HALL OF THE MOUNTAIN GRILL

I took contact with Hawkwind through this particular album, back in 1974 or 1975, and I liked it pretty much but I never felt them as being progressive; for me they simply rocked! In fact, for some weeks I was deeply dipped into this work although I wasn't a usual pot user. I also tried to convince some friends but those more involved with symphonic prog only care a little unlike those more keen to hard-rock which became really Hawk-fans.

Until recently I didn't notice a thing about the band itself: the drug and drink addiction, the different line-ups, the bootlegs, etc. Even Stacia was a distant reference. My most vivid recollections are only Hawkwind's sound. I enjoy Lemmy's bass line and I like to hear Brock's sharp voice, a kind of band signature for the 70s. This album has also a good name doing a joke with Grieg's "In the hall of the mountain king", a tempestuous work indeed; but Hawkwind's "Mountain Grill" is tempestuous too. The cover is attractive but production shows some flaws - not compromising at all. Everything calls for psychedelia and space stuff.

Opening song, 'Psychedelic warlords' is also the best in the album, one of my band's preferred, spectacular with strong bass and odd vocals but other songs are worthy, and follow the same formula: pure rock splashed with adrenaline, stamina, vitamin, nicotine and THC.

'Web weaver' and 'D-Rider' and the title-song are good ones while 'Lost Johnny' and 'Goat willow' are the weakest points but even so fairly audible - and when I write audible, I'm thinking of someone already involved with Hawkwind, not a newbie.

'Paradox' is a splendid original ending song keeping all the album 'high' climate.

The CD has also some bonus tracks but the only that really counts is 'It's so easy', an average song.

I believe that among the more than a hundred of released Hawkwind's albums and CDs there are at least half a dozen that are really essential, "The Hall of the Mountain Grill" is one of those.

Consequently, my final rating is 4.