| Live Chronicles | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Live album by | ||||
| Released | 1986 | |||
| Recorded | 4 December 1985 | |||
| Venue | Hammersmith Odeon | |||
| Genre | Space rock | |||
| Length | 76:10 | |||
| Label | GWR | |||
| Producer | Hawkwind | |||
| Hawkwind chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [2] |
Live Chronicles is a 1986 album by Hawkwind recorded of a live performance of their The Chronicle of the Black Sword concept album based on the Michael Moorcock character Elric of Melniboné. The Hammersmith Odeon dates on 3 and 4 December were professionally audio recorded and the stage show video taped.
During 1986, the group performed some festival dates, including Bristol Custom Bike Show, and headlining Reading Festival on 24 August, with a guest appearance from Lemmy and recorded by BBC Radio 1's Friday Rock Show.[3]
The video of the Black Sword shows was released on 25 July by Jettisoundz,[4] followed by this 2LP on 24 November.[5] The group promoted the album's release with a 31 date UK tour in November and December, with support from The Babysitters.[6] The Preston show was video recorded by Jettisoundz and was part released in 1996 as Chaos.[4] The group revived the Black Sword show one last time on 28 August 1987 for the World Science Fiction Convention at Brighton Conference Centre.[6]
Former manager Douglas Smith had set-up GWR Records for releasing albums by his roster of bands, significantly Motörhead. Although Brock had previous financial disputes with Smith, he was unhappy with the promotion and distribution his albums were receiving through Frenchy Gloder's Flicknife Records, so licensed this live recording to Smith's newly formed company. Hawkwind would remain with the label until its demise in 1991.[7]
The cover was one of the earliest commissions for Duncan Storr, who subsequently made a career out of book and record illustrations, although this would be his only work for the group.[8]
The original album lacked "Assault and Battery" and "Sleep of a Thousand Tears" as they had been licensed to Flicknife for single B-sides,[9] and the Michael Moorcock spoken pieces due to Moorcock being in dispute with GWR owner Smith. They would be restored to subsequent re-issues on the Griffin and Atomhenge labels. "Assault and Battery" and "Sleep of a Thousand Tears" are in mono on those releases. The two tracks appear in stereo on the Flicknife CD "The Chronicle Of The Black Sword".[10]
- ^ Thompson, Dave. Live Chronicles at AllMusic
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
- ^ "Hawkwind: Dreamworkers Of Time – The BBC Recordings 1985-1995, 3CD Box Set". Cherry Red Records. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
- ^ a b "Cherry Red Records : DVD : Hawkwind". Archived from the original on 7 March 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
- ^ "Hawkwind: Live Chronicles". Cherry Red Records. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
- ^ a b Clerk, Carol (2004). "23 - The Story of the Support Band". The Saga of Hawkwind. Omnibus Press. pp. 341–346. ISBN 1-84449-832-8.
- ^ Clerk, Carol (2004). "22 - Elric The Enchanter". The Saga of Hawkwind. Omnibus Press. pp. 332–337. ISBN 1-84449-832-8.
- ^ Duncan Storr. "Duncan Storr the Illustrator". Retrieved 25 April 2023.
- ^ Discogs. "Hawkwind – Zarozinia 12" Single". Retrieved 15 February 2024.
- ^ Discogs. "The Chronicle Of The Black Sword Flicknife CD". Retrieved 15 February 2024.