Photo:By Andrew King [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
A number of artists tried to break into this realm of other worldly influence on modern music, but none did it as unique as the band Hawkwind. The album Space Ritual in 1973 ( and later as the Space Ritual: Collector’s Edition remastered in 2007 ) cemented Hawkwind’s place as legends in classic rock history.
Hawkwind drew from a variety of literary, philosophic and contemporary music influences to create an original style that would precede future movements, such as post-punk, industrial and heavy metal. The band combined futurism, astrology, mystical trance modalities and quantum metaphysical themes into their lyrical choices. Their music crafted itself around the ideologies and theories from Pythagorean celestial mathematics, in particular, the ‘music of the spheres.
Space Ritual was recorded live at two independent concert dates in December 1972. The combination of performances in London and Liverpool create some very solid performances by Hawkwind, both capturing the band in their prime and demonstrating the elements which made them a cult phenomenon. Originally advertised as “88 minutes of brain damage” in 1973 music media, Space Ritual: Collector’s Edition has included new footage and outtakes while still peaking at just under two hours of musical madness.
First time listeners might have system shock listening to the variations Hawkwind chooses to sift through musically. Their music is a collection of paradigm shifts that range from monolithic density to cosmic guitar loops, all of it weird to be sure. This is what makes Space Ritual all the more listenable, the live interplay of Hawkwind’s 1972 lineup is astounding. This included Nik Truner on saxophone and vocals, Simon King on drums, Dave Brock on guitars and vocals, Dik Mik on effects and electronic treatments, Del Dettmar on synthesizers, and rhythm guitarist turned bassist Lemmy Kilmister of later Motörhead fame. Also composer and poet Robert Calvert is featured doing his tribute to Michael Moorcock and Huw Lloyd-Langton, along with contributions by Harvey Bainbridge and Dikmik in the audio electronics department.
Many of the tracks are long free-form pieces that offer high-frequency distortion mixed with moody atmospheric electronica. The album opens with the tracks “Earth Calling” and “Born to Go,” the first being a roaring feedback laden intro that is followed up by 10 minutes of starfighter assaults on the mindscape. Next comes “Down Through the Night” which offers frightening bass lines spiraling like an electromagnetic vortex of sonic thrills, after this is the interstellar poem with by Calvert called “The Awakening” that is filled with ramblings from other galaxies.
The rest of the album is an endurance test for the listener, although well worth it, if you can afford the drugs necessary to stay afloat. “Lord of Light,” is one of the strongest cuts, showing off Nik Turner and his saxophone prowess. After this come the Michael Moorcock inspired “Black Corridor” and a zero-gravity guitar monstrosity by Dave Brock entitled “Space Is Deep” ( a personal favorite of this writer ). There are several audio generator pieces shorter in length, namely “Electronic No. 1,” “Upside Down” and “10 Seconds of Forever,” but the real meat comes in two more lengthy soliloquies.
“Orgone Accumulator” is an acid rock meets punk-pop tribute to Wilhelm Reich and Canned Heat, it is a welcome break from Hawkwind’s stylistic full speed metallic white noise. The final original track is “Brainstorm” and it showcases the inherent prog-rock combination of sonic guitar leads, time warping electronics, bass shock waves and musical juxtaposition that Hawkwind does so well.
For the remastered Space Ritual: Collector’s Edition over 40 more minutes of music have been added on a second disc. The most interesting tracks are “Sonic Attack” which is a collaborative song by several Hawkwind associated artists, and two different versions of “Master of the Universe,” a track that features some great guitar work by Dave Brock and the band.
As live albums go Space Ritual is a quintessential example from the sci-fi space rock era. As a classic rock album, it is a timepiece that will never be outdone for it represents a point when electronics and analog still reigned king, long before the digital age. In spirit, Space Ritual repents the purest aspects of classic rock and stands out in its originality, orchestration and raw angst. As a band, Hawkwind broke doorways to the mind and music open across the world, but still are as underground as ever today.
For those just beginning their exploration of space rock, Hawkwind is a must hear and the sacred text behind many modern followers in the sound stream. And for the long term fans of Hawkwind, the album Space Ritual is a classic rock epiphany of many sonic grooves on an inner plane. Hawkwind bridged the gap between psychedelia and heavy metal music. In an age where science fiction had become the fact behind our modern legends, the band Hawkwind was legendary.
Hawkwind Space Ritual: Album Review article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2022
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![Rob De Luca of Spread Eagle, Sebastian Bach & UFO: 10 Albums That Changed My Life From humble East Coast origins to grandest stages worldwide, veteran bassist Rob De Luca has seen and done it all. De Luca first hit the local Boston rock and metal scene in the late 80s after meeting guitarist Paul DiBartolo, bonding over Van Halen before forming Bang. Regional success came quickly, but eventually, the members of Bang went their separate ways, with De Luca and drummer Tommi Gallo heading to NYC and hooking up with Ray West and, later, DiBartolo to form Spread Eagle. By 1990, Spread Eagle was on the fast track, with a contract through MCA Records and a self-titled debut album poised to crush skulls. But poor timing and MCA's sad indifference left Spead Eagle out in the cold despite being a hard-boiled answer to Guns N' Roses's West Coast sleaze. Spread Eagle's first chapter came to an end in '95. As for Rob De Luca, his nimble fingers and gift for melody and songwriting kept him moving forward. Soon, he found a gig with former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach and the legendary outfit UFO. And in 2010, after coupling up with Ray West and his cousin Rik De Luca, Spread Eagle retook flight. During a break from Spread Eagle's increasingly busy touring schedule, Rob De Luca dialed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to run through the ten albums that changed his life. But only after adding, "I made a playlist of these songs, including some I've written or co-written. Do you hear any of these albums' influence on me?" Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3LWJuhDrE8JmzhsmTeIDUq 10) Gentlemen by Afghan Whigs (1993) Here's an entry that was so important to me. This may be the darkest break-up album of all time. Greg Dulli has been in many projects, but I feel Gentlemen is his zenith. Somewhat undefinable at times but always profound and honest. Listen to "Gentlemen," "Fountain and Fairfax," and "What Jail Is Like." 9) In on the Kill Taker by Fugazi (1993) By this time, I had been sucked in and spit out by the major-label record industry. Glam came and went; grunge was history, too. I was searching for new sounds. When I heard Fugazi's twin guitar approach, I knew this was what was missing. Fugazi may be considered a less polished sound than the albums above; however, once you "get it," it hits you like a ton of bricks, and there's no going back. From the moment I heard Fugazi, I went to every NYC show after. It's easily some of the best concerts of my life, and possibly my favorite bassist in Joe Lally. And their DIY ethics refused to charge us more than $5 a show! In on the Kill Taker is a powerful album demonstrated in songs such as "Smallpox Champion," "Great Cop," and "Public Witness Program." 8) Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses (1987) I discovered many of these albums (sometimes long) after they were released. However, I was at the right place at the right time for this one. Steve Ostromogilsky had a Berklee College of Music lunch card and used to sneak out sandwiches for me. One day, he invited me to hang out at his place and listen to music. As we got off the train, he put Sony Walkman headphones on my ears and said, "Hey, check out this brand-new group." A song like "It's So Easy" was so different from the popular Sunset Strip sound at that time. Me and about 499 other informed rockers were lucky enough to see them on their first East Coast tour at the sold-out Paradise on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston (the same street Aerosmith started on). I saw Gn'R every tour after until I took a break when Buckethead joined. Gn'R is the band I've been lucky enough to see the most times live, almost 100! Everyone on this album is just stellar. Axl [Rose] had the tones, power, melodic sensibilities, and foresight to do what no other singer did then. Slash's playing was beyond memorable. Duff [McKagan] is one of the most underrated bassists in rock history, and learning his Appetite basslines is a masterclass. Steven [Adler] had the natural swing, and Izzy [Stradlin] was the secret weapon songwriter. Everything that's been heralded about this gem is deserved and true. Check out "It's So Easy," "Out Ta Get Me," and "Mr. Brownstone.' 7) Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd (1975) Another contender for my favorite album and band of all time. Using The Beatles machine (same recording studio, engineer, record label), Pink Floyd made what I feel is their strongest, most cohesive album (my second favorite of theirs would be Animals). This list mainly consists of bands with an instantly recognizable sound. Floyd is certainly no exception to that! This album included a solid handful of undeniable rock radio classics, bookended by two halves of the mind-blowing song "Shine on You Crazy Diamond.' That song was written about former band member and founder Syd Barrett. It would be hard to live in a world without this album. Check out "Welcome to The Machine," "Shine on You Crazy Diamond (parts 6-9),' or even better yet, listen to the whole thing in one sitting! 6) Decade by Neil Young (1977) About this time, I started playing guitar. As a beginner, it was comfortable jamming to this album because the chord changes were simple—a great "first ten years" retrospective of Neil's stunning, unique songwriting. Neil is a treasure who always writes from the heart and stands up for what's right. Check out "Southern Man," "A Man Needs a Maid," "Down by The River," and "After the Goldrush." 5) Highway to Hell by AC/DC (1979) When I heard this album, I was firmly "me." My life would be 100% focused on hard rock music forever. AC/DC are like air; they're ubiquitous. Everyone knows them and their incredible songs. However, as a young teen in Wilmington, Delaware, I only had WMMR 93.3 FM Philadelphia and a few friends to inform me about the world of Rock outside my bedroom. AC/DC had not gone mainstream, and their albums were available primarily in the USA as imports. To put things more in perspective, I only knew two people in the world who had heard of AC/DC. A friend had an import that we played in Steve Buckley's basement, which sounded ripping. When Highway to Hell was released, WMMR started spinning the title track, and I immediately bought the album, listening to it every single day after school. Then WMMR announced AC/DC was coming to the Spectrum in Philly, supporting Ted Nugent! I liked Ted but loved AC/DC, so my good friend Mick Cummins and I bought tickets, and he drove us up to the Spectrum (where we saw most of our concerts). Bon Scott was in fine form, and the band went over great. Although the crowd knew Ted better, Angus [Young] wouldn't let anyone upstage him. I'll never forget it! Unfortunately, Bon would be gone in 6 months. Check out "Walk All Over You," "Touch Too Much," "Shot Down in Flames," and "If You Want Blood (You Got It)." 4) Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith (1975) By the time I heard this, I was now in my teens. I had a childhood friend up the street, Jim Linberg (we're still good buddies). His older sister had a great album collection, including Toys in The Attic. Once I heard that groove, my taste changed. I lost interest in rock music that didn't have some sort of "swing" feel to it. I think Rocks is a slightly better Aerosmith album (and possibly my favorite album of all time), but both are perfect or very close. Check out "Uncle Salty," "Adam's Apple," "No More No More," "Round and Round," and "You See Me Crying." 3) Alive! by Kiss (1975) When I was still a little kid, I asked for Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke album for Christmas. The entire family came over for an enormous feast, and I dropped the needle. When my mother heard the content, she turned off the album and said I had to exchange it. My mom was cool, but I was young and knew much more about life than she suspected. Anyway, the next day, she drove me back to the store. In the music section, promoted on an "endcap" was a Kiss Alive! display. I had never heard of Kiss, but that cover picture told me I had to have it! My first foray into hard rock. Check out “Strutter.” I went through my Kiss phase very quickly, I believe in a matter of months because I discovered the previous entry, Aerosmith's Toys in the Attic. 2) Honky Chateau by Elton John (1972) When I was a wee lad, my parents bought a used Volkswagen camper van from my uncle Ozzie. My favorite Elton John album is Yellow Brick Road, but Honky Chateau is great and easily one of his best. It sent me down a lifelong rabbit hole of loving everything about the 1970s partnership between Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin. The simple beauty of voice, the master songwriting, the perfect backing band, the clear, unobtrusive recordings, and always Bernie's incredible lyrics. The day this album was released, Elton became an unstoppable force that conquered the music industry. Check out "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" and "Rocket Man." 1) Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (1967) Another tape that was included in the VW Camper. The van had a bunch of music tapes, and one was Sgt Pepper. I was too young to understand the sophistication of the music, but that was one of the many skills of The Beatles. They attracted listeners at every level, even little kids. I still feel that immediate connection to Sgt Pepper; now, I hear so much more. It's an album that changed the world and the world of music. Check out "Lucy in The Sky with Diamonds," "A Day In The Life," and "Fixing a Hole."](http://www.classicrockhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Shutterstock_1815495569-1-300x200.jpg)
Very cool. Thanks for posting this.