> performances #1 <

by

Robert Calvert

with Hawkwind

"All in all, it works up to a nice piece of theatre, spontaneous theatre that is. lt's great to be able to improvise something like that at the drop of a hat.
Rock is a very theatrical thing, what with body language, gesture, movement, mime and the like. Although we're steadily getting into more theatre we're very wary about it becoming too contrived.

In some way, it must grow out of the music. By the time the tour finishes we should have got all this down to a fine art - and we shall use it as a springboard for something really good. Rock theatre is at the moment doing little more than being attractive or sensational - it would be good to go a step further and produce something really valid."

Robert Calvert - from an interview w. Geoff Barton; SOUNDS, Oct. 1976

Onstage, Calvert was the focal point, rather than the lightshow. As well as providing Hawkwind with a full-time vocalist he turned the shows away from psychedelia and towards rock theatre by assuming the identities of characters or ideas within the songs and illustrating the themes with mime and by his appearance.
For Steppenwolf it was the top hat and long black overcoat,
Steppenwolf's-Atomhenge
for Hassan I Sahba it was the pair of swords. At other times it was his black leather jodphurs, boots and gloves, his flying helmet, goggles, pistol camouflage suit and various other props. He wrote the songs, created the images and absorbed himself into them onstage to the point that by the end of a tour he was sometimes unable to leave the characters behind when the show was over.

Brian Tawn, July 1992

> > Calvert & Hawkwind - MORE reviews / pics / interviews

#2
extensive article on the 1976 tour // the Atomhenge stage modul /
/the 'revitalised' HW line-up plus a Calvert interview & pics

#3
review & pics: HAWKWIND - Hammersmith Odeon / Melody Maker (UK) / Oct. 1976

back to: Calvert's biography | | Calvert & Hawkwind