Church of Hawkwind | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 14 May 1982 | |||
Recorded | 1981–1982 | |||
Genre | Space rock | |||
Length | 35:29 | |||
Label | Active | |||
Producer | Dr Technical | |||
Hawkwind chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [2] |
Church of Hawkwind is the twelfth studio album by Hawkwind, released under the band name Church of Hawkwind in 1982. The name change reflects the fact that this was a musical departure for the band, being a more experimental electronic offering rather than the usual heavy rock that the band were known for at the time.
Dave Brock resurrects the "Dr Technical" alias which he had previously used for production of the band's 1972 hit single "Silver Machine". This is almost a Dave Brock solo album considering the heavy bias towards his work, and none of these tracks were performed live by the band, save "Looking in the Future" which was re-recorded as "Letting in the Past" on It is the Business of the Future to be Dangerous .
"The Phenomenon of Luminosity" features a sample of John Glenn on the Friendship Seven spacecraft during the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission on 20 February 1962. An alternative version of "Experiment With Destiny" had appeared on the preceding year's Sonic Attack album as "Virgin of the World".
Although credited to Dave Brock, the track "Some People Never Die" borrows much of its material from the track "They Call Me Gun" on an obscure LP by "On The Seventh Day" (US Mercury Records 61248, 1970), right down to the Robert F. Kennedy and Lee Harvey Oswald shooting commentaries. Alternative versions of "Some People Never Die" appear on Spacebrock and the Dave Brock solo album Earthed to the Ground (as "Assassination").
The CD bonus tracks on the 1994 Griffin release were recorded in the 1990s and seem at odds with the overall feel of the album, and they were placed in the middle of a resequenced side 2 by Dave Brock, disrupting the flow of the album, for example the rowing that linked "Some People Never Die" with "Light Specific Data" now has 5 tracks in between. [3] The 2010 Atomhenge CD restores the original running order and provides a different set of bonus material. [4] [5] [6]
Chart (1982) | Peak position |
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UK Albums (OCC) [7] | 26 |
Electric Tepee is the seventeenth studio album by the English space rock group Hawkwind, released in 1992. It spent one week on the UK albums chart at #53.
Levitation is the tenth studio album by English rock group Hawkwind, released in 1980. It peaked at No. 21 on the UK Albums Chart.
Sonic Attack is the eleventh studio album by the English space rock group Hawkwind, released in 1981. It spent five weeks on the UK albums chart peaking at #19.
The Chronicle of the Black Sword is the fourteenth studio album by the English space rock group Hawkwind, released in 1985. It spent two weeks on the UK albums chart peaking at #65. The album is based upon the adventures of Elric of Melniboné, a recurring character in the novels of science fiction author Michael Moorcock, a long-standing associate of the group, who contributes lyrics to one track on the album.
The Xenon Codex is the fifteenth studio album by the English space rock group Hawkwind, released in 1988. It spent two weeks on the UK albums chart peaking at #79.
Live Seventy Nine is a 1980 live album by Hawkwind recorded on their Winter 1979 UK tour. It reached #15 on the UK album chart.
Space Bandits is the sixteenth studio album by the English space rock group Hawkwind, released in 1990. It spent one week on the UK albums chart at #70.
The Business Trip is a 1994 live album by the English space rock group Hawkwind. It was recorded at the Slough gig of the group's 1993 tour to promote the It Is the Business of the Future to Be Dangerous album.
Palace Springs is a 1991 live/studio album by the English space rock group Hawkwind.
Choose Your Masques is the thirteenth studio album by the English space rock group Hawkwind, released in 1982. It spent five weeks on the UK Albums Chart, peaking at No. 29.
Angels of Death is a 1986 compilation album by Hawkwind covering their RCA/Active Records period 1981–1982. It draws from the albums Sonic Attack (1981), Church of Hawkwind (1982) and Choose Your Masques (1982).
Live Chronicles is a 1986 album by Hawkwind recorded of a live performance of their The Chronicle of the Black Sword concept album based on the Michael Moorcock character Elric of Melniboné. The Hammersmith Odeon dates on 3 and 4 December were professionally audio recorded and the stage show video taped.
Zones is an album by Hawkwind released in 1983 consisting of studio demos from 1981 and live performances between 1980 and 1982.
This is Hawkwind, Do Not Panic is a 1984 live album by the English space rock group Hawkwind. The album consisted of two discs: an LP which was recorded during the group's 1980 Levitation tour; and a 12" EP recorded at their June 1984 appearance at the Stonehenge Free Festival.
Out and Intake is a 1987 live/studio album by the English space rock group Hawkwind.
Undisclosed Files was released by Hawkwind to promote their new label, The Emergency Broadcast System in 1993, catalogue number "HAWKWIND·1".
Choose Your Masques: Collectors Series Volume 2 is a 2000 live album release of most of a pair of 1982 concerts by the English rock band Hawkwind. It was recorded during the winter 1982 tour at the Hammersmith Odeon in London, mostly on 12 November, with some tracks possibly from 13 November. The recording features a guest slot from Michael Moorcock on 12 November. Note the final actual set list, compared to the released double-CD, and all songs where Nik Turner's contribution could be removed, have been, almost certainly due to continuing legal wrangles.
The British space rock group Hawkwind have been active since 1969, but their earliest video release is Night Of The Hawk from their Earth Ritual Tour recorded at Ipswich on 9 March 1984. Since then, there have been numerous video releases covering the evolution of the band; some are professional broadcast shoots, others commercial, and a few are amateur.
Spirit of the Age and The Dream Goes On are two triple CD anthologies released in 2008 covering the periods 1976-84 and 1985-97 of the British rock group Hawkwind.