Hawkwind’s classic live album from 1972 – Space Ritual – celebrates a half century with the issuing of an impressive deluxe edition box set. Generally and deservedly recognised as one of the finest live albums ever this big box anniversary set more than does justice to the album spanning 10 CDs, a Blue Ray and other paraphernalia.
Back in the old days I had the original double album with the massive fold out cover which expanded to the size of a tablecloth. Space Ritual has lost none of its power over the years remaining a stand-out example of a band approaching its peak and remaining an influential act to this day.
Dave Brock’s relentless chugging guitar, Nik Turner’s saxophone interludes, Lemmy’s throbbing bass, Dik Mik and Del Dettmar providing the spacey synths and electronics with Simon King’s energetic drumming an ever present. Oh – and Bob Calvert’s bleak, stark poetic renditions add to the big event.
All in all a tour de force performance from a band well ahead of their time back in 1972.
The tour came just after the surprise hit single of Silver Machine (not in the live set here) and for the Doremi Fasol Latido album with the live album culled from performances at Liverpool and Brixton.
If you’re an old Hawkwind fan you will be well aware of that – if you’re not then you owe it to yourself to give it at least one listen if nothing else.
Picking a few songs out at random – Born to Go, Lord of Light and Space is Deep from CD1 stunningly hypnotic and powerful. As are Calvert’s short spoken pieces.
CD2 starts with the marvellous Orgone Accumulator – have a listen to how good it is:
Then continues to include classics such as Brainstorm, Time We Left this Earth Today and Master of the Universe. And another (and arguably most well-known) Calvert poem of Sonic Attack. Delivered with spoken menace and quite unsettling.
Space Ritual was, is and remains a stone cold classic live album.
This beefy 50th Anniversary box set amps up the legend further. It comprises of the following all contained in a sturdy 10×10 inch box replicating the original artwork:
CD1 and 2: original album remastered
CD3 and CD4: Liverpool Stadium performance, 22 December 1972
CD5 and CD6: Sunderland Locarno performance 23 December 1972
CD7 and CD8: Brixton Sundown performance 30 December 1972
CD9 and CD 10: 50th Anniversary stereo remix
Blu-Ray: 5.1 surround sound mix
Also a reproduction of the space Ritual Poster format tour program a 68-page illustrated book with new essay of the story behind the tour, lots of photographs and a reproduction tour program.
Unmissable for old nostalgic Hawkwind types such as yours truly. Or if you don’t fancy splurging on the box set, snap up the double CD and enjoy that. Space Ritual is relentless assault of “space rock” you won’t find anything to match. Legendary stuff.