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Steve Swindells | |
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| Born | 21 November 1952 Ipswich, Suffolk, England |
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| Years active | 1973–present |
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Steve Swindells (born 21 November 1952) is an English singer-songwriter, keyboardist, party organizer, club promoter and journalist.
Swindells grew up in the Bath and Bristol area, dropping out of art college to play keyboards with the rock band Squidd (which was put together by drummer and fantasy artist, Rodney Matthews [1] ). Relocating to London in 1973 and living in squats, he recorded his debut solo album, Messages for RCA in 1974. Produced by his manager Mark Edwards, Swindells felt the production quality to be poor, despite the presence of quality musicians. [2] A follow-up album Swindells' Swallow was recorded, mastered and test pressings manufactured, but the deal fell through. [2]
Departed from his manager, Swindells joined Pilot, recording the 1977 album Two's a Crowd. In 1978, he joined a reformed Hawkwind, renamed as Hawklords, for the 25 Years On album and tour.
In 1980, he recorded another solo album, Fresh Blood , released by ATCO, but was dropped when it failed to hit sufficient sales, [3] despite reaching No. 3 in the US airplay charts.[ citation needed ] Swindells would go on contribute songs to Roger Daltrey on "Martyrs and Madmen" and "Treachery" for Daltrey's 1982 compilation album Best Bits, before temporarily turning his attention away from the music business. In 1983, Swindells switched careers to club promoting and party organising.
In the early 1990s, he decided to re-invent himself as a journalist, writing the internet column for Time Out under the name Spyder for many years, as well as a gadget/lifestyle colourmn for Attitude , before becoming the editor of the magazine's website. Throughout his career changes, Swindells continued to compose and perform music.[ citation needed ]
In 2003, Swindells played keyboards and sang lead vocals in the band Danmingo together with Jerry Richards, Jon Moss and Winston Blissett. Swindells wrote all of the songs, apart from two band collaborations and one co-write with Stephen Meade (aka Shanks) and the late Kent Brainerd. As of 10 December 2013, Swindells had been number 1 on the Reverb Nation Singer-songwriter Chart For London for several days.[ citation needed ] He then released the double download DanMingo album under his own name.
In 2009, Swindells was instrumental in the formation (or reformation) of the Hawklords, a musical collective of ex-Hawkwind members, playing a special show in memory of artist Barney Bubbles. The show was advertised as a benefit concert 'with a view to setting up a foundation/annual award for innovative album cover design, and a memorial plaque for him'. [4] However, there is no evidence that the proceeds of the concert were used for any of these purposes.
In 2010, Hawklords performed a mini tour of the UK. In 2011, the group were active in several appearances across the UK, and a touring line-up underwent a full national tour in October 2011. In 2012, they announced they were working on an album, titled We Are One. In May 2012, via the band's Facebook page, it was announced that, for health reasons, Swindells would not be participating in the planned 2012 tour and he subsequently terminated his involvement with the band.[ citation needed ]
Swindells re-discovered two 'lost' albums from 1980: The Invisible Man, and Treachery. They were released on Flicknife Records on 27 February 2012. His 1980 album Fresh Blood was released on CD for the first time with the label Atomhenge/Cherry Red in August 2009. [5] His 1974 album Messages, along with a bonus CD of the hitherto unreleased Swindells' Swallow, was re-released by Esoteric Recordings/Atomhenge on 26 November 2009. [6]
Early in 2012, Swindells put together an ad-hoc, 'all star' jamming band called The Plastic Sturgeons. Special guest musicians have included Guy Pratt and Dale Davis. There have only been two gigs to date which were recorded by Roy Weard. As of 10 December 2013, The Plastic Sturgeons have been number 1 in The Reverb Nation London Jam Chart for several weeks.[ citation needed ]
Hawkwind are an English rock band known as one of the earliest space rock groups. Since their formation in November 1969, Hawkwind have gone through many incarnations and have incorporated many different styles into their music, including hard rock, progressive rock and psychedelic rock. They are regarded as an influential proto-punk band. Their lyrics often cover themes of urban life and science fiction.
Levitation is the tenth studio album by English rock group Hawkwind, released in 1980. It peaked at No. 21 on the UK Albums Chart.
Nicholas Robert Turner was an English musician, best known as a member of space rock pioneers Hawkwind. Turner played saxophone and flute, as well as being a vocalist and composer. While with Hawkwind, Turner was known for his experimental free jazz stylisations and outrageous stage presence, often donning full makeup and Ancient Egypt-inspired costumes.
Quark, Strangeness and Charm is the seventh studio album by the English space rock group Hawkwind, released in 1977. It spent six weeks on the UK albums chart peaking at number 30.
Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music is the sixth studio album by the British rock band Hawkwind, released in 1976. It reached No. 33 on the UK album charts.
PXR5 is the ninth studio album by the English space rock group Hawkwind, released in 1979. It reached No. 59 on the UK album charts.
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.
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.
25 Years On is the eighth studio album by the English rock band Hawkwind, released in 1978. The band released it under the name "Hawklords" for legal reasons, as there was a dispute over ownership of the name "Hawkwind" at the time. It reached No. 48 on the UK album charts. It was originally titled 25 Years On and the first 25000 were pressed as this until the band decided to simply call it Hawklords. Subsequent re-releases have reverted to the name 25 Years On and the band also now use this name on their website.
"Who's Gonna Win The War?" is a 1980 song by the UK rock group Hawkwind. It was released as a single in the UK (BRO109) on 7 November 1980, being an edit of the version on the album Levitation.
The Weird Tapes are a set of music tapes by the English rock group Hawkwind. Issued in the early 1980s, they contain live, radio sessions, out-take and demo performances.
The Hawkwind, Friends and Relations series of albums was released in the early 1980s containing live and studio performances by Hawkwind and related bands.
Hawklords were an English music group active between 1978 and 1979. Members were from Hawkwind, who were inactive during that period, and a local Devon group named Ark with the addition of former Pilot keyboardist Steve Swindells.
The discography of the British space rock group Hawkwind spans from their formation in 1969 through to the present day, with consistent output of live and studio albums, EPs and singles. The group have used aliases to release some albums in an attempt to either redefine themselves, as with the 1978 album 25 Years On released under the name Hawklords, or simply to distinguish the piece of work from their usual output, as with White Zone released under the name Psychedelic Warriors.
Alan Davey is an English musician, best known as the former bassist with the rock band Hawkwind. He is the original bass player in Gunslinger which started in 1979 and is still the bass player and vocalist for Gunslinger. He has played and recorded with Meads of Asphodel, Dumpy's Rusty Nuts, Spirits Burning, Bedouin (1998–2003). He formed with the newly re-imagined Hawklords in 2008 with Nik Turner until 2012 and since then formed The Psychedelic Warlords in 2013 until 2015.
Simon King is an English drummer most noted for his work with Hawkwind. He was described in 1985 by British rock magazine Sounds as the 'definitive rock drummer.'
Fresh Blood is the second studio album by the English singer-songwriter Steve Swindells. The album was originally released in late 1980 on the label Atco. The album was Swindells' first solo album following his departure from Hawkwind, due to an offer that had been made to him by Atco to make this album. It was produced by Swindells himself, after being unable to afford advances offered by Jim Steinman, Jimmy Iovine, and David Bowie. Bowie would later praise the album, along with Messages as sounding "pretty good"
Hawklords is a British space rock band. The band started as a one-off ensemble of musicians formerly associated with Hawkwind, and playing Hawkwind covers. Although the band uses the same name as the short-lived 1978 incarnation of Hawkwind, it is not a reunion or tribute, though three of the original 1978 Hawklords members were in the band when it reformed, but are not currently members.
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