1984 - From bass to guitar

1984 was yet another significant year in my personal development as a musician as I changed from bass guitarist to lead guitarist. The seed was planted after hearing the magnificent, soaring guitar solos of Huw Lloyd-Langton on Hawkwind's 1982 album, 'Choose Your Masques', Most notably 'Arrival in Utopia'. Even during 1983 whilst I was a full throttle Lemmy wannabe, I dabbled a little on the side with both electric and acoustic guitar whilst writing my own songs. I'd bought a cheap acoustic guitar from the local music shop, and a cheap Les Paul copy from my mum's catalogue. But for now, as 1983 turned into 1984, I was still very much a bass player first and foremost, and it was still  Hawkwind and Motorhead that were my primary influences.

That year, Brian Robertson left Motorhead and they reformed as a 4-piece, now having two guitarists instead of one. They released a retrospective double compilation album with 4 new tracks, including personal favourites 'Snaggletooth' and 'Locomotive', but having two guitarists did change the sound of the band, and Lemmy's rhythmic bass playing approach became slightly less of a factor in this new dynamic.

Dewi and I enjoyed a fantastic Motorhead gig in Nottingham that year, where we both met Lemmy backstage, but slowly but surely Motorhead as a contemporary force began to wane in my affections, just as surely as Hawkwind continued their ascent.

We also went to see Hawkwind on their Earth Ritual tour, complete with their new bass player Alan Davey, who definitely modelled his playing on Lemmy's, which gave the band a new lift, and complete with Huw Lloyd-Langton on guitar; they became the ultimate band of the day for me, completely eclipsing Motorhead by the end of the year. They released a double live album recorded at the Stonehenge festival the previous year, and a new EP; the 'Earth Ritual Preview', featuring Lemmy as a special guest; and topped it off with a live concert video release: 'Night of the Hawks'. For me, this was the year that Hawkwind became my favourite above all others.

                               

On the band front, 'Dancing Shiva' was still going, but original drummer; Glen; had left the band, and Andy Ashley felt that the musical direction wasn't really him, and decided to move on, as did Cheg Cox.                                                              

The loss of Glen in particular was keenly felt at first, but Dewi and I decided to continue with Tony Ruston in the drumming seat. We also decided not to replace Andy, but go for more of a three piece type of sound with just Dewi on guitar, augmented by Bones Millott taking over from Cheg in providing the synthesizer effects.

The band took on a much louder heavier sound and it was fun for a time, but my interest in playing lead guitar in a band was growing, and as 1985 dawned, it was about to become a reality.

Perhaps the most significant event of 1984 took place at a small venue called the Key Theatre in Peterborough. Hawkwind's guitar supremo; Huw Lloyd-Langton had a more rock-based trio of his own, which was a vehicle for his own music in between Hawkwind gigs. We went to see the Lloyd-Langton Band and were blown away by Huw's playing. We also met him and found him to be a very humble, encouraging and downright smashing bloke, as well as being a fantastic guitarist. I bought his live album 'Outside the Law', and for me that was it... I was going to become a guitarist... and soon.