HW: Brock's Destruction of Hawkwind Reputation

[Guido Vacano]

Okay, so Ray Kroc's right hand man (who contributed hugely to
"McDonald's" and its success) gets fed up, quits, and starts
"xMcDonald's". That's acceptable? No, it's ridiculous and it's trademark
infingement. "Papa John's" was started by an ex-"Pizza Hut" executive.
Why didn't he call it "xPizza Hut"?

I don't care if Nik's nickname was "Hawkwind". He gave up the right to
use that name when he was fired from Hawkwind without taking the name
with him--he should have sued then. Claiming the name years (decades)
later is not right, and trading on the name Hawkwind while Hawkwind is
alive and kicking is simply criminally malicious.

I think it's fine to use a variation on the name Hawkwind, but it has to
be different enough to CLEARLY distinguish it from the original. An "x"
that is lost in the artwork doesn't cut it. For example, the "Mothers"
minus Frank Zappa was not "xMothers", it was "Grandmothers". "Creedence
Clearwater Revival" minus John Fogerty is not "xCreedence Clearwater
Revival", it's "Creedence Clearwater Revisited". "Talking Heads" minus
David Byrne is not "xTalking Heads", it's "Just Heads". It's worth
noting that all these derivative band names came after the demise of the
original. "Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman and Howe" were sensible enough not
to call themselves "xYes" while "Yes" was still (arguably) alive and
kicking.

Nik ought to get over it, pick a new name, and succeed or fail on his
own merits, not on the reputation of a band he hasn't been associated
with for years. I think "Wind of Change" might be a good choice.

Guido

f. rat wrote:

>Bryan Young wrote:
>
>>f rat wrote:
>>
>
>>>Personally, I think Dave should grow up a little, after all XHawkwind
>>>perfectly describes the state of the musicians (nothing derogatory
>>>intended) inasmuch as it seems they have all been at one time or
>>>another, members of the great Hawkwind crew.
>>>
>>I guess if I worked at McDonalds for a few years, then I could open a
>>restaurant called xMcDonalds and sell xBig xMacs, too.  And tell Ronald
>>McDonald to grow up for having a problem with it.  And there's thousands of
>>xMcDonald's workers who would probably join my cause and offer me verbal
>>support.  That should make it right!
>>
>
>I think a few more people have worked in McDonalds over the years and
>made a wee bit less of a contribution individually to the whole
>"concept" of McDonalds than ex-members of Hawkwind such as Uncle Nik
>have to the band.
>
>F. Rat
>
> Question those motives -- imagine including a guy just because he gives
>you
>
>>another bullet in your gun, and not because of any musical merits.  And then
>>see who's holding the gun, and it's Nik, isn't it?
>>
>
>Somewhat gruesome and I fear a little Paranoid imagery coming across
>here Bryan.
>
>F. Rat
>
>>And why do you tell Dave to get busy with songwriting?  I agree that I want
>>a new album that is better than the last few, but how much energy has Nik
>>put into songwriting lately?  When will you ever get a new song from the
>>xHawkwind crew?  I think that if you want new material, then you'd be
>>arguing for Nik to end this debacle so that Dave can get on with what he
>>does best and what he's done for the past 33 years -- creating music.
>>Dave's creative output over the last 20 years makes Nik's output from the
>>same time period seem awful insignificant indeed.
>>
>>>and the musical excellence we all know and love. The fact they still
>>>
>>Terry Ollis is very excellent musically.  I remember reading in Kris Tait's
>>book how he fell off his drum kit and couldn't keep a steady rhythm, so they
>>added another drummer (Simon King I believe), and had two drummers for
>>awhile.  So, yeah, Nik should definitely have Terry Ollis in the band, as
>>he's obviously the finest drummer Hawkwind has ever had, and that will
>>continue the fine tradition of musical excellence.  (Sarcasm mode now ends.)
>>
>
>Like whoa yerself dude, where's the humour - an integral part of the
>Hawkwind "ethos" wouldn't cha say (Flying Doctor, Quark Strangeness &
>Charm, Needle Gun, Reefer Madness etc etc etc b;laah b;laah etc)
>
>F. Rat
>
>
>>Now, before I close, how about a fictional scenario?  I'll assume that you
>>know your Motorhead lore, and let me make a parallel if I may:
>>
>>It's apparent that Fast Eddie has no career anymore.  He had a moment with
>>Fastway, but that's in the past.
>>So here's the fiction:  Suppose Fast Eddie starts up a Motorhead band.
>>That's the one name that will allow him to get a gig.  And he could get any
>>
>
>But shurely that's "Motorhead" NOT "XMotorhead".
>
>If people are as Mr Brock states "likely to be confused" by the title
>XHawkwind, maybe they didn't get any GC(S)Es in mathematics or English -
>like not only are the two names spelled differently, they each begin
>with a different letter and have a different number of characters in
>them.
>
>When Hawkwind start dumbing down that's a sign to get worried I think -
>not known for having a thick fanbase I believe!!!
>
>F. Rat
>
>
>
>>Peace and Hawkwind, and lots of Motorhead!  And to the author, F. Rat, I
>>meant nothing personal to you, but I did feel compelled to address several
>>key points of your argument, and I hope that this was constructive.
>>
>>Bryan Young
>>Saskatchewan, Canada
>>
>
>Okay Bryan thanks for your comments but my point is that Dave seems to
>be losing his sense of humour over this a little, however (grin, grin)
>it makes me wonder whether the whole furore is in fact a publicity
>raising exercise which will in the long run benefit both camps. Cynic I
>may be but I'm sure Nik and Dave are no strangers to playing "fast and
>dirty" the odd time.
>
>Pax Vobiscum Motorus Maximus
>
>F. Rat.
>
>
>>>Pax vocum ballisticum
>>>
>>>F. Rat
>>>
>>>P.S. May I still direct readers to
>>>
>>>http://www.fatrat.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/rat
>>>
>>>for my cover of Motorhead, entirely recorded on my humble PC and a
>>>couple of toons of my own.
>>>
>