Recording
The band, who consisted of the same personnel that had recorded the previous album Live Seventy Nine, entered The Roundhouse studios in July and August 1980 to record this album. The studio had been newly equipped with a 3M Digital Mastering System by Bronze Records, making this one of the earliest rock albums to be recorded with the burgeoning digital recording technology.
During the recording, Dave Brock became dissatisfied with drummer Simon King's inability to keep consistent time, claiming that "he couldn't play his drums properly 'cos he was taking bad drugs", although King stated "I simply wanted to get away. I was very heavily into drinking... and fixed on getting my family life together". They considered using a drum machine that was in the studio, but no one knew how to use it. Guitarist Huw Lloyd-Langton's wife Marion, who was press officer for Ginger Baker's manager Roy Ward's company, suggested approaching the drummer to contribute as a session player. He accepted the offer and completed his tracks in two days, surpassing expectations. Lloyd-Langton observed that "he breezed through straight away. I don't think Simon could have played that... Ginger fitted the band like a glove. His style was just right for it." The band asked the drummer to remain with them, and despite having previously declared to the press his intentions of joining the newly reformed Atomic Rooster, he "found the atmosphere during the sessions so fantastic that I immediately decided to stay with Hawkwind. For me it’s not just my umpteenth group, I’m determined to give it everything I’ve got. Hawkwind always have made timeless music, but you can definitely still hear the eighties in it."
Read more about this topic: Levitation (album)
Famous quotes containing the word recording:
“Too many photographers try too hard. They try to lift photography into the realm of Art, because they have an inferiority complex about their Craft. You and I would see more interesting photography if they would stop worrying, and instead, apply horse-sense to the problem of recording the look and feel of their own era.”
—Jessie Tarbox Beals (1870–1942)
“Self-expression is not enough; experiment is not enough; the recording of special moments or cases is not enough. All of the arts have broken faith or lost connection with their origin and function. They have ceased to be concerned with the legitimate and permanent material of art.”
—Jane Heap (c. 1880–1964)
“He shall not die, by G—, cried my uncle Toby.
MThe ACCUSING SPIRIT which flew up to heaven’s chancery with the oath, blush’d as he gave it in;—and the RECORDING ANGEL as he wrote it down, dropp’d a tear upon the word, and blotted it out for ever.”
—Laurence Sterne (1713–1768)