Customer Reviews

Captain Lockheed & the Starfighters

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When I heard this CD reissue for the very first time, I thought, "what the...?". Originally released in 1974, the purchaser SHOULD keep in mind of course that 'Captain Lockheed...' is a concept lp by Robert Calvert, who was the resident poet for Hawkwind through out the '70's. Maybe to conceptual for some. For one thing, there's plenty of dialogue. This may be so, but there are some tunes here, that truly hold the test of time. The ORIGINAL versions of "Aerospaceage Inferno", "The Right Stuff", "Ejection" and "Song Of A Gremlin, Part 2". This may not technically be a Hawkwind lp, but the players backing Calvert (R.I.P.) on this effort are: Dave Brock, Nik Turner, Lemmy, Del Dettmar and Simon King. Need I say more? A great Calvert solo title to have.

I just recently bought this album on cd and I'm really enjoy-
ing it.This is one of the most entertaining concept
albums I've ever heard! The story behind it( a TRUE story, as one
of my co-workers told me) is tragic and almost unbelievable, yet
CALVERT and his co-horts make it humourous! The dialogue is VERY funny and very MONTY
PYTHON-like(and slightly HOGAN'S HEROES-
LIKE); I keep waiting for the SPANISH INQUISITION to show
up while I'm listening to it! The songs themselves are terrific
and very HAWKWIND-like; this is no surprise considering how many
HAWKWIND members perform on it! My favorite song at the time is
AEROSPACEAGE INFERNO, a very heavy rocker which shares almost the
same bass line as the song MOTORHEAD. WIDOWMAKER is another hard
rocker and it's VERY similar to ORGONE ACCUMALATOR.EJECTION and
THE RIGHT STUFF should be familiar to HAWKWIND fans; both of
them show up on the HAWKWIND compilation LORD OF LIGHT and live
versions show up on CALIFORNIA BRAINSTORM and THE BUSINESS TRIP.
This album has a great sense of humour about it, a sense of hu-
mour not found on HAWKWIND albums.
If you liked HAWK-
WIND during their LEMMY days, you'll love the music for this. IT'S THE GREAT STUFF, BABY, THE GREAT STUFF!

I recall the days listening to the record in the basement. Sterio cranked up, and the story with music came to life. I think this is one of the best records of the 70's. My older brother had the copy and I could never get him to sell it to me. When you hear it you'll know why it is priceless, and not for sale. Thank you for putting it on cd. I can now share it with my friends. I would recommend this cd to any one. Enjoy.

This is as close as you'll get to vintage, studio quality Hawkwind in the guise of a "solo" work. Over Dave Brock's "assassin-esque" guitarwork, powered by Lemmy's thunderous bassline, Calvert's opening lyric "A flock of steel eagles tearing by, the ripped-silk scream of the rended sky..." drives this concept album on towards the inevitable "falling starfighter" anthem/dirge, providing ample testimony to Calvert's genius.

1974's Captain Lockheed and the Starfighters is Robert Calvert's first solo album. It was released on United Artists, no surprise, since that's the label Hawkwind recorded for. In 1977 the album received an American release on the Import Records label (I never realize that LP was available on that label until I found a copy), but doesn't have a gatefold, but does have an insert with the lyrics to all the songs, and even lyrics to the comedy bits the go between the songs. As often, the UK LP has superior packaging.

The album is about how the West German government wanted to purchase the Lockheed F-104, modified and called the F-104G, which turned out to be nothing more than a death trap, with about 30% of the F-104Gs crashing, giving the nickname "The Widowmaker".

Now, it's no surprise this album is a complete must for Hawkwind fans. Not only do these songs sound like Hawkwind, Hawkwind members make guests here, including Lemmy, Simon King, Paul Rudolph, Del Dettmar, Nik Turner, and (only on one cut) Dave Brock. Other guests include Brian Eno, Arthur Brown (he sings on "Song of the Gremlin" Part 1 and 2), Vivian Stanshell, Twink, and even Jim Capaldi. First you get treated with some comedy, before the first real song kicks in, "Aerospaceage Inferno". This piece starts off with Lemmy's unmistakable use of fuzz bass, and the song gets rocking, showing it to be just as great as the best of Hawkwind. The next two songs are in the same vein, "The Widowmaker" and "The Right Stuff". There is no getting around the Hawkwind sound, but no one is surprised, but these are classics, as far as I'm concerned. "Song of the Gremlin Part 1" is a bit different, with some nice use of synthesizer, and great vocals from Arthur Brown. The drum track has that almost '80s big drum sound, although this is from 1974. "Hero With a Wing" really blew me away, a rather nice, mellow piece with a sinister feel to it. "Ejection" is another similar rocking piece to "The Aerospaceage Inferno", "The Widowmaker" and "The Right Stuff", and in fact Hawkwind included this song in their own set (as demonstrated on California Brainstorm, recorded in 1990, and while Calvert was sadly no longer with us by 1988, it was one of the then-current members, probably Richard Chadwick or Alan Davey who did the vocals, although sounding nothing like Calvert, still sounded silly). "Song of the Gremlin Part 2" is a rather twisted piece, reminding me of the more twisted moments of Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come's Galactic Zoo Dossier (1971) (it helps that Brown was on this cut). "Catch a Falling Starfighter" is a great closing piece, with great vocal harmonies. I don't know why, but I swore I heard that song long ago when I was a kid, but I never heard of Hawkwind or Robert Calvert as a child.

The album makes mention of a song called "The Widow's Song", but it never actually made it on album. It's my understanding that Nico (as in the Velvet Underground singer for just their debut) was to appear on that song but later scrapped. Apparently a version did get recorded in 1984 with Jill Riches (his wife) and got on one of those Hawkwind comps.

Now I have to say the comedy bits might not be to everyone liking, but the songs themselves are totally killer, and it's the stuff Hawkwind fans should die for! This album comes with my highest recommendation!

The CD bought through Amazon was exactly as I hoped it would be.
I was inspired to buy the album by watching a program on collectors of historic aeroplanes - one collector was a passionate advocate for Lockheed F104. He said "the fair-weather fighter" was fantastic to fly, but somewhat unforgiving of pilot errors. It reminded me of the Hawkwind Album and the memorable re-branding by Lockheed's adaptation of the plane for the Luftwaffe of the 1960s - the Starfighter F104G (for Germany).
I believe Lockheed is now building the Fifth Generation fighter for US Airforce, which Australia has perhaps unwisely signed up to by for billions of dollars.

That reminded of Calvert and the F104G, too. "Catch a falling Starfighter ... you can use it as a cigarette lighter!"

I could only have found it on Amazon and the favourable $A to $US exchange rate makes shopping in America very economical.

Amazon provides a great service. Efficient, fast and reliable.

I remember hearing this on Vinyl...a spotty youth surviving the disco explosion of '74 by clinging on to the remains of the sixties (the Floyd and Hawkwind) before Punk saved our mortal souls in the summer of '76. In case you were wondering this concept masterpiece is a stream of consciousness mixture of improvised skits, dialog and special effects linking some wonderful heavy and psyc rock numbers which tells the story of the F104(G) the ill fated Starfighter jet. This 'fair weather fighter' was converted to multi-role combat and sold around the world. Unfortunately this wasn't a wild success killing as it did many hundreds of pilots earning it the epithet 'Widow Maker'.

I lost the ability to play vinyl along time ago but on a recent return (to the CD) I was shocked at how well the piece stands up 25 years on. It's still compelling rock and ironic commentary. The manic guitar still screams....the sketches between pieces still work...Lemmy's driven base and Calvert's masterful music really kicks....even now. I remember when it was cool to quote excepts from the vinyl....when the cover art was carefully pinned to many adolescent, walls a simpler time. My son wants a copy.

Even now the rhetorical question shouted at the end of the piece...'Anybody want to buy a Starfighter?......then buy and acre of land....and wait'.....can still make me smile.

It was a tragedy that Bob didn't get to tour after the release of this album as planned - I am sure it would have changed the course of his career. The originality of this parody speaks volumes about his talent - and it remains timeless. Even today, after countless listenings, I chuckle. Ejection is the highlight for me, and will be played at my funeral :) The sales banter is also priceless. I got to know Bob personally during the 80's, and was heartbroken at his early passing. I am sure that Action Man is up there teaching the 3 card trick to Copernicus. Thanks Bob.

This is an awesome piece of work.....
Great pounding rock music fused with amazing vignettes of dialog tell a great (and very humorous) story ......

Captain Lockheed was an album that a comparatively few people bought at the time it was made and is one that has gone on to achieve a very limited cult status. This album, however, deserves a larger audience, is an excellent listen and still has a lot to offer. The music is solid, the sound is exactly as good as the Hawkwind of that time, which is no surprise given the personnel, the lyrics lively and witty, and while the Cold War mindset is gone, it is remembered by people of that generation, so the sentiment is real and meaningful.
Calvert, whose album this is more than perhaps any other, has never had the reputation he deserved. Yes, he had some behavioural eccentricities, but then the best often do. I remember his performances as being his biggest contributions but now I find his writing is what I respect most. This really is worth a listen.