Hype is a 1981 album by 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...

, the former frontman of British space-rock band 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....

.

It is subtitled The Songs Of Tom Mahler as a tie-in to Calvert's only published novel Hype, the novel being a fictional account of the rise and death of a rock star.

The musicians used for the recording mainly came from the band Bethnal

Bethnal

Bethnal were a British punk band formed in 1972. In 1978, they released two albums on Vertigo Records: Dangerous Times, produced by Kenny Laguna; and Crash Landing; produced by Jon Astley and Phil Chapman,with special thanks to Pete Townshend...

 who Calvert befriended during their support slot on Hawkwind's 1977 UK tour.

Track listing

All songs written by 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...

.

1. "Over My Head"
2. "Ambitious"
3. "It's The Same"
4. "Hanging Out On The Seafront"
5. "Sensitive"
6. "Evil Rock"
7. "We Like To Be Frightened"
8. "Teen Ballad Of Deano"
9. "Flight 105"
10. "The Luminous Green Glow Of The Dials Of The Dashboard (At Night)"
11. "Greenfly & The Rose"
12. "Lord Of The Hornets"

Bonus Tracks:

1. "Over my head" (different lyrics)
2. "Flight 105" (instrumental)
3. "Hanging out on the seafront" (different lyrics)
4. "Lord of the hornets" (different version)

Personnel

• Robert Calvert – Vocals
• George Csapo – Keys, Violin
• Nick Michaels – Guitar
• Pete Dowling – Drums
• Trev Thoms
  Trev Thoms
  Trev Thoms also known as Judge Trev Thoms and Judge Trev was a British guitarist.In the late 1960s and early 1970s, he played in a blues-rock group with hints of progressive rock and heavy rock called Iron Maiden - not the famous group of the same name - along with Barry Skeels, who later played...
  
   – Lead Guitar
• 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...
  
   – Sax
• 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....
  
   – 12-string guitar
• Pete Pavli – Cello
• Simon House
  Simon House
  Simon House is a composer and classically trained violinist and keyboard player, perhaps best known for his work with space rock band Hawkwind. His arrival in 1974 introduced a new element to the band's style...
  
   – Keys, Violin

Release history

• September 1981 – UK – A-Side Records (IF0311) vinyl
• September 1989 – UK – See For Miles Records
  See For Miles Records
  See for Miles Records is a British record label which distributed some of the records of Dandelion Records on CD in the 1990s. The name hints both to its owner Colin Miles and The Who's "I Can See for Miles."...
  
   (SEECD 278) vinyl and CD
• August 2003 – UK – Voiceprint Records
  Voiceprint Records
  Voiceprint Records is a company and record label based in England, founded in 1990 by Rob Ayling. They specialise in re-releasing old material, especially progressive rock, but also have new releases, all under the Voiceprint and other imprints....
  
  (VP261CD) CD – with bonus tracks