# Hawkwind vs.Pink Floyd **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [June 11, 2020, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawkwind-vs-pink-floyd/855415 "2020-06-11T00:02:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nitroglycerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nitroglycerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitroglycerine)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawkwind-vs-pink-floyd/855415/1 "2020-06-11T00:02:01Z")
I offer up this as exhibit A…[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFZ3WcS9noE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFZ3WcS9noE) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawkwind-vs-pink-floyd/855415/2 "2020-06-11T00:16:41Z")
You’re right, Pink Floyd blows that away. ---
**Author:** ![nitroglycerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nitroglycerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitroglycerine)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawkwind-vs-pink-floyd/855415/3 "2020-06-11T00:28:50Z")
Damn, that was a great response! ---
**Author:** ![nitroglycerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nitroglycerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitroglycerine)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawkwind-vs-pink-floyd/855415/4 "2020-06-11T00:32:12Z")
I mean, I would have posted something like Floyd’s Astronomy Domine, and I would have responded with Hawkwind’s Assault and Battery, but your response was way better. I was just trying to get a thread going with two great psyche rock bands lol ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawkwind-vs-pink-floyd/855415/5 "2020-06-11T00:39:35Z")
As much as I love Hawkwind, they never had a guitar player (honestly, how many bands other than Pink Floyd did?) like David Gilmour. Or a writing team like Gilmour and Waters. Not to mention unsung hero Richard Wright.They did have a Lemmy on bass for a while, which lots of bands would kill for. Floyd takes the talent cake, but I love me some Hawkwind. When Ron Tree was playing bass and handling vocals they were as badass as anyone. I saw their (likely) last 2 American gigs. Cubby Bear in Chicago (96?) and the following summer they played a state park festival in Ohio that featured an old quarry for a swimming hole. Neither Dave Brock nor Ron Tree got the customs OK to make it to that show, which was dissapointing. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawkwind-vs-pink-floyd/855415/6 "2020-06-11T00:48:07Z")
Here’s a little Ron Tree on bass from that Cubby Bear show. (Looks like it was '97) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-qDyRmfh-Gk/hqdefault.jpg "Hawkwind Cubby Bear 1997") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qDyRmfh-Gk) Here’s an entire song from that show. Hassan I Sabha. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/DqKnebYlz2E/hqdefault.jpg "Hawkwind-Hassan I Sabbha at Cubby Bear 1997") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqKnebYlz2E) ---
**Author:** ![by-tor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/by-tor/32/266_2.png) [@by-tor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/by-tor)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawkwind-vs-pink-floyd/855415/7 "2020-06-11T02:24:27Z")
I like Hawkwind’s Space Ritual years and a few other songs but Pink Floyd with David Gilmour, is just on a way higher level of musicianship and song writing in my opinion. Ninja’d by bobot! ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawkwind-vs-pink-floyd/855415/8 "2020-06-11T07:54:55Z")
I must admit I’m not very familiar with Hawkwind, but I was a massive Pink Floyd fan in my teen years and owned every album, collection, bootleg, etc that I could get hold of. Unfortunately that means that I am _so_ familiar with their work that I can’t really compare them with anything. I listen to Hawkwind and it sounds new and fresh (to me) and therefore, more interesting. I have listened to so much Pink Floyd that there are no more surprises. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawkwind-vs-pink-floyd/855415/9 "2020-06-11T10:04:17Z")
Pre 72 Floyd vs Hawkwind are comparable, and the argument made. but Hawkwind is still there and Floyd moved on… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Uppington\_Smythe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/41988e/32.png) [@The\_Uppington\_Smythe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Uppington_Smythe)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawkwind-vs-pink-floyd/855415/10 "2020-11-29T03:19:58Z")
I love Hawkwind. Pink Floyd had their day in the early years and then turned into easy listening elevator music. Hawkwind never sold out. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawkwind-vs-pink-floyd/855415/11 "2020-11-29T08:11:32Z")
> [@nitroglycerine](#): > > I was just trying to get a thread going with two great psyche rock bands lol Does it have to be limited to just two? I love some Pink Floyd and I respect Hawkwind but I also loves me some Gong! Gong - Where Have All The Flowers Gone [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/XMjlvLswo0s/maxresdefault.jpg "Where Have All The Flowers Gone (Remastered 2018)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMjlvLswo0s) They were great live too: Gong - You Can’t Kill Me [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/lgt4ppeh0oE/hqdefault.jpg "Gong - You Can't Kill Me (live '73)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgt4ppeh0oE) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawkwind-vs-pink-floyd/855415/12 "2020-11-29T13:29:16Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/eEqPX-Z833Y/maxresdefault.jpg "Pink Floyd - "A Saucerful of Secrets"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEqPX-Z833Y) ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawkwind-vs-pink-floyd/855415/13 "2020-11-29T15:45:19Z")
One of my favorites. I first heard that version when I bought a videotape of “Live at Pompeii” in high school. Ever since, I have found multiple bootlegs of “A Saucerful of Secrets,” each totally unique and each awesome. Very cool. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawkwind-vs-pink-floyd/855415/14 "2020-11-29T16:57:00Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > As much as I love Hawkwind, they never had a guitar player (honestly, how many bands other than Pink Floyd did?) like David Gilmour. Ya know, this kind of devotion to his guitar playing has always kind of bewildered me. Don’t get me wrong, he’s quite good, and tasteful to boot. But he himself admits he plays within his own limitations, and heavily relies on effects. I personally think that ends up being his greatest strength - he’s willing to happily play a simple guitar part and let the effect do its work. Ehh, it’s really my problem, but I’ve never understood it. > [@bobot](#): > > Or a writing team like Gilmour and Waters. Not to mention unsung hero Richard Wright.They did have a Lemmy on bass for a while, which lots of bands would kill for. Now, I understand the love for the writing team (including Gilmour). Even if they did get self-indulgent as hell in the second half of the seventies, they almost merited it. At the same time, I loves me some peak Hawkwind. Yeah, not much in the way of guitar leads, but there’s enough going on to take up the slack. Not just Lemmy, but a violin, a saxophone and a rocking set of dueling drummers. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Hf8yBhX-9wE/hqdefault.jpg "Hawkwind - Magnu") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hf8yBhX-9wE) I always felt Hawkwind were a lot more experimental than Floyd. More willing to take chances, and without the money (or pressure) to work all the rough edges on it that Floyd had. > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Does it have to be limited to just two? I don’t see why it would have to be limited. Gong’s pretty great, too. But if we’re going to get weird, might as well mention CAN, as well. 🎸 [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YmN9oHa3ZIQ/hqdefault.jpg "CAN - Vitamin C (Official Audio)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmN9oHa3ZIQ) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/QxX5ZORy95w/maxresdefault.jpg "You Doo Right") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxX5ZORy95w) ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawkwind-vs-pink-floyd/855415/15 "2020-11-29T20:26:07Z")
> [@The\_Uppington\_Smythe](#): > > Pink Floyd had their day in the early years and then turned into easy listening elevator music. Hawkwind never sold out. This. Plus, re the “lack” of a guitarist - _we don’t need no stinkin’ guitarist - we got Stacia!_ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/HdTFeW8FCto/hqdefault.jpg "Lemmy Kilmister & Hawkwind Silver Machine 1972 Live") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdTFeW8FCto) j ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2020, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawkwind-vs-pink-floyd/855415/16 "2020-11-29T23:57:50Z")
Here’s Lemmy reunited with old boy Dave Brock and Co. playing the same song in more recent years. No Stacia. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/7-PFWBzrbs8/hqdefault.jpg "Hawkwind - Silver Machine (Live With Lemmy)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-PFWBzrbs8) ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2020, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawkwind-vs-pink-floyd/855415/17 "2020-11-30T12:51:30Z")
Jeez, why the obsession with Silver Machine when mentioning Hawkwind. The band hated that song and often refused to play it, and it certainly wasn’t one of their best. I struggle to believe someone is a fan and holds up that abberation as any example of something which was good with the band… ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2020, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawkwind-vs-pink-floyd/855415/18 "2020-12-01T01:26:14Z")
Awww, now. Lucifer Sam wasn’t Pink Floyd’s greatest song, either. But it’s a pretty accessible gateway drug into early Floyd. Silver Machine is the same thing for most of Hawkwind, and their biggest single to boot. And since I’m posting, I’ll post the Floyd song I can get just about any band I’m in to cover in practice and everyone grins their ass off while playing it, but none of them seem to want to do it in front of an audience (but some will do for instance, Lucifer Sam). [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/K6-bXwpsVZg/maxresdefault.jpg "Pink Floyd - One Of These Days (Live At Pompeii HD) King Nick Mason Drummer...") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6-bXwpsVZg) Damn, that’s my favorite bass sound. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2020, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawkwind-vs-pink-floyd/855415/19 "2020-12-01T11:03:21Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > Awww, now. Lucifer Sam wasn’t Pink Floyd’s greatest song, either. But it’s a pretty accessible gateway drug into early Floyd. Silver Machine is the same thing for most of Hawkwind, and their biggest single to boot. Correct, and not a single person mentioned it in this thread before your post. Yet silver machine has two separate links to youtube videos. And while early Floyd isn’t my favourite period, I’ve never actually been aware of a song called Lucifer Sam until this post. Also, I’m not aware of the band, Pink Floyd hating that song, like Hawkwind hate Silver Machine. So all in all, I’m not really sure you answered my question there… ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2020, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawkwind-vs-pink-floyd/855415/20 "2020-12-01T11:06:56Z")
> [@Smid](#): > > Jeez, why the obsession with Silver Machine when mentioning Hawkwind. Obsession. Yeah, OK. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hawkwind-vs-pink-floyd/855415.md?page=2)