Captain Rami a Little Coup Every Now and Again Is a Good Thing

Not since Martin Luther nailed upwardly some truths on an imposing church door has there been such a troubling schism in a monolithic religious arrangement. Pastoral and visionary, this highly bonded group take worshipped at the altar of the band Hawkwind for most on 5 singled-out decades. Only what could cause such a rift in this pacifist (minus the dwelling house made lager) and like minded grouping? Nik Turner. Merely saying that proper noun in certain circles is a call for public hangings, vitriol, graphic symbol assassinations and general flame wars. Why does this septuagenarian gentleman get singled out so consistently and what is his publicly offensive criminal offense? Only one thing-playing Hawkwind music. So why do some United kingdom fans get such a bug in their butts near Nik?
The Backstory
Nik was a founding fellow member of the seminal infinite rock band Hawkwind in 1969. Co founder Dave Brock and Nik pretty much created infinite rock (Edgar Froese may disagree). To exist truthful, several other key components rotated through Hawkwind from the primal years of 1969-1976: Lemmy (Motorhead), Robert Calvert, Simon House, the dual electronic maelstroms of DikMik and Del Dettmar. But the foundation sound and vision came from these two twins of space rock-Dave Brock and Nik Turner. Dave was the sound and Nik was the phonation, and both came from beyond the border of the cosmos. Hawkwind came slowly through unending waves of music press criticism, shrugged their shoulders and fix the controls for the unknown. One of the few bands to remain by and large relevant throughout their 46 twelvemonth history, their iconoclast view ended upwards being correct. Pink Floyd? Gone. Tangerine Dream? Gone. They are proper name checked by hundreds of known and unknown bands across the planet. Hawkwind showed the early critics who was correct.

The Trouble With Nik
Nik began to have some trouble in the band in the mid 70's. Dave had sacked more than a few (although information technology is reported that Nik was tabbed to sack Lemmy on their 1975 tour for getting caught with speed crossing the Canadian border, two years later Dave had temporarily sacked Lemmy in 1973) and the band line upwardly had get fluid. The last ane on the chopping block was Nik. He was sent to the wilderness in 1976 (purportedly for instigating a coup to get the ring to fire Dave, which temporarily happened). This gear up off a film worthy love/hate relationship betwixt these two stewards of spaceship Hawkwind that has lasted until this solar day. Like some lingering diseases, the disorder occasionally went dormant (Nik rejoined the band full fourth dimension in 1983, saving them from their formulaic metal bent and getting them back towards a festival and space rock runway) and reconciliations were offered. Nik was shown the door again in 1985, ostensibly for being a stage hog (partly truthful). Although some debated their likes and dislikes of 15 years of Hawkwind, everyone agreed that this was non but THE ring, it was their band. Reunions in the millennium included many erstwhile members, and the Hawkwind family was one huge extended clan.

Enter the Hawknerds
Something started to get wrong recently. In 2013, posts on Amazon and Yahoo groups indicated a new breed had arisen–the cocky appointed Hawkwind police. They trolled the internet looking for mentions of Nik Turner, gathered the troops, and attacked. Where this new strain had come up from was a mystery for a while. Somewhere in 2014, something happened on the UK Hawkwind fan site. Known amid themselves as Hawknerds, the site began to show some troubling signs. 'Wanted For Treason" and other nasty threats were posted over pictures of Nik Turner. Beheadings, Hangings, stonings were all mentioned. What the hell were these people talking virtually? Well-nigh of the folks on this site are straight shooting music fans, unwilling to be drawn into political discussions of the "schism". But moderators either tacitly or actively approved of this misbehavior. Posts by current members of the ring fueled the fires and opinions got very heated. A strong cadre of members were increasingly vociferous about their opinions of Nik Turner. And in sharing these opinions, they were not shy. Like a kid in a divorce, they were told to take sides, and poisoned by…..someone. They took to the web (mostly friend face up) and screamed the mantra "Nik Turner is the devil!" They started a flame war that was single minded: destroy anyone who disagreed with the party line. Y'all like Nik Turner? You are banned from the site. Did you have your ain site? (Nik Turner's main friend face site and the Hawkwind Northward America/Canada site are good examples) We show upward and attack. When faced with logic or asked questions logically-they descended into proper name calling, attacks and bans. This happened on the UK site where many US fans questioning the double cancellation were just muted and sent away. They orchestrated a concerted effort to suppress and censor whatever data on the internet nigh the Hawkwind failed bout, and shifted all blame on Nik, by any means possible. "They had questioned the integrity of the band". Why would they say this? Why would they intentionally divide a fan base that was such a global family? That some on the UK site were bothered by US fans complaining about losing two rounds of hotels and flights to go to unplayed shows-and offered a "who cares, they're playing ten times this fall" attitude but added to an already forming rift.

The Non Tour Saga and the Blaming of Nik
Although this is detailed here earlier , a quick epitomize: Hawkwind had a bout of America booked in fall 2013. Three days before the tour was to commence, they canceled the whole affair. The reason? Dave Brock had been stricken ill over stress past the fact that Nik was suing to use the Hawkwind proper noun in America, and was unable to bout. Whether this was the idea of Nik or Cleopatra Records is to be determined. But given this excuse, people were sad and regrouped. Online,the complaints were solidified. It was stressed that a concurrent bout as Nik Turner'southward Hawkwind would be confusing to prospective fans. Ignoring the fact that all U.s.a. (and Canadian) fans know the difference, and would attend both bands no thing what, the merits of a single Hawkwind was a rallying weep to many Britain fans. A larger problem adult in the spring. The rescheduled bout in 2014 was once once more canceled two weeks before it began with the band citing some fairly implausible excuses-they had nowhere to sleep (bout buses are where bands sleep), they had no food plans (venues feed bands), promoters would not put up the greenbacks (they had done enough in October to satisfy the ring), renting a back line would be expensive (many U.s. tours from 1989 to 1997 bear witness they know this isn't a problem). When mentioning visas and airfare, the explanation gets into a twilight zone of logic. People started to doubt this story, and by proxy, the October story. (Hawkwind had gone on a short U.k. bout near the proposed United states tour dates in October). Was there something else out there that kept them from coming? Nik? Certainly not a real excuse. (All of Nik Turner's shows in cities that Hawkwind were scheduled to play were after Hawkwind had washed a show, precluding any supposed defoliation). Another troubling question was: Were Hawkwind legally prevented from coming to North America by the legal kerfuffle? This would get a loooong style to explaining the adequately unconvincing and contradictory claims regarding the leap 2014 tour. The fact that they couldn't legally come up would explain non touring and non telling anyone at the same fourth dimension.

An interview with Dave Brock in 2016 finally confirms that their excuses were a smokescreen for legal troubles that prevented the band from coming to u.s.a. (likewise as Dave wishing Nik would die(!). A practiced article that chronicles this and quotes the stated at the time reasons from Hawkwind's chief website tin can be read hither )
What's In A Proper noun?
Now allow's set some history directly. Two Hawkwinds? Is that possible? A quick perusal of rock history can show the states some things. Multiple Wishbone Ash, Venom, Queensryche, Foghat units populate a dwindling rock god gene pool. Steve Hackett'due south Genesis just toured. Collins, Banks and Rutheford toured in 2007, are planning a tour now, and own the proper noun-no problem. Yes? Well in that location'southward Yes, and uh Yes featuring Anderson, Wakeman, Rabin (as of April 2017). Hawkwind's space rock contemporaries, Gong are an even better example. Gong, Paragong, New York Gong, Gnog, Gong Maison, Female parent Gong, Pierre Moerlen'south Gong? For meliorate or worse, this band of Great britain and French stoners managed to get along and share…after all, wasn't that the vibe of the sixties? Gratis shows and Portobello Road communes were the club of the twenty-four hours. Money? That'south for fat cats, the human, the establishment. Although it is sure that the Gong family squabbled about many things PHP, they never took their family fights public, and gave the illusion of getting forth. And then did their fans.
Not the End But a Denouement
How this volition play out isn't like shooting fish in a barrel to predict. As noted before, the band of Hawkwind fans was one of the strongest and longest lived underground and nearly religious cadres in rock behind Deadheads. Only this carve up in the post-obit weakens a grouping that has never seen strife equally fans. Nik Turner's Hawkwind and Hawkwind? US fans don't care. Bring 'em both. This US refusal to recognize any conflict drew vociferous attacks via the UK. The Hawknerds are partially guilty of inciting this schism in a fan base that was solid for decades. Not reining in wayward factions and tolerating or encouraging childlike internet behavior has gone a long way to creating ill will that never existed before. This campaign seems to accept the tranquillity bankroll of the official band as well. Airing of dirty laundry in public is not a smart style to solve problems. There is no testify of squabbling between Hawkwind factions, hell there were no Hawkwind factions before this recent flame war started. They have advised to exist patient and wait until the legal boxing is settled, however actively promote a squabble over a conflict, a conflict betwixt two band members, not fans. This is irresponsible, and uses age erstwhile smear and censorship tactics, spreading the hate that they gleefully accuse folks who honestly vocalisation whatsoever opposing opinions of, and silencing and deleting whenever possible.

Merely this article is not intended to exist an apology for Nik Turner, information technology is a plea for reconciliation, and to get everyone dorsum together, fans (and band members). Some will disagree.  I know that few of the hardened hatchet men will be moved by this message, merely I feel distressing for them. "Cut off i'south nose to spite their face" comes to listen as these people miss out on some astonishing music to fight a battle, a boxing that is not even theirs to fight. If a band splits, and so either a limb dies off, or it roots and regrows. The obvious solution is to get the original band back together. (Nik had openly said on his 2013 tour that he had no problem with Dave and wanted to play at any time, and that he had contacted Lemmy'southward son near a full on reunion…(sadly no longer possible).  Simply this is non always possible. And so when a long lived band has two incarnations, it actually is double the fun for the crowd. 2 Hawkwinds? Ii Hawkwinds touring America at once? Hallelujah! 2 space rock gods fighting-not something that has whatever winners. Two 70 year old guys fighting over a band name? Information technology makes 1 shake a head and retrieve…"why can't stoner grandpas only get forth?"

For verification of whatever of the in a higher place, the sources are the airtight groups of Hawkwind Uk fans, Hawkwind US/Canada, and the Nik Turner group, all friend face locations.

Update June 29, 2017-Out of the Woods

The trademark dispute ended in the Usa this week with the board finding for Dave Brock and Hawkwind, barring apply of "Nik Turner'south Hawkwind" equally a billing moniker. He still tin play as "Nik Turner formerly of Hawkwind" on the nib, which seems as if ii words were the crusade of four years of strife in the Hawkwind fanbase. The result was pretty much expected by everyone when the complaint is read closely. (Brock has been the simply constant fellow member since 1969). The 22 page finding can exist read hither.

The defoliation part of the example every bit argued relied on an early 1970'south trademark dispute between du Pont owning an automotive cleaning amanuensis chosen Rally vs a smaller company who held the trademark for a detergent called Rally. Du Pont was originally refused a trademark for Rally, took the smaller company to court, and the original company was forced to share the proper name with du Pont. The argument that there would be confusion every bit to which was which was disputed by the board. That angle seemed unclear as to how this was then influential when the conclusions between this and the Hawkwind dispute were diametrically opposed viz a viz sharing. I would have thought the at present forgotten Bay Surface area 80's supergroup Dinosaur suing punk stone from Massachusetts Dinosaur (eventually settling on Dinosaur Jr to get out of it) would have been more relevant. Nik touring as Hawkwind Jr is probably not going to bring folks through the door though.

So who won? Apparently Brock will be happy to get Nik off his dorsum. (reading the board conclusion, it is hard to tell who was the motivating ability in this dispute, Nik or Cleopatra Records. From reading the 22 pages, my guess would point towards Cleo.)  Beyond that…?

Who lost? On paper, Nik loses the boxing to be called Nik Turner's Hawkwind, though as pointed out above, touring as 'Nik Turner formerly of Hawkwind' isn't that much of a alter. The general public is unaware of this squabble, and then his following in North America will likely stay unaffected. He comes out more often than not a wash. Cleopatra certainly is out lawyer'southward fees for pressing the upshot, then they'd be in the loss cavalcade. The existent loss falls to the Hawkfans who have been polarized (even when not choosing sides) into some real rabble rousing hate camps. (see: Hawknerdz). Hawkwind, as the extended family unit, was in one case a mobile gratis festival- a moveable catholic feast that spread beyond all of the continents, friends all whenever we met. We knew a hush-hush. The rifts caused by elements of coordinated online social media fanning flames of dissent and causing an unnecessary UK vs North America, u.s.a. vs. them fan squabble lasting years and something that  volition take years to heal. Some folks should take time to reflect on what they've done to this pretty damn cool planet-broad fan base of operations. Time for an Earth Ritual folks.

"oh aye, simply the stones remain…"    the Soft Boys

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Source: https://carwreckdebangs.wordpress.com/2015/04/23/the-demonization-of-nik-turner-hawkwind-hawknerdz-and-the-flame-wars-of-2014-2015/

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