trippy, really, really trippy, you won't need any mind altering substances for that one. Well apart from Hurry On Sundown but you probably know that one already.

I think I was playing that one when I had my first ever LSD hit - a life changing experience I can assure you!! Oh to be young again, something like that would fry my brain totally these days. Wait a minute, maybe it did, that may be how I ended up the way I am now?

the first album, Hawkwind; and the second, Xinsearchofspace are the two "essence-ial" beasts for me. Dave Brock once claimed to be trying to play music to reproduce the L.S.D. experience. oh, my. These do! ;D See also a band called Gong

no give gong a wide swerve.........you really do need acid or mushrooms for them

as for hawkwind anything up to "astounding sounds" is worth a listen but i would stick with debut album and in search of space 1st

Not at all, get right into Gong. Then Post Soviet wouldn't need to even think about LSD, he would be tripping anyway just listening to them. Try it with a decent set of headphones and see what I mean.

even on acid gong angels egg was weird. i dont think decent headphones will make it any more palatable.

and its well past its sell by date now

having said that its the only cd of theirs i've heard.

i think they went a bit dancey a few years back.

Spacepig on 'Space Ritual'-have to agree 100%. It's my favourite album of all time and I still listen to it when I can. I'm on my 4th CD of it now as people who have never heard it before keep 'borrowing' it. The original vinyl is carefully stashed away.
Always been a fan since I nicked 'In search of Space' from Windows in the Toon 'cos I liked the cover!
Funny old world though- my woman ran off with the guy who played drums on ISOS about 4 years ago. 'OK Fo with someone else but not the bloke who played drums with my fave band man! I could put up with you having a dally with the bass player out of Wishbone Ash a few years back but this is deadly serious. Goodbye' Honest.
IMO they are very prolific but they never seemed to reach the heights of 70s albums-a lot of the later stuff contains a few good tracks but seem to be padded out with 'inventive' stuff.

First few albums up to and including the 'Warrior on the Edge of Time'. My favourite is 'In Search Of Space'. Some of the later ones are an aquired taste, but if you're a Bob Calvert fan then 'Hawklords', 'Quark Strangness and Charm' and 'PXR5' are a must! 'Levitiation' is one of their last great albums in my opinion.

My main problem with 'Space Ritual' was that a vindictive ex -girlfriend threw away my copy of the accompanying 'Hawklog' booklet that came with it!!! Worth a fortune that is nowadays! The Cow!

I didn't especially like "Levitation", "Sonic Attack" or "Choose Your Masques", although each had its moments. I thought "The Chronicle Of The Black Sword" was something of a return to form. Sadly, I lost track of Hawkwind releases from then on. I like what I've heard of "It Is The Business Of The Future To Be Dangerous" and "Electric Teepee" but haven't listened to either thoroughly. I think "Steppenwolf" was their best song, although it came from a fairly weak album ("Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music").

Ditto!

Just ordered In Search of Space on the recommendations above.

Any big gigs coming up in Cork?? The jazz festival perhaps??

Oh wow easytiger, your missus ran off with Terry Ollis did she? What a complete downer for you. I remember getting very very stoned with him at the Canterbury Fayre in 2002 when he was playing with Nik Turner in Space Ritual. I hate to say this, but she had good taste, what a great bloke he is, although I can accept you may see it slightly differently.
I know I am a bit of a fanatic, but I can find something to like in every release they have had (yes, even Distant Horizons - Waimea Canyon Drive for example). The Choose Your Masques tour was the first time I seen them, so that holds special memories. Well, I say seen, I was there but me oh my, you really don't want to know the state I was in that night. I have always intended on uploading the video of that one to youtube but haven't quite got around to it yet. By all accounts it is very difficult to get a hold of and it would be good to share it around, maybe some day.
I coudn't possibly pick a favourite album of theirs. If I did I would have to change my mind every five minutes, but Space Ritual would certainly be my favourite live album of all time. I have somewhere between 150 - 200 CDs of theirs, many of them obscure bootlegs etc, and every studio album, all the offically released live ones, plus countless side projects, solo outings etc.
Sometimes I will go through a few weeks away from them, but I always find myself drawn back, funnily enough, that usually coincides with a visit from my local herbal specialist, wonder why that is?

Don't know what's on for the Jazz festival yet smitty. Its a while away, don't think anything will be announced yet. We have The Union and The Answer on this weekend, then in June the marquee gigs, headlined this year as far as I know by Tom Petty. The Specials are also playing if you are into that kind of thing. And of course, we have the annual visit by the ever so wonderful Jedward. See you there?
But, the biggest news is, we are getting a new 6500 seater concert venue - 5 minutes away from my house. Building work appears to be starting on it so I am hopeful of some great gigs in the near future without the expense of travelling to Dublin or the UK.

Have to be someone big to get me down there, Spacepig, so Jedward are looking like winners ;-)

I love a good jazz gig, so if John Scofield or someone like that were coming over I would be very tempted to call in.

Anyway, this looks like a good place to announce the second hand news (Tommo's page was first) that Hawkwind have a new CD called Onward released on 30th April. Form an orderly queue behind me please.

I have just been in touch with the Spacepiglet over in Scotland and we have arranged to go see them in Edinburgh at the start of June. Anyone care to join us for a weekend of mayhem?

I know Terry Ollis! I used to live in the same street in Hanwell and went round to his place quite few times for a drink and a smoke...nice guy, remember him being a settled family man back then with a Mrs and new born baby at the time (this was the early/mid 80's). Sorry about your problem there easytiger! If I ever see him again I'll give him a smack for you!
Purely coincidentally, I also met Martin Griffin who played drums for a couple of years in the 80's. He was in my local pub and got talking to him a bit, also a nice guy...had some great charlie on him! ;-)

Of course she has good taste-no doubts there. It was good for both of us really. Have you realised she's completely bonkers yet Terry?

Mmmm ... Windows in the Toon. Grainger Arcade? Or is my brain playing up again?

Can't remember if it's Grainger or Central Arcade. It's still there and active-fell over ootside there at xmas on 'shortcut' between Monkey Bar and Man on the Moon

Spacepig said it well. Whilst myself not being a Hawkwind-Head, I started with Hall of the Mountain Grill & Space Ritual. I then bought the triple Epocheclipse compilation which then led me to Doremi Faso Latido & In Search of Space. I also have 'The 1999 Party' which is a cool live album even if it's not quite in the same league as Space Ritual which is as good as any of the greatest live albums ever (imho).

wow, smitty, you is in for a treat, & it's a bargain at only £2.99 at moment. 1st track "you shouldnt do that" = i.m.o. best thing they ever did ; 16 minutes of pure psychedelia. strongly recommend partaking of at least a jazz cigarette or 2 (if you indulge) to fully appreciate. + there's now extra bonus tracks, including classic single version of "silver machine".
p.soviet, that's a good call from puffany re "epocheclipse", a pretty comprehensive overview of their total output (even if i rarely play side 3). "hall of the mountain grill" = i.m.o. one of their weakest 70s albums ; tend to agree with schiz. that their best studio ones are "in search of space" & "warrior", & their last decent one was "levitation". "quark" has its moments too, it's just totally different from their early stuff. there's always "space ritual" of course, not just a good summary of their halcyon period but also 1 of best live albums ever, AND now also with bonus tracks, including "you shouldn't do that/seeing" from "roadhawks". enjoy...