HW: IN YOU AREA!

[Al Ogilvy]

   Andy Ball wrote "..I think HW are more exiting live with the nutters
like...."...
 Well... I agree totally...HW need the Niks , Bobs , Rons ...Yes ...and
Rizz's of this world ....thats the essence of Hw live as far as i;m
concerned. Oh yeh...Should 've added Bridgit and Harvey to that list.....Dave
has never been a real fan of the "Frontman" approach if you loisten to or
read his interviews (Which is painfully obvious when you see him tucked away
behind his Keys, even when hes playing his guitar)..(Come out more often if
youre reading this Dave !!), but all of my favourite moments of HW live have
been "Nutter" fired !
  Eg Harveys inspired psychedelic rants in the middle of really spacey key
work (Live legends video gives you a taste if you've never seen one)
       Bob raging,dressed like some dapper victorian gent on Steppenwolf, or
Wide eyed and manic swinging a sabre dressed as a Valentino Shiekh.
       Nik playing at Brixton after the band have gone off stage ..Ranting
something unintelligible and playing silver machine solo even though the
Mikes are turned off and the Houselights are up....Also the tie dyed grandad
undies painted face,mohican ,black eyemask, and Hub cap around his neck being
forced into a straight jacket during Brainstorm...Oh and the nude dancer
competitions during the encore's
       Bridgits wonderfully psychedelic mime/dance/pose and (Improvised
?)poetry...Not always obviously relevant to whatever else is going on on
stage !!
       Ron in that wolfskin during Steppenwolf..(OK he needs to be told he's
not Bob !)...Or practically any moment of his stage presence during the Alien
Tour !!! ..Pure Magic !!
       And Rizz...Yeh, I admit I was not a fan in the early days ..not the
best support act theyve ever had , But the totally unexpected manifestation
of the weird shamanistic raver he'd mutated into in '97 was worth the
entrance fee alone...He was just totally unexpected and so was the Cod Reggae
rant of IYA ...True psychedelia , the way the two styles clashed
together..KNow what I mean ?..I've never been a fan of Daves liking for Dub
reggae bursts...I dont think it suits the band generally,and ,although i love
real Dub,I think its done better by the real masters...Burning spear, Mad
Proffesor,King Tubby, Cimmarrons (Makka ...Now theres a mega dub reggae
album!!)...But,occassionally,when you dont expect it, when it doesnt become
too self indulgent, and when its got a bit of an edge too it by being put in
an odd place, it sort of works...and for my money it worked best for HW on
the 97 tour because of Rizz.Probably because for they had someone who really
had a feeling for it. IMHO theres only ever been one good white dub reggae
act...RDF....and god where they something else...2 bass players on at least 1
occassion !
  Oh well ..sorry if I've Misrecollected some of the above but thats the way
I recall it. The only other thing on the subject I'd like to add is general
agreement on the theme that what works live doesnt always work on
record...and I think HW have proved that very well on many occassions !
    All the best
        Fly Hawkwind !!!
                         Al