Space Chase: 1980-1985

This single-disc compilation is drawn from the Levitation, Sonic Attack, Choose Your Masques, and Chronicle of the Black Sword albums. It was a particularly fertile and disruptive period during the band's history when Hawkwind founder Dave Brock, bassist Harvey Bainbridge, and guitarist Huw Lloyd-Langton employed a plethora of drummers, including Simon King, Ginger Baker, Martin Griffin, the Cure's Andy Anderson, New Model Army's Rob Heaton, and Clive Deamer. Other interesting personnel from these years included the return of Nik Turner, Phil "Dead Fred" Reeves, and even Michael Moorcock. While the albums these tracks were drawn from were often uneven, this compilation holds together quite well. In addition to album tracks, it includes the "Silver Machine" (1982 single version) b/w "Waiting for Tomorrow" 7", the live A-side of "Shot Down in the Night," and "Dragons & Fables" from the Earth Ritual Preview EP. ~ Thom Jurek