2. Spirit Of The Age {Full Extended Version}

Hot on the heels of two decidedly un-Hawkwind-y singles; following in the footsteps, too, of the defiantly transitory Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music album, Quark Strangeness and Charm was the first full flowering of Hawkwind's newly honed drive towards brittle pop, sharp wit, and crystal-clear intent -- attributes that, if they'd ever existed in the past, had been entirely overwhelmed by the sheer grandeur of the space rock rocket blast. Now it was the propulsive riffs and deep space echoes that were held in abeyance, and Quark opened as it meant to go on, with "Spirit of the Age"'s tight keyboards, unobtrusive washes, and the utterly captivating -- if totally skewed -- story of love across the light years. It is hard to visualise just how shocking the change must have been to loyal fans of the era; how they must have trembled before the electrifying jolt of concise lyricism and accessible melodies. Airplay followed, and the band even made their first mainstream U.K. TV appearance in some five years, performing the new album's title track on Marc Bolan's teatime TV pop show. Robert Calvert wore an aviator's helmet and carried a stuffed falcon on one hand, odd apparel indeed for an ode to Albert Einstein's lack of luck with the ladies. Or maybe not so odd, after all. A handful of songs fed back into the traditional Hawkwind mythos -- the post-apocalyptic "Damnation Alley," the near-industrial instrumental "Forge of Vulcan," and the weary, dream-is-over nostalgia of "Days of the Underground." "Hassan I Sabha," an epic of Middle Eastern terrorist rhetoric, even recalled the prosaic realities of the old favorite "Urban Guerilla," although a haunting Arabic refrain and instrumentation catapulted it to a different realm regardless. And so it went on -- Hawkwind's most unexpected album to date and, today, one of their most endearingly enduring; charming, strange, and, if not quark, then certainly quirky. ~ Dave Thompson

Digitally remastered and expanded two CD edition of the veteran Space rockers' 1977 album including a bonus CD. . The album was Dave Brock and Robert Calvert's masterpiece that perfectly embraced the influence of the musical New Wave to deliver one of the most effective albums released during Calvert's tenure with Hawkwind. This expanded edition features a bonus CD featuring studio session alternate takes and live recordings by The Sonic Assassins from 1977. Includes such classic tracks as 'Spirit Of the Age', 'Hassan I Sabbah' and 'Damnation Alley'. Atomhenge.

QUARK: STRANGENESS AND CHARM contains an 8-song CD and a 150-page book, QUEENS OF DELIRIA, written by Michael Butterworth based on an idea by Michael Moorcock.

Hawkwind: Dave Brock, Robert Calvert.

Audio Mixer: Ben Wiseman.

Recording information: Rockfield Studios, Monmouthshire.

Author: Dave Brock.

Record Collector (magazine) (p.90) - 5 stars out of 5 -- "QS&C is the pinnacle of lyricist Bob Calvert's astute surveying of contemporary issues..."

[stevenstratton]

Hawkwind... Hawkwind ... What an incredible ocean of musicians but with Capt Brock at the helm.... What other band, born of psychedelia and 60's idealism, creeds hated by the oncoming storm of punk, yet the punk ethos embraced them. Their "play for free" attitudes, their dogged determination not to sell out, conform... The shifting kaleidoscope of muso's gone through their ranks.... Lem my needs no introduction, the godhead of Thrash, greebo, and latterly speed metal et all . Tim Blake, Ginger Baker and true visionaries like Bob Calvert, Simon House...Christ even Michael Moorcock, leading but suitably underground Sci Fi luminary... Then through the New Waveness of Hawklords, Levitation era( first album to be truly digitally recorded.... The crusty/greebo, dog on a piece of string era of the mid 80's, then it only seemed natural the Wind were on the nascent dance / rave cultures of the time . Indeed hadn't The Hawks created the free party. Trip out, trancelike beats of then/ now. Because they were never fashionable they've always been a fashion and still to this day they tour relentlessly, putting bands less than half their age to shame. Never wanting to rest on their still to be widely accepted laurels, still forging ahead making quality records... Ladies and Gentlmen, Hawkwind...

If unfamiliar with their admittedly vast oeuvre of work, may I be so bold as to suggest...
1971 In Search of Space
1974 Hall of the Mountain Grill
1977 Quark, Strangeness & Charm
1978 Hawklords (Self titled)
1980 Levitation
1985 Bring Me the Head of Yuri Gagarin
1998 Electric Tepee
1992 Eclipse
2001 Hawkwind at the Beeb
2007 PRX 215 ( reissue )
2012 Onwards

ENJOY

[clyrogrumper]

After decades of listening to the regular version this is nice. Best served after 1200 mg of Gabababa.

[otisfirefly]

Amazing! "I've seen them do this 12 - 13 times at different festivals, (I used to be the guy tripping his face off in a tent, )- "you had to come and sit with me for 10 minutes so I could see you weren't fake, or a bad person, if you passed my best mate ( dead now of od), would sell you a trip. 😂 "Trust me I turned a few away". 😉✌️♥️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[mukhumor]

When Summer in Britain meant Hawkwind some Acid and a Tent. Happy daze.