Here we find unspecified (as to date-and-location) live excerpts from two different lineups, one from the seven-piece ‘76 band with Nik Turner and one from ‘77 following the departure of Turner, bassist Paul Rudolph and one of the two drummers. A bit more laid-back and less raging than the majority of live Hawkwind records overall, there’s still plenty going on here and unlike the first three volumes of the Weird Tapes it’s all Hawkwind and all prime. Plus, there’s even a vintage radio ad for “Quark, Strangeness & Charm” on Sire Records thrown in for good measure. (I wouldn’t mind hearing more of this kind of audio ephemera on the Weird Tapes series: after all, with the Weird Tapes name as a caveat emptor, it seems like about any kind of recording could be legitimately included, as long as it’s audible. Band dialogue, arguments, crowd noise, whatever. Hell, it’s not like people don’t already expect freaky shit from Hawkwind anyway.)
–guest (Hawk Records/Voiceprint)