Alien 4 (album)
Encyclopedia
Alien 4 is the twentieth studio album
by the English
space rock
group Hawkwind
, released in 1995
.
At the end of 1994, with the group established as a three piece of guitarist Dave Brock
, bassist Alan Davey
and drummer Richard Chadwick, they felt they were lacking visually in terms of showmanship. Ron Tree, who had been involved with groups in the English free-festival scene, had offered his services and the group accepted them. In addition, guitarist Jerry Richards, another musician involved in the English free-festival scene as a member of the group Tubilah Dog, started contributing to some live dates and recording sessions.
This new line-up undertook a 13 date North America tour in April 1995, then recorded a BBC Radio 1
session on 27 July at Maida Vale Studios
.
The album was recorded at Rockfield Studios
in the summer, and the Area S4 EP featuring a "Roswell Mix" of "Alien (I Am)" was issued. "Death Trap" is a re-recording of the song from their 1978 album PXR5
. "Wastelands" is a re-recording of "Wastelands Of Sleep" from their 1988 album The Xenon Codex
. "Are You Losing Your Mind?" is a re-recording of "The Iron Dream" from their 1977 album Quark, Strangeness and Charm
with new spoken words.
The group undertook a 13 date UK tour in October, followed by 7 European dates, to promote the album. The Colston Hall, Bristol show on 19 October was filmed and recorded, and issued as the album Love in Space and video Love in Space
. The group appeared on the VH1
programme Under the Bridge on 14 April 1996.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
space rock
Space rock
Space rock is a subgenre of rock music; the term originally referred to a group of early, mostly British, 1970s progressive and psychedelic rock bands such as Hawkwind and Pink Floyd, characterised by slow, lengthy instrumental passages dominated by electric organs, synthesizers, experimental...
group Hawkwind
Hawkwind
Hawkwind are an English rock band, one of the earliest space rock groups. Their lyrics favour urban and science fiction themes. They are also a noted precursor to punk rock and now are considered a link between the hippie and punk cultures....
, released in 1995
1995 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1995.- January–February :*January 18 – Jerry Garcia crashes his rented BMW into a guard rail near Mill Valley, California, USA, but is not injured in the accident....
.
At the end of 1994, with the group established as a three piece of guitarist Dave Brock
Dave Brock
David Anthony "Dave" Brock is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He plays electric guitar, synthesizer, bass and oscillators. He is best known as being one of the founders and musical focus of the English space rock group Hawkwind...
, bassist Alan Davey
Alan Davey (musician)
Alan Davey is best known as the former bassist with Hawkwind. He is now the bass player and vocalist for Gunslinger as well as Hawklords, Meads of Asphodel, and Thunor.-Early musical career:...
and drummer Richard Chadwick, they felt they were lacking visually in terms of showmanship. Ron Tree, who had been involved with groups in the English free-festival scene, had offered his services and the group accepted them. In addition, guitarist Jerry Richards, another musician involved in the English free-festival scene as a member of the group Tubilah Dog, started contributing to some live dates and recording sessions.
This new line-up undertook a 13 date North America tour in April 1995, then recorded a BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
session on 27 July at Maida Vale Studios
Maida Vale Studios
Maida Vale Studios is a complex of seven BBC studios on Delaware Road, Maida Vale, London.It has been used to record thousands of classical music, popular music and drama sessions for BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio 4 from 1946 to the present...
.
The album was recorded at Rockfield Studios
Rockfield Studios
Rockfield Studios, near Monmouth in Wales and just outside the village of Rockfield, Monmouthshire are where many of British rock music’s most successful recordings have been made.-History:...
in the summer, and the Area S4 EP featuring a "Roswell Mix" of "Alien (I Am)" was issued. "Death Trap" is a re-recording of the song from their 1978 album PXR5
PXR5
PXR5 is the ninth studio album by Hawkwind, released in 1979. It reached #59 on the UK album charts.-Overview: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...
. "Wastelands" is a re-recording of "Wastelands Of Sleep" from their 1988 album The Xenon Codex
The Xenon Codex
-External links:*...
. "Are You Losing Your Mind?" is a re-recording of "The Iron Dream" from their 1977 album Quark, Strangeness and Charm
Quark, Strangeness and Charm
Quark, Strangeness And Charm is the seventh studio album by the English space rock group Hawkwind, released in 1977. It spent 6 weeks on the UK albums chart peaking at #30....
with new spoken words.
The group undertook a 13 date UK tour in October, followed by 7 European dates, to promote the album. The Colston Hall, Bristol show on 19 October was filmed and recorded, and issued as the album Love in Space and video Love in Space
Love in Space
Love in Space is a 1996 live album by the English space rock group Hawkwind. It was recorded during the group's 1995 tour to promote the Alien 4 album.It was re-issued in 2009 with bonus tracks taken from the Love in Space EP.-CD1:...
. The group appeared on the VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
programme Under the Bridge on 14 April 1996.
Side 1
- "Abducted" (Ron Tree, Brock) – 2:45
- "Alien (I Am)" (Brock) – 7:46
- "Reject Your Human Touch" (Tree, Brock, Richard Chadwick, Alan DaveyAlan Davey (musician)Alan Davey is best known as the former bassist with Hawkwind. He is now the bass player and vocalist for Gunslinger as well as Hawklords, Meads of Asphodel, and Thunor.-Early musical career:...
) – 2:20 - "Blue Skin" (Tree, Brock, Chadwick, Davey) – 7:07
Side 2
- "Beam Me Up" (Hawkwind) – 4:11
- "Vega" (Davey) – 3:51
- "Xenomorph" (Tree, Davey) – 4:52
- "Journey" (Brock, Davey) – 3:12
Side 3
- "Sputnik Stan" (Davey) – 7:03
- "Kapal" (Brock, Chadwick, Davey) – 5:11
- "Festivals" (Kris Tait, Brock) – 6:50
Side 4
- "Death Trap" (Robert CalvertRobert CalvertRobert Calvert was a writer, poet, and musician.-Biography:Born Robert Newton Calvert in Pretoria, South Africa, Calvert's parents moved to England when he was two years of age and later attended school in London and Margate. He began his career by writing poetry and in 1967 formed a Street...
, Brock) – 3:57 - "Wastelands" [aka "Wastelands Of Sleep"] (Brock) – 1:22
- "Are You Losing Your Mind?" (Tree, Brock, Chadwick, Davey) – 2:33
- "Space Sex" (Brock) – vinyl and 2010 CD versions only
Personnel
- Ron Tree – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- Dave BrockDave BrockDavid Anthony "Dave" Brock is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He plays electric guitar, synthesizer, bass and oscillators. He is best known as being one of the founders and musical focus of the English space rock group Hawkwind...
– electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocals - Alan DaveyAlan Davey (musician)Alan Davey is best known as the former bassist with Hawkwind. He is now the bass player and vocalist for Gunslinger as well as Hawklords, Meads of Asphodel, and Thunor.-Early musical career:...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals - Richard Chadwick – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Jerry Richards – electric guitar (tracks 12-14)
Release history
- October 1995: Emergency Broadcast System RecordsEmergency Broadcast System RecordsEmergency Broadcast System Records was a record label setup in UK in the early 1990s by Hawkwind and Doug Smith.-External links:* - full catalogue...
, UK; 2x12" vinyl (EBSLP118), CD digipak (EBSSCD118), CD (EBSCD118) - February 2010: Atomhenge (Cherry RedCherry RedCherry Red is a London-based independent record label formed in 1978.-History:Cherry Red grew from the rock promotion company founded in 1971 to promote rock concerts at the Malvern Winter Gardens...
) Records, ATOMCD1018, UK 2CD