Somewhat of a British Institution, Hawkwind were called new age before it came fashionable. This version is the 2020 RSD double clear vinyl. More famous outside of the UK for giving birth to Motörhead – as them firing Lemmy directly led to the birth of that band. The term Space Rock was, to my knowledge, first given to Hawkwind as their imagery and lyrics were all about other worlds and science fiction – partly due to there collaboration with sci-fi author Michael Moorcock.
This album, believe it or not, spawned 2 singles. The lead off track Spirit of the Age, which is just a simple rocker, and the title track Quark, Strangeness and Charm, which I have always liked – with a robotic simple chorus by Bob Calvert that won’t leave your mind. The second disc is given over to alternate versions and takes.
I remember seeing them play live and the track Damnation Alley would extend forever in the middle eight section so all the hippies could trip out. Hawkwind would do that quite a lot as their gigs were really long. I always thought their albums were really out there at the time, but the years that have passed I have realized that is not the case and the songs are quite simple.
I am sure if Hawkwind had all the technology available to them from today, their imagery and themes would have blown peoples minds. Dave Brock is still out there touring as Hawkwind, or which other incarnation of Hawk he is doing, and more power to him for doing it.
7/10 from The Grooveman.
