Levitation (album)
Encyclopedia
Levitation is the tenth studio album by English
rock group
Hawkwind
, released in 1980. It peaked at #21 on the UK Albums Chart
.
At the time of its release, band leader Dave Brock
stated: "with Levitation we’ve come full circle back to the style of our debut album. And that was the record which totally expressed our ideals and what we stood for." It is their first studio album after the departure of lead vocalist and lyricist Robert Calvert
, and lyrics here tend to be cursory and the number of instrumentals is increased. It is also the only studio Hawkwind album to feature ex-Cream
drummer Ginger Baker
and first for ex-Gong
keyboardist Tim Blake
, who would later return to the band and play on 2010's Blood of the Earth
.
studios in July and August 1980 to record this album. The studio had been newly equipped with a 3M
Digital Mastering System by Bronze Records
, making this one of the earliest rock albums to be recorded with the burgeoning digital recording
technology.
During the recording, Dave Brock
became dissatisfied with drummer Simon King
's inability to keep consistent time
, claiming that "he couldn't play his drums properly 'cos he was taking bad drugs", although King stated "I simply wanted to get away. I was very heavily into drinking... and [after leaving I was] fixed on getting my family life together". They considered using a drum machine that was in the studio, but no one knew how to use it. Guitarist Huw Lloyd-Langton
's wife Marion, who was press officer for Ginger Baker
's manager Roy Ward's company, suggested approaching the drummer to contribute as a session player. He accepted the offer and completed his tracks in two days, surpassing expectations. Lloyd-Langton observed that "he breezed through ["Space Chase"] straight away. I don't think Simon could have played that... Ginger fitted the band like a glove. His style was just right for it." The band asked the drummer to remain with them, and despite having previously declared to the press his intentions of joining the newly reformed Atomic Rooster
, he "found the atmosphere during the sessions so fantastic that I immediately decided to stay with Hawkwind. For me it’s not just my umpteenth group, I’m determined to give it everything I’ve got. Hawkwind always have made timeless music, but you can definitely still hear the eighties in it."
and would later join Gong
), took Blake's place using Blake's equipment, until a road accident forced him to leave the tour after another 5 dates. Keith Hale, who had been in Blood Donor and was writing and producing for Toyah
, then joined the band for the remainder of the tour.
The band also undertook an additional eleven date tour of Britain between 12 and 22 December, the Lewisham Odeon concert on the 18 being professionally recorded. Brock pressed Bronze Records to release another live album from these tapes, but having just issued Live Seventy Nine, label head Gerry Bron
declined stating of Hawkwind that "they were a bit lazy, they constantly wanted to do live albums, so they wouldn't have to write songs". The recordings were later issued on the albums Zones
(1983), This Is Hawkwind, Do Not Panic
(1984) and Hawkwind Anthology
. The 2009 deluxe re-issue of Levitation by Atomhenge Records includes a newly remixed version of the entire concert.
On 14 February 1981, the band appeared on the German television programme Musikladen
performing "Motorway City" and "Who's Gonna Win the War".
named his band Levitation
after this album.
The band had wanted "Motorway City
" to be released as the album's single, but the record company preferred "Who's Gonna Win the War?" instead. The track features lead guitarist Lloyd-Langton using an E-bow. It had been performed on the band's previous UK Winter 1979 tour and included on the Live Seventy Nine album. A live version of this song from the Levitation tour was later issued in 1983 as a single from the Zones album.
"Psychosis" is an instrumental synthesiser piece by Harvey Bainbridge
. It was included on the Levitation tour, a version being included, but not listed, on the album This Is Hawkwind, Do Not Panic.
The title of "World of Tiers" is a reference to the World of Tiers
series of science fiction novels by Philip José Farmer
. An instrumental, it is reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac
's "Oh Well". It is another song that had been performed on the band's previous UK Winter 1979 tour, a bootleg version was later released on the Complete '79 album. A live version of this song from the Levitation tour was issued on the Hawkwind Anthology collection.
"Prelude" is an instrumental synthesiser piece by Tim Blake.
"Who's Gonna Win The War?
" was released as a single from this album backed by the non-album track "Nuclear Toy". It too had been performed on the band's previous UK Winter 1979 tour, a bootleg version was later released on the Complete '79 album.
"Space Chase" is a fast paced instrumental. A live version from the Levitation tour was released on the album This is Hawkwind, Do Not Panic.
The title "The 5th Second of Forever" references Robert Calvert
's 1972 Space Ritual
poem "The Ten Seconds of Forever", and it was subtitled "from the film" on the album as a joke by the band, the song not having been used by any film.
It features a nylon stringed acoustic guitar
intro
and outro by Lloyd-Langton. A live version of this song from the Levitation tour was issued on the This is Hawkwind, Do Not Panic album under the title "Circles". Its lyrics have also been used under the title "Circles", although with no musical similarity, overdubbed on Hawkwind at Watchfield
Festival 1975 (Weird Tape 3) and on Dave Brock demos 1982 (Weird Tape 7).
"Dust of Time" was performed during the Levitation tour, and an edited instrumental version with an intro taken from the outro of "The 5th Second of Forever" was issued on the album Zones under the title "The Island".
bonus tracks
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
rock group
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
Hawkwind
Hawkwind
Hawkwind are an English rock band, one of the earliest space rock groups. Their lyrics favour urban and science fiction themes. They are also a noted precursor to punk rock and now are considered a link between the hippie and punk cultures....
, released in 1980. It peaked at #21 on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
.
At the time of its release, band leader Dave Brock
Dave Brock
David Anthony "Dave" Brock is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He plays electric guitar, synthesizer, bass and oscillators. He is best known as being one of the founders and musical focus of the English space rock group Hawkwind...
stated: "with Levitation we’ve come full circle back to the style of our debut album. And that was the record which totally expressed our ideals and what we stood for." It is their first studio album after the departure of lead vocalist and lyricist Robert Calvert
Robert Calvert
Robert Calvert was a writer, poet, and musician.-Biography:Born Robert Newton Calvert in Pretoria, South Africa, Calvert's parents moved to England when he was two years of age and later attended school in London and Margate. He began his career by writing poetry and in 1967 formed a Street...
, and lyrics here tend to be cursory and the number of instrumentals is increased. It is also the only studio Hawkwind album to feature ex-Cream
Cream (band)
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...
drummer Ginger Baker
Ginger Baker
Peter Edward "Ginger" Baker is an English drummer, best known for his work with Cream and Blind Faith. He is also known for his numerous associations with World music, mainly the use of African influences...
and first for ex-Gong
Gong (band)
Gong is a Franco-British progressive/psychedelic rock band formed by Australian musician Daevid Allen. Their music has also been described as space rock. Other notable band members include Allan Holdsworth, Tim Blake, Didier Malherbe, Pip Pyle, Gilli Smyth, Steve Hillage, Francis Moze, Mike Howlett...
keyboardist Tim Blake
Tim Blake
Timothy 'Tim' Blake , keyboards, vocalist instrumentalist and composer with both Gong, and Hawkwind. Blake is best known for his Synthesizer and Light performances as Crystal Machine, with the French Light Artist Patrice Warrener...
, who would later return to the band and play on 2010's Blood of the Earth
Blood of the Earth
Blood of the Earth is the twenty-fourth studio album by the British space rock group Hawkwind, released in July 2010.Although it is a new studio album, there are some new versions of older songs...
.
Recording
The band, who consisted of the same personnel that had recorded the previous album Live Seventy Nine, entered The RoundhouseThe Roundhouse
The Roundhouse is a Grade II* listed former railway engine shed in Chalk Farm, London, England, which has been converted into a performing arts and concert venue. It was originally built in 1847 as a roundhouse , a circular building containing a railway turntable, but was only used for railway...
studios in July and August 1980 to record this album. The studio had been newly equipped with a 3M
3M
3M Company , formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation based in Maplewood, Minnesota, United States....
Digital Mastering System by Bronze Records
Bronze Records
Bronze Records is an independent English record label set up in 1971 by record producer Gerry Bron, and based in Chalk Farm, London.Bron had been producing Uriah Heep for Vertigo Records, and he set up this new label for future Uriah Heep releases, along with Juicy Lucy, Richard Barnes and Colosseum...
, making this one of the earliest rock albums to be recorded with the burgeoning digital recording
Digital recording
In digital recording, digital audio and digital video is directly recorded to a storage device as a stream of discrete numbers, representing the changes in air pressure for audio and chroma and luminance values for video through time, thus making an abstract template for the original sound or...
technology.
During the recording, Dave Brock
Dave Brock
David Anthony "Dave" Brock is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He plays electric guitar, synthesizer, bass and oscillators. He is best known as being one of the founders and musical focus of the English space rock group Hawkwind...
became dissatisfied with drummer Simon King
Simon King (musician)
Simon King is an English drummer most noted for his work with Hawkwind. He was described in 1985 by British rock magazine 'Sounds' as 'definitive rock drummer.'...
's inability to keep consistent time
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
, claiming that "he couldn't play his drums properly 'cos he was taking bad drugs", although King stated "I simply wanted to get away. I was very heavily into drinking... and [after leaving I was] fixed on getting my family life together". They considered using a drum machine that was in the studio, but no one knew how to use it. Guitarist Huw Lloyd-Langton
Huw Lloyd-Langton
Huw Lloyd-Langton is an English guitarist, best known as the guitarist for Hawkwind. He also had his own band, the Lloyd Langton Group with bass player Kenny Wilson and drummer John Clark , and is the session lead guitarist for UK band The Meads of Asphodel.As a member of Hawkwind he appeared on...
's wife Marion, who was press officer for Ginger Baker
Ginger Baker
Peter Edward "Ginger" Baker is an English drummer, best known for his work with Cream and Blind Faith. He is also known for his numerous associations with World music, mainly the use of African influences...
's manager Roy Ward's company, suggested approaching the drummer to contribute as a session player. He accepted the offer and completed his tracks in two days, surpassing expectations. Lloyd-Langton observed that "he breezed through ["Space Chase"] straight away. I don't think Simon could have played that... Ginger fitted the band like a glove. His style was just right for it." The band asked the drummer to remain with them, and despite having previously declared to the press his intentions of joining the newly reformed Atomic Rooster
Atomic Rooster
Atomic Rooster were an English progressive rock band, composed of former members of the The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Throughout their history, keyboardist Vincent Crane was the only constant member, and wrote the majority of their material. Their history is defined by two periods, in the early...
, he "found the atmosphere during the sessions so fantastic that I immediately decided to stay with Hawkwind. For me it’s not just my umpteenth group, I’m determined to give it everything I’ve got. Hawkwind always have made timeless music, but you can definitely still hear the eighties in it."
Promotion and tour
The band undertook a 33 date tour of Britain and Ireland from 10 October through to 15 November to promote the album. Eight dates into the tour, Blake left after clashing with Brock over an incident leaving the hotel the morning after the Stoke concert. Blake's technician, Paul "Twink" Noble (who had previously played with Here and NowHere & Now (band)
Here & Now are an English psychedelic/space rock band formed in early 1974. They have close connections with the band Gong and in 1977/1978 worked with Gong's Daevid Allen and Gilli Smyth under the name Planet Gong...
and would later join Gong
Gong (band)
Gong is a Franco-British progressive/psychedelic rock band formed by Australian musician Daevid Allen. Their music has also been described as space rock. Other notable band members include Allan Holdsworth, Tim Blake, Didier Malherbe, Pip Pyle, Gilli Smyth, Steve Hillage, Francis Moze, Mike Howlett...
), took Blake's place using Blake's equipment, until a road accident forced him to leave the tour after another 5 dates. Keith Hale, who had been in Blood Donor and was writing and producing for Toyah
Toyah (band)
Toyah is the name of the band fronted by Toyah Willcox between 1977 and 1983. The only other consistent band member throughout this period was Joel Bogen, Willcox's principal co-writer and guitarist.-Background :...
, then joined the band for the remainder of the tour.
The band also undertook an additional eleven date tour of Britain between 12 and 22 December, the Lewisham Odeon concert on the 18 being professionally recorded. Brock pressed Bronze Records to release another live album from these tapes, but having just issued Live Seventy Nine, label head Gerry Bron
Gerry Bron
Gerald L. Bron is an English record producer and band manager. In his early days, he managed the Bonzo Dog Band.Bron is the brother of actress Eleanor Bron. His family is Jewish. He is also of Eastern European origin...
declined stating of Hawkwind that "they were a bit lazy, they constantly wanted to do live albums, so they wouldn't have to write songs". The recordings were later issued on the albums Zones
Zones (album)
Zones is an album by Hawkwind released in 1983 consisting of studio demos from 1981 and live performances between 1980 and 1982.The tracks on side 1 have been included on the 2009 3CD re-issue of Levitation in expanded form.-Side 1:...
(1983), This Is Hawkwind, Do Not Panic
This Is Hawkwind, Do Not Panic
This is Hawkwind, Do Not Panic is a 1984 live album by the English space rock group Hawkwind. The album consisted of two discs: an LP which was recorded during the group's 1980 Levitation tour; and a 12" EP recorded on at their June 1984 appearance at the Stonehenge Free Festival.The group's...
(1984) and Hawkwind Anthology
Hawkwind Anthology
The Hawkwind Anthology series of records were originally issued mid-1980s containing live and outtake material from Hawkwind's career to that date....
. The 2009 deluxe re-issue of Levitation by Atomhenge Records includes a newly remixed version of the entire concert.
On 14 February 1981, the band appeared on the German television programme Musikladen
Musikladen
Der Musikladen was a West German music television programme that ran from December 13, 1972 to November 29, 1984. The show continued the 1960s Beat-Club under a new name, and in turn was replaced by Extratour.-History:...
performing "Motorway City" and "Who's Gonna Win the War".
Songs
"Levitation" had been played during the band's previous UK Winter 1979 tour and, although not included on the live album Live Seventy Nine, a bootleg version was later released on the Complete '79 album. A live version from the Levitation tour was released on the album This is Hawkwind, Do Not Panic. Terry BickersTerry Bickers
Terry Bickers is an English guitarist, singer and songwriter, best known as a member of the rock bands The House of Love and Levitation...
named his band Levitation
Levitation (band)
Levitation were an English rock band fronted by ex-House of Love guitarist Terry Bickers. Levitation's music and attitude challenged an early 1990s UK alternative music scene dominated by shoegazing and Madchester....
after this album.
The band had wanted "Motorway City
Motorway City
"Motorway City" is a 1983 single by the UK rock group Hawkwind.This version was recorded live on the Levitation tour and released as a single on Flicknife Records in the UK on 28 October, 1983, taken from the album Zones...
" to be released as the album's single, but the record company preferred "Who's Gonna Win the War?" instead. The track features lead guitarist Lloyd-Langton using an E-bow. It had been performed on the band's previous UK Winter 1979 tour and included on the Live Seventy Nine album. A live version of this song from the Levitation tour was later issued in 1983 as a single from the Zones album.
"Psychosis" is an instrumental synthesiser piece by Harvey Bainbridge
Harvey Bainbridge
Harvey Frederick Bainbridge is an English bass and keyboard player. He is best known as the bass player and keyboard player in Hawkwind....
. It was included on the Levitation tour, a version being included, but not listed, on the album This Is Hawkwind, Do Not Panic.
The title of "World of Tiers" is a reference to the World of Tiers
World of Tiers
The World of Tiers is a series of science fiction novels by American writer Philip José Farmer. They are set within a series of artificially-constructed universes, created and ruled by decadent beings who are genetically identical to humans, but who regard themselves as superior, the inheritors of...
series of science fiction novels by Philip José Farmer
Philip José Farmer
Philip José Farmer was an American author, principally known for his award-winning science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories....
. An instrumental, it is reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British–American rock band formed in 1967 in London.The only original member present in the band is its eponymous drummer, Mick Fleetwood...
's "Oh Well". It is another song that had been performed on the band's previous UK Winter 1979 tour, a bootleg version was later released on the Complete '79 album. A live version of this song from the Levitation tour was issued on the Hawkwind Anthology collection.
"Prelude" is an instrumental synthesiser piece by Tim Blake.
"Who's Gonna Win The War?
Who's Gonna Win The War?
"Who's Gonna Win The War?" is a 1980 song by the UK rock group Hawkwind. It was released as a single in the UK on 7 November 1980, being an edit of the version on the album Levitation....
" was released as a single from this album backed by the non-album track "Nuclear Toy". It too had been performed on the band's previous UK Winter 1979 tour, a bootleg version was later released on the Complete '79 album.
"Space Chase" is a fast paced instrumental. A live version from the Levitation tour was released on the album This is Hawkwind, Do Not Panic.
The title "The 5th Second of Forever" references Robert Calvert
Robert Calvert
Robert Calvert was a writer, poet, and musician.-Biography:Born Robert Newton Calvert in Pretoria, South Africa, Calvert's parents moved to England when he was two years of age and later attended school in London and Margate. He began his career by writing poetry and in 1967 formed a Street...
's 1972 Space Ritual
Space Ritual
The Space Ritual Alive in Liverpool and London is a 1973 live double album recorded in 1972 by UK rock band Hawkwind. It is their fourth album, reached #9 in the UK album charts and briefly dented the Billboard Top 200, peaking at #179....
poem "The Ten Seconds of Forever", and it was subtitled "from the film" on the album as a joke by the band, the song not having been used by any film.
It features a nylon stringed acoustic guitar
Classical guitar
The classical guitar is a 6-stringed plucked string instrument from the family of instruments called chordophones...
intro
Introduction (music)
In music, the introduction is a passage or section which opens a movement or a separate piece. In popular music this is often abbreviated as intro...
and outro by Lloyd-Langton. A live version of this song from the Levitation tour was issued on the This is Hawkwind, Do Not Panic album under the title "Circles". Its lyrics have also been used under the title "Circles", although with no musical similarity, overdubbed on Hawkwind at Watchfield
Watchfield
Watchfield is a village and civil parish in the Vale of White Horse, about southeast of Highworth in neighbouring Wiltshire. Watchfield is about north of the village of Shrivenham. Both villages used to be on the main road between Oxford and Swindon, which is now the A420 road...
Festival 1975 (Weird Tape 3) and on Dave Brock demos 1982 (Weird Tape 7).
"Dust of Time" was performed during the Levitation tour, and an edited instrumental version with an intro taken from the outro of "The 5th Second of Forever" was issued on the album Zones under the title "The Island".
Side 1
- "Levitation" (Dave BrockDave BrockDavid Anthony "Dave" Brock is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He plays electric guitar, synthesizer, bass and oscillators. He is best known as being one of the founders and musical focus of the English space rock group Hawkwind...
) – 5:48 - "Motorway CityMotorway City"Motorway City" is a 1983 single by the UK rock group Hawkwind.This version was recorded live on the Levitation tour and released as a single on Flicknife Records in the UK on 28 October, 1983, taken from the album Zones...
" (Brock) – 6:48 - "Psychosis" (Harvey BainbridgeHarvey BainbridgeHarvey Frederick Bainbridge is an English bass and keyboard player. He is best known as the bass player and keyboard player in Hawkwind....
) – 2:22 - "World of Tiers" (Bainbridge, Huw Lloyd-LangtonHuw Lloyd-LangtonHuw Lloyd-Langton is an English guitarist, best known as the guitarist for Hawkwind. He also had his own band, the Lloyd Langton Group with bass player Kenny Wilson and drummer John Clark , and is the session lead guitarist for UK band The Meads of Asphodel.As a member of Hawkwind he appeared on...
) – 3:30
Side 2
- "Prelude" (Tim BlakeTim BlakeTimothy 'Tim' Blake , keyboards, vocalist instrumentalist and composer with both Gong, and Hawkwind. Blake is best known for his Synthesizer and Light performances as Crystal Machine, with the French Light Artist Patrice Warrener...
) – 1:28 - "Who's Gonna Win The War?Who's Gonna Win The War?"Who's Gonna Win The War?" is a 1980 song by the UK rock group Hawkwind. It was released as a single in the UK on 7 November 1980, being an edit of the version on the album Levitation....
" (Brock) – 4:45 - "Space Chase" (Lloyd-Langton) – 3:11
- "The 5th Second of Forever" (Brock, Lloyd-Langton) – 3:27
- "Dust of Time" (Brock, Bainbridge, Lloyd-Langton) – 6:22
Atomhenge CD bonus tracks
- "Valium 10" [full version] (Bainbridge, Brock, Mick Smith, Steve SwindellsSteve SwindellsSteve Swindells is an English singer-songwriter, keyboardist, party organiser, club promoter and journalist.Swindells grew up in the Bath and Bristol area, dropping out of art college to play keyboards with the rock band Squidd. Relocating to London in 1973 and living in squats, he recorded his...
) – 7:53 - "Time of..." (Bainbridge, Brock, Simon KingSimon King (musician)Simon King is an English drummer most noted for his work with Hawkwind. He was described in 1985 by British rock magazine 'Sounds' as 'definitive rock drummer.'...
, Swindells) – 4:11 - "Who’s Gonna Win the War?" [Hawklords version] (Brock) – 4:52
- "Douglas in the Jungle" (Bainbridge, Brock, King, Swindells) – 6:53
- "British Tribal Music" (Bainbridge, Brock, King, Swindells) – 3:56
- "Nuclear Toy" [single B-side] (Brock, Lloyd-Langton) – 3:00
- "Who’s Gonna Win the War?" [single A-side] (Brock) – 3:39
- "Brainstorm" [live 1980] (Nik TurnerNik TurnerNik Turner is a British musician, best known as a founding member of space rock pioneers Hawkwind. Turner plays saxophones, flute, sings and is a composer...
) – 5:47
Atomhenge bonus CD2
- "Technicians of Spaceship Earth"
"Levitation" (Brock) – 7:28 [A] - "Motorway City" (Brock) – 7:36 [B]
- "Death Trap" (Robert CalvertRobert CalvertRobert Calvert was a writer, poet, and musician.-Biography:Born Robert Newton Calvert in Pretoria, South Africa, Calvert's parents moved to England when he was two years of age and later attended school in London and Margate. He began his career by writing poetry and in 1967 formed a Street...
, Brock) – 4:44 [A] - "Angels of Death" (Brock) – 6:06 [A]
- "Psychosis" [unlisted] (Bainbridge) – 1:17 [A]
"The 5th Second of Forever" (Brock, Lloyd-Langton) – 4:13 [A]
"Dust of Time" (Bainbridge, Brock, Lloyd-Langton) – 6:32 [B]
Atomhenge bonus CD3
- "Running Through the Back Brain (Messages)" (Michael MoorcockMichael MoorcockMichael John Moorcock is an English writer, primarily of science fiction and fantasy, who has also published a number of literary novels....
, Hawkwind) – 6:23 [B] - "Dangerous Vision" (Keith Hale) – 5:06 [B]
- "Who’s Gonna Win the War?" (Brock) – 7:26
- "PSI Power" (Calvert, Brock) – 4:50 [A]
- "Shot Down in the Night" (Swindells) – 7:15 [A]
- "World of Tiers" (Bainbridge, Lloyd-Langton) – 5:18 [C]
- "Space Chase" (Lloyd-Langton) – 4:11 [A]
Personnel
- Dave BrockDave BrockDavid Anthony "Dave" Brock is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He plays electric guitar, synthesizer, bass and oscillators. He is best known as being one of the founders and musical focus of the English space rock group Hawkwind...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Huw Lloyd-LangtonHuw Lloyd-LangtonHuw Lloyd-Langton is an English guitarist, best known as the guitarist for Hawkwind. He also had his own band, the Lloyd Langton Group with bass player Kenny Wilson and drummer John Clark , and is the session lead guitarist for UK band The Meads of Asphodel.As a member of Hawkwind he appeared on...
– electric guitar, acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
, backing vocals - Harvey BainbridgeHarvey BainbridgeHarvey Frederick Bainbridge is an English bass and keyboard player. He is best known as the bass player and keyboard player in Hawkwind....
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, keyboards, backing vocals - Tim BlakeTim BlakeTimothy 'Tim' Blake , keyboards, vocalist instrumentalist and composer with both Gong, and Hawkwind. Blake is best known for his Synthesizer and Light performances as Crystal Machine, with the French Light Artist Patrice Warrener...
– keyboards, backing vocals - Ginger BakerGinger BakerPeter Edward "Ginger" Baker is an English drummer, best known for his work with Cream and Blind Faith. He is also known for his numerous associations with World music, mainly the use of African influences...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
bonus tracks
- Steve SwindellsSteve SwindellsSteve Swindells is an English singer-songwriter, keyboardist, party organiser, club promoter and journalist.Swindells grew up in the Bath and Bristol area, dropping out of art college to play keyboards with the rock band Squidd. Relocating to London in 1973 and living in squats, he recorded his...
– keyboards (on Hawklords at Rockfield Studios 1979 tracks) - Mick Smith – drums (on Hawklords at Rockfield Studios 1979 "Valium 10")
- Simon KingSimon King (musician)Simon King is an English drummer most noted for his work with Hawkwind. He was described in 1985 by British rock magazine 'Sounds' as 'definitive rock drummer.'...
– drums (on Hawklords at Rockfield Studios 1979 tracks, except "Valium 10") - Keith Hale – keyboards (on Hawkwind live at Lewisham Odeon 1980 tracks), vocals ("Dangerous Vision")
- Michael MoorcockMichael MoorcockMichael John Moorcock is an English writer, primarily of science fiction and fantasy, who has also published a number of literary novels....
– vocals (on Hawkwind live at Lewisham Odeon 1980 "Running Through the Back Brain")
Credits
- Recorded on 3M3M3M Company , formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation based in Maplewood, Minnesota, United States....
Digital Mastering System at The RoundhouseThe RoundhouseThe Roundhouse is a Grade II* listed former railway engine shed in Chalk Farm, London, England, which has been converted into a performing arts and concert venue. It was originally built in 1847 as a roundhouse , a circular building containing a railway turntable, but was only used for railway...
Studios London, July and August 1980. Produced with Ashely Howe, engineered by Jools Cooper and Nick Rodgers. - Sleeve by Linda Curry (front cover) and Phil Tonkyn (back cover).
- CD1 tracks 10-14: Recorded by Hawklords at Rockfield Studios 1979.
- CD1 track 17, CD2 and CD3: recorded by Hawkwind live at Lewisham Odeon 18 December 1980. Previously issued on [A] This Is Hawkwind, Do Not PanicThis Is Hawkwind, Do Not PanicThis is Hawkwind, Do Not Panic is a 1984 live album by the English space rock group Hawkwind. The album consisted of two discs: an LP which was recorded during the group's 1980 Levitation tour; and a 12" EP recorded on at their June 1984 appearance at the Stonehenge Free Festival.The group's...
; [B] ZonesZones (album)Zones is an album by Hawkwind released in 1983 consisting of studio demos from 1981 and live performances between 1980 and 1982.The tracks on side 1 have been included on the 2009 3CD re-issue of Levitation in expanded form.-Side 1:...
; [C] Hawkwind AnthologyHawkwind AnthologyThe Hawkwind Anthology series of records were originally issued mid-1980s containing live and outtake material from Hawkwind's career to that date....
.
Release history
- November 1980: Bronze Records, BRON530, UK vinyl initial copies pressed on blue vinyl
- June 1987: Castle Communications, CLA129, UK CD and vinyl
- December 1988: Castle Communications, TFO17, UK 2CD and vinyl with Live Seventy Nine
- February 1992: Castle Communications, CLABX911, 3CD with Live Seventy Nine and Space BanditsSpace BanditsSpace Bandits is the sixteenth studio album by the English space rock group Hawkwind, released in 1990. It spent one week on the UK albums chart at #70....
- September 1994: Griffin MusicGriffin MusicGriffin Music was an independent record label created in 1989 in Toronto, Canada by author/publisher Robert Godwin. It was originally created to finance and record the second album of Led Zeppelin tribute act, Michael White & The White...
, GCD 230-2, USA CD - July 1999: Essential Records, ESMCD736, UK CD digipak
- September 2009: Atomhenge (Cherry RedCherry RedCherry Red is a London-based independent record label formed in 1978.-History:Cherry Red grew from the rock promotion company founded in 1971 to promote rock concerts at the Malvern Winter Gardens...
) Records, UK CD - September 2009: Atomhenge (Cherry Red) Records, UK 3CD limited to 3000 copies
External links
- Atomhenge Records
- The Everlasting Trip, Ian Pye, Melody MakerMelody MakerMelody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
, 15 September 1980 - Warriors into Extra Time, Dave Brown, SoundsSounds (magazine)Sounds was a long-term British music paper, published weekly from 10 October 1970 – 6 April 1991. It was produced by Spotlight Publications , which was set up by Jack Hutton and Peter Wilkinson, who left "Melody Maker" to start their own company...
, 7 November 1980