2001: A Space Rock Odyssey Live CD

[M Holmes]

I recently purchased this itemwhich, as I understand it, is on your
label.

I've been for a quarter century now, a collector of things Hawkwind. I
also took the trouble to travel from Edinburgh to Birkenhead to see the
concert by Nik Turner and the various ex-Hawkwind members that he'd
reassembled. As I expected, the playing was somewhat rough and ready but
I appreciated that some of them hadn't played for a while and that they
hadn't rehearsed much together, and took the gig as a bit of fun put
together for the fans. In that spirit, a bit of rough playing is
acceptable.

What isn't acceptable is to compound that roughness with a recording of
the quality of a fan at the back of the hall holding a dictation
recorder in a biscuit tin, and then press this, apparently without any
attempt at engineering or serious editing, onto a CD and then selling
this to the fans, and that without a label saying "Warning: you'll only
want this crap if you've been collecting Hawkwind items since you were
born, and even then you might reconsider it this time."

I'm quite amazed that anyone would lend their reputation to this, far
less Nik Turner and the other members of the band. I hope that the
"spirit of Hawkwind" that Nik has taken to touting in the advertising
for this item and the accompanying concerts doesn't amount to simply
profiteering from those fans dedicated and obsessed enough to buy in
whatever the quality.

Quite apart from this aspect, it is of course entirely possible that
some future would-be Hawkwind fan will come across this item and
conclude that any band associated with such unprofessionalism would best
be diligently avoided. It almost seems like a deliberate sabotage attempt.

If you folks are going to put some effort into providing something for
the fans with some nod to the professionalism expected in the music
retail trade then I wish you luck. If you can't do better than this
though, it really is time to find a day job.

Mike Holmes

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