Turner was a major influence on the Hawkwind sound during the band's most popular period in the early 1970s, writing and singing a number of their best-loved tracks, including Master of the Universe. Turner was ousted from the band in 1976. Brock maintained it was due to his finally losing patience with Turner's supposedly chaotic and distracting habit of playing over the sound of his bandmates. The event signalled the start of a feud between Brock and Turner which has simmered for 20 years.
After his first stint with Hawkwind finished, Turner performed as a solo artist, then helped form the psychedelic punk band Inner City Unit. In 1982, his disagreements with Brock put aside for the time being, Turner rejoined Hawkwind, performing with the group for the next two years. He later formed a group of his own, teaming up with other former Hawkwind musicians, getting involved in a name dispute after calling his group xHawkwind. The band now calls itself Space Ritual, after Hawkwind's most famous live album. Later he performed as the Nik Turner Band and as the Nik Turner Fabulous All Stars.
In 2008 Turner was invited to join Space Mirrors collective as a guest member. He recorded flute and saxophone on three Space Mirrors releases: Majestic-12: A Hidden Presence (2009), Dreams of Area 51 (2011) and In Darkness They Whisper (2012).
Nik Turner, who served two stints as a member of the space rock outfit Hawkwind, died at the age of 82 on Nov. 10, 2022. Turner was a multi-talented musician who was known for playing both flute and saxophone with the band, while also serving as a vocalist and composer. Turner was first a roadie to the newly formed band, but once they learned he could play saxophone he was offered a position within the group. He was let go in 1976, and invited back in 1982 until he was let go again from the band in 1984.
Anubis
Nik Turner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Child of love of Nephtys and Osiris
Vigilant on my mountain, of the gods I am protector
In wood be my image, a powerful sceptre
Like the earth t’kau which the gods mouths I loosed
In my Hall of Two Truths no untruth be excused
The heart in the balance, the tongue I test
Please observe, my dear Thoth, my weighing precision
The fate of this heart rests upon thy decision
My Anubian lights can lead it to the next world
Or, unjustified, to the Dread Devourer be hurled
I perform psychostasis, give thou me thy hand
Fit thee up with space/time suit, make firm thy thighs to stand
My stealth with… I call to thee hither
I can destroy thoughts within thee, come thee therefore thither
I keep the con of movements of planets and spaces
Numbers and forms, bodies and places
Placed the stars in the constellation of the Great Bear
Held from Set ‘til Thoth takes it in care
On the day of which the universe began
It was my lot to allot destinty to each man
The lyrics of Nik Turner's "Anubis" describe the ancient Egyptian god Anubis, who is often represented with a jackal-like head. Anubis was believed to be the protector of the dead and was responsible for guiding the souls of the deceased through the underworld. In the lyrics, Anubis is described as the child of Nephtys and Osiris and as being vigilant on his mountain, where he watches over the gods. Anubis is also depicted as wielding a powerful sceptre, and his image is made of wood.
In the second verse, Anubis is described as presiding over the Hall of Two Truths, where the heart of the deceased is weighed against a feather to determine their worthiness to enter the afterlife. Anubis is assisted in this task by the god Thoth, who is called upon to exercise his precision in weighing the heart. If the heart is judged to be just, Anubis's "Anubian lights" will lead it to the next world. If the heart is deemed to be unjustified, the soul will be "hurled" to the "Dread Devourer." The third verse describes Anubis's ability to "perform psychostasis," or to weigh the soul of the deceased, and to "destroy thoughts within thee."
Line by Line Meaning
With my jackal-like head man calleth me Anubis
I am called Anubis because I have a head like a jackal.
Child of love of Nephtys and Osiris
I am the child of the love between Nephtys and Osiris.
Vigilant on my mountain, of the gods I am protector
I protect the gods from my mountain with vigilance.
In wood be my image, a powerful sceptre
My image is made of wood and is a powerful sceptre.
Like the earth t’kau which the gods mouths I loosed
Just like the earth, I have power over the gods.
In my Hall of Two Truths no untruth be excused
No untruth is allowed in my Hall of Two Truths.
The heart in the balance, the tongue I test
I test the tongue and balance the heart of those in my divine hall.
In my hall divine we try only the best
Only the best are allowed in my divine hall.
Please observe, my dear Thoth, my weighing precision
Thoth, please observe my precision when weighing hearts.
The fate of this heart rests upon thy decision
The fate of this heart is in your hands, Thoth.
My Anubian lights can lead it to the next world
I can guide the soul to the next world with my Anubian lights.
Or, unjustified, to the Dread Devourer be hurled
If the soul is not justified, it will be sent to the Dread Devourer.
I perform psychostasis, give thou me thy hand
I perform psychostasis and ask for your hand.
Fit thee up with space/time suit, make firm thy thighs to stand
I will equip you with a space/time suit and strengthen your thighs to stand.
My stealth with… I call to thee hither
I call upon my stealth to bring you here.
I can destroy thoughts within thee, come thee therefore thither
I can destroy your thoughts, so come to me.
I keep the con of movements of planets and spaces
I control the movements of planets and spaces.
Numbers and forms, bodies and places
I control numbers, forms, bodies, and places.
Placed the stars in the constellation of the Great Bear
I put the stars in the Great Bear constellation.
Held from Set ‘til Thoth takes it in care
I held it until Thoth took care of it from Set.
On the day of which the universe began
On the day the universe began,
It was my lot to allot destiny to each man
it was my responsibility to give each person their destiny.
Contributed by Carson S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.