(Please note that this press release is independent from
Spaceritual.net and does not necessarily reflect the views of
Spaceritual.net)
Original Hawkwind members including Lemmy from Motorhead, science-fiction writer Mike Moorcock (see message from Mike Moorcock to Hawkwind fans further down), Nik Turner and a score of others line up in the court case against Dave Brock – about Brock’s destruction of the Hawkwind reputation and his issuing of CD albums featuring early members of Hawkwind and not paying royalties to or seeking permission of those members of the "Golden Years” of Hawkwind.
It started at the Glastonbury Festival 2002, Thursday 27th June 2002. Nik Turner and his eight-month old band XHawkwind.com (now forced to change temporarily to Spaceritual.net), featuring original members from the 1970s: Mick Slattery - guitar, Thomas Crimble – bass, Terry Ollis – drums (the band also often features other original 70s members such as Del Dettmar - noise generators/synths, Dave Anderson – bass, guitar, and Ron Tree - 90s Hawkwind member – bass, poetry, vocals, are just soundchecking as the first band to play on stage at Glastonbury 2002 (they played in a big top crammed with around 1,000 people and more were listening outside!) and Nik receives an injunction from Dave Brock, who is now trying to force Nik not to use any variation of the word Hawkwind as band name (Hawkwind was Nik’s original nickname from before the band was called that!!)
Dave Brock also bombarded the internet, pleading with punters to return their tickets and ask for their money back if they had bought those tickets thinking it was Hawkwind that was going to perform at the Guildford Festival and not Nik Turner's XHawkwind.com After the Guildford Festival had finished, a journalist rang up its promoters and inquired as to how many people had asked for refunds because XHawkwind.com had substituted Hawkwind (owing to Dave Brock insisting on more costs to the Festival as the event drew nearer). The total number of people who have asked for a refund on their tickets as per Dave Brock's massive internet campaign was ZERO!
By the 5th of August 2002, this had turned into a legal battle between all of the 70s Hawkwind stalwarts on one side and Dave Brock (who had registered Hawkwind as a trade mark without telling any of the past members of the band!) on the other, so the following ex-Hawkwind members are now pursuing Dave Brock about the so-called "Dave Brock-related bootlegs", as well as non-payment of royalties:
Lemmy, Michael Moorcock, Nik Turner, the estate of the late Barney Bubbles, the estate of the late Robert Calvert, Terry Ollis, Steve Swindells, Harvey Bainbridge, Paul Rudolph, Alan Powell, Adrian Shaw, Dave Anderson, Thomas Crimble, Mick Slattery, Dik Mik and Del Dettmar.
Spaceritual.net
featuring original ex-Hawkwind members are:
Nik Turner - sax, flute, vocals; Terry Ollis – drums; Thomas Crimble - bass; Dave Anderson – bass; Mick Slattery – guitar, plus various special guests appear at the Canterbury Festival
(www.canterburyfayre.com) on Friday, 23rd August at 5pm. Also on that day, featured acts will be: Ozric Tentacles, Fish and Kevin Ayers.
For those of you who missed this band at the Glastonbury or Guildford festivals in the last month or two, or who are disappointed with Dave Brock’s Hawkwind pulling their gig at War Of The Worlds, Heaton Park, Manchester, here is an opportunity to see a band of ex-Hawkwind members performing classic Hawkwind material at a great festival. For more info on the Canterbury Fayre, visit their website at www.canterburyfayre.com
Please note the band "Spaceritual.net" is not Dave Brock’s Hawkwind but does recreate on stage the spirit of the original 70s Hawkwind ethos and invokes the spirit of Barney Bubbles and Robert Calvert.
Also a fundraising benefit for the legal action by Nik Turner is to be held on Friday 8th November at the Mean Fiddler, Charing Cross Road, London. Doors open at 7pm. The event will feature
Spaceritual.net
and ex-members of Hawkwind, as well as members of the Hawkestra, Inner City Unit and Tractor, plus compere mothership control Andy Dunkley and other special guests to be announced
The event is to be known as one of the legendary Greasy Truckers Party - in fact, it is the
30th Anniversary Greasy Truckers Party!
Messages addressed to Nik Turner and XHawkwind members - from Michael Moorcock about the dispute with Dave Brock ("without prejudice"):
1. This is to confirm that I have not received any royalties or payments from any of the Hawkwind albums issued by Dave Brock. It has been very obvious for some years that Dave has, wherever possible, removed the work of writers like myself and Bob Calvert from reissued albums and has generally behaved in a an unethical way. While I have been generally silent on these matters, since I have respected the idealism of the fans, for instance, it has been obvious for many years that Dave has been, as it were, feathering his own nest at the expense of the other members of the band, especially the best-known members of Hawkwind. He has continued to put bands together, which he has called 'Hawkwind', that are, in fact, only him and various new musicians (though I know this has not always been the case), and has clearly run the band as his own property, without any reference to other founder members or, indeed, holders of copyright material. The reason I am speaking now is because I believe Dave has behaved unethically in bringing an injunction against you for using the name XHawkwind - which, it is well-known, is not an attempt to pose as Hawkwind but to let audiences know that a band comprised of many ex-members of the band, several of whom I have worked with, is making an appearance.
Given Dave's own behaviour in these matters, I write to assure that any kind words I might have used many years ago about Dave Brock are no longer verified by his more recent actions. Please use this letter however it suits you and, should you need further help or confirmation in this matter, please let me know how I can help.
With all best wishes,
Mike Moorcock
2. Fuck Dave, then. He'd sent me something to do with him, a record for some lyrics, but he can fuck himself. You know that I'll always side with you when things get to this point. If you want to include me in the band formerly known as
XHawkwind.com/Spaceritual.net as some sort of member, whatever you think, pard. I have not just extolled Dave's virtues. I've said elsewhere that he was manipulative and greedy. So you can always pull those references, should it go that way. Sod the bastard. He has also, of course, removed almost everything by me and Calvert from reissues. Seems wicked to pull Calvert... Bottom line is, if it's between you (Nik Turner) and Dave Brock (Mr. Greed), then I'm on your side, Nik.
Mike Moorcock