ROBERT CALVERT - CAPT. LOCKHEED AND THE STARFIGHTERS - 1974 (HAWKWIND) (UK) space rock opera

Robert Newton Calvert (9 March 1945, Pretoria, South Africa - 14 August 1988) was the lead singer, poet and frontman of Hawkwind intermittently from 1972-1979, who went on to a less successful but intriguing separate career. He was believed to have suffered from bipolar disorder.

His other musical collaborators include Michael Moorcock, Brian Eno, Adrian Wagner and Amon Düül II.

He died of a heart attack in 1988 in Ramsgate, England.

This "All-Star" concept album/rock opera is the 1974 debut from the late, troubled Hawkwind singer. There's really nothing else quite like this album in all of rock music. Over 17 tracks of music and dialogue, it tells an investigative narrative about the "true events" behind the 1960's deaths of German Airforce pilots who were ordered to fly improperly-modified Lockheed fighter jets. Musical guests include Hawkwind, Lemmy, Brian Eno, Pink Fairies, Arthur Brown, Viv Stanshall and Jim Capaldi.

Totally unique a mix of music and spoken word from Bob. The music is phenomenal in a Hawkwind vein (of course), the acting hilarious, a serious concept but dealt with in a Pythonesque manner, a cast list of musical stars from the 70's, a great production, what more can you want from an album? The fact that 30 years on Hawkwind still cover tracks from this album, in many cases tracks the current members didn't play on, just shows how far ahead this album was.

Captain Lockheed and the Starfighters (1974, a concept album based on the history of the F-104 Starfighter)
Track list
1.Franz Joseph Strauss, Defence Minister, Reviews the
Luftwaffe in 1958.
Finding It Somewhat Lacking in Image Potentia l1:40
2.The Aerospaceage Inferno 4:36
3.Aircraft Salesman (A Door in the Foot) 1:41
4.The Widow Maker 2:42
5.Two Test Pilots Discuss
the Starfighter's Performance 0:41
6.The Right Stuff 4:23
7.Board Meeting (Seen Through a Contract Lense 0:58
8.The Song of the Gremlin (Part One) 3:22
9.Ground Crew
(Last Minute Reassembly Before Take Off) 3:17
10.Hero With a Wing 3:20
11.Ground Control to Pilot 0:52
12.Ejection 3:35
13.Interview 3:56
14.I Resign 0:27
15.The Song of the Gremlin (Part Two) 3:11
16.Bier Garten 0:39
17.Catch a Falling Starfighter 2:54

Musicians
Robert Calvert - vocals
Arthur Brown - vocals ("The Song of the Gremlin" parts 1 and 2)
Paul Rudolph - lead and rhythm guitar (all), bass guitar ("The Song of the Gremlin" parts 1 and 2, "Hero with a Wing")
Dave Brock - lead guitar ("The Widow Maker")
Lemmy - bass guitar
Nik Turner - saxophone
Brian Peter George St John La Baptiste De La Salle Eno - Synthesizer
Del Dettmar - Synthesizer
Adrian Wagner - Keyboards ("The Song of the Gremlin" parts 1 and 2)
Simon King - drums
Twink Alder - Funeral drum ("Catch a Falling Starfighter")
The Ladbroke Grove Hermaphroditic Voice Ensemble - Back up vocals

Actors
Vivian Stanshall - most leads (e.g. Ground Control, Bright Mechanic)
Jim Capaldi - American Salesman, Recruiting Officer, Dim Mechanic
Robert Calvert - Pilot
Tom Mittledorf
Richard Ealing

Highly recommended
Rip from CD 256@ (full artwork included)
Download link
http://link-protector.com/268327/