HAWKWIND - ROAD TO UTOPIA (2018 CD FT:MIKE BATT/ERIC CLAPTON)

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For this 31st studio album, the band collaborate with songwriter / conductor Mike Batt to recreate a selection of HAWK songs with an orchestral ingredient!

Well, this is one of THE most unlikely collaborations we’ve ever come across … space cadet commander Brock has landed his ship on Wimbledon Common and abducted Batt, the man behind the Wombles :-)

Joking aside, Mike Batt is a HUGE talent who, for those who don’t know him, actually went on to become one of the U.K.’s finest songwriters and arrangers after the Wombles thing became a stellar pop sensation, and with a string of successful solo albums from the 70’s and 80’s behind him, his career has spiralled upwards ever since, working with many great artists in his time.

Mike Batt actually met Dave Brock coincidentally at the US embassy in London while both were applying for VISA’s, was originally invited to conduct the orchestra for HAWKWIND’s sold-out shows at the London Palladium in November 2018, but with demand so high they started to look further a-field and a tour for the autumn was planned.

At this time HAWKWIND’s writing of a new acoustic album started to take on a life of its own and the band invited Mike to participate on the tracks and create arrangements for some of their most celebrated songs. Mike says: “Dave was delightfully free-spirited and generous to me, using a small ensemble of additional musicians and giving me a pretty free hand with the arrangements.”Alongside the string quintet, sax quintet and brass section you’ll hear Dave Brock (vocals / electric & acoustic guitars / harmonica / keyboards), Richard Chadwick (drums / percussion / vocals), Mr Dibs (vocals), Haz Wheaton (bass) and Magnus Martin (acoustic guitar).

Most will find the track listing on ‘Road To Utopia’ very familiar, but you’ve never heard those famous songs like this before! Tracks like: ‘Quark, Strangeness And Charm’, ‘We Took The Wrong Step Years Ago’ and ‘Psychic Power’ are re-rooted acoustically and then embellished with a strength and majesty that only HAWKWIND can produce. Other songs like: ‘Down Through The Night’ and ‘Hymn To The Sun’ are made even more powerful by their orchestral components.
Joining HAWKWIND and Mike et al on: ‘The Watcher’ is a very special guest in: Eric Clapton, whose trademark guitar licks seamlessly compliment Dave’s harmonica and Mike’s piano.

This new album represents a fresh take on those classics… as Dave says: “Reinventing these familiar songs has been an interesting experience… We hope you like them.”

The band will be touring with Mike in October and November 2018, including the sold out dates at the London Palladium.

‘Road To Utopia’ is also available as a 180gm Vinyl LP – Stock # 2087837

‘Road To Utopia’ is released on 14th September 2018.

HAWKWIND: ROAD TO UTOPIA CD Track List:

01. Quark, Strangeness And Charm
02. The Watcher
03. We Took The Wrong Step Years Ago
04. Flying Doctor
05. Psychic Power
06. Hymn To The Sun
07. The Age Of The Micro Man
08. Intro The Night
09. Down Through The Night