PXR5: Difference between revisions

PXR5
PXR5
Studio album by Hawkwind
Released	15 June 1979
Recorded	De Montfort Hall, Leicester, 29 September 1977 (tracks 6, 7); Hammersmith Odeon, London, 5 October 1977 (track 3); Rockfield Studios, January 1978 (tracks 1, 2, 8); Week Park Farm, Devon, June 1978 (tracks 4, 5)
Genre	Pop; new wave;
Length	37:33
Label	Charisma
Producer	Calvert/Brock (track 1), Calvert/House (track 2), Hawkwind (tracks 3, 6, 7), Dave Brock (tracks 4, 5, 8)
Hawkwind chronology

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Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	^[1]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	^[2]

PXR5 is the ninth studio album by the English space rock group Hawkwind, released in 1979. It reached No. 59 on the UK album charts.

A new remix and surround mix of the album by Steven Wilson was released in 2023 by Atomhenge Records as part of the Days Of The Underground boxed set.

Overview

Allmusic referred to PXR5 as "the last in the sequence of brittle, pop-inflected records the band launched with Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music", saying that Hawkwind "both understood and allowed themselves to absorb the energies of new wave" on PXR5.^[1]

The album was recorded and mixed at Rockfield Studios in January and February 1978. "Uncle Sam's on Mars", "Robot" and "High Rise" were originally recorded on the preceding UK tour but were partly overdubbed in the studio, particularly Robert Calvert's double-tracked vocals. "Infinity" and "Life Form" were originally to have been part of a solo album Dave Brock was working on.

After the album was recorded and mixed, the band split up during a US tour in March when Simon House left to join David Bowie's band and Robert Calvert suffered a bout of clinical depression. With the band in temporary hiatus and no pending promotional tour, the album's release was shelved.

The band re-emerged in mid-1978 as the Hawklords to record the 25 Years On album. Two tracks were released as singles, "Psi Power" and "25 Years", which featured "Death Trap" and "PXR5" respectively on their B-sides. The PXR5 album was eventually released on 15 June 1979, and the cryptic message on the cover "This is the last but one" refers to the fact that it was recorded prior to 25 Years On.

The album's cover featured a British BS 1363 mains plug wired in a dangerous way. Shortly after the album's release, the illustration of the plug was covered by a sticker obscuring the image.^[3]

Lyrical references

The lyrics of "Jack of Shadows" are inspired by Roger Zelazny's book Jack of Shadows.
"Uncle Sam's on Mars" evolved from the Neu!-esque "Opa Loka", with a Calvert-penned anti-US rant over the top of it. Its first performance was at the Cardiff Castle Festival in summer 1976 as "Vikings on Mars", read by Calvert from his clipboard notes, and with the aid of a megaphone, on stage after "Opa Loka". "Robot" also made a brief appearance as a poem at this historic gig. The song title itself is a twist on Gil Scott-Heron's "Whitey on the Moon".
"Infinity" uses a Calvert poem from Space Ritual.
"Robot" references Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics.
The lyrics of "High Rise" are inspired by J.G. Ballard's book High-Rise and short story "The Man on the 99th Floor".^[4]
The lyrics of "PXR5" deal with Hawkwind's transitional period between Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music and Quark, Strangeness and Charm.

CD Versions

The Virgin CD issue was mastered with tapes different from those used for the original vinyl version. The most notable difference is that "High Rise" is the live version without studio overdubs, so starts with a clunk rather than the portamento bass intro and has a coarser vocal from Calvert. Also "PXR5" gains an introduction that's missing from the original.

The Atomhenge CD issue restores the original version of the album, and includes the different versions of "High Rise" and "PXR5" as bonus tracks 14 and 15 respectively.

On 31 March 2023, Atomhenge Records (via Cherry Red) issued a new Steven Wilson mix and surround mix of the album as part of Days Of The Underground (The Studio & Live Recordings 1977-1979) 8CD/2BR boxed set.^[5]

Track listing

Side 1

"Death Trap" (Robert Calvert, Dave Brock) – 3:51
"Jack of Shadows" (Calvert, Simon House, Adrian Shaw) – 3:28
"Uncle Sam's on Mars" (Calvert, Brock, House, Simon King) – 5:44
"Infinity" (Calvert, Brock) – 4:17
"Life Form" (Brock) – 1:44

Side 2

"Robot" (Calvert, Brock) – 8:14
"High Rise" (Calvert, House) – 4:36
"PXR5" (Brock) – 5:39

Atomhenge CD bonus tracks

"Jack of Shadows" [live studio version] – 3:40
"We Like to Be Frightened" – 2:46
"High Rise" [live studio version] – 4:43
"Robot" [first studio version] – 9:24
"Jack of Shadows" [Adrian Shaw vocal version] – 3:54
"High Rise" [alternate mix] – 4:37
"PXR5" [alternate mix] – 5:40
"Quark, Strangeness and Charm" [live 1978] – 2:38

Personnel

From album liner notes

Hawkwind

Robert Calvert – vocals (1–3, 6, 7)
Dave Brock – guitar (except 5), bass (1, 4), synth (1, 3, 4–8), vocals (1, 3, 4–8), backing vocals (2)
Simon House – keyboards (2, 3, 6–8) vocals (2, 7), violin (6, 8), synth (8)
Adrian Shaw – bass guitar (2, 3, 6–8), backing vocals (2, 3, 8), vocals (6, 7)
Simon King – drums (except 5)

Credits

Tracks 1, 2 and 8: Recorded at Rockfield Studios, January 1978
Track 3: Recorded at Hammersmith Odeon, 5 October 1977
Tracks 4 and 5: Recorded at Week Park Farm, 1978
Tracks 6 and 7: Recorded at Leicester De Montfort Hall, 29 September 1977
Mixed at Rockfield Studios, February 1978. Engineered by Dave Charles and Anton Matthews.
Artwork by Phillip Tonkyn.

Charts

Chart (1979)	Peak position
UK Albums (OCC)^[6]	59

Release history

June 1979: Charisma, CDS4016, UK vinyl – first 5000 contained Pete Frame's Hawkwind Family Tree poster. The original cover had artwork of an incorrectly wired UK electric plug which caused controversy on safety grounds, so subsequent copies were released with a supposedly unremovable sticker covering the offending artwork. Subsequent prints had the artwork blanked out.
March 1984: Charisma, CHC25, UK vinyl
April 1989: Virgin, CDSCD4016, UK CD
March 2009: Atomhenge (Cherry Red) Records, ATOMCD1010, UK CD – the extensive sleeve notes include a reference to the artwork controversy, and the original image is reinstated. The booklet also includes the Hawkwind Family Tree.
31 March 2023: Atomhenge (Cherry Red) Records, ATOMCD101050, UK 8CD/2BR^[5]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c PXR5 at AllMusic
^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
^ Abrahams, Ian (2004). Hawkwind: Sonic Assassins. p. 118. ISBN 9780946719693.
^ Sellars, Simon. "Flat block of two dimensions". Ballardian. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
^ ^a ^b "Days Of The Underground (The Studio & Live Recordings 1977-1979)". Cherry Red Records. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 October 2023.

External links

Atomhenge Records
Collectable Records – Original cover
PXR5 at Discogs (list of releases)

[allmusic-1] PXR5 at AllMusic

[2] Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.

[3] Abrahams, Ian (2004). Hawkwind: Sonic Assassins. p. 118. ISBN 9780946719693.

[4] Sellars, Simon. "Flat block of two dimensions". Ballardian. Retrieved 28 February 2018.

[ATOMCD101050-5] "Days Of The Underground (The Studio & Live Recordings 1977-1979)". Cherry Red Records. Retrieved 2 April 2023.

[ac_UK2_-6] "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 October 2023.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{EngvarB|date=September 2013}}
+{{Use British English|date=September 2013}}
-{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2013}}
+{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
-{{ref improve|date=September 2011}}
 {{Infobox album
 | name       = PXR5
@@ Line 9: / Line 8: @@
 | alt        =
 | released   = 15 June 1979
-| recorded   = Leicester, De Montfort Hall, 29 September 1977 (tracks 6, 7)<br>Hammersmith Odeon, London, 5 October 1977 (track 3)<br>Rockfield Studios, January 1978 (tracks 1, 2, 8)<br>Week Park Farm, Devon, June 1978 (tracks 4, 5)
+| recorded   = De Montfort Hall, Leicester, 29 September 1977 (tracks 6, 7)<br>Hammersmith Odeon, London, 5 October 1977 (track 3)<br>Rockfield Studios, January 1978 (tracks 1, 2, 8)<br>Week Park Farm, Devon, June 1978 (tracks 4, 5)
 | venue      =
 | studio     =
-| genre      = [[Space rock]], [[pop music|pop]]<ref name=allmusic/>
+| genre      = {{flatlist|
+*[[Pop music|Pop]]
+*[[new wave music|new wave]]<ref name=allmusic/>
+}}
 | length     = 37:33
-| label      = [[Charisma Records]]
+| label      = [[Charisma Records|Charisma]]
+| producer   = Calvert/Brock (track 1), Calvert/House (track 2), Hawkwind (tracks 3, 6, 7), Dave Brock (tracks 4, 5, 8)
-| producer   = Hawkwind
 | prev_title = [[25 Years On]]
 | prev_year  = 1978
@@ Line 22: / Line 24: @@
 }}
 {{Album ratings
-| rev1      = [[Allmusic]]
+| rev1= [[Allmusic]]
-| rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name=allmusic>{{Allmusic|class=album|id=r40149}}</ref>
+| rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name=allmusic>{{AllMusic|class=album|id=pxr5-mw0000816260}}</ref>
+| rev2 = ''[[The Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]''
+| rev2Score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite book|last=Larkin|first=Colin|author-link=Colin Larkin|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|year=2007|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|edition=4th|isbn=978-0195313734|title-link=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music}}</ref>
 }}
-'''''PXR5''''' is the ninth studio album by [[Hawkwind]], released in 1979. It reached No. 59 on the UK album charts.
+'''''PXR5''''' is the ninth studio album by the English [[space rock]] group [[Hawkwind]], released in 1979. It reached No. 59 on the UK album charts.
+A new remix and surround mix of the album by [[Steven Wilson]] was released in 2023 by Atomhenge Records as part of the ''Days Of The Underground'' boxed set.
 ==Overview==
+[[Allmusic]] referred to ''PXR5'' as "the last in the sequence of brittle, [[Pop music|pop]]-inflected records the band launched with ''[[Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music]]''", saying that Hawkwind "both understood and allowed themselves to absorb the energies of [[New wave music|new wave]]" on ''PXR5''.<ref name=allmusic/>
 The album was recorded and mixed at [[Rockfield Studios]] in January and February 1978. "Uncle Sam's on Mars", "Robot" and "High Rise" were originally recorded on the preceding UK tour but were partly overdubbed in the studio, particularly [[Robert Calvert]]'s [[Doubletracking|double-tracked]] vocals. "Infinity" and "Life Form" were originally to have been part of a solo album [[Dave Brock]] was working on.
 After the album was recorded and mixed, the band split up during a US tour in March when [[Simon House]] left to join [[David Bowie]]'s band and Robert Calvert suffered a bout of [[Major depressive disorder|clinical depression]]. With the band in temporary hiatus and no pending promotional tour, the album's release was shelved.
-The band re-emerged in mid-1978 as the [[Hawklords]] to record the ''[[25 Years On]]'' album. Two tracks were released as singles, "[[Psi Power]]" and "[[25 Years (song)|25 Years]]", which featured "Death Trap" and "PXR5" respectively on their B-sides. The ''PXR5'' album was eventually released on 15 June 1979, and the cryptic message on the cover "This is the last but one" refers to the fact that it was recorded prior to ''25 Years On''.
+The band re-emerged in mid-1978 as the [[Hawklords]] to record the ''[[25 Years On]]'' album. Two tracks were released as singles, "[[Psi Power]]" and "[[25 Years (Hawkwind song)|25 Years]]", which featured "Death Trap" and "PXR5" respectively on their [[B-side]]s. The ''PXR5'' album was eventually released on 15 June 1979, and the cryptic message on the cover "This is the last but one" refers to the fact that it was recorded prior to ''25 Years On''.
-The album's cover featured a British [[BS 1363 mains plug]] wired in a dangerous way. Shortly after the album's release, the illustration of the plug was replaced by a sticker obscuring the image.<ref>{{cite book|isbn=9780946719693|title=Hawkwind: Sonic Assassins|first=Ian|last=Abrahams|year=2004|page=118}}</ref>
+The album's cover featured a British [[BS 1363 mains plug]] wired in a dangerous way. Shortly after the album's release, the illustration of the plug was covered by a sticker obscuring the image.<ref>{{cite book|isbn=9780946719693|title=Hawkwind: Sonic Assassins|first=Ian|last=Abrahams|year=2004|page=118}}</ref>
-===Lyrical References===
+===Lyrical references===
 *The lyrics of "Jack of Shadows" are inspired by [[Roger Zelazny]]'s book ''[[Jack of Shadows]]''.
 *"Uncle Sam's on Mars" evolved from the [[Neu!]]-esque "Opa Loka", with a Calvert-penned anti-US rant over the top of it. Its first performance was at the Cardiff Castle Festival in summer 1976 as "[[Viking 1|Viking]]s on Mars", read by Calvert from his clipboard notes, and with the aid of a megaphone, on stage after "Opa Loka". "Robot" also made a brief appearance as a poem at this historic gig. The song title itself is a twist on [[Gil Scott-Heron]]'s "[[Whitey on the Moon]]".
 *"Infinity" uses a Calvert poem from ''[[Space Ritual]]''.
 *"Robot" references [[Isaac Asimov]]'s [[Three Laws of Robotics]].
-*The lyrics of "High Rise" are inspired by [[JG Ballard|J.G. Ballard]]'s book ''[[High-Rise (novel)|High-Rise]]''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Sellars|first1=Simon|title=Flat block of two dimensions|url=http://www.ballardian.com/flat-block-of-two-dimensions|website=Ballardian|accessdate=28 February 2018}}</ref>
+*The lyrics of "High Rise" are inspired by [[JG Ballard|J.G. Ballard]]'s book ''[[High-Rise (novel)|High-Rise]]'' and short story "The Man on the 99th Floor".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Sellars|first1=Simon|title=Flat block of two dimensions|url=http://www.ballardian.com/flat-block-of-two-dimensions|website=Ballardian|access-date=28 February 2018}}</ref>
 *The lyrics of "PXR5" deal with Hawkwind's transitional period between ''[[Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music]]'' and ''[[Quark, Strangeness and Charm]]''.
 ===CD Versions===
-The Virgin CD issue was mastered with tapes different from those used for the original vinyl version. The most notable difference is that "High Rise" is the live version without studio overdubs, so starts with a clunk rather than the smooth bass intro and has a coarser vocal from Calvert. Also "PXR5" gains an introduction that's missing from the original.
+The Virgin CD issue was mastered with tapes different from those used for the original vinyl version. The most notable difference is that "High Rise" is the live version without studio overdubs, so starts with a clunk rather than the [[portamento]] bass intro and has a coarser vocal from Calvert. Also "PXR5" gains an introduction that's missing from the original.
 The Atomhenge CD issue restores the original version of the album, and includes the different versions of "High Rise" and "PXR5" as bonus tracks 14 and 15 respectively.
+On 31 March 2023, Atomhenge Records (via [[Cherry Red Records|Cherry Red]]) issued a new [[Steven Wilson]] mix and surround mix of the album as part of ''Days Of The Underground (The Studio & Live Recordings 1977-1979)'' 8[[Compact disc|CD]]/2[[Blu-ray|BR]] boxed set.<ref name="ATOMCD101050">{{cite web |title = Days Of The Underground (The Studio & Live Recordings 1977-1979) |url = https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/hawkwind-days-of-the-underground-the-studio-live-recordings-1977-1979-10-disc-box-set/  |publisher=[[Cherry Red Records]] |access-date = 2 April 2023 |df = dmy-all}}</ref>
 ==Track listing==
@@ Line 57: / Line 67: @@
 #"Infinity" (Calvert, Brock) – 4:17
 #"Life Form" (Brock) – 1:44
 ===Side 2===
 #<li value=6>"Robot" (Calvert, Brock) – 8:14
 #"High Rise" (Calvert, House) – 4:36
 #"PXR5" (Brock) – 5:39
 ===Atomhenge CD bonus tracks===
 #<li value=9>"Jack of Shadows" [live studio version] – 3:40
@@ Line 72: / Line 84: @@
 ==Personnel==
+From album liner notes
-*[[Robert Calvert]] – vocals (tracks 1–3, 6, 7)
+;Hawkwind
-*[[Dave Brock]] – guitar, keyboards, vocals (tracks 4, 8)
-*[[Adrian "Ade" Shaw|Adrian Shaw]] – bass guitar (tracks 2, 3, 6–8)
+*[[Robert Calvert]] – vocals <small>(1–3, 6, 7)</small>
+*[[Dave Brock]] – guitar <small>(except 5)</small>, bass <small>(1, 4)</small>, synth <small>(1, 3, 4–8)</small>, vocals <small>(1, 3, 4–8)</small>, backing vocals <small>(2)</small>
-*[[Simon House]] – violin, keyboards (tracks 2, 3, 6–8)
+*[[Simon House]] – keyboards <small>(2, 3, 6–8)</small> vocals <small>(2, 7)</small>, violin <small>(6, 8)</small>, synth <small>(8)</small>
-*[[Simon King (musician)|Simon King]] – drums (except 5)
+*[[Adrian "Ade" Shaw|Adrian Shaw]] – bass guitar <small>(2, 3, 6–8)</small>, backing vocals <small>(2, 3, 8)</small>, vocals <small>(6, 7)</small>
+*[[Simon King (musician)|Simon King]] – drums <small>(except 5)</small>
 ==Credits==
@@ Line 85: / Line 99: @@
 *Mixed at [[Rockfield Studios]], February 1978. Engineered by [[Dave Charles]] and Anton Matthews.
 *Artwork by Phillip Tonkyn.
+==Charts==
+{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
+|-
+! Chart (1979)
+! Peak<br />position
+|-
+{{album chart|UK2|59|date=19790701|rowheader=true|accessdate=30 October 2023}}
+|}
 ==Release history==
@@ Line 91: / Line 114: @@
 *April 1989: Virgin, CDSCD4016, UK CD
 *March 2009: Atomhenge ([[Cherry Red Records|Cherry Red]]) Records, ATOMCD1010, UK CD – the extensive sleeve notes include a reference to the artwork controversy, and the original image is reinstated. The booklet also includes the Hawkwind Family Tree.
+*31 March 2023: Atomhenge ([[Cherry Red Records|Cherry Red]]) Records, ATOMCD101050, UK 8[[Compact disc|CD]]/2[[Blu-ray|BR]]<ref name="ATOMCD101050" />
 ==References==
@@ Line 96: / Line 120: @@
 ==External links==
-*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090314000351/http://www.cherryred.co.uk/atomhenge/product.php?display=atomcd1010 Atomhenge Records]
+* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090314000351/http://www.cherryred.co.uk/atomhenge/product.php?display=atomcd1010 Atomhenge Records]
-*[http://www.collectable-records.ru/groups/hawkwind/pxr5.htm Collectable Records] – Original cover
+* [http://www.collectable-records.ru/groups/hawkwind/pxr5.htm Collectable Records] – Original cover
+* {{Discogs master|28191}}
 {{Hawkwind}}
+{{Authority control}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Pxr5}}

v t e Hawkwind
Dave Brock Richard Chadwick Magnus Martin Thighpaulsandra Doug MacKinnon Nik Turner Dik Mik Terry Ollis Huw Lloyd-Langton Thomas Crimble Del Dettmar Simon King Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister Robert Calvert Simon House Alan Powell Paul Rudolph Adrian Shaw Harvey Bainbridge Steve Swindells Keith Hale Ginger Baker Andy Anderson Robert Heaton Alan Davey Clive Deamer Bridget Wishart Ron Tree Mr Dibs Tim Blake Niall Hone
Studio albums	Hawkwind In Search of Space Doremi Fasol Latido Hall of the Mountain Grill Warrior on the Edge of Time Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music Quark, Strangeness and Charm 25 Years On (as Hawklords) PXR5 Levitation Sonic Attack Church of Hawkwind Choose Your Masques The Chronicle of the Black Sword The Xenon Codex Space Bandits Electric Tepee It Is the Business of the Future to Be Dangerous White Zone (as Psychedelic Warriors) Alien 4 Distant Horizons In Your Area Spacebrock Take Me to Your Leader Take Me to Your Future Blood of the Earth Onward The Machine Stops Into the Woods Road to Utopia All Aboard the Skylark Carnivorous (as Hawkwind Light Orchestra) Somnia The Future Never Waits Stories from Time and Space
Live albums	Space Ritual Live Seventy Nine Coded Languages This Is Hawkwind, Do Not Panic Live Chronicles Palace Springs The Business Trip Love in Space Hawkwind 1997 Yule Ritual Canterbury Fayre 2001 Spaced Out in London Knights of Space Space Ritual Live At the Roundhouse 50 Live We Are Looking in on You
Archive albums	The Weird Tapes Hawkwind, Friends and Relations The Text of Festival Zones Bring Me the Head of Yuri Gagarin Space Ritual Volume 2 Hawkwind Anthology Out & Intake BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert The Friday Rock Show Sessions Hawklords Live California Brainstorm Undisclosed Files Addendum The 1999 Party Glastonbury 90 Choose Your Masques: Collectors Series Volume 2 Complete '79: Collector Series Volume 1 Atomhenge 76 Live 1990
Compilation albums	Roadhawks Masters of the Universe Repeat Performance Angels of Death Spirit of the Age Stasis (The UA Years 1971–1975) Tales from Atom Henge Epocheclipse Future Reconstructions – Ritual of the Solstice Masters of Rock Spirit of the Age Anthology The Dream Goes On
Extended plays	Hawkwind Zoo EP Sonic Assassins EP The Earth Ritual Preview Quark, Strangeness and Charm
Singles	"Hurry On Sundown" "Silver Machine" "Urban Guerrilla" "Kings of Speed" "Kerb Crawler" "Back on the Streets" "Quark, Strangeness and Charm" "Psi Power" "25 Years" "Shot Down in the Night" "Who's Gonna Win the War?" "Spirit of the Age"
Associated acts	Sonic Assassins Hawklords Space Ritual Hawklords (2008)
Related articles	Discography Members Videography Liquid Len Barney Bubbles Stacia Hawkfest Michael Moorcock Motörhead