Hawkwind releases, whether live or studio, over the last few years have been rather depressing, lacking in the fire, passion, and inspiration that made them the greatest band in the world for so many years. So it took me a couple of weeks to sit down and listen to this, the latest of many (many) live albums.
However, it was still spinning away, with a few notes scribbled down when the horrific news came through that Hawkwind keyboard player Jason Stuart had died at the tragically early age of 39 from an aneurysm. He had joined the band in 2004, playing live with them ever since, and on their most recent Take Me to Your Leader. Which makes Knights of Space, a double live album recorded at their annual London Christmas gig at the London Astoria on 19 December 2007, an epitaph to Jason.
Shame then, that it comes over as somewhat lacklustre and (shamefully) poorly recorded. It's not that long since the band were getting brickbats from their stoically loyal fanbase for a stream of shoddy 'archive' live releases like Atomhenge 76 and the trully appalling Live 1990, an album that stands proud atop a mountain of Bring Me the Head of Yuri Gagarin reissues as the worst thing ever to have the name Hawkwind attached to it. You'd have thought, then, that the band might have pondered the wisdom of releasing this. Although, to be fair, it is better than the albums I've just named.
The first CD barely lifts off as the band gently meander through a set of lightweight material from their latter days with songs like "Space Love" and "The Awakening" not fit to the lick the boots of true gems like "Aero Spaceage Inferno" and "Orgone Accumulator". Unfortunately, even good songs like those can't quite recover from a poor mix, with the vocals flat and uninspired, and the musical performance struggling to attain the level of competent. Safe to say that this first CD won't be getting many repeat plays.
Article comments
1 - John Keogh
I think the best track on here is the version of Paradox. That said, you're right the album is OK rather than great; I was there and it was a great night, much better than their more guitar-focussed concert the year before at the same venue, so maybe the DVD will be a better experience.
In proportion, in context though, 'Knights of Space' is still much better than 'The Wall' or most other stuff.
2 - Steve Johnson
I was up in the gallery for this Astoria gig and the sound was (unsurprisingly) rather thin, and the balance was poor. I couldn't hear Brock's guitar. I was then surprised to find that the CD sounds very similar to how I remember the gig: no beef, and with watery gravy!
The pre-release blurb on Amazon said the CD would have five newly-recorded bonus tracks, but they don't exist.
3 - Rikki Nadir
I have the DVD of this performance and suffice it to say that it is easily the single worst Hawkwind item in my collection. Yes, even worse than Bring Me The Head, which at least had a piece that wasn't available elsewhere (In The Egg). The band sound like they are playing in a retirement home and perhaps should think about joining the other residents there on a permanent basis. Appalling.