Hi,
My brother brought home Hawkwind's first album shortly after it was released in 1970 and I absolutely loved it. I ended up giving two original copies of Tyrannasaurus Rex Albums ('My People Were Fair' & 'Unicorn') as well as two of their singles ('King of the Rumbling Spires' & 'Debora') plus Bowies second album 'The Man Who Sold the World'.
I first saw them at King Georges Hall in Blackburn just before Christmas 1972. My father had bought two tickets for the gig for one of my Christmas presents. The gig blew my mind and I've loved the band ever since. I saw them virtually every year up to the Chronicles of the Black Sword tour in 1985 (Apollo Theatre Manchester), I then missed their 1986 gig at Reading Festival due to a serious motorcycle accident when I was forced off the road travelling on the Snake Pass in Derbyshire at the beginning of August 86, where I fractured my pelvis and broke several other bones and almost lost a kidney as I dropped about 50 feet down a steep incline full of rocks after being forced off the road by what I think was a mini van.
Then life got in the way (Job, Marriage, house purchase, kids etc) and I just didn't have the time, energy or spare cash to attend any more gigs until I took my daughter to see them at Jillies in Manchester April 1994 for one of their benefit gigs (I've still got the ticket for that one). I remember the gig fondly as I got to meet the band 'Rage Against the Machine', with whom I sat on the floor with, and shared some spliffs with them. Then I needed a non alcoholic drink, so went to the bar; spending several minutes trying to pass and ended up talking to this guy, who I thought was really cool. Only to discover I'd been talking to myself in a mirror; (absolutely and embarrassingly true).
On leaving the gig on Oxford Street, I almost crashed into the taxi that was carrying Dave Brock from the gig. I was wheeling my motorcycle off the pavement near the front entrance, where the bouncers used to let us bikers leave our bikes so they could look after them. I'd backed up onto the road and bumped into the door of Dave's taxi with my back wheel as I dismounted from the pavement onto the road. On turning I saw Dave looking a little startled.
Sadly I didn't see them live again for almost 30 years to the day, when I went to see them at Manchester's Academy on the 4th April 2024, a day before the release of their latest Album, which I'd pre ordered from Juno Records.
My favourite Albums mainly cover the early years up to The Xenon Codex with some of the private recordings such as Hawkwind 1997 (which I bought from Mr Dibbs) and the Space Melt DVD. I have all of the official recordings apart from the 2nd Annual Christmas EP (CD) and most of the official video recordings of various concerts. My favourite being The Chronicles of the Black Sword. I'd read all of Moorcock's Eternal Champion books by the time I attended that gig and still occasionally re read them.
My all time favourite tracks include Orgone Accumulator, 10 Seconds of Forever, Time We Left This World Tonight. You Shouldn't Do That, Born to Go, Magnu, Assault & Battery, The Golden Void, Spirit of the Age, Hall of the Mountain Grill, Adjust Me, the original release of Silver Machine and Urban Guerrilla (I was really pleased to get a copy before they removed it form the shops), Uncle Sam's On Mars, Hassan I Sahba, Days of the Underground, Robot and too many others too mention :)
Hawkwind have been an overriding influence on my attitudes, the way I dress and look (apart from an indeterminate period following my marriage to my second wife after meeting her at university; I was a mature Student). I classed myself as a hippy biker with overtones of Goth while at university. Some of the girls used to call me Mushroom Steve. I still have long hair and presently an almost ZZtop like beard (that's snow white).
I bought the boxed set of Space Ritual last Year and absolutely love all three gigs as well as the remastered stuff. The Sunderland gig was especially great to listen to as I love listening to different versions of my favourite tracks. I listened to every CD from the collection one after the other all day and was so pleased that the Sunderland gig had finally been released.
I'm presently booking the Manchester leg of this April/ Mays tour and have pre ordered 'Live at the Royal Albert Hall 2023. I'm still looking for a copy of the 2nd Annual Christmas Party CD and Hawkwind's gig's at the Bottom Club New York 1978 (both CD and Vinyl versions) as well as other unofficial albums.
I only wish I'd kept up with my yearly visits to see Hawkwind over the past forty years; however, I'm making up for it now. I listen to Hawkwind every day mixed in with a little Gong, Ash Ra Tempel, Faust, Amon Duul 2 and some of the other bands with ex members of Hawkwind or other related bands. My favourite non Hawkwind Album that basically had most of the then Hawkwind members playing on it is Bob Calvert's 'Captain Lockheed and the Starfighters' of which I presently have three copies,(due to one having a wrecked album Sleeve, the other being a re-release and an almost mint copy of the 1st release). I also like Alan Davey's versions of the album and his Hall of the Mountain Grill version, though neither are as good as the originals IMO.
I'm presently collecting memorabilia as I'm creating a scrapbook of the band. I used to buy tour programs for all of the gigs I attended back in the day; sadly every one was lost, together with most of the ticket stubs I used to keep; however, I've been re buying them over the past year. I'm still missing quite a few of the early 70's gigs apart from my first gig attendance (i.e. Space Ritual).
Non related Stuff about me.
I left school spending several years working in industry before going to university as a mature student at 26 years of age in 1982. I stayed at university for 10 years as I loved the life so much. It's where I met my second wife while attending a residential marine biology field course at Dale Fort in Pembrokeshire. After that I did a PCGE together with my wife, though we weren't married for another six years,. I taught Science and biology for a few years, before a serious motorcycle accident forced me to resign my post. I then trained as a general nurse with a view to being able to teach Health and Social Care. I finally found my dream job at Trafford College in Manchester, teaching sociology to health care professionals in 2005. Two weeks into the job I was hit at speed while cycling to work (to keep myself fit I cycled 30 miles a day). I was sent home with bruises only, but it transpires I had four broken vertebra (losing 4 inches in height) and a serious head injury that because of being untreated has left me disabled and dependent on various opiate drugs and hormone replacements due to the brain injury as I no longer produce certain hormones. That was 19 years ago and explains partly why I've not attended any gigs until this year. That said, I'm reasonably happy despite the disabilities and feel luckier than most as I am still able to walk despite the breaks and although I miss working, I've had 20 years of a leisurely life so far. The opiates give me what I call living dreams most nights. I love 'em.
Regards
Stephen
p.s. I hope I've not bored anyone?
Hi Stephen:
Reading your story makes life look a little brighter from our side.
Yes Hawkwind is a spiritual savior, especially when the chips are down.
How many times did Orgone Accumulator return your mind back into your body?
Astral Projection has to be experienced to be understood.
Dave Brock is definitely the Cap'n of my 53 year journey aboard the Mothership.
Not boring at all. In fact, I'd bet every Hawkfan has an interesting or unusual story with their lives. There's no "ordinary" with this band!
I was at the same gig on 4th april .thpught it was going to be my last tbh after I was diagnosed with a terminal disease but luckily 20 days after the gig I managed to get a double lung transplant . Hope you get to the next gigs .
Blimey, what a story! Glad you’re still with us!