Hawklords

Live

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 halfway through.

Releases

Weird Tape 4

Recorded at Plymouth Polytechnic, 23 November 1978

June 1981, Weird Tapes, WEIRD104, UK cassette

September 2000, Voiceprint Records, HAWKVP9CD, UK CD

Hawklords Live

Recorded at Brunel University, Uxbridge, 24 November 1978. Also includes the additional track "Over The Top" from the Sonic Assassins concert

1992, Dojo Records, DOJOCD7, UK CD

May 1992, Griffin Records, GN03921-2, USA CD

Live '78

Recorded at Brunel University, Uxbridge, 24 November 1978

29 June 2009, Atomhenge (Cherry Red) Records, ATOMCD1014, UK CD

'We Are One'

Released worldwide on 24 September 2012 distributed by Shellshock Distribution. Cat No. HAWKLORDS0912 CD release. Plus limited edition double album **vinyl version, complete with free poster insert.

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 Theatre

7 October – Manchester, Apollo

8 October – Liverpool, Empire

9 October – Edinburgh, Usher Hall

10 October – Newcastle, City Hall

11 October – Middlesbrough, Town Hall

13 October – London, Hammersmith Odeon – guest appearance from Lemmy

14 October – Milton Keynes, Leisure Centre

15 October – Croydon, Fairfield Halls

16 October – Portsmouth, Guild Hall

17 October – Birmingham, Odeon

18 October – Dunstable, Queensway Hall

19 October – Blackburn, King George Hall

20 October – Bristol, Colston Hall

21 October – St. Albans, City Hall

22 October – Ipswich, Gaumont

23 October – Leicester, De Montfort Hall

24 October – Sheffield, City Hall

25 October – Bradford, St. Georges Hall

26 October – Leeds, Queens Hall

27 October – Stoke-on-Trent, Victoria Hall

28 October – Paignton, Festival Theatre

29 October – Poole, Wessex Hall

2 November – Malvern, Winter Gardens

3 November – Cambridge, Corn Exchange

4 November – Ilford, Gants Hill Odeon

5 November – Reading, Hexagon

6 November – Cardiff, University

8 November – Gloucester, Leisure Centre

9 November – Folkestone, Leas Cliff Hall

10 November – Derby, Assembly Rooms

11 November – Nottingham, Heart of the Midlands (Rock City)

13 November – Hemel, Pavilion

15 November – Glasgow, Apollo

16 November – Carlisle, Market Hall

17 November – Lancaster, University

18 November – Oldham, Queen Elizabeth Hall

19 November – Blackburn, King George Hall

22 November – Wolverhampton, Civic Hall

23 November – Plymouth, Polytechnic – professionally recorded

24 November – Uxbridge, Brunel University – professionally filmed

25 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) 5:55

One 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) 7:51

Drums 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) 6:53

This 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) 4:07

This track is named after the title of the Michael Butterworth novel, although often abbreviated 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) 3:57

Available 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.

Hawklords Again

In 2012 Hawklords reformed around Harvey Bainbridge, with drummer Dave Pearce (ex-Bevis Frond), guitarist and keyboard player Jerry Richards, vocalist (Ron Treeex-Hawkwind guitarist) and bassist Tom Ashurst. The band's critically acclaimed 2015 album release, R:Evolution reached number 15 on the Official UK Top 30 Progressive Rock Chart and was in the top 75 for over 2 months. A “Full-blown sonic slab of classic British space-rock”, it has been nominated for best rock album of 2015 by One World Music Awards.

In 2016 the same line up, augmented by guest vocalist Kim McAuliffe, released the album Fusion (LORDS1016)