Spaced Out Friends & Relations

The Friends and Relations series put out by Flicknife Records in the early eighties were eventually clipped down to one album: The Best of Hawkwind, Friends and Relations, put out on CD by Cherry Red Records.

Unfortunately, probably due to lack of space and time, I felt they omitted some of the best tracks; and a couple of those tracks appear on this 1982 release: the first in the series.

Side one of the vinyl release is made up of the typical repackaging that Dave Brock came to specialise in.
Familiar tracks, but new versions; and these three tracks are all live recordings, with the version of 'Robot' sung by Bob Calvert, from the excellent PXR5 album, being the outstanding track.
A real blinder, reflecting Hawkwind’s most creative period and without doubt the band’s best sound; both live and in the studio (Astounding Sounds & Quark, Strangeness and Charm also came out of this time), proving that they were one of the most vital and greatest creative forces of that decade.

I remember hearing Gibby Haynes once in interview saying that the Butthole Surfers really wanted to be ‘the new Hawkwind’; but then so did Gaye Bykers on Acid.

The second side is really what makes this release worth listening to.
Made-up of various recordings from Hawkwind related projects; an eclectic group of tunes are brought together, reflecting the diversity of influences that made Hawkwind such an interesting band.

The standout track from this group is definitely the Michael Moorcock, Pete Pavli penned tune: ‘Good Girl, Bad Girl’, performed by Moorcock’s Deep Fix. A band that existed in reality enough to produce one album (New World’s Fair); but existed more substantially in Moorcock’s fiction, fronted by the sci-fi hero Jerry Cornelius.

‘Good Girl, Bad Girl’ has a reserved dirge-like guitar-led tune that accompanies Moorcock’s strained and vulnerable almost falsetto vocal delivery, making for a curious but highly listenable to song.

This may be the only place this track exists, as it was not part of New World’s Fair, and was not included on the Best of album.
A peculiar omission in my opinion.

The other bad omission on the Best of album was Inner City Unit’s ‘Human Beings’. A wonderful percussive piece of musical primitivism that urges you to join in, like the best of football chants: ‘here we are, here we are, here we are, here we are…’
You’ll soon pick it up.

The album ends with another Deep Fix tune, but rather than the expected space-rock, the listener is confronted with a wonderful piece of electronica.

(I remember hearing this back in 82 and being totally freaked by its peculiar pattern and minimal quality; a good few years ahead of its time, I think.)

It’s a tune that seems endless; a loop that is both compelling and ingenious; and the ever so long fade reiterates its infinite desire.
Like space itself, it seems endless, only the lack of volume and plastic brings it to an end; but once heard its existence is assured, as it virally infiltrates and possesses the mind of all beholders.

Prepare to be possessed.

Various Artists - Hawkwind, Friends and Relations (1982)

Who's Gonna Win the War - Hawklords (Live 1978)

Golden Void - Sonic Assassins (Live 1977)

Robot - Hawkwind (Live 1977)

Raj Neesh - Inner City Unit (1982)

Good Girl, Bad Girl - Michael Moorcock's Deep Fix (1982)

Valium Ten - Hawkwind (1977)

Human Beings - Inner City Unit (1982)

Time Centre - Michael Moorcock's Deep Fix (1982)

Quality vinyl rip @320kbs

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