HW: Distand Horizons/Dave Brock etc

[LN1GJT]

Just thought that I would reply, in Doug's, defence on this issue.
Doug re-joined the mothership, as we all know, a few years back. His remit was
(and still is) purely as an adviser to sort out new releases and re-release of
the back-catologue. As we know, this involved the setting-up of EBS and also
involves getting back the rights to some of the older releases; eg. Choose your
Masques, PXR5, Quark, etc etc. As you will notice, all of these classics are
now on EBS, which means that the band have total control over them.

You'll also notice that re-incarnations of the Anthology/Acid Daze material
have stopped, and it won't be much longer until the Texts/Gagarin/In the
Beginning/SR2 etc etc will be finally blocked and/or reverted to the bands
control.  (Don't buy the new 5CD boxed set though - this has slipped through,
but legal action might yet stop it.)

To cut a long story short, Doug and Eve have managed to get most of the
back-catologue in great shape, in the control of EBS, and even the UA/EMI
material is in better shape with regards to the bands income. (You won't
believe the terms of the original contracts!)

However, Doug IS NOT the band's manager let alone tour manager, and this he
made very clear when he agreed to work with them several years ago.

The fact that DH is being perceived as a below-par CD is nothing to do with
Doug; after all, he doesn't write the music or play the instruments! It's just
one of those things. Let's just accept that now and again, albums get released
which are generally not well-received. Remember Astounding Sounds back in 1976?
What a let-down after the mighty Warrior album?

The next album hopefully will be back on course (just like Quark was), so let's
not try and blame somebody else for a temporary laps in the band's creativity.
Yes Doug did encourage the band to be hasty, but only because they had been
months and months trying to finish the album. There was a tour looming
imminently to promote it, and there's no point in doing an album-specific tout,
with no album to promote! Hawkwind have had quite a few releases, well after
the tour has been finished before, so why not try and get it out on time!

Yes, Doug does have interests in other bands, but don't lets all assume those
interests are at the expense of Hawkwind.


Guy Thomas
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DAMON CAPEHART wrote:

> Actually, the way I figure (which may be wrong), Doug Smith had
 > something to do with it.  After all, consider that the band were
> apparently REALLY pissed off at him for - as I recall - being hasty and
> encouraging the band to be hasty with Distant Horizons.  Please correct
> me if I'm wrong.

i don't know if that is right or wrong. what i do know about it is that they
were pissed because the travel arrangements were never made for the US tour
until it was so close that they almost didnt make it.  something about
managing chumbawumba in germany instead.but  i HAD considered what you're
saying  a possibility.

rj