The band was formed in 1969 by visionary Dave Brock and although it has
been subject to numerous line-up changes it is still led by him. The early
line-up featured Dave Brock on vocals and rhythm guitar, Huw Lloyd-Langton
on lead guitar, Terry Ollis on drums, Thomas Crimble on bass, Nik Turner on
Saxophone and Dik Mik on synthesiser. The band became established as a
space-rock underground band with their renowned concert at the Glastonbury
Rock Festival 1970 when they set up in an alternative field and played a free
concert, pulling crowds away from the main event. Their debut album, the self
titled ‘HAWKWIND’, was released by EMI and to this day still sells steadily. In
1971 they appeared at the Isle of Wight Festival where Jimi Hendrix was
spotted in the audience. He was asked to get up and join the band and he
replied ‘No I don’t want to spoil it!’ Huw Lloyd-Langton remained with them
until late 1971. The band shot to fame in 1972 with their hit record ‘Silver Machine’
featuring Lemmy (now of Motorhead fame) on vocals. (This record featured in the
soundtrack of a recent TV Mazda advert in the UK). In 1973 Simon House
(Electric Violin) joined, and throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s, the renowned World
famous Sci-fi author, Michael Moorcock often recorded and appeared with
them. Lemmy left the band in 1975 after a drugs bust in USA, and went on to
form ‘MOTORHEAD’. Huw Lloyd-Langton joined Leo Sayer in 1974 and then in
1975 went on to form supergroup ‘WIDOWMAKER’ WITH Steve Ellis (Love
Affair), Luther Grosvenor (Mott The Hoople), Paul Nicholls (Lindisfarne) and
Bob Daisley (Ozzy Osborne). In 1977, Simon House joined David Bowie. Dave
Brock and poet Bob Calvert tour as ‘HAWKLORDS’, performing the stage show
‘METROPOLIS’. Throughout the 70's, Hawkwind released a series of classic
albums; ‘IN SEARCH OF SPACE’, ‘DOREMI FASOL LATIDO’, ‘SPACE RITUAL’,
‘HALL OF THE MOUNTAIN GRILL’, ‘WARRIOR ON THE EDGE OF TIME’,
‘ASTOUNDING SOUNDS, AMAZING MUSIC’, ‘QUARK STRANGENESS & CHARM’ and
‘PXR 5’. In 1979, Dave formed another nucleus with Huw Lloyd-Langton on
lead guitar, Simon King on drums, Harvey Bainbridge (from Hawklords) on
bass and Tim Blake from ‘Gong’ on keyboards. Their live album ‘LIVE 79’ went
straight into the national top ten charts chart. In 1980 Ginger Baker replaced
Simon King on drums and they recorded their classic album ‘LEVITATION’. Once again,
the release went straight into national top ten album chart. Tim Blake and Ginger
Baker remaied with the band until after the Christmas Tour 1980. From 1979 to
1985 the band’s singles and albums were never out of the national, independent and
heavy metal charts, with albums such as ‘SONIC ATTACK, ‘CHURCH OF HAWKWIND',
'CHRONICLE OF THE BLACK SWORD, 'LIVE CHRONICLES' AND 'XENON CODEX'.
Nik Turner who left the band in 1975 briefly rejoined the band 1982-1983 for the
‘CHOOSE YOUR MASQUES’ tour. In 1984 Alan Davey replaces Harvey Bainbridge on bass
and Harvey moved over to keyboards and synths. In 1985 the band tour with the spectacular
‘CHRONICLES OF THE BLACK SWORD’, a stageshow portraying music and images based on
Michael Moorcock’s epic saga, ‘ELRIC’. During this period the band reached a new audience with
the emergence of ambient acts such as ‘THE ORB’ openly acknowledging Hawkwind’s influence.
Huw Lloyd-Langton remained with the band throughout the end of the 80s, departing in 1989 followed
shortly after by Harvey Bainbridge. The band continued to perform live throughout the nineties, and had
some noteable album releases such as, 'SPACE BANDITS', 'PALACE SPRINGS', 'ELECTRIC TEPEE',
'IT IS THE BUSINESS OF THE FUTURE TO BE DANGEROUS', 'THE BUSINESS TRIP', 'ALIEN 4',
'LOVE IN SPACE' and 'DISTANT HORIZONS'. During their entire existence the band have performed numerous free concerts, notably STONEHENGE and have supported various charities, which include SHELTER,
when in 1977 at the Blackheath Concert Halls they raised thousands of pounds for the homeless, and even released
a charity single version of the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter" with Samantha Fox guesting on vocals. N.A.S.A. in the USA have also used sound tracks from the ‘LOVE IN SPACE release. In 1997 they headlined the ‘1ST SPACEROCK FESTIVAL USA’. In 2000, the band staged the highly successful ‘HAWKESTRA’ event
at the London Brixton Academy, which saw many past members reunited on stage with a nucleus of Dave Brock, Ron Tree, Jerry Richards, Hugh Lloyd-Langton, Simon House, Richard Chadwick, Alan Davey and Tim Blake. In 2001 they were voted the 8th top progressive band in the country on Channel 4 TV. The band have recently released a double live cd recording of their Xmas 2000 'Yule Ritual' show at the London Astoria. The band's official Website is to be found at www.hawkwind.org.uk
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