The band was formed in 1969 by visionary Dave Brock and although it has been subject to numerous line-up changes it is still led by him. The early line-up featured Dave Brock on vocals and rhythm guitar, Huw Lloyd-Langton on lead guitar, Terry Ollis on drums, Thomas Crimble on bass, Nik Turner on Saxophone and Dik Mik on synthesizer.
The band became established as a space-rock underground band with their renowned concert at the Glastonbury Rock Festival 1970 when they set up in an alternative field and played a free concert, pulling crowds away from the main event. Their debut album, the self titled ‘HAWKWIND’, was released by EMI and to this day still sells steadily. In 1970 they appeared at the Isle of Wight Festival where Jimi Hendrix was spotted in the audience. He was asked to get up and join the band and he replied ‘No I don’t want to spoil it!’ Huw Lloyd-Langton remained with them until late 1971. The band shot to fame in 1972 with their hit record ‘Silver Machine’ featuring Lemmy (now of Motörhead fame) on vocals. (This record featured in the soundtrack of a recent TV Mazda advert in the UK). In 1973 Simon House (Electric Violin) joined, and throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s, the renowned World famous Sci-fi author, Michael Moorcock often recorded and appeared with them.
Lemmy was sacked from the band in 1975 after a drugs bust in USA, and went on to form ‘MOTORHEAD’, named after the last track he wrote for the band, a slang term for speed freak. Huw Lloyd-Langton joined Leo Sayer in 1974 and then in 1975 went on to form supergroup ‘WIDOWMAKER’ WITH Steve Ellis (Love Affair), Luther Grosvenor (Mott The Hoople), Paul Nicholls (Lindisfarne) and Bob Daisley (Ozzy Osborne). In 1977, Simon House joined David Bowie. Dave Brock and poet Bob Calvert tour as ‘HAWKLORDS’, performing the stage show ‘METROPOLIS’. Throughout the 70's, Hawkwind released a series of classic albums; ‘IN SEARCH OF SPACE’, ‘DOREMI FASOL LATIDO’, ‘SPACE RITUAL’,
‘HALL OF THE MOUNTAIN GRILL’, ‘WARRIOR ON THE EDGE OF TIME’, ‘ASTOUNDING SOUNDS, AMAZING MUSIC’, ‘QUARK STRANGENESS & CHARM’ and ‘PXR 5’. In 1979, Dave formed another nucleus with Huw Lloyd-Langton on lead guitar, Simon King on drums, Harvey Bainbridge (from Hawklords) on bass and Tim Blake from ‘Gong’ on keyboards.
Their live album ‘LIVE 79’ went straight into the national top ten charts chart. In 1980 Ginger Baker replaced Simon King on drums and they recorded their classic album ‘LEVITATION’. Once again, the release went straight into national top ten album chart. Tim Blake and Ginger Baker remaied with the band until after the Christmas Tour 1980. From 1979 to 1985 the band’s singles and albums were never out of the national, independent and heavy metal charts, with albums such as ‘SONIC ATTACK, ‘CHURCH OF HAWKWIND', 'CHRONICLE OF THE BLACK SWORD, 'LIVE CHRONICLES' AND 'XENON CODEX'. Nik Turner who left the band in 1975 briefly rejoined the band 1982-1983 for the ‘CHOOSE YOUR MASQUES’ tour. In 1984 Alan Davey replaces Harvey Bainbridge on bass and Harvey moved over to keyboards and synths. In 1985 the band tour with the spectacular ‘CHRONICLES OF THE BLACK SWORD’, a stageshow portraying music and images based on Michael Moorcock’s epic saga, ‘ELRIC’. During this period the band reached a new audience with the emergence of ambient acts such as The Orb openly acknowledging Hawkwind’s influence.
Huw Lloyd-Langton remained with the band throughout the end of the 80s, departing in 1989 followed
shortly after by Harvey Bainbridge. The band continued to perform live throughout the nineties, and had
some noteable album releases such as, 'SPACE BANDITS', 'PALACE SPRINGS', 'ELECTRIC TEPEE',
'IT IS THE BUSINESS OF THE FUTURE TO BE DANGEROUS', 'THE BUSINESS TRIP', 'ALIEN 4',
'LOVE IN SPACE' and 'DISTANT HORIZONS'. During their entire existence the band have performed numerous free concerts, notably STONEHENGE and have supported various charities, which include SHELTER, when in 1977 at the Blackheath Concert Halls they raised thousands of pounds for the homeless, and even released a charity single version of the Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter" with Samantha Fox guesting on vocals. N.A.S.A. in the USA have also used sound tracks from the ‘LOVE IN SPACE release. In 1997 they headlined the ‘1ST SPACEROCK FESTIVAL USA’. In 2000, the band staged the highly successful ‘HAWKESTRA’ event at the London Brixton Academy, which saw many past members reunited on stage with a nucleus of Dave Brock, Ron Tree, Jerry Richards, Hugh Lloyd-Langton, Simon House, Richard Chadwick, Alan Davey and Tim Blake. In 2001 they were voted the 8th top progressive band in the country on Channel 4 TV. The band have recently released a double live cd recording of their Xmas 2000 'Yule Ritual' show at the London Astoria, as well as the Arthur Brown helmed 'Out of the Shadows' in 2007.The concept of a Hawkestra, a reunion event featuring appearances from all past and present members, had originally been intended to coincide with the band's 30th anniversary and the release of the career spanning Epocheclipse – 30 Year Anthology set, but logistical problems delayed it until 21 October 2000. It took place at the Brixton Academy with about 20 members taking part in a 3+ hour set which was filmed and recorded. Guests included Samantha Fox who sang Master of the Universe. However, arguments and disputes over financial recompense and musical input resulted in the prospect of the event being restaged unlikely, and any album or DVD release being indefinitely shelved.The Hawkestra had set a template for Brock to assemble a core band of Tree, Brock, Richards, Davey, Chadwick and for the use of former members as guests on live shows and studio recordings. The 2000 Christmas Astoria show was recorded with contributions from House, Blake, Rizz, Moorcock, Jez Huggett and Keith Kniveton and released as Yule Ritual the following year.
In 2001, Davey agreed to rejoin the band permanently, but only afiter the departure of Tree and Richards.
Meanwhile, having rekindled relationships with old friends at the Hawkestra, Turner organised further Hawkestra gigs resulting in the formation of xhawkwind.com, a band consisting mainly of ex-Hawkwind members and playing old Hawkwind songs. An appearance at Guilfest in 2002 led to confusion as to whether this actually was Hawkwind, sufficiently irking Brock into taking legal action to prohibit Turner from trading under the name Hawkwind. Turner lost the case and the band now perform as Space Ritual.
An appearance at the Canterbury Sound Festival in August 2001, resulting in another live album Canterbury Fayre 2001, saw guest appearances from Lloyd-Langton, House, Kniveton with Arthur Brown on "Silver Machine". The band organised the first of their own weekend festivals, named Hawkfest, in Devon in the summer of 2002. Brown joined the band in 2002 for a Winter tour which featured some Kingdom Come songs and saw appearances from Blake and Lloyd-Langton, the Newcastle show being released on DVD as Out of the Shadows and the London show on CD as Spaced Out in London.
In 2005 the long anticipated new album Take Me to Your Leader was released. Recorded by the core band of Brock/Davey/Chadwick, contributors included new keyboardist Jason Stuart, Arthur Brown, tabloid writer and TV personality Matthew Wright, 1970s New Wave singer Lene Lovich, Simon House and Jez Huggett. This was followed in 2006 by the CD/DVD disc Take Me to Your Future.
The band were the subject of an hour-long television documentary entitled Hawkwind: Do Not Panic that aired on BBC Four as part of the Originals series. It was broadcast on 30 March 2007 and repeated on 10 August 2007. Although Brock participated in its making he did not appear in the programme, it is alleged that he requested all footage of himself be removed after he was denied any artistic control over the documentary.. In one of the documentary's opening narratives regarding Brock, it is stated that he declined to be interviewed for the programme because of Nik Turner's involvement, indicating that the two men have still not been reconciled over the xhawkwind.com incident.
June 2007 saw the departure of Alan Davey, who left to perform and record with two new bands: Gunslinger and Thunor. He was replaced by "Mr Dibs", a long-standing member of the road crew and bassist for the bands Spacehead and Krel (who had supported Hawkwind during 1992). The band performed at their annual Hawkfest festival and headlined the US festival NEARfest and played gigs in PA and NY. At the end of 2007, Tim Blake once again joined the band filling the lead role playing keyboards and theremin. The band played 5 Christmas dates, the London show being released as an audio CD and video DVD under the title Knights of Space.
The band's official Website is to be found at www.hawkwind.com
HAWKWIND and solo projects: Dave Brock, Nik Turner, Inner City Unit, Lemmy, Motorhead, Huw Lloyd Langton Group, Robert Calvert, Alan Davey, Bedouin, Michael Moorcock Deep Fix, Harvey Bainbridge, Agents Of Chaos ,Space Ritual, Spiral Realms,ect.A truly prolific act !
Highrise
Hawkwind Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Of two dimensions
Neon totem pole to the sky
Keeping scores of people stacked up so high
Above the ground
But all they can hear is the sound
Of the wind in the antennae
It's a human zoo
Childhood
Of concrete cube shaped
A flypaper stuck with human life
Caged up rage
Swarming all the time
Tear out the telephones
Rip up the pages of directories
And wreck all these
High speed lifts and elevators
Be a sabotage rebel without a cause
[Chorus: x2]
High rise
Living in a high rise
High rise
Living in a high rise
High rise
Living in a high rise
High rise
All stacked up in a high rise block
Starfish
Of human blood shape
Tentacles of human gore
Spread out on the pavement from the 99th floor
Well somebody said that he jumped
But we know he was pushed
He was just like you might have been
On the 99th floor of a suicide machine
[Chorus]
The Hawkwind song "Highrise" is a scathing critique of the high rise urban living that sprouted up in England in the 1960s and 70s. The lyrics describe a "flat block of two dimensions" that resembles a "neon totem pole to the sky." The tower is home to scores of people, all of whom are "stacked up so high above the ground." However, despite its imposing presence, no one can hear anything except the sound of the wind whistling through the antenna. The tower is a "human zoo" and a "suicide machine." The song goes on to describe the feelings of claustrophobia and rage that residents experience in such an environment. The singer urges listeners to rebel against this state of affairs, to "tear out the telephones, rip up the pages of directories and wreck all these high speed lifts and elevators." The final verse describes a suicide from the tower, implying that the singer believes that those who live in such high rises are condemned to a brutal and inhumane existence.
Line by Line Meaning
Flat block
Referring to the towering buildings in the city landscape
Of two dimensions
Despite its physical shape, it lacks depth and substance
Neon totem pole to the sky
With its bright lights, the high-rise is a symbol or beacon in the night
Keeping scores of people stacked up so high
Packed with people in a small space, leaving their lives stacked and confined
Above the ground
Far away from the earth, as if disconnected from life below
But all they can hear is the sound
Overwhelmed by the noises of daily life, with no respite from the hustle and bustle
Of the wind in the antennae
Only reminded of nature by the sound of the wind hitting the metal structures on top of the high-rise building
It's a human zoo
The high-rise has become a trap for those living in it, caged and confined like animals
A suicide machine
The building has become a metaphor for suicide, due to the oppressive and suffocating atmosphere
Childhood
Reminiscing about the unremarkable and dull childhood that led to this life
Of concrete cube shaped
Describing the uniformity and monotony of the living arrangements in the city
A flypaper stuck with human life
The city is like a flytrap, capturing people and sticking them in place
Caged up rage
The frustration and anger that people feel while trapped in their lives
Swarming all the time
The constant activity and movement in the city is overwhelming, causing one to feel trapped and suffocated
Tear out the telephones
Urging people to disconnect and rebel against the trappings of modern technology
Rip up the pages of directories
A call to eliminate the attachments of society and the societal norms that define people
And wreck all these
Destroying the physical constructs of society to attain freedom
High speed lifts and elevators
The metaphor of elevators as a symbol of conformity to society's rules and expectations
Be a sabotage rebel without a cause
An appeal to become a counter-culture icon without any specific motive or reason behind one's actions
High rise
A repeated affirmation of the building's impact on its occupants
Living in a high rise
Echoing the idea that life in the city is suffocating and oppressive, hollowing the people who reside there
All stacked up in a high rise block
The image of people piled on top of one another, removing the distinction between separate lives
Starfish
The building is portrayed as a festering wound that cannot be healed
Of human blood shape
A chilling image that merges the suffering and despair of the human condition with the cold sterility of the city's architecture
Tentacles of human gore
Focusing on the graphic and grotesque imagery of the aftermath of a high-rise suicide
Spread out on the pavement from the 99th floor
The description of the physical carnage wrought by the city that extends even into the streets below
Well somebody said that he jumped
Questioning the veneer of lies and deceit propagated by those in power
But we know he was pushed
The acknowledgement of the dark reality behind the facade of normality that the city displays
He was just like you might have been
The idea that anyone, even oneself, could be so consumed by the despair and hopelessness of the city as to take their own life
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: ROBERT NEWTON CALVERT, SIMON HOUSE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@EduardAntoniu
This track makes me cry. Especially the Hammond. I'm 61 and lived for 41 years in high rises. 7th floor of 8, 5th floor of 7, 4th floor of 4 in Romania. 21st floor of 23 in Toronto. 1st floor of 4 in Galway, Ireland. Whenever I too finally had a house, others eventually didn't want me to have it anymore. I don't remember to have had cretin noisy neighbours like in the 4 past years at the 4th floor of 4 back in Romania again.
@louistracy6964
Nice post, good words.
@colinphillips2732
this is one of the best ever hawkwind tracks....... seriously spaced out and mellow.... my dad got me in to this group when I was around 10 years old and at age 35 now there is nothing out now that even comes close to this group and genius of there music-legendary
@HollowHandCollective
Same dude. Finding 'Space Ritual' in my Dad's record pile when I was about 8 blew my tiny mind. 38 now and still spinning them constantly.
@jaymay3026
I was 14 when this came out. Pxr5 was my introduction to the world of heavy rock, my mate invited me round to his house when his parents were away for the weekend he put this album on and turned it on full blast while I took my first ever drink of alcohol which was a bottle of pils lager quickly followed by a
triple scotch. I will never forget that night because I had never heard anything like this kind of music before and it just blew me away and of course getting pleasantly drunk for the first time ever just added to the magic. My mate died in a motorcycle accident when we were riding across the snake pass in the UK in the early 80's. This track was his favourite Hawkwind song, and its easy to see why He loved it so much: everything about this track is genius. R. I . P Dave, love you man.
@selfempower3960
Sad but real tales my friend! Thanks for sharing.
@donk1822
Eat your heart out Bob Dylan, this is lyrical genius.
@conelcostigan6027
i agree with you cuzzzszz
@georgerivera278
Besides... Dylan stole directly from Arlo Guthrie, and "adapted" other numbers from various folk artists.
@johnnyssik
Why pick on Bob?