Receiving this double CD album (one album being studio, the other live) was a real blast from the past for me, and got me thinking of how your musical tastes can very often go full circle. Taking you back to the beginnings of when your first musical favourites put you in their stranglehold, making you follow that band through thick or thin, and Hawkwind I'm proud to say, were one of those bands for me. 

My first time of seeing them was in 1980 at the now long gone Sophia Gardens in Cardiff, as a precursor to the 'Levitation' tour, I then saw them over the years in various incarnations with various singers, culminating in going to see them last year on the Anniversary tour, and do you know what? In all that time they haven't changed, they still deliver just what they say, and have that sound they pioneered, keyboard and guitar driven "Space Rock" still utilising the sci-fi themes, and best listened to after dark, preferably as the dawn is rising. (Why change a trusted formula?) 

'Blood Of The Earth' then continues in that same vein, with stand out tracks like 'Inner Visions', 'The Wraith', 'Sentinel' and 'Seahawks' all standing tall as any of the tracks from the band's classic 1970-75 period albums, and in particular 'Sweet Obsession' which would slot nicely onto 'Doremi Fasol Latido'. To any old fans like myself, 'Blood Of The Earth' is undoubtedly a good un, and more of the same is always a pleasure, but will it attract any new fans? Sadly I think not, as bands like Pendulum have today embraced and moved this sound onwards and upwards for a new generation. Ultimately though as I've already said it is to Mr Dave Brock's credit that Hawkwind have been a constant throughout their long career and still continue to produce good music. So to this I think we all owe them a listen, give 'Blood Of The Earth' a go and be seduced by the 'Comfy Chair' (I kid you not) and then take a ride on the 'Green Machine'. See sometimes even Lemmy can be missed!

http://www.myspace.com/hawkwindofficial