Hawkwind

LP version. Hawkwind is the first album by the London group Hawkwind, released by Liberty on 14 August 1970 and usually cited among the earliest space rock records. The label's own adverts announced that Hawkwind was space rock. It was recorded at Trident Studios in London in March and April 1970, with Dick Taylor of the Pretty Things producing alongside the band. Early attempts to record the parts one by one went nowhere, so the group played live in the studio. Much of the album comes from one long free-form instrumental they called Sunshine Special, cut into separate titles. Arthur Rhodes painted the dragon cover, and United Artists issued the album in the United States in 1971. The record reached the UK chart only in 1984, when a reissue spent a single week at number 75.

Dave Brock sings and plays six- and twelve-string guitars and harmonica, and Nik Turner plays alto saxophone and percussion and adds vocals. With them are Huw Lloyd-Langton on lead guitar, John Harrison on bass, Terry Ollis on drums and Dik Mik on electronics. Hurry On Sundown, released as a single in June, is a one-riff acoustic song for twelve-string and harmonica, almost folk in its means. Everything after it moves towards drone. Be Yourself rides a heavy riff for eight minutes, with Turner's saxophone over driving bass and drums. Paranoia is split across the two sides of the LP, its brief first part ending side one and its second part opening side two on a new bass line. Seeing It As You Really Are holds a two-chord figure for almost eleven minutes while Dik Mik's tone generators whoosh around it. Mirror Of Illusion closes with a return to Brock's songwriting. In Melody Maker in 1970 Mark Plummer found the electronic side "interesting and exciting". Brock, who wrote the songs, told Record Collector in 2002 that it was "the great magical album", while Dik Mik recalled that some of the band hated it.

This Music On Vinyl edition (MOVLP1702) is pressed on 180 gram vinyl and comes in a gatefold sleeve.