Hawkwind’s 50 Year Musical Journey kicks off again in Stamford next week.
50 years? It’s closer to 55 years because I remembr seeing them at the long-gone Liverpool Stadium in March 1971, the year In Search of Space was released, and for several years after. I also remember the night the show was recorded for the Space Ritual album (December 22 1972) and that night I even had a camera with me, my first ever foray into gig photography; here’s Lemmy with his trademark Rickenbacker bass:
The line-up has obviously changed considerably over the years but the one constant is Dave Brock who remains with the band. In the 1971-2 era the line-up was Dave Brock, Nik Turner, Lemmy, Del Dettmar, Terry Ollis/Simon King & Bob Calvert with Liquid Len and the Lensmen providing the psychedelic lighting effects behind the band. There was also, of course, Stacia, the dancer!
Well, now the legendary space-rock pioneers Hawkwind return with their latest studio album, There Is No Space For Us. Following 2024’s critically acclaimed Stories From Time And Space and recent triple disc live album Live At The Royal Albert Hall, this new release develops the dystopian themes of recent albums and the cosmic, almost metaphysical perspective on humanity’s place in the universe through expansive soundscapes and electrifying psychedelic rock.
Blending hypnotic rhythms, immersive synths, and driving guitar riffs, There Is No Space For Us takes listeners on an interstellar voyage from the synth laden thunderous opening track There Is Still Danger There to the eerie, atmospheric depths and outstanding heights of Space Continues (Lifeform). Tracks like the acoustic led TheCo-Pilot (a song which transforms multiple times across 8 minutes) and title track There Is No Space For Us (the definition of what a “space western” should sound like) showcase the band’s signature fusion of chugging guitars, electronic rhythms, and grand science fiction vision of human destiny. Another stand-out moment is the frenzied theremin laced freak-out of Neutron Stars, while A Long Long Way From Home delivers a melancholic yet powerful crescendo, reflecting on the fragile nature of existence in an ever-expanding universe.
Another classic album to add to the Hawkwind canon, There Is No Space For Us is presented by Dave Brock, Richard Chadwick, Magnus Martin, Doug MacKinnon and Tim “Thighpaulsandra” Lewis on both CD and double vinyl (the vinyl features a bonus two recent live rehearsals) and will be released to coincide with live shows in the spring and summer.
Hawkwind are: Dave Brock, Richard Chadwick, Magnus Martin, Doug MacKinnon and Tim “Thighpaulsandra” Lewis.
SPRING 2025 LIVE DATES:
16 April 25 Stamford, Corn Exchange ‘A Quiet Night In With Hawkwind’
17 April 25 Gateshead, Glasshouse
18 April 25 Guildford, G-Live
19 April 25 Bournemouth, Pavilion Theatre
20 April 25 Birmingham, Symphony Hall
9 May 25 Aylesbury, Waterside Theatre
10 May 25 Liverpool, M&S Bank Arena
11 May 25 Manchester, Bridgewater Hall
22 May 25 Bridport, Electric Palace ‘A Quiet Night In With Hawkwind’
23 May 25 Sheffield, City Hall
24 May 25 Portsmouth Guildhall
25 May 25 Cambridge, Corn Exchange
26 May 25 London, Barbican Theatre
Tickets available via: www.hawkwind.com
@HawkwindHQ
