HAWKWIND - Sonic Assassins - Live 1977 HAWKWIND

On 23rd December 1977 a unique concert took place at Queens Hall, Barnstaple that has justifiably earned a special place in the history of Hawkwind.

Billed on posters as being an appearance by Dave Brock’s Sonic Assassins, the band featured Hawkwind members Dave Brock and Robert Calvert, along with future members Harvey Bainbridge (bass), Martin Griffin (drums) and keyboard player Paul Hayles.

Intended as a Brock and Calvert side project, the concert was recorded and featured early renditions of tracks such as ‘Freefall’ and ‘Death Trap’, along with a classic improvised piece later titled ‘Over The Top’ which showed Robert Calvert at his improvisational lyrical best.

The performance would later be seen as sowing the seeds of the band Hawklords the following year and a future line-up of Hawkwind.

Three tracks from the concert would later be released in December 1981 as the EP ‘Sonic Assassins’.

Mixed from the original master tapes, this CD and LP features all the surviving recordings from this remarkable concert.