Why I Love – At The Barrier

Øresund Space Collective is a project with almost as many releases to match the output one of their Space / Psychedelic rocking inspirations Hawkwind.

Focussing on the creation of totally improvised Space Rock, the band has recently released their 44th album called Orgone Unicorn and will be celebrating their 20th anniversary of playing live concerts on 11th and 12th of April 11-12th, at the legendary Stengade venue in Copenhagen.

We’re joined by by Dr Space of Øresund Space Collective, Doctors Of Space and others who explains why he’s a huge fan of Hawkwind.

I am addicted to music and collecting it in many different forms and being a hardcore Hawkwind fan, is quite a challenge. I think Discogs says I own 276 items by Hawkwind. Wow.. I guess you could say I am a fan. But why, why do I love them so much??

DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE

I came quite late to the game with Hawkwind and did not really get into them heavily until 1989. One of the guys who used to contribute to my fanzine, Metal Madness, he was totally into them and recorded all their classic 70s era albums with Lemmy for me on cassette. I bought the new album in 1989, Xenon Codex and really loved it. Then to my surprise they came to San Francisco!! Wow.. that concert really blew my mind and that was it from then on… I was hooked. I had to hear everything and down the rabbit hole I went!!! Deep…..

My bands and ones I have played in (Øresund Space Collective, Gas Giant, Black Moon Circle, Doctors Of Space) have all been fans and inspired by Hawkwind in one way of another. This is a band that has a very diverse catalog, unlike a lot of bands (that I love as well), who have a core sound and do not drift far from it. Hawkwind have never done that, except the last 10 years or so, where the albums are much alike in many ways but still good.

FAVOURITES

It is hard to pick a favorite album but for me Warrior On The Edge of Time has always been such an amazing trip. When the deluxe box came out with the Steven Wilson. 5.1 mix. Wow.. That is one of the most mind blowing sound experiences you can ever imagine… How can you not love Space Ritual, their most famous double live album from 1973!! I also love a whole range of their albums from every decade, nearly. Chronicle Of The Black Sword, the story of Elric written by Michael Moorcock, Palace Springs, an amazing studio-live album from 1989 tour, Electric Teepee, and Alien4…

LIVE!

In 1990 they came back to the USA and I saw them twice on that tour! When I moved to Boston in Dec 1993, the first concert i saw in Jan 1994 was Nik Turner (former Hawkwind flute-sax player vocalist) playing a set of Hawkwind classics. It was amazing. In 1995, they came back to the USA and I saw them in New York City and New Haven, CT.. After that I did not see them until they played at Sweden Rock in 2004!

I was also at the 30, 40 and 50th anniversary gigs in London, which shows how much I love this band and have seen them more about 15 times over the years, That is nothing compared to my wife who has seen them more than 50 times… I even married a Hawkwind lover!!!! I have also been lucky to have met and interviewed the band as well. Cool people and also the fans are just great folks. One of the greatest bands ever, for sure……

One of my bands more Hawkwind inspired albums, the Black Tomato: