Quark, Strangeness and Charm
Encyclopedia
Quark, Strangeness And Charm is the seventh studio album
by the English
space rock
group Hawkwind
, released in 1977
. It spent 6 weeks on the UK albums chart
peaking at #30.
This is Hawkwind's seventh studio album, hence "The Hawkwind Part 7" title on the inner sleeve. It is the band's first album without co-founding member Nik Turner
, and drummer Alan Powell
had also departed. In addition, Adrian "Ade" Shaw from Magic Muscle replaced Paul Rudolph during the recording session.
Robert Calvert
starts to dominate proceedings with his science fiction inspired lyrics, whereas the music is lighter and more commercial than with their previous offerings.
album and tour, the group were reduced to a five-piece following the departure of saxophonist Nik Turner
and drummer Alan Powell
. They recorded the single "Back on the Streets
", and undertook an eight date tour of England in December which featured embryonic versions of this album's tracks "Spirit Of The Age", "Hassan I Sahba" and "Damnation Alley".
The group entered Rockfield Studios
to record this album in January and February 1977, self-producing the album with help from resident engineer Dave Charles
. However, Paul Rudolph
left during the recording sessions having been given an ultimatum to "apologis[e] for something or leaving. I chose the latter, not fully understanding the situation". Guitarist Dave Brock
expanded on his leaving with the explanation "You get an idea and you like things to be a sort of unit and we were in the studio and he was in a chair playing his bass and we were doing a high energy number!", while singer Robert Calvert
added that he "was always carping about not doing [numbers influenced by Science Fiction] and it affects you". The 2009 2CD re-issue of the album includes early versions of tracks with Rudolph's contributions.
Rudolph's replacement was Adrian "Ade" Shaw, bass player from the group Magic Muscle who had shared Hawkwind's management and had been the support on the 1972 Space Ritual
tour. Shaw's introduction to the group was after the backing tracks had been completed, so he was required to overdub
his bass parts onto the existing tracks. Drummer Simon King
lamented "I only wish that I'd recorded the rhythm tracks with him in the first place. For me the switch of bass players happened at just the right moment. With going back to using one drummer I needed help from a bass player and as things were I wasn't getting it".
on 21 June, and headlined the Reading Festival
on 28 August.
The group appeared on Marc Bolan
's show Marc
at Granada Television
's Manchester studios on 14 September, miming to a pre-recorded version of the single "Quark, Strangeness and Charm
", even though it had been released two months previously. Their spot on the show was secured as their management team, Tony Howard and Jeff Dexter, also handled Bolan. Their appearance was significant in that Brock did not appear, due to a long standing resentent on his part towards Bolan. His role was filled by Shaw recording the guitar tracks at the pre-record, while Calvert mimed guitar during filming.
An extensive 20 date UK tour in September and October was undertaken, with support from Bethnal
(who would go on to be Calvert's backing group for his 1981 album Hype
). This was immediately followed by an October tour of France, but due to Calvert's erratic behaviour, the tour was aborted after 3 dates. At Calvert's wedding to author Pamela Townley on 5 November, he countered that "Brock convinced the others that I was having a nervous breakdown. What nonsense! They dumped me and my bags on the street in Paris... I was a bit high-spirited – after all, I was going to get married! The truth is that Dave Brock didn't want to do the extra gigs."
In January and February 1978, the group recorded the album PXR5
and in March toured North America, after which they disbanded. Calvert and Brock would then go on to form the Hawklords
.
There are several live recordings in existence from these tours that have been issued under different titles. The dates given for the live PXR5 tracks do not match the tour dates, and if these tracks actually were recorded at a live show, then they were subsequently subject to studio overdubs. All the other tracks, although differing sources are given, are the same recordings, with the exception of "Robot" which is of two different performances.
"Damnation Alley" lyrics were inspired by Roger Zelazny
's book Damnation Alley
. It was first performed on their December 1976 UK tour, and remained in the set until the formation of the Hawklords
in 1978. It was re-introduced to the live set between 1989 and 1992, a version appearing on the 1991 album Palace Springs.
"Hassan-i Sabbah" (spelt Hassan I Sahba on the cover) is a Middle Eastern flavoured song, mixing the legend of Hassan-i Sabbah (assassins
and hashish
) with contemporary issues (oil
and Palestinian terrorism). This version was released as a 7" single in Italy and France. During the live performance of this song, Calvert took on the persona of Aubrey Dawney, which he describes as "a sort of 1914-1918 fighter ace, plus a bit more. Mick Farren
described him as being a cross between Biggles
and Lawrence Of Arabia – which he is, he has connections with the Far East and also opium smoking". It was first performed live during 1976's Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music album tour, a version appearing on Atomhenge 76
, and remained in the set until the formation of the Hawklords in 1978. A new studio version was recorded for the 1987 album Out & Intake
, and since then it has almost been an ever present in the live set, appearing on numerous live albums, usually under the title "Assassins of Allah".
"The Forge of Vulcan" is a Simon House instrumental, featuring organ, synthesizer and sequencer with percussion provided by hammering on an anvil in reference to the mythology of Vulcan
. It was played live during the tour of the album, a version appearing on Weird tape 5, but then dropped.
"The Days of the Underground" is a self-reflective song covering the halcyon days of the band.
"The Iron Dream" is an instrumental based on Gustav Holst
's "Mars", its name taken from Norman Spinrad
's book The Iron Dream
. The track was typically played live as a climax to "Uncle Sam's On Mars", versions of which can be heard on the The Weird Tapes. It has also appeared under the title "The Dream Goes On" on 1994's The Business Trip
album, and with added lyrics as "Are You Losing Your Mind?" on 1995's Alien 4
album.
noting that "the band are still capable of making a stir", and Melody Maker
that they had "gone part of the way [in rehabilitating themselves]".
Critics were especially praise worthy of Calvert, Sounds stating "Calvert, having adapted to his role as frontman, now pulls out the stops, his poetical-lyrical contributions working particularly well", Melody Maker observing that "the band have developed a real sense of humour" and the album "finds Calvert in very fine form as a lyricist", while the NME
assessed it as "sci-fi comic book thrills to the proles, only this time around Bob Calvert's psychotic sense of humour is well to the fore".
The critics were less complementary about the progress in the band's music, with Melody Maker noting that the lyrical improvement "has not been matched instrumentally nor structurally. The only musician of note... is Simon House for his consistently impressive violin passages", while the NME stated that "musically it's all battering ram riffs and monoplane synthesized drones, with Dave Brock occasionally cutting loose on guitar (rather than just providing frenetic rhythm) and Simon House contributing some hypnotic violin solos". Sounds felt the "production may be naff in parts", believing the "magnificent mugginess" of Doremi Fasol Latido
more suited to the band's sound.
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 1977
1977 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1977.-January–February:*January 1 – The Clash headline the gala opening of the London music club, The Roxy....
. It spent 6 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 #30.
This is Hawkwind's seventh studio album, hence "The Hawkwind Part 7" title on the inner sleeve. It is the band's first album without co-founding member 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...
, and drummer Alan Powell
Alan Powell
Alan Powell is a drummer who was mainly active during the 1970s.In 1964 Alan joined Manchester R&B band Ivans Meads who released their first single for EMI label "Sins of a Family" followed in 1965 with "We'll Talk about it Tomorrow"...
had also departed. In addition, Adrian "Ade" Shaw from Magic Muscle replaced Paul Rudolph during the recording session.
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...
starts to dominate proceedings with his science fiction inspired lyrics, whereas the music is lighter and more commercial than with their previous offerings.
Recording
At the end of 1976, after their Astounding Sounds, Amazing MusicAstounding Sounds, Amazing Music
Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music is the sixth studio album by the British rock band Hawkwind, released in 1976. It reached #33 on the UK album charts....
album and tour, the group were reduced to a five-piece following the departure of saxophonist 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...
and drummer Alan Powell
Alan Powell
Alan Powell is a drummer who was mainly active during the 1970s.In 1964 Alan joined Manchester R&B band Ivans Meads who released their first single for EMI label "Sins of a Family" followed in 1965 with "We'll Talk about it Tomorrow"...
. They recorded the single "Back on the Streets
Back on the Streets (single)
Back on the Streets is a 1976 song by the UK rock group Hawkwind. It was originally released as a single in the UK on 28 January 1977 and has been included on some North American versions of the album Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music. It featured on Spirit of the Age - a 1988 compilation album...
", and undertook an eight date tour of England in December which featured embryonic versions of this album's tracks "Spirit Of The Age", "Hassan I Sahba" and "Damnation Alley".
The group entered 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:...
to record this album in January and February 1977, self-producing the album with help from resident engineer Dave Charles
Dave Charles
Dave Charles, also known as David Charles is a British drummer, recording engineer & record producer. He often appears under both names on the same album, e.g. Help Yourself's The Return of Ken Whaley, where Dave Charles is credited with drums and vocals and David Charles as producer.Charles'...
. However, Paul Rudolph
Paul Rudolph (musician)
Paul Fraser Rudolph is a guitarist,bassist, singer, and cyclist. He made his mark in the UK underground music scene, and then as a session musician, before returning to Canada to indulge his passion for cycling...
left during the recording sessions having been given an ultimatum to "apologis[e] for something or leaving. I chose the latter, not fully understanding the situation". Guitarist 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...
expanded on his leaving with the explanation "You get an idea and you like things to be a sort of unit and we were in the studio and he was in a chair playing his bass and we were doing a high energy number!", while 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...
added that he "was always carping about not doing [numbers influenced by Science Fiction] and it affects you". The 2009 2CD re-issue of the album includes early versions of tracks with Rudolph's contributions.
Rudolph's replacement was Adrian "Ade" Shaw, bass player from the group Magic Muscle who had shared Hawkwind's management and had been the support on the 1972 Space Ritual
Space Ritual
The Space Ritual Alive in Liverpool and London is a 1973 live double album recorded in 1972 by UK rock band Hawkwind. It is their fourth album, reached #9 in the UK album charts and briefly dented the Billboard Top 200, peaking at #179....
tour. Shaw's introduction to the group was after the backing tracks had been completed, so he was required to overdub
Overdubbing
Overdubbing is a technique used by recording studios to add a supplementary recorded sound to a previously recorded performance....
his bass parts onto the existing tracks. Drummer Simon King
Simon King (musician)
Simon King is an English drummer most noted for his work with Hawkwind. He was described in 1985 by British rock magazine 'Sounds' as 'definitive rock drummer.'...
lamented "I only wish that I'd recorded the rhythm tracks with him in the first place. For me the switch of bass players happened at just the right moment. With going back to using one drummer I needed help from a bass player and as things were I wasn't getting it".
Tours and promotion
After recording the album, the group undertook an 11 date tour of Germany and the Netherlands in March, followed by a five date tour of France in April. In June, during which the album received its general release, the group undertook a 10 date tour of England with support from former bassist Lemmy's group Motörhead. They followed this with appearances at the Stonehenge Free FestivalStonehenge Free Festival
The Stonehenge Free Festival was a British free festival from 1972 to 1984 held at Stonehenge in England during the month of June, and culminating on the summer solstice on June 21. The festival was a celebration of various alternative cultures...
on 21 June, and headlined the Reading Festival
Reading and Leeds Festivals
The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend, sharing the same bill. The Reading Festival is held at Little John's Farm...
on 28 August.
The group appeared on Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and poet. He is best known as the founder, frontman, lead singer & guitarist for T. Rex, but also a successful solo artist...
's show Marc
Marc (TV series)
Marc is a British television series presented by T. Rex lead singer Marc Bolan. It was produced in Manchester by Granada Television for the ITV network....
at Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
's Manchester studios on 14 September, miming to a pre-recorded version of the single "Quark, Strangeness and Charm
Quark, Strangeness and Charm (single)
"Quark, Strangeness and Charm" is a 1977 song by the UK rock group Hawkwind, being the title track from the Quark, Strangeness and Charm album....
", even though it had been released two months previously. Their spot on the show was secured as their management team, Tony Howard and Jeff Dexter, also handled Bolan. Their appearance was significant in that Brock did not appear, due to a long standing resentent on his part towards Bolan. His role was filled by Shaw recording the guitar tracks at the pre-record, while Calvert mimed guitar during filming.
An extensive 20 date UK tour in September and October was undertaken, with support from 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 would go on to be Calvert's backing group for his 1981 album Hype
Hype (album)
Hype is a 1981 album by singer Robert Calvert, the former frontman of British space-rock band Hawkwind.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...
). This was immediately followed by an October tour of France, but due to Calvert's erratic behaviour, the tour was aborted after 3 dates. At Calvert's wedding to author Pamela Townley on 5 November, he countered that "Brock convinced the others that I was having a nervous breakdown. What nonsense! They dumped me and my bags on the street in Paris... I was a bit high-spirited – after all, I was going to get married! The truth is that Dave Brock didn't want to do the extra gigs."
In January and February 1978, the group recorded the album PXR5
PXR5
PXR5 is the ninth studio album by Hawkwind, released in 1979. It reached #59 on the UK album charts.-Overview:The album was recorded and mixed at Rockfield Studios in January and February 1978. "Uncle Sam's On Mars", "Robot" and "High Rise" were originally recorded on the preceding UK tour but were...
and in March toured North America, after which they disbanded. Calvert and Brock would then go on to form the Hawklords
Hawklords
Hawklords were an English music group active between 1978 and 1979. They were borne from the disbanded Hawkwind and a local Devon group named Ark with the addition of former Pilot keyboardist Steve Swindells.The use of the name Hawklords instead of Hawkwind may...
.
There are several live recordings in existence from these tours that have been issued under different titles. The dates given for the live PXR5 tracks do not match the tour dates, and if these tracks actually were recorded at a live show, then they were subsequently subject to studio overdubs. All the other tracks, although differing sources are given, are the same recordings, with the exception of "Robot" which is of two different performances.
- PXR5: "Uncle Sam's on Mars" – Hammersmith Odeon, November; "Robot" and "High Rise" – Leicester De Montford Hall, November.
- Weird tape 2: "Quark, Strangeness And Charm", "Master Of The Universe", "Welcome To The Future", "Spirit Of The Age", "Sonic Attack" – Stonehenge Free Festival and Oxford.
- Weird tape 3: "High Rise", "Damnation Alley", "Uncle Sam's On Mars", "The Iron Dream", "Robot" [version 1] – Stonehenge Free Festival.
- Weird tape 5: "Brainstorm", "Wind Of Change", "Assassins Of Allah", "Forge Of Vulcan", "Steppenwolf" – Hammersmith Odeon.
- Hawkwind, Friends and Relations Volume 1: "Robot" [version 2] – no source stated.
- Hawkwind, Friends and Relations Volume 2: "Spirit of the Age" – Chicago, March 1978.
- Hawkwind AnthologyHawkwind AnthologyThe Hawkwind Anthology series of records were originally issued mid-1980s containing live and outtake material from Hawkwind's career to that date....
: "High Rise", "Quark, Strangeness and Charm" – USA, March 1978 - PXR5 2009 re-issue: "Quark, Strangeness and Charm" – USA, March 1978.
- Quark, Strangeness and Charm 2CD 2009 re-issue: "Spirit of the Age"; "Robot" [version 2 edit]; "High Rise".
Songs
- See also articles "Spirit of the Age" and "Quark, Strangeness and Charm (single)Quark, Strangeness and Charm (single)"Quark, Strangeness and Charm" is a 1977 song by the UK rock group Hawkwind, being the title track from the Quark, Strangeness and Charm album....
".
"Damnation Alley" lyrics were inspired by Roger Zelazny
Roger Zelazny
Roger Joseph Zelazny was an American writer of fantasy and science fiction short stories and novels, best known for his The Chronicles of Amber series...
's book Damnation Alley
Damnation Alley
Damnation Alley is the title of a 1967 science fiction short story by Roger Zelazny, which he expanded into a novel in 1969. A film adaptation of the novel was released in 1977.-Plot introduction:...
. It was first performed on their December 1976 UK tour, and remained in the set until the formation of the Hawklords
Hawklords
Hawklords were an English music group active between 1978 and 1979. They were borne from the disbanded Hawkwind and a local Devon group named Ark with the addition of former Pilot keyboardist Steve Swindells.The use of the name Hawklords instead of Hawkwind may...
in 1978. It was re-introduced to the live set between 1989 and 1992, a version appearing on the 1991 album Palace Springs.
"Hassan-i Sabbah" (spelt Hassan I Sahba on the cover) is a Middle Eastern flavoured song, mixing the legend of Hassan-i Sabbah (assassins
Hashshashin
The Assassins were an order of Nizari Ismailis, particularly those of Persia that existed from around 1092 to 1265...
and hashish
Hashish
Hashish is a cannabis preparation composed of compressed stalked resin glands, called trichomes, collected from the unfertilized buds of the cannabis plant. It contains the same active ingredients but in higher concentrations than unsifted buds or leaves...
) with contemporary issues (oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
and Palestinian terrorism). This version was released as a 7" single in Italy and France. During the live performance of this song, Calvert took on the persona of Aubrey Dawney, which he describes as "a sort of 1914-1918 fighter ace, plus a bit more. Mick Farren
Mick Farren
Michael Anthony 'Mick' Farren is an English journalist, author and singer associated with counterculture and the UK Underground.-Music:...
described him as being a cross between Biggles
Biggles
"Biggles" , a pilot and adventurer, is the title character and main hero of the Biggles series of youth-oriented adventure books written by W. E. Johns....
and Lawrence Of Arabia – which he is, he has connections with the Far East and also opium smoking". It was first performed live during 1976's Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music album tour, a version appearing on Atomhenge 76
Atomhenge 76
Atomhenge 76 is a 2000 live album release of part of a 1976 concert by Hawkwind.Part of this set was also issued in North America on a single CD as Thrilling Hawkwind Adventures .-Track listing:CD1...
, and remained in the set until the formation of the Hawklords in 1978. A new studio version was recorded for the 1987 album 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...
, and since then it has almost been an ever present in the live set, appearing on numerous live albums, usually under the title "Assassins of Allah".
"The Forge of Vulcan" is a Simon House instrumental, featuring organ, synthesizer and sequencer with percussion provided by hammering on an anvil in reference to the mythology of Vulcan
Vulcan (mythology)
Vulcan , aka Mulciber, is the god of beneficial and hindering fire, including the fire of volcanoes in ancient Roman religion and Roman Neopaganism. Vulcan is usually depicted with a thunderbolt. He is known as Sethlans in Etruscan mythology...
. It was played live during the tour of the album, a version appearing on Weird tape 5, but then dropped.
"The Days of the Underground" is a self-reflective song covering the halcyon days of the band.
"The Iron Dream" is an instrumental based on Gustav Holst
Gustav Holst
Gustav Theodore Holst was an English composer. He is most famous for his orchestral suite The Planets....
's "Mars", its name taken from Norman Spinrad
Norman Spinrad
Norman Richard Spinrad is an American science fiction author.Born in New York City, Spinrad is a graduate of the Bronx High School of Science. In 1957 he entered City College of New York and graduated in 1961 with a Bachelor of Science degree as a pre-law major. In 1966 he moved to San Francisco,...
's book The Iron Dream
The Iron Dream
The Iron Dream is a metafictional 1972 alternate history novel by Norman Spinrad.The book has a nested narrative that tells a story within a story. On the surface, the novel presents an unexceptional pulp, post-apocalypse science fiction action tale entitled Lord of the Swastika...
. The track was typically played live as a climax to "Uncle Sam's On Mars", versions of which can be heard on the The Weird Tapes. It has also appeared under the title "The Dream Goes On" on 1994's The Business Trip
The Business Trip
The Business Trip is a 1994 live album by the English space rock group Hawkwind. It was recorded during the group's 1992 tour to promote the It Is the Business of the Future to Be Dangerous album....
album, and with added lyrics as "Are You Losing Your Mind?" on 1995's Alien 4
Alien 4 (album)
Alien 4 is the twentieth studio album by the English space rock group Hawkwind, released in 1995. At the end of 1994, with the group established as a three piece of guitarist Dave Brock, bassist Alan Davey and drummer Richard Chadwick, they felt they were lacking visually in terms of showmanship...
album.
Critical reception
The album was warmly received by the British weekly music papers at the time of its release, SoundsSounds (magazine)
Sounds was a long-term British music paper, published weekly from 10 October 1970 – 6 April 1991. It was produced by Spotlight Publications , which was set up by Jack Hutton and Peter Wilkinson, who left "Melody Maker" to start their own company...
noting that "the band are still capable of making a stir", and Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
that they had "gone part of the way [in rehabilitating themselves]".
Critics were especially praise worthy of Calvert, Sounds stating "Calvert, having adapted to his role as frontman, now pulls out the stops, his poetical-lyrical contributions working particularly well", Melody Maker observing that "the band have developed a real sense of humour" and the album "finds Calvert in very fine form as a lyricist", while the NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
assessed it as "sci-fi comic book thrills to the proles, only this time around Bob Calvert's psychotic sense of humour is well to the fore".
The critics were less complementary about the progress in the band's music, with Melody Maker noting that the lyrical improvement "has not been matched instrumentally nor structurally. The only musician of note... is Simon House for his consistently impressive violin passages", while the NME stated that "musically it's all battering ram riffs and monoplane synthesized drones, with Dave Brock occasionally cutting loose on guitar (rather than just providing frenetic rhythm) and Simon House contributing some hypnotic violin solos". Sounds felt the "production may be naff in parts", believing the "magnificent mugginess" of Doremi Fasol Latido
Doremi Fasol Latido
Doremi Fasol Latido is the third studio album from Hawkwind, released in 1972. It reached #14 on the UK album charts.-New Members:The rhythm section of Dave Anderson and Terry Ollis was replaced by Lemmy and Simon King, both of whose style differed notably from their predecessors. This changed the...
more suited to the band's sound.
Side 1
- "Spirit of the Age" (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...
, 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...
) – 7:20 - "Damnation Alley" (Calvert, Brock, Simon HouseSimon HouseSimon 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...
) – 9:06 - "Fable of a Failed Race" (Calvert, Brock) – 3:15
Side 2
- "Quark, Strangeness and CharmQuark, Strangeness and Charm (single)"Quark, Strangeness and Charm" is a 1977 song by the UK rock group Hawkwind, being the title track from the Quark, Strangeness and Charm album....
" (Calvert, Brock) – 3:41 - "Hassan-i Sabbah" (Calvert, Paul RudolphPaul Rudolph (musician)Paul Fraser Rudolph is a guitarist,bassist, singer, and cyclist. He made his mark in the UK underground music scene, and then as a session musician, before returning to Canada to indulge his passion for cycling...
) – 5:21 - "The Forge of Vulcan" (House) – 3:05
- "The Days of the Underground" (Calvert, Brock) – 3:13
- "The Iron Dream" (Simon KingSimon King (musician)Simon King is an English drummer most noted for his work with Hawkwind. He was described in 1985 by British rock magazine 'Sounds' as 'definitive rock drummer.'...
) – 1:53
Atomhenge bonus tracks
- "Damnation Alley" [live studio version] – 10:33
- "A minor Jam Session" – 9:49
- "Spirit of the Age" [demo – excerpt] – 2:59
- "Hash Cake Cut" – 4:25
Atomhenge bonus CD
- "Damnation Alley" [first studio version] – 10:34
- "Spirit of the Age" [full extended version] – 11:20
- "Days of the Underground" [first version] – 5:38
- "Quark, Strangeness and Charm"/"Uncle Sam’s on Mars" – 9:18
- "Fable of a Failed Race" [extended version] – 6:49
- "Damnation Alley" [alternate harmony vocal version] – 8:23
- "Spirit of the Age" [live 1977] – 5:54
- "Robot" [live 1977] – 5:57
- "High Rise" [live 1977] – 5:39
Personnel
- 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...
– vocals, percussion, morse and strangeness - 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...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, synthesisers, sound FX, vocals and quark - Simon HouseSimon HouseSimon 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...
– 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...
, violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, anvil, vocals and charm - Adrian Shaw – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals and hand-claps - Simon KingSimon King (musician)Simon King is an English drummer most noted for his work with Hawkwind. He was described in 1985 by British rock magazine 'Sounds' as 'definitive rock drummer.'...
– 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 ....
, percussion and no-vocal
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:...
, February 1977. Produced by Hawkwind, engineered by Dave CharlesDave CharlesDave Charles, also known as David Charles is a British drummer, recording engineer & record producer. He often appears under both names on the same album, e.g. Help Yourself's The Return of Ken Whaley, where Dave Charles is credited with drums and vocals and David Charles as producer.Charles'...
. - Cover by HipgnosisHipgnosisHipgnosis was a British art design group that specialized in creating cover art for the albums of rock musicians and bands, most notably Pink Floyd, T.Rex, The Pretty Things, UFO, 10cc, Bad Company, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Scorpions, Yes, The Alan Parsons Project, Genesis, Peter Gabriel, ELO and XTC...
and Geoff Halpin. The photographs are of the control room at Battersea Power StationBattersea Power StationBattersea Power Station is a decommissioned coal-fired power station located on the south bank of the River Thames, in Battersea, South London. The station comprises two individual power stations, built in two stages in the form of a single building. Battersea A Power Station was built first in the...
.
Release history
- Jun-1977: Charisma, CDS4008, UK vinyl – original release contained an inner sleeve with typed lyrics on graphic paper.
- Jun-1977: Sire, SRK6047, USA vinyl
- Jun-1977: Charisma, 9124012, Germany/Italy – contained 6 slides of Calvert/Brock/Rudolph/House/King performing Atomhenge
- Oct-1986: Charisma, CHC50, UK vinyl
- Apr-1989: Virgin, CDSCD4008, UK CD
- Jun-1995: 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...
, GCD370-0, USA CD; GCDHA162-2, USA CD with the Michael ButterworthMichael ButterworthMichael Butterworth is a British author and publisher who has written many novels and short stories, particularly in the genre of science fiction...
Queens of Deleria book. - March 2009: 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, ATOMCD2009, UK 2CD
External links
- Atomhenge Records
- Collectable Records – Original cover