Choose Your Masques
Encyclopedia
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 #29.
The group's line-up for this album remained unchanged from the previous Church of Hawkwind
album, although for this recording the group started to heavily use drum machines and drum loops, with most of Griffin's contributions being relegated to disjointed drum fills
. Griffin was unhappy with this role, and group-leader Dave Brock
was dissatisfied with Griffin's time keeping
, so they mutually agreed to part company, although Griffin reluctantly agree to fulfil the scheduled tour commitments.
The album was recorded in June and July 1982 at Rockfield Studios
. Science fiction
author Michael Moorcock
contributes lyrics to the album but credited his wife Lynda Steele in order to bypass his music publisher Douglas Smith with whom he was in dispute. The lyrics to "Fahrenheit 451", which had been written by former lead singer Robert Calvert
and originally recorded but unused in 1978, were based on Ray Bradbury
's book Fahrenheit 451
.
The album makes use of samples, featuring Ian Holm
from a 1981 BBC Radio 4
serialisation of The Lord of the Rings
on "Dream Worker", and the spoken introduction of The Outer Limits
on "Void City". "Silver Machine
" and "Psychedelic Warlords" are re-recordings of the early 1970s singles which were not originally intended for inclusion on the album.
The group undertook a 29 date UK tour in November and December to promote the album, with support from the Spanish rock group Baron Rojo
. Saxophonist
and singer Nik Turner
re-joined the group for this tour. Recordings from this tour have been issued on the albums Zones
(1983), Out & Intake
(1987) and Choose Your Masques: Collectors Series Volume 2
(1999).
Guests:
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
space rock
Space rock
Space rock is a subgenre of rock music; the term originally referred to a group of early, mostly British, 1970s progressive and psychedelic rock bands such as Hawkwind and Pink Floyd, characterised by slow, lengthy instrumental passages dominated by electric organs, synthesizers, experimental...
group Hawkwind
Hawkwind
Hawkwind are an English rock band, one of the earliest space rock groups. Their lyrics favour urban and science fiction themes. They are also a noted precursor to punk rock and now are considered a link between the hippie and punk cultures....
, released in 1982
1982 in music
This is a list of notable events in music from 1982. 1982 was a big year in music with Madonna making her debut as well as the year that Michael Jackson released Thriller which became the world's best selling album and it still holds that title today....
. It spent five weeks on the UK albums chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
peaking at #29.
The group's line-up for this album remained unchanged from the previous Church of Hawkwind
Church of Hawkwind
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...
album, although for this recording the group started to heavily use drum machines and drum loops, with most of Griffin's contributions being relegated to disjointed drum fills
Fill (music)
In popular music, a fill is a short musical passage, riff, or rhythmic sound which helps to sustain the listener's attention during a break between the phrases of a melody....
. Griffin was unhappy with this role, and group-leader Dave Brock
Dave Brock
David Anthony "Dave" Brock is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He plays electric guitar, synthesizer, bass and oscillators. He is best known as being one of the founders and musical focus of the English space rock group Hawkwind...
was dissatisfied with Griffin's time keeping
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
, so they mutually agreed to part company, although Griffin reluctantly agree to fulfil the scheduled tour commitments.
The album was recorded in June and July 1982 at Rockfield Studios
Rockfield Studios
Rockfield Studios, near Monmouth in Wales and just outside the village of Rockfield, Monmouthshire are where many of British rock music’s most successful recordings have been made.-History:...
. Science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
author Michael Moorcock
Michael Moorcock
Michael John Moorcock is an English writer, primarily of science fiction and fantasy, who has also published a number of literary novels....
contributes lyrics to the album but credited his wife Lynda Steele in order to bypass his music publisher Douglas Smith with whom he was in dispute. The lyrics to "Fahrenheit 451", which had been written by former lead singer Robert Calvert
Robert Calvert
Robert Calvert was a writer, poet, and musician.-Biography:Born Robert Newton Calvert in Pretoria, South Africa, Calvert's parents moved to England when he was two years of age and later attended school in London and Margate. He began his career by writing poetry and in 1967 formed a Street...
and originally recorded but unused in 1978, were based on Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury
Ray Douglas Bradbury is an American fantasy, horror, science fiction, and mystery writer. Best known for his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 and for the science fiction stories gathered together as The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man , Bradbury is one of the most celebrated among 20th...
's book Fahrenheit 451
Fahrenheit 451
Fahrenheit 451 is a 1953 dystopian novel by Ray Bradbury. The novel presents a future American society where reading is outlawed and firemen start fires to burn books...
.
The album makes use of samples, featuring Ian Holm
Ian Holm
Sir Ian Holm, CBE is an English actor known for his stage work and for many film roles. He received the 1967 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor for his performance as Lenny in The Homecoming and the 1998 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for his performance in the title role of King Lear...
from a 1981 BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
serialisation of The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings (1981 radio series)
In 1981 the UK radio station BBC Radio 4 broadcast a dramatisation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings in 26 half-hour stereo instalments...
on "Dream Worker", and the spoken introduction of The Outer Limits
The Outer Limits (1963 TV series)
The Outer Limits is an American television series that aired on ABC from 1963 to 1965. The series is similar in style to the earlier The Twilight Zone, but with a greater emphasis on science fiction, rather than fantasy stories...
on "Void City". "Silver Machine
Silver Machine
Silver Machine is a 1972 song by the UK rock group Hawkwind. It was originally released as a single on 9 June 1972, reaching #3 on the UK singles chart. The single was re-issued in 1976, 1978 reaching #34 on the UK singles charts, and in 1983 reaching #67 on the UK singles charts...
" and "Psychedelic Warlords" are re-recordings of the early 1970s singles which were not originally intended for inclusion on the album.
The group undertook a 29 date UK tour in November and December to promote the album, with support from the Spanish rock group Baron Rojo
Barón Rojo
Barón Rojo are a Spanish heavy metal band who reached international success in the 1980s. The band is led by siblings Carlos and Armando de Castro, previously from the band Coz, and it is considered one of the most important representatives of Spanish hard rock bands, along with Obús...
. Saxophonist
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
and singer Nik Turner
Nik Turner
Nik Turner is a British musician, best known as a founding member of space rock pioneers Hawkwind. Turner plays saxophones, flute, sings and is a composer...
re-joined the group for this tour. Recordings from this tour have been issued on the albums Zones
Zones (album)
Zones is an album by Hawkwind released in 1983 consisting of studio demos from 1981 and live performances between 1980 and 1982.The tracks on side 1 have been included on the 2009 3CD re-issue of Levitation in expanded form.-Side 1:...
(1983), Out & Intake
Out & Intake
Out and Intake is a 1987 live/studio album by the English space rock group Hawkwind. The album is compiled from various sources: studio out-takes from 1982; live recordings from 1982's Choose Your Masques tour; studio out-takes from 1987. Dave Brock stated of the release that "it was bits and...
(1987) and Choose Your Masques: Collectors Series Volume 2
Choose Your Masques: Collectors Series Volume 2
Choose Your Masques: Collectors Series Volume 2 is a 1999 live album release of part of a 1982 concert by Hawkwind. Recorded over both nights of the winter 1982 tour, at London's Hammersmith Odeon...
(1999).
Side 1
- "Choose Your Masks" (Michael MoorcockMichael MoorcockMichael John Moorcock is an English writer, primarily of science fiction and fantasy, who has also published a number of literary novels....
, Dave BrockDave BrockDavid Anthony "Dave" Brock is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He plays electric guitar, synthesizer, bass and oscillators. He is best known as being one of the founders and musical focus of the English space rock group Hawkwind...
) – 5:28 - "Dream Worker" (Harvey BainbridgeHarvey BainbridgeHarvey Frederick Bainbridge is an English bass and keyboard player. He is best known as the bass player and keyboard player in Hawkwind....
) – 4:58 - "Arrival in Utopia" (Moorcock, Brock) – 5:47
- "Utopia" (Brock) – 3:00
Side 2
- "Silver Machine" (Robert CalvertRobert CalvertRobert Calvert was a writer, poet, and musician.-Biography:Born Robert Newton Calvert in Pretoria, South Africa, Calvert's parents moved to England when he was two years of age and later attended school in London and Margate. He began his career by writing poetry and in 1967 formed a Street...
, Brock) – 4:22 - "Void City" (Bainbridge, Brock) – 6:48
- "Solitary Mind Games" (Marion Lloyd-Langton, Huw Lloyd-LangtonHuw Lloyd-LangtonHuw Lloyd-Langton is an English guitarist, best known as the guitarist for Hawkwind. He also had his own band, the Lloyd Langton Group with bass player Kenny Wilson and drummer John Clark , and is the session lead guitarist for UK band The Meads of Asphodel.As a member of Hawkwind he appeared on...
) – 3:58 - "Fahrenheit 451" (Calvert, Brock) – 4:48
- "The Scan" (Bainbridge, Brock) – 1:02
- "Waiting for Tomorrow" (Lloyd-Langton, Lloyd-Langton) – 3:46
EBS/Griffin bonus tracks
- "Silver Machine" (Calvert, Brock) – 7:25
- "Psychedelic Warlords" (Brock) – 4:52
Atomhenge bonus tracks
- "Psychedelic Warlords"
- "Silver Machine" [full version]
Atomhenge bonus disk
- "Void City" [alternate version]
- "Candle Burning" (Lloyd-Langton)
- "5/4" (Lloyd-Langton)
- "Waiting For Tomorrow" [alternate mix]
- "Radio Telepathy"
- "Dream Worker" [extended version]
- "Lato"
- "Oscillations"
- "Recent Reports"
- "Lato Percussive Electro"
- "Solitary Mind Games" [alternate version]
- "Silver Machine" [short single version]
Personnel
- Dave BrockDave BrockDavid Anthony "Dave" Brock is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He plays electric guitar, synthesizer, bass and oscillators. He is best known as being one of the founders and musical focus of the English space rock group Hawkwind...
– electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Huw Lloyd-LangtonHuw Lloyd-LangtonHuw Lloyd-Langton is an English guitarist, best known as the guitarist for Hawkwind. He also had his own band, the Lloyd Langton Group with bass player Kenny Wilson and drummer John Clark , and is the session lead guitarist for UK band The Meads of Asphodel.As a member of Hawkwind he appeared on...
– electric guitar, vocals - Harvey BainbridgeHarvey BainbridgeHarvey Frederick Bainbridge is an English bass and keyboard player. He is best known as the bass player and keyboard player in Hawkwind....
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, keyboards, vocals - Martin Griffin – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Guests:
- Nik TurnerNik TurnerNik Turner is a British musician, best known as a founding member of space rock pioneers Hawkwind. Turner plays saxophones, flute, sings and is a composer...
– saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
on "Void City"
Credits
- Recorded at Rockfield StudiosRockfield StudiosRockfield Studios, near Monmouth in Wales and just outside the village of Rockfield, Monmouthshire are where many of British rock music’s most successful recordings have been made.-History:...
, Monmouth – June & July 1982. Produced with Pat Moran. - Sleeve designed by Andrew Christian and Terry Oakes.
Release history
- October 1982: RCA/ActiveActive RecordsActive Records is a record sublabel of RCA. Label focuses mainly in heavy metal music.-Bands:* Atheist* Budgie* Candlemass* Therion* Destiny...
, RCALP 6055, UK vinyl - October 1996: Emergency Broadcast System RecordsEmergency Broadcast System RecordsEmergency Broadcast System Records was a record label setup in UK in the early 1990s by Hawkwind and Doug Smith.-External links:* - full catalogue...
, EBSCD124, UK CD - October 1996: Griffin MusicGriffin MusicGriffin Music was an independent record label created in 1989 in Toronto, Canada by author/publisher Robert Godwin. It was originally created to finance and record the second album of Led Zeppelin tribute act, Michael White & The White...
, GCD613-2, USA CD - October 2010: Atomhenge (Cherry RedCherry RedCherry Red is a London-based independent record label formed in 1978.-History:Cherry Red grew from the rock promotion company founded in 1971 to promote rock concerts at the Malvern Winter Gardens...
) Records, ATOMCD2026, UK 2CD