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 !
Magnu
Hawkwind Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I want your help yet once again
Walk not the Earth but fly through space
As lightning flash or thunder's race
Swift as the arrow from the bow
Come to me so that no one can know,
Sunbeams are my shafts to kill,
All men who dare imagine ill
Deceit that fears the light of day
Fly from the glory of my ray
Good minds open and take new light
Until we diminish by the reign of night
Until we diminish by the reign of night
Until we diminish by the reign of night
Until we diminish by the reign of night
A burning brand was seen to fall,
It lit the darkness of the hall
The flying hoof beats circling in,
Come to me and let us spin
Sunbeams are my shafts to kill,
All men who dare imagine ill
Deceit that fears the light of day
Fly from the glory of my ray
Good minds open and take new light
Until we diminish by the reign of night
Until we diminish by the reign of night
Until we diminish by the reign of night
Until we diminish by the reign of night
Until we diminish by the reign of night
Until we diminish by the reign of night
Until we diminish by the reign of night
(repeat)
The song Magnu by Hawkwind is a psychedelic rock masterpiece, released in 1979. The lyrics speak of a mythical creature, Magnu - a horse with a golden mane - who the singer calls upon for help. The singer wants Magnu to fly through space, as lightning or thunder, to come to him and help him. Magnu is to be swift as an arrow from a bow, and come so secretly that no one else knows. The singer explains that his sunbeams are his weapon to kill all men who dare imagine ill. He is a force of goodness and light, seeking to banish deceit and darkness, and bring new light to good minds. The song ends with the lines "Until we diminish by the reign of night," repeating multiple times, signifying that the darkness is inevitable and will eventually overtake everything.
The lyrics seem to speak of a sort of cosmic battle between light and darkness, good and evil. The character of Magnu is a mythical, otherworldly creature with the power to fly through space and help defeat the darkness. The singer, on the other hand, seems to represent humanity's potential for light and goodness, and his sunbeams are the metaphorical arrows he uses to fight darkness. While the lyrics are somewhat cryptic, it seems clear that the song is an exploration of these big, cosmic themes.
Line by Line Meaning
Magnu horse with golden mane
Addressing the mythical creature Magnu that represents power and authority.
I want your help yet once again
Seeking the assistance of Magnu, indicating a previous relationship or need for guidance.
Walk not the Earth but fly through space
Magnu has the unique ability to transcend physical boundaries and operate beyond the scope of normal beings.
As lightning flash or thunder's race
Magnu's speed is unmatched and described as a force of nature.
Swift as the arrow from the bow
Further emphasizing Magnu's incredible speed and agility.
Come to me so that no one can know,
The encounter with Magnu is meant to be kept secret or hidden from others.
Sunbeams are my shafts to kill,
Magnu possesses the power to obliterate any individual who harbors negative or harmful intentions.
All men who dare imagine ill
Those who hold malicious thoughts or seek to cause harm are seen as enemies and subject to Magnu's wrath.
Deceit that fears the light of day
Those who operate in the shadows and conceal their true nature are afraid of Magnu's power and the revealing nature of light.
Fly from the glory of my ray
Magnu's power is associated with light and glory, and any deceitful individuals must flee from its presence.
Good minds open and take new light
Those with open and honest intentions can receive Magnu's guidance and enlightenment.
Until we diminish by the reign of night
Until the end of time, the encounter with Magnu will remain significant and influential.
A burning brand was seen to fall,
A powerful and symbolic event occurred that heightened the significance of the encounter with Magnu.
It lit the darkness of the hall
The encounter with Magnu illuminated a previously dark or unknown situation.
The flying hoof beats circling in,
Further emphasizing Magnu's speed and agility, as well as the mythical nature of the encounter.
Come to me and let us spin
The encounter with Magnu is a transformative experience that can lead to personal growth and enlightenment.
Until we diminish by the reign of night
The significance of the encounter with Magnu transcends time and remains relevant until the end of existence.
Until we diminish by the reign of night
The encounter with Magnu remains influential and significant regardless of the passage of time.
Until we diminish by the reign of night
The relationship with Magnu has the potential to lead to personal growth and enlightenment that lasts until the end of time.
Until we diminish by the reign of night
The encounter with Magnu is an experience that lasts until the end of existence and can impact others long after we are gone.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DAVE BROCK, ROBERT NEWTON CALVERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@iliasrodoka565
Magnu horse with golden mane
I want your help yet once again
Walk not the Earth but fly through space
As lightning flash or thunder's race
Swift as the arrow from the bow
Come to me so that no one can know,
Sunbeams are my shafts to kill,
All men who dare imagine ill
Deceit that fears the light of day
Fly from the glory of my ray
Good minds open and take new light
Until we diminish by the reign of night
Until we diminish by the reign of night
Until we diminish by the reign of night
Until we diminish by the reign of night
A burning brand was seen to fall,
It lit the darkness of the hall
The flying hoof beats circling in,
Come to me and let us spin
Sunbeams are my shafts to kill,
All men who dare imagine ill
Deceit that fears the light of day
Fly from the glory of my ray
Good minds open and take new light
Until we diminish by the reign of night
Until we diminish by the reign of night
Until we diminish by the reign of night
Until we diminish by the reign of night
@90125trevor
We are the warriors at the edge of time
We are Humanity's scythe to sweep this way and that
And cut the Enemy down as weeds
We are Humanity's spade to dig up the roots wherever they have grown
We are Humanity's fire to burn the waste to the finest ash
We are the wind which will blow the ash away
As if it had never existed
We will destroy those Enemies
But we must first know the Enemies
And the Enemies are the devils that hide in our minds
And make us less than happy
They make us less than happy
We are the warriors at the edge of time
We are the veterans of a savage truth
We are the lost
We are the last
We are the betrayed
We are the betrayed
We are the betrayed...
@SquainbowSquaising
This is the song I would want playing in the background If I only had 9 minutes to save the Earth.
@purplestuff
My imaginary friend is Magnu. When I'm confronted by bullshit I saddle up Magnu and we ride into battle with a fat spliff between our lips!
@user-pp5yx5mx6v
Радует,что есть много бриллиантов,но люди их не находят и ты можешь наслаждаться ими с другими избранными..Слушал их ещё 20 лет назад..
@aironatape
There will not be another group that will be able to match this type of music, EVER!!
@Memesaplenty
This really is one of the greatest ever. If you can survive the last few minutes, you will emerge a different person.
@sjmodel666
Have u listened to nik turners space rock!? Space gypsy and life in space, plus loads more! Hes the space rock god im afraid to say! 🤩🤘😉
@robertsmith4519
Totally agree
@mikewiitala9462
Obviously you have never heard the song Stand Beside My Fire by Phantom's Divine Comedy. It preceded this Hawkwind remake.
@sderoski1
@mike wiitala hawkind space ritual 1971, jimi hendrix EXP 1969, Moby Grape omaha 1967, spaced out sounds go way back my friend, it is not a contest
@babadag13
Bought this album when it first came our, this and space ritual unique, never to be repeated.