Music Review: Brainticket - The Vintage Anthology, Nektar - Retrospektive, and Hawkwind Space Chase 1980 - 1985

For progressive rock fans, there is an amazing tour going on this summer. Three of the most incredible seventies-era European bands have gotten together for a one of a kind US tour. The groups involved are Hawkwind, Nektar, and Brainticket - and these shows look to be every bit as wild as they were back in the heyday of prog.

In celebration of this event, Cleopatra Records have issued retrospective box sets for each of the artists participating. The label have always prided themselves on going the extra mile with these type of packages, and this series is no exception.

Of the three groups, Hawkwind are the most well-known. As indicated in the title, Space Chase 1980 - 1985 represents the early eighties incarnation of the band. The collection contains material from six albums, one EP, and a single. The list of guest stars is impressive, and reflects the amount of respect Hawkwind had amassed since thier 1969 debut. In addition to such names as Ginger Baker, Nik Turner, and Harvey Bainbridge is former Hawkwind member Lemmy Kilmister, who went on to form Motorhead. Lemmy always said that he was sacked from the band for "Doing the wrong drugs."

Nektar were always considered part of the German Krautrock scene, even though they were English. A big reason for this was the fact that they lived in Hamburg, but their music played a big role as well. The Nektar Retrospektive 1969 - 1980 is a two-CD affair drawing from a total of eight LPs, and a couple early singles from the days when they were known as Rainbows.

Nektar were a textbook progressive rock band, whose metiere was the long-form track. They really began to hit their stride in 1972 with A Tab In The Ocean's 15-minute title tune. In 1973 they upped the ante with one of prog's classic maneuvers. Side one of Remember The Future was Part I of the title cut, side two was Part II. By 1974's Down To Earth, they were writing a concept album about the circus, and appeared on the cover as clowns. Folks, you cannot make this stuff up.

Article Author: Greg Barbrick

Greg Barbrick is a Seattle native who was first published in 1988, in his hometown music magazine, The Rocket. Since then his work has appeared in print and online for numerous sources. He Googles himself so often that his mother told him it would make him go blind.
…

Visit Greg Barbrick's author page — Greg Barbrick's Blog