Reaction - Hawkwind - Living On A Knife Edge - A Space Aged Backing Track With New Wave Vocals

[@gary5693]

One of my most favourite tracks and way ahead of its time!!! I've played this track countless times and after all these years I still never get bored of it! It never ages and sounds like it could have been released yesterday! There's so much going on in the track but doesn't sound too busy! A genius band and very underated and every albums different but still unmistakably hawkwind!.... one word to describe them... LEGENDS!!!

[@simonrussell1693]

The second Hawkwind album i bought after Levitation. Joyous stuff. Huw was astonishing. Motorway City!!!

[@quarkwrok]

Hope you enjoyed this one Todd! Baker was actually fired, well he said 'it's me or the bass player', so founder Dave Brock said 'byesibye Ginger' after just the one album, Levitation, I'd suggest the title track for some great Ginger drumming. Hawkwind were working on an electronic project called Church of Hawkwind the following year but during the album sessions SF author and sometime collaborator Michael Moorcock turned up with some lyrics and ideas and the band jammed and worked on enough for an album. So Sonic Attack gets released in 81 and Church of Hawkwind the following year. Church of was inspired by a religious group in America who worshiped the band as prophetic, which Brock found quite funny. Levitation and Sonic Attack are both proggy, metally and post-punk (the 80's end of New Wave like Psychedelic Furs and the Cure). About where you stop it (2.16) it goes very U2, but before they sounded like that, U2 on other tracks on the album too. The vocals here are Dave Brock who has a distinctive style where his English accent comes through - as far back as 72, which can sound quite punky (e.g. Upside Down from Space Ritual). Brock was one of the Richmond Set - included people like Clapton and Page - so he probably knew Ginger Baker quite well. Brock started Hawkwind off as an electronic group but was always into blues, folk, hoe downs like his blues rock pals. One of the first members of the band was Saxophonist Nik Turner who passed away a couple of weeks back. RIP Nik. The group itself were part of the UK underground freak scene and a bit crazy and after a few years could blast out some heavy stuff, arguably the heaviest sound done to date in 72. I think some of the artwork of the two periods where the sound is very metal, early 70's and early 80's matches the metal vibe that comes through but there's lots of other things going on too. And somehow no matter what the ingredients it always sounds like Hawkwind!

[@SPKdesign1]

I always thought Choose Your Masques came before Church but that's probably because of the similarity in sound between the two. Masques is a fantastic lp though.

[@auntieprimrose4138]

This is an edited version of the song. The full version is nearly 8 mins long, hence the fade in at the start. the full version wasn't on the original album and only appeared 30 years later. The single from this album is Angels Of Death, which is still in the live set, and is a good choice if you want to see the change that happened after the guitarist , Huw Lloyd Langton, rejoined the group after 9 years away, having played on the first Hawkwind album. It also shows how good Dave Brock was and indeed is as a rhythm guitarist Also it's 10 years ago today since his passing. R.I.P. Huw.

[@bombus2660]

It's such imaginative music.

[@auntieprimrose4138]

You could also go all the way back to the first album and listen to The Mirror Of illusion , which is a combination of folk, space rock and a searing guitar, with a great bass solo as well. something for everybody in one track!!!!!

[@timfeeley714-25]

Rocky Paths off of this album is one of my favorite songs, always loved Huw's guitar. For something really good and different by Hawkwind I suggest Some People Never Die from the Church Of Hawkwind album, Oswald and Bobby K are the subjects of the song. Great reaction, Thanx

[@quarkwrok]

I second Some People Never Die, but has to be heard with Joker At The Gate for a fantastic transition.

[@roberthine6127]

Yeah, Hugh Lloyd Langton always brought top notch guitar work whenever he was with the band. I don't, in any way, mean that as a slight on Dave Brock. He is the backbone of Hawkwind and it's credit to him that he was happy to take a back seat when Hugh was with them. R.I.P Hugh.

[@marxman00]

The most relevant lyrics for today

[@wfamdaxj]

Martin Griffin on the sticks, so tight, so crisp... I met him at a Hawkfest.... Lovely fella....Big moustache. 🎼🎵🎶🖖

[@wfamdaxj]

I knew you'd love this, I would have suggested it too. Great work there, keep it up. 🖖

[@steveprosser2203]

I love this track and I think you’ve nailed it in your description/ take on it. HW were a big influence and were influenced in return by the New Wave, their sound is something quite unique; The Independent called them “the second most influential British band after The Beatles “. Sonic Attack is a brilliant album, not quite as proggy sounding as Levitation but jagged punky and a bit scary in places. Living on a Knife Edge is followed by Coded Languages and Disintegration/ Streets of Fear which continue the dystopian theme; more relevant than ever these days.

[@stevenscharmer1765]

Thanks for the Hawkwind reactions! The only studio album of theirs that Ginger Baker played on, Levitation, is one of my all-time favorites of any band! While I highly recommend the whole album, here are some songs where drumming stands out: • title track: high speed rocker where Ginger lets loose • The Fifth Second of Forever/Dust of Time: a suite with a variety of feels and tempos • Who's Gonna Win The War: a somber song with militaristic drumming • World of Tiers: a proggy, spacey instrumental with syncopated drumming and nice fills • Motorway City is nice too, a soothing, melodic rock song with great guitar.

[@uncleambient]

Great track with Rush vibes

[@campbellblack6605]

Love the Hawkwind. I was fortunate enough to see them play live at the Barrowlands , Glasgow in the mid Nineties. Amazing gig, But they sound much better when you take some LSD or Mushrooms!

[@studio5music]

On the re-release with extras the very last track is an alternative version of knife edge , which i prefer . The Beginning from their latest album “the future never waits” is rather good as well imho .

[@428chase]

Hawkwind The Forge Of Vulcan kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZnjRaalofptld9E This is a piece of music called The Forge Of Vulcan by Hawkwind from the Quark Strangeness and Charm album. It is set to various footage from the development of the atom bomb. The theme is a build up from inception to detonation but not specifically correct.

[@drivingwithtodd1781]

Hi 428chase ... Sounds like this should be the next Hawkwind reaction. It will be coming in the near future. Thanks and take care ...

[@428chase]

@@drivingwithtodd1781 thanks for quick reply

[@drivingwithtodd1781]

Hi 428chase ... It is always nice hearing from you. Enjoy ....

[@428chase]

@@drivingwithtodd1781 always nice hearing your review and your style of doing them

[@peterdunkley5051]

Levitation album by hawkwind ginger Baker done the drumming

[@steveprosser2203]

If you liked this try Streets of Fear , from the same album; carries the vibe onward but in a really dark and scary manner; psychedelic prog punk!

[@davegaskell7680]

Levitation is a far better album. The opening 2 tracks off it (Levitation and Motorway City) have great drumming from Ginger Baker.

[@drivingwithtodd1781]

Hi Dave ... Thank you for the info. I am now making a list of my next Hawkwind reactions. One of the two (or both) will be featured soon. Enjoy ...

[@uncleambient]

Nah Sonic Attack is better

[@wfamdaxj]

Lost chances.