FW: RFH...a short review

[Doug Pearson]

On Fri, 26 Oct 2001 06:38:28 -0400, Jobson, Eddie <EJobson at THRUPOINT.NET>
wrote:
>I thought The Watcher was excellent and in my opinion only the second live
>song I've heard Alan sing that I thought he did well. (The other being
>Gimme Shelter.)

As has already been said, "Gimme Shelter" was Samantha Fox on the single,
and Richard Chadwick on the album (one of several reasons I like to think
of IitBotFtbD as a "Richard Chadwick solo album backed by Hawkwind" in the
same way that 'Church of Hawkwind' is a "Dave Brock solo album backed by
Hawkwind").

>Also liked Lighthouse, Motorway City, Hurry on, A&B and Golden
>Void. Was a bit dissapointed with New Jeruselem and thought Alan singing
>lead on Ejection was a definate no no. I liked it better with Dave.

Unfortunately, with Ron no longer in the band, I think they need to re-
evaluate doing very many Calvert songs - no one else who's attempted it
(Dave, Nik, Alan, Harvey, Bridget ... I think that's all? [I won't count
capt. Rizz at SD98]) can sing them as well as him.  Although, that being
said, I think Alan does a good job on "Damnation Alley" and "Hassan i
Sahba" (but NOT "Ejection"), Dave is great with "The Right Stuff" (he does
it better than he does "Ejection" IMO), Nik has practically made "Orgone
Accumulator" his own (and does "Ejection" better than Dave), and hearing
Bridget sing "Reefer Madness" in 1990 was a real treat!

>-----Original Message-----
>From: Bernhard Pospiech
>To: BOC-L at LISTSERV.SPC.EDU
>Sent: 20/10/01 11:40
>Subject: HW: RFH...a short review
>
>HASSAN I SAHBA (SPACE IS THEIR)
>The worst song of this evening. Performed like performed in the last
>couple of years. The best of this song is the middle part.
>This song was performed for the 1st time in 1976. HW stopped playing it
>in March 1978 during the USA tour.
>Than again the band started to perform Hassan in July 1986 (Exeter). Up
>from this date this song was performed EVERY YEAR.
>I think its time to stop playing it.
>Please Dave, dig out some better ones out of your vaults!!!!

I would agree with this (the song has DEFINITELY been played-out by HW over
the last 15 years), except for one very important factor: Simon House.  IF
he can play the same sort of blistering violin leads that he did on this
song in 77/78 (especially once it became the set opener), then it should be
kept on the setlist IMO.  However, if Simon's presence *really* didn't add
anything to it this time around, then the song should be retired.

>EJECTION
>A good performance. Unfortunately Alan Davey is singing this song again.
>Alan is a great bass player and a very friendly person but his singing
>during this song is absolutely crap! Dave really does it much much
>better!!

Agreed.  See my earlier statement ...

>GOLDEN VOID
>One of my all time favorites. A good performance this evening but
>Canterbury was better.

"Golden Void" is just a great song to jam on, and fits really well with
Dave's guitar style.  A simple composition (like all of Brock's), but one
that works exceptionally well.  When I briefly put a Hawkwind tribute band
together, this was the one song on which the rehearsal jams sounded really
amazing.  No problem by me if they keep this one in the set forever ...

>Lets wait what the November tour will bring.
>I hope it will be:
>
>- A couple of new songs

Yes (and see below) ...

>- Each gig WITHOUT Hassan I Sahba

Maybe, see above ...

>- DAMNATION ALLEY back in the set..... PLEEEEEEASE Dave!!!!

YES!  ESPECIALLY with Simon House back in the band to play the midsection
that HE WROTE!  Without Simon in the band, they sort of "cheated" on that
part (listen to 'Palace Springs' to see what I mean) ... they need Simon to
restore its' majestic melodic glory.

>Any other comments ?

... continuing with that thought, I'll throw out my idea for what could
make the next Hawkwind studio album very special, and potentially their
best in decades:

Brock/House songwriting collaboration!

We need songs that combine Dave's crunchy riffs (or, these days, sensitive
musings ala "Love in Space" and "Clouded Vision") with Simon's strong
melodic sense.  I fear that songs written solely by one or the other will
exhibit the individual author's strength, but won't have the overall
excellence that the collaborations could potentially have.

Anyone agree/disagree with this?

    -Doug
     jasret at mindspring.com