Joe Banks Knihy

An account of the English rock band Hawkwind reveals them as one of the most innovative and culturally significant bands of the 1970s. Fifty years after its formation, Hawkwind continues to inspire fans globally, influencing a wide range of alternative music genres, including psychedelia, prog, punk, industrial, electronica, and stoner rock. Often misidentified as the heir to Pink Floyd or the Velvet Underground, and as Britain’s answer to the Grateful Dead and Krautrock, Hawkwind has defined the genre of space rock while maintaining a unique sound. The band provided radical escapism and an alternative perspective for a generation facing a world on the brink of destruction due to economic turmoil, industrial unrest, and political division. While many claimed the countercultural experiment of the 1960s had ended, Hawkwind took the underground scene to new places. In this exploration, Joe Banks repositions Hawkwind as a pioneering force of the 1970s, challenging the lazy narratives that have developed around the band. He debunks the notion of Hawkwind as merely a long lysergic soap opera, illustrating the band’s revolutionary impact and the depth of its ambition and achievements.