Recorded live at the Hammersmith Odeon in London on December 3rd & 4th 1985, Live Chronicles is a stunning high point of what was a really strong period in the career of space rock legends Hawkwind. Hot off the release of their ambitious concept album The Chronicle of the Black Sword, which was based on the Elric of Melniboné science fiction/fantasy novels from author & friend Michael Moorcock, the band set out on tour with an extravagant stage show that culminated in a set of magical nights at the famous Hammersmith Odeon venue. The members of the band on this tour were Dave Brock (electric guitar, keyboards, vocals), Huw Lloyd-Langton (electric guitar, vocals), Harvey Bainbridge (keyboards, vocals), Alan Davey (bass guitar, vocals), Danny Thompson Jr (drums), along with Michael Moorcock (vocals), Tony Crerar (mime & dance),
Kris Tait (mime & dance, vocals), and Tim Pollard (mime).
The band performed the entire Chronicle album here, interspersed with Hawkwind classics such as "Master of the Universe", "Angels of Death", "Choose Your Masques", and "Magnu", while some of the B-sides from the Chronicle sessions, like "Assault and Battery", the excellent "Dragons and Fables", and the Moorcock narrations, all fit in here quite nicely. Whooshing synths, heavy guitar riffs, Lloyd-Langton's stinging lead guitar, and pulsating rhythms abound throughout this set, and most of the songs take on a new life in a live setting, even more powerful than their studio counterparts. "Needle Gun" and "Song of the Swords" are especially dynamic, and the lovely, haunting "Zarozinia" is simply unforgettable. Vocally, the band were also spot on at these Hammersmith shows, with Brock especially in fine form.
As fun as this live 2CD set is, in order to get the full effect you have to seek out the DVD of this show, which allows you to see all the crazy visuals, mime, dancing, and theatrics that went along with this epic storyline. Atomhenge has once again done a remarkable job on the remastering here, including the entire double disc set the way it was meant to be presented. The sound is spectacular, and the packed booklet is loaded with info, artwork, and photos. Though Space Ritual seems to get all the credit as 'THE' Hawkwind live record, Live Chronicles is no backseat passenger, and just as stunning.
Track Listing
CD1
"The Chronicle Of The Black Sword" (Michael Moorcock)
"Song Of The Swords"
"Dragons And Fables"
"Narration"
"The Sea King"
"Dead God's Homecoming" (Moorcock)
"Angels Of Death"
"The Shade Gate"
"Rocky Paths"
"Narration - Elric The Enchanter (Part 1)"
"The Pulsing Cavern"
"Master Of The Universe"
"Dragon Song" (Moorcock)
"Dreaming City"
"Choose Your Masques"
"Fight Sequence"
CD2
"Assault And Battery"
"Sleep Of A Thousand Tears"
"Zarozinia"
"Lords Of Chaos"
"The Dark Lords"
"Wizards Of Pan Tang"
"Moonglum"
"Elric The Enchanter (Part 2)"
"Needle Gun"
"Conjuration Of Magnu"
"Magnu"
"Dust Of Time"
"The Final Fight" (Moorcock)
"Horn Of Fate" [aka "Horn Of Destiny"]
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