It’s amazing to note that 2012’s We Are One was the first studio album from Hawklords in 34 years.
With Dave Brock still piloting Hawkwind and Robert Calvert sadly long gone, Harvey Bainbridge is the sole remaining member from those that released their 1978 debut 25 Years On, but the synth player has corralled together a line-up with Hawks form, including vocalist Ron Tree (1995-2001) and guitarist Jerry Richards (1996-2001), plus former The Bevis Frond drummer Dave Pearce. The albums and tours keep on coming – their current UK excursion includes a whopping 20 dates – and, anyone writing off Hawklords as a novelty act, or indeed a bunch of chancers ripping off the Hawkwind name, does so at their own peril. The band describe R:Evolution as “a commentary on existence”. Evolver transports us back to the dawn of humankind (‘Once I was a fish/My next step wasn’t planned/I grow myself some legs and lungs/And I crawl upon the dry land’), while its swansong, Shadow Of The Machine, predicts an ugly end. Space rock noodlings abound, and the production of Paul Sampson (Kevin Ayers/Tony Iommi) is clear and bright. Pretty inspiring stuff, to be honest.
