Captain Lockheed & The Starfighters

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Similarities exist elsewhere to other groups outside of the Hawkwind orbit: “The Right Stuff” is first cousin to Blue Oyster Cult’s aviation-themed “ME262,” while the riffs of “Widowmaker” reimagine Black Sabbath with brass.

Side two continues with vocal skits, and it is interesting to note the inclusion of “The Widow’s Song,” which appears in the printed libretto. It was these severe structural modifications which rendered the jet unstable and difficult to control.If anyone had told me that a long time favourite of mine would be a concept album that takes the WW2 era Lockheed Starfighter Jet as its theme, I'd have thought them crackers. And I am hugely impressed, previously, I had the Hawkwind album around Moorcock's works, and that was fun also as a space opera. variant ("G for Germany") kept crashing in flames in droves killing young German pilots in the process!

I first bought this album as an LP in the 1970's and played it to death, so naturally I cannot recommend it enough. I was so happy to get this remaster and glad to see that it offered three bonus tracks, including an extended version of "The Right Stuff". My own favorite tracks are the "Aerospace inferno" with nice pulsing rhythm and creation of moods, a really well rocking "Ejection" which was later also played by Hawkwind on stage, and definitely the end hymn "Catch a Falling Starfighter", which I found very touching conclusion.Ejection" (coupled with "Catch a Falling Starfighter") was released as a single, although both songs are slightly different versions to those on the album. To put the quality of this album in context, I genuinely believe it is better than any Hawkwind album, a bold claim for sure, but one I will stand by. Rhythm section Lemmy and Simon King are present throughout, Lemmy's contribution can not be understated, hiss trademark rhythm bass ties the whole sound together magnificently.

Captain Lockheed and the Starfighters is a 1974 satirical concept album by Robert Calvert, the former frontman of British space-rock band Hawkwind.I think this realistic theme is interesting subject for contrast of more abstract cosmic operas, though Hawkwind also has had political themes on their agenda. Recorded at about the same time as Calvert’s first and only studio release with Hawkwind during their tenure on United Artists, the “Urban Guerilla” / “Brainbox Pollution” single, Hawkwind all appear here (minus the recently-departed Dikmik. I have always wanted this album, not because I am a fan of Hawkwind or Robert Calvert, but because I liked the idea of it and the artwork.