Warrior on the Edge of Time
Encyclopedia
Warrior on the Edge of Time is Hawkwind
's fifth studio album. It reached #13 on the UK album charts and was their third and last album to make the US Billboard chart, where it peaked at #150. Many of the lyrics are by Michael Moorcock
and the album is loosely based on the concept
of Moorcock's Eternal Champion
.
Having recruited a second drummer, Alan Powell, this album's line-up was short-lived. Soon after the album's release, bassist Lemmy was sacked and vocalist Robert Calvert
rejoined by the end of the year.
"Assault and Battery" lyrics quote from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
's poem "Psalm Of Life". The song is a popular live number, being performed occasionally over the years, and has appeared on numerous live albums, sometimes under the title "Lives of Great Men". It was included as part of the live show for The Chronicle of the Black Sword concept, appearing on the album Live Chronicles
.
"The Golden Void" segues from "Assault and Battery", and the two songs are often performed live as a pair as on the albums Palace Springs (1991) and Canterbury Fayre 2001
. The song is a popular live number, being performed occasionally over the years, and has appeared on numerous live albums, sometimes under the title "Void of Golden Light", as on 1994's The Business Trip
.
"The Wizard Blew His Horn", "Standing at the Edge" and "Warriors" are Michael Moorcock
poems based on his Eternal Champion
literary figure. The poems are recited to atmospheric soundscapes provided by Simon House
, and the percussionists Simon King
and Alan Powell
. The band had been performing them on stage during 1974, versions appearing on the The 1999 Party
live album.
"Opa-Loka" is an instrumental that features a motorik
rhythm and is strongly influenced by the music of Neu!
, the title possibly being a reference to Opa-locka, Florida
. It was performed live, but when Robert Calvert
joined the band at the beginning of 1976, he would recite the poem "Vikings on Mars" over the top of it, the song evolving into "Uncle Sam's on Mars" on the 1979 album PXR5
.
"The Demented Man" is a Brock acoustic number. (Also listed as 'The Demented King')
The lyrics of "Magnu" are based upon Percy Shelley's poem "Hymn of Apollo". The song is a popular live number, being performed occasionally over the years, versions on the albums Choose Your Masques: Collectors Series Volume 2
(1982), The Friday Rock Show Sessions
(1986) and Canterbury Fayre 2001.
"Spiral Galaxy 28948" is a Simon House instrumental, the title being his date of birth (28 September 1948). It was performed live in 1975 after the release of the album, and again during 2001 when House had temporarily rejoined the band, a version appearing on the album Canterbury Fayre 2001.
(10 May 1975) was critical in his review of the album despite it being "probably Hawkwind's most professional record" due to the advance in their "technical proficiency", specifically the contributions of Simon House. The compositions are in the "standard Hawkwind traditions of sweeping synthesiser passages contrasting ethereal space with the violence of monotonous bass and rhythm guitar", and of the poems he says "If Moorcock feels qualified to describe any of these pieces as poetry, then that's his problem" and that they are delivered "with all the emotion of Davros
being exterminated by renegade Dalek
s".
Lemmy: "The album was a fuck-up from start to finish. That "Opa-Loka" was a lot of fucking rubbish. I wasn't even on that. That was the drummer's thing, that track... We were kind of complacent anyway. If you have a hit album, you're complacent, and if you have two you really are in trouble. With them, they had four, 'cos they had In Search of Space before me... There's great stuff on all them albums. "The Golden Void" was a beautiful track, but by then I was well out of favour."
Dave Brock: "There was some good stuff on that album. I think we peaked then, in 1974/75."
Simon King: "I suppose I’m two-thirds happy with this one. For me that’s not bad as I was only half happy with the last one! Warriors is a different musical thing because it’s Simon House’s first real contribution: on Mountain Grill he was too new to be able to have that much influence, and now, of course we’ve got Alan as a second drummer, which has meant a lot of changes."
Side 2
CD bonus track
in Britain on the Dojo label as a vinyl dub. A second version was later released on the Canadian
label Griffin Music
, apparently taken from a first-generation copy of the original master. This master was the Atco tape used for the 1975 US vinyl release and included the single mix of Kings of Speed. The Dojo CD's booklet does not reproduce the fold-out cover design; the Griffin CD does, but with the shield on the reverse in black and white. The Dojo booklet replicates the original LP cover rear credits, with the additional "Special thanks to John Chase and Guy Thomas". Incidentally John Chase supplied a mint unplayed copy of the LP, from which the Dojo CD was mastered. Guy Thomas supplied the King's of Speed single, from which the "Motorhead
" track was mastered. Guy Thomas also did the custom paint-job on Dave Brock
's Westone Paduak-1 guitar, replicating the LP cover.
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....
's fifth studio album. It reached #13 on the UK album charts and was their third and last album to make the US Billboard chart, where it peaked at #150. Many of the lyrics are by 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....
and the album is loosely based on the concept
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
of Moorcock's Eternal Champion
Eternal Champion
The Eternal Champion is a fictional creation of the author Michael Moorcock and is a recurrent feature in many of his novels.-About the Eternal Champion:...
.
Having recruited a second drummer, Alan Powell, this album's line-up was short-lived. Soon after the album's release, bassist Lemmy was sacked and vocalist 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...
rejoined by the end of the year.
Songs
- See also the article "Kings of SpeedKings of SpeedKings of Speed is a 1975 song by the UK rock group Hawkwind. It was originally released as a single in the UK on 7 March 1975 and was subsequently included on the album Warrior on the Edge of Time.-Kings of Speed:...
".
"Assault and Battery" lyrics quote from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was an American poet and educator whose works include "Paul Revere's Ride", The Song of Hiawatha, and Evangeline...
's poem "Psalm Of Life". The song is a popular live number, being performed occasionally over the years, and has appeared on numerous live albums, sometimes under the title "Lives of Great Men". It was included as part of the live show for The Chronicle of the Black Sword concept, appearing on the album Live Chronicles
Live Chronicles
Live Chronicles is a 1986 album by Hawkwind recorded of a live performance of their The Chronicle of the Black Sword concept album based on the Michael Moorcock character Elric of Melniboné.-Overview:...
.
"The Golden Void" segues from "Assault and Battery", and the two songs are often performed live as a pair as on the albums Palace Springs (1991) and Canterbury Fayre 2001
Canterbury Fayre 2001
Canterbury Fayre 2001 is a 2001 live album by Hawkwind.-Track listing:#"5th Second of Forever" – 3:52#"Levitation" – 9:18#"Spiral Galaxy" – 3:16...
. The song is a popular live number, being performed occasionally over the years, and has appeared on numerous live albums, sometimes under the title "Void of Golden Light", as 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....
.
"The Wizard Blew His Horn", "Standing at the Edge" and "Warriors" are 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....
poems based on his Eternal Champion
Eternal Champion
The Eternal Champion is a fictional creation of the author Michael Moorcock and is a recurrent feature in many of his novels.-About the Eternal Champion:...
literary figure. The poems are recited to atmospheric soundscapes provided by 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...
, and the percussionists 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.'...
and 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"...
. The band had been performing them on stage during 1974, versions appearing on the The 1999 Party
The 1999 Party
The '1999' Party is a live album by Hawkwind recorded at the Chicago Auditorium Theatre on 21 March 1974 released retrospectively in November 1997 by EMI. It was issued for the first time as part of EMI's re-releasing re-mastered versions of the Hawkwind back catalogue...
live album.
"Opa-Loka" is an instrumental that features a motorik
Motorik
Motorik is a term coined by music journalists to describe the 4/4 beat often used by "Krautrock" bands such as Neu! and Kraftwerk...
rhythm and is strongly influenced by the music of Neu!
Neu!
Neu! was a German band formed by Klaus Dinger and Michael Rother after their split from Kraftwerk in the early 1970s...
, the title possibly being a reference to Opa-locka, Florida
Opa-locka, Florida
Opa-locka is a city located in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. As of the mid decade census, the population was 15,376 as recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau....
. It was performed live, but when 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...
joined the band at the beginning of 1976, he would recite the poem "Vikings on Mars" over the top of it, the song evolving into "Uncle Sam's on Mars" on the 1979 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...
.
"The Demented Man" is a Brock acoustic number. (Also listed as 'The Demented King')
The lyrics of "Magnu" are based upon Percy Shelley's poem "Hymn of Apollo". The song is a popular live number, being performed occasionally over the years, versions on the albums 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...
(1982), The Friday Rock Show Sessions
The Friday Rock Show Sessions
The Friday Rock Show Sessions is a 1992 live album release of Hawkwind's headline set at the Reading Festival, August 24, 1986.The set was recorded by the BBC and transmitted soon after on Tommy Vance's Friday Rock Show. The broadcast excluded performances of "Paradox", "Shade Gate", "Choose Your...
(1986) and Canterbury Fayre 2001.
"Spiral Galaxy 28948" is a Simon House instrumental, the title being his date of birth (28 September 1948). It was performed live in 1975 after the release of the album, and again during 2001 when House had temporarily rejoined the band, a version appearing on the album Canterbury Fayre 2001.
Critical reception
Allan Jones in Melody MakerMelody 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...
(10 May 1975) was critical in his review of the album despite it being "probably Hawkwind's most professional record" due to the advance in their "technical proficiency", specifically the contributions of Simon House. The compositions are in the "standard Hawkwind traditions of sweeping synthesiser passages contrasting ethereal space with the violence of monotonous bass and rhythm guitar", and of the poems he says "If Moorcock feels qualified to describe any of these pieces as poetry, then that's his problem" and that they are delivered "with all the emotion of Davros
Davros
Davros is a character from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Davros is an archenemy of the Doctor and is the creator of the Doctor's deadliest enemies, the Daleks...
being exterminated by renegade Dalek
Dalek
The Daleks are a fictional extraterrestrial race of mutants from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Within the series, Daleks are cyborgs from the planet Skaro, created by the scientist Davros during the final years of a thousand-year war against the Thals...
s".
Band reaction
Michael Moorcock: "Warrior On The Edge Of Time was a concept of mine. What Dave tends to do is he says 'Do us a concept' or 'I've got this rough concept, can you work it out?' I do it, then Dave has a different idea and the whole thing shifts away, so that's the way it works. It's a perfectly good way of working - it tends to give Dave a bit of a start or whatever. I was doing a lot of my 'Eternal Champion' stuff on stage, so it seemed automatic to do that because there were so many numbers I could fit into that. I was only in the studio about an hour to do the stuff I did, and it was one of those weird things I didn't get the session fee either."Lemmy: "The album was a fuck-up from start to finish. That "Opa-Loka" was a lot of fucking rubbish. I wasn't even on that. That was the drummer's thing, that track... We were kind of complacent anyway. If you have a hit album, you're complacent, and if you have two you really are in trouble. With them, they had four, 'cos they had In Search of Space before me... There's great stuff on all them albums. "The Golden Void" was a beautiful track, but by then I was well out of favour."
Dave Brock: "There was some good stuff on that album. I think we peaked then, in 1974/75."
Simon King: "I suppose I’m two-thirds happy with this one. For me that’s not bad as I was only half happy with the last one! Warriors is a different musical thing because it’s Simon House’s first real contribution: on Mountain Grill he was too new to be able to have that much influence, and now, of course we’ve got Alan as a second drummer, which has meant a lot of changes."
Track listing
Side 1- "Assault and Battery (Part 1)" (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...
) – 5:36 - "The Golden Void (Part 2)" (Brock) – 4:33
- "The Wizard Blew His Horn" (Michael MoorcockMichael MoorcockMichael John Moorcock is an English writer, primarily of science fiction and fantasy, who has also published a number of literary novels....
, 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...
, Alan PowellAlan PowellAlan 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"...
, 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.'...
) – 2:00 - "Opa-Loka" (Powell, King) – 5:40
- "The Demented Man" (Brock) – 4:20
Side 2
- "Magnu" (Brock) – 8:40
- "Standing at the Edge" (Moorcock, House, Powell, King) – 2:45
- "Spiral Galaxy 28948" (House) – 3:55
- "Warriors" (Moorcock, House, Powell, King) – 2:05
- "Dying Seas" (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...
) – 3:05 - "Kings of SpeedKings of SpeedKings of Speed is a 1975 song by the UK rock group Hawkwind. It was originally released as a single in the UK on 7 March 1975 and was subsequently included on the album Warrior on the Edge of Time.-Kings of Speed:...
" (Moorcock, Brock) – 3:25
CD bonus track
- "MotorheadMotorhead (song)Motörhead recorded a live version, which was released as a 7" vinyl single in 1981. It fared much better than the original single and reached number six in the UK Singles Charts. Whereas the previous recording plays in E major, this recording plays in E♭...
" (Ian Kilmister) – 3:02
Musicians
- Michael MoorcockMichael MoorcockMichael John Moorcock is an English writer, primarily of science fiction and fantasy, who has also published a number of literary novels....
– vocals ("The Wizard Blew His Horn" and "Warriors") - 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...
, 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...
, vocals, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
("Opa-Loka") - 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...
, fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, vocals ("Standing at the Edge", "Dying Seas") - Lemmy (Ian Kilmister) – bass guitar, vocals ("Motorhead" )
- 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...
– 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....
, keyboards - 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 .... - Alan PowellAlan PowellAlan 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"...
– drums
Credits
- Recorded 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:...
, Mar-1975. Produced by Hawkwind, engineerd 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'...
. Mixed at Olympic StudiosOlympic StudiosOlympic Studios was a renowned independent commercial recording studio located at 117 Church Road, Barnes, South West London, England. The studio is best known for the huge number of famous rock and pop recordings made there from the late 1960s onward....
, engineered by Phil Chapman and Steve Owen. - "Kings of Speed" and "Motorhead" recorded at Olympic StudiosOlympic StudiosOlympic Studios was a renowned independent commercial recording studio located at 117 Church Road, Barnes, South West London, England. The studio is best known for the huge number of famous rock and pop recordings made there from the late 1960s onward....
, Jan-1975. - Sleeve designed by Comte Pierre D'Auvergne. The original album sleeve unfolds into a large shieldShieldA shield is a type of personal armor, meant to intercept attacks, either by stopping projectiles such as arrows or redirecting a hit from a sword, mace or battle axe to the side of the shield-bearer....
-shape, revealing that the silhouetted Warrior is standing at the edge of an apparently bottomless chasm. The landscape on the other side of the chasm is a mirror image, with another setting sun. The reverse of the cover depicts a bronzeBronzeBronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
shield bearing the 8-rayed emblem of ChaosChaos (cosmogony)Chaos refers to the formless or void state preceding the creation of the universe or cosmos in the Greek creation myths, more specifically the initial "gap" created by the original separation of heaven and earth....
, as described in Moorcock's books.
Release history
- May 1975: United Artists Records, UAG29766, UK vinyl - original copies came in gatefold foldout sleeve with inner sleeve. Later pressings retained the inner sleeve but had a normal single LP sleeve based on the outer part of the gatefold.
- May 1975: Atco Records, SD36-115, USA vinyl
- Jan 1981: Liberty Records, UAG29766, UK vinyl
- Oct 1992: Dojo Records, DOJOCD84, UK CD
- May 1993: 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...
, 55421 3931-2, USA CD
CD Masters
The original UK master tape for the album was apparently lost or destroyed some time after the original release. The album was eventually released on CDCompact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
in Britain on the Dojo label as a vinyl dub. A second version was later released on the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
label Griffin Music
Griffin Music
Griffin 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...
, apparently taken from a first-generation copy of the original master. This master was the Atco tape used for the 1975 US vinyl release and included the single mix of Kings of Speed. The Dojo CD's booklet does not reproduce the fold-out cover design; the Griffin CD does, but with the shield on the reverse in black and white. The Dojo booklet replicates the original LP cover rear credits, with the additional "Special thanks to John Chase and Guy Thomas". Incidentally John Chase supplied a mint unplayed copy of the LP, from which the Dojo CD was mastered. Guy Thomas supplied the King's of Speed single, from which the "Motorhead
Motorhead (song)
Motörhead recorded a live version, which was released as a 7" vinyl single in 1981. It fared much better than the original single and reached number six in the UK Singles Charts. Whereas the previous recording plays in E major, this recording plays in E♭...
" track was mastered. Guy Thomas also did the custom paint-job on 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...
's Westone Paduak-1 guitar, replicating the LP cover.
External links
- Collectable Records - Original foldout cover and inner sleeve