Notes

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Recorded live at the 1986 Reading Festival, where Hawkwind truly were one of the high points of an otherwise squalid lineup, Friday Rock Show Sessions takes its title from the BBC radio program that broadcasted the event to the rest of the nation and takes its contents directly from that broadcast — hence the omission of much of the set and hence, too, the abbreviation of the closing "Silver Machine," a performance rendered all the more memorable by the guest appearance of former bassist Lemmy. The concert itself caught Hawkwind still reveling in the absolute reinvention of their fortunes that was woven by the Chronicle of the Black Sword album and stage show. However, just one song from that tapestry, the insistent "Needle Gun," is included here, as the band instead delved into the back catalog for a performance riven by classic memories and dreadnought riffs. Recounted in excellent sound quality, from the opening "Magnu" on, the emphasis is on Hawkwind's most primal instincts, a barrage of battering rams that culminates with a positively brutal "Assassins of Allah." There are only a handful of Hawkwind live albums that are truly worth spending your money on. This is one of them.

Tracks recorded specially for the BBC Radio 1's "Friday Rock Show" radio show at the Reading Festival on 24th August 1986