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Eric Clapton Guests On New Hawkwind Disc

13 Jul 18

On September 14, Hawkwind are to release their 31st studio album, “Road To Utopia,” featuring Eric Clapton on ‘The Watcher.’ Eric is old friends with founder member Dave Brock. Back in 1962, the blues enthusiasts performed as a duo in the folk pubs, clubs and coffeehouses in Surrey. Dave recently told “Uncut” that back then he also used to go round Eric’s house to listen to records. Incidentally, Eric is the second member of Cream to play with Hawkwind. In the early eighties, Ginger Baker joined the band for a time.

Hawkwind are best known for the song ‘Silver Machine’, which became a number three UK hit single in 1972. It featured vocals by Lemmy Kilmister, who went on to found Motörhead. Other big hits were “Urban Guerrilla” and “Shot Down In The Night.” Between 1971 and 1993, twenty-two of the band’s albums charted in the UK. Hawkwind is still led by founder member Dave Brock (vocals, electric, acoustic guitars, harmonica, keyboards) with Richard Chadwick (drums, percussion, vocals), Mr Dibs (vocals), Haz Wheaton (bass) and Magnus Martin (acoustic guitar).

“Road To Utopia” started out as a mostly acoustic work. It changed course during the sessions and became a full collaboration with Mike Batt, who was originally invited to conduct the orchestra for Hawkwind’s sold-out November shows at the London Palladium. “Dave was delightfully free-spirited and generous to me using a small ensemble of additional musicians and giving me a pretty free hand with the arrangements,” Mike said in a press release.

The album is a fresh take on the band’s most celebrated songs. Tracks like ‘Quark, Strangeness and Charm,’ ‘We Took The Wrong Step Years Ago’ and ‘Psychic Power’ are re-rooted acoustically and embellished with the strength and majesty that only Hawkwind can produce. Other songs like ‘Down Through The Night’ and ‘Hymn To The Sun’ are made even more powerful by their orchestral components. On ‘The Watcher,’ Eric’s trademark guitar licks compliment Dave’s harmonica and Mike’s piano seamlessly.

The album will be previewed in August by a two-track digital single coupling ‘Quark, Strangeness and Charm’ and ‘The Watcher.’ 

Hawkwind: Road To Utopia Track List
01. Quark, Strangeness and Charm
02. The Watcher – featuring Eric Clapton
03. We Took The Wrong Step Years Ago
04. Flying Doctor
05. Psychic Power
06. Hymn To The Sun
07. The Age of the Micro Man
08. Intro The Night
09. Down Through The Night