HW: Blackheath

[Carl Edlund Anderson]

On ons 11 jun 1997 15.12 "Mark Edmonds" <mmje at MMJE.DEMON.CO.UK> wrote:
> This early 80s phenomina you refer to was indeed most puzzling and I
> never knew what the cause of it was.

     I always felt the RCA albums were rather dodgy.

> This wasn't helped
> with releases like Zones or This is Hawkwind - not that they are bad
> albums but they didn't seem to have much new creativity in them (most of
> it was recycled of course).

     Zones was pretty grim, though _This is Hawkwind_ was almost worth it
for the rocked-up Psi Power :)

> Unfortunately, Xenon Codex was a major let down and the only
> decent track which I still listen to is Wastelands of Sleep (although
> the beginning to the first track is really exciting).

     Actually, I like a lot of Xenon Codex.  I even like the Good Evening
track which people usually slag off.  It was humorous :)

> Then came Space
> Bandits and no Hugh! Bandits I thought was a really terrible album and I
> can't even remember any track names off it. We also had to put up with
> Bridgit Whotsit (Wiseheart?) who had a terribly weak voice and seemed
> totally out of place.

     Actually, I thought "Images" was easily the best track off the album.
I didn't think much of the rest of it.  "Out of the Shadows" ruled live,
but sucked on _Space Bandits_.

> I was beginning to get disenchanted and things
> only got worse with Palace Springs!

     Blasphemy!! :)
     Palace Springs is one of my top HW albums, along with Doremi, Space
Ritual, and HotMG!  "Acid Test" is, admittedly *really* awful.  The rest of
it I like.  The "Assault & Battery/Golden Void" on it is one of my top HW
tracks!

     And on the last few albums, Alan had some great tracks: Sputnick Stan,
LSD.  And his collaborations with Brock I liked as well: Right to Decide.

     On the other hand, I thought he mucked about with synths too much.  In
an ideal world I wouldn't let Brock near them either :)  I'd hire on Del :)

Cheers,
Carl