Showing posts with label huw lloyd-langton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label huw lloyd-langton. Show all posts
Thursday, 7 February 2013
Friday, 21 December 2012
Church of Hawkwind - Saying Goodbye to Huw Lloyd-Langton
Graham's look back on yesterday's funeral for guitarist Huw Lloyd-Langton, held in Stalbridge, Dorset..
I first saw Huw play guitar with Hawkwind on the highly-rated 1979 tour. That was the tour that spawned the "Live Seventy Nine" album (believe it or not), and Huw's return to the band made a helluva difference to the band's sound. It was his guitaring on the 1980 "Levitation" album that prompts many Hawkwind fans to rate it as one of the best albums, if not the best, that Hawkwind have ever done.
It was a severely wet drive from North Devon, under dark skies on almost the shortest day of the year, for me to see his final appearance.
Some music was playing in the background as we took our seats in the pews. Being somewhat unused to churches, I was looking around at the fluted pillars and arches (built around 1390, by the way, when Richard II was on the throne) and generally taking stock, when I realised "Space Chase" (from the "Levitation" album) was playing! Strange hearing Hawkwind being played in a Church of England parish church - but then, Huw was a Christian.
[The above is a stock photo, as it was requested by the family that cameras were not used at the service.]
The service proper got off to a fairly conventional start.
There were some Scripture pieces and that one from Corinthians (13:4) that sounds like "The Black Corridor" narrative. (Love is patient, love is kind. Love is not envious or boastful...)
Then a tribute from Kris Tait (Kris Brock) and a performance of Huw's "Dragons & Fables" by Dead Fred (of Inner City Unit) and sung by Mr Dibs
Tributes by Andrew Briggs and Huw's daughter Kirsty followed. Where I was sitting, I had difficulty hearing - it's quite a big church for such a small town - but I remember Kirsty's reminisce included a mysterious reference to a gobstopper (known as a jawbreaker in the US). We then listened to "Amazing Grace".
Dave Brock then gave a tribute, sounding just like he does on-stage or on radio interviews: laid-back and comfortably cheerful. It was kind of weird hearing that oft-heard voice in such an unaccustomed setting.
He then said he was going to sing "Hurry on Sundown" and invited us all to sing too. As a song inside a church it works very well, of course. Huw didn't write it, but he often performed it onstage. The last time he did so was at Sidmouth Folk Festival a few months ago, alongside Dave Brock.
Some prayers followed. I was amused to find I didn't need to refer to the Order of Service for the words to "The Lord's Prayer," whereas for "Hurry on Sundown" I did have to glance down at it a few times, for my line cues. (A bit embarassing, as I was one of those wearing a Hawkwind t-shirt, and should know the words to a Hawkwind song that's been around for 44 years!)
Then Dead Fred played keyboard piano for "When the Saints Go Marching In" and it was a very jaunty version... we were all singing it and over half clapped along as well. Soundwise, it was kind of like those evangelical events seen in parts of America, and at the end there was a general cheer and applause.
And, after that high point, it was time for the Rev. William Ridding to conduct the commendation and committal... and then the coffin, topped with a wreath in the shape of a guitar, was conveyed out of the church for cremation.
Farewell, Huw.
The above vid is Huw's appearance with Dave back in August, doing "Hurry on Sundown".
Saturday, 8 December 2012
THOSE WE HAVE LOST: Graham Inglis on Huw Lloyd-Langton
Sad news for followers of space rock and heavy rock: Huw Lloyd-Langton has died.
Huw was involved with Hawkwind from the start and played on the debut album, where his powerful, soaring lead guitar contributed to that album's prog style, a very different sound compared to the 8 or so LPs that followed.
Huw Lloyd-Langton on acoustic guitar in May 2012, Bridport.
He took to the stage as the support act to Hawkwind, but a surprise guest joined him on stage - Dave Brock on harmonica!
It was his LSD experience at the 1970 Isle of Wight festival that led to his leaving Hawkwind for nearly 10 years: he was spiked, and became seriously ill as a result.
He returned to Hawkwind for their 1979 tour, and his guitaring made the band sound very different to The Hawklords who had toured a year before. The "Live Seventy Nine" album and the studio album "Levitation" show his work excellently, developing a piercing and almost raucous and jangly style. Those words almost sound like criticism, don't they? - but the style worked.
During the 80s he formed the three-piece rock band The Lloyd Langton Group, which performed hundreds of gigs in the UK and over in Europe, and sometimes played support to Hawkwind.
Huw also collaborated with Robert Calvert from time to time, "Lord of the Hornets" on the "FREQ" album being an example of his input. He was also session lead guitarist for British metal band The Meads of Asphodel from 2000 to 2007.
He started a third stint with Hawkwind in 2002, but was hospitalised with kidney failure in 2009, and spent several months there. However, he made it to the May 2010 Hawkwind show in Leamington, where his physical frailty worried me, but his rock n roll energy seemed little diminished.
In 2011 and this year, he made more appearances at Hawkwind gigs, and played a set with Dave Brock at a Folk festival back in August.
But the end had now come, and on Friday Hawkwind made the following announcement:
It is with immense sadness that we have to let you know our great friend of many years and fellow musician Huw Lloyd Langton passed away peacefully last night.
Huw had been bravely fighting cancer for a couple of years, but was determined not to let the battle affect his day to day life. He continued to play his guitar, laugh, joke and share the great love he had in his heart, with all who knew him.
As he wished, he was at home when the time came, with his ever strong and loving wife Marion at his side.
Huw was one of the great guitarists with an individual style and character. He is gone but never forgotten by any of us. He will live on in our music and in our hearts.
Huw was involved with Hawkwind from the start and played on the debut album, where his powerful, soaring lead guitar contributed to that album's prog style, a very different sound compared to the 8 or so LPs that followed.
Huw Lloyd-Langton on acoustic guitar in May 2012, Bridport.
He took to the stage as the support act to Hawkwind, but a surprise guest joined him on stage - Dave Brock on harmonica!
It was his LSD experience at the 1970 Isle of Wight festival that led to his leaving Hawkwind for nearly 10 years: he was spiked, and became seriously ill as a result.
He returned to Hawkwind for their 1979 tour, and his guitaring made the band sound very different to The Hawklords who had toured a year before. The "Live Seventy Nine" album and the studio album "Levitation" show his work excellently, developing a piercing and almost raucous and jangly style. Those words almost sound like criticism, don't they? - but the style worked.
During the 80s he formed the three-piece rock band The Lloyd Langton Group, which performed hundreds of gigs in the UK and over in Europe, and sometimes played support to Hawkwind.
Huw also collaborated with Robert Calvert from time to time, "Lord of the Hornets" on the "FREQ" album being an example of his input. He was also session lead guitarist for British metal band The Meads of Asphodel from 2000 to 2007.
He started a third stint with Hawkwind in 2002, but was hospitalised with kidney failure in 2009, and spent several months there. However, he made it to the May 2010 Hawkwind show in Leamington, where his physical frailty worried me, but his rock n roll energy seemed little diminished.
In 2011 and this year, he made more appearances at Hawkwind gigs, and played a set with Dave Brock at a Folk festival back in August.
But the end had now come, and on Friday Hawkwind made the following announcement:
It is with immense sadness that we have to let you know our great friend of many years and fellow musician Huw Lloyd Langton passed away peacefully last night.
Huw had been bravely fighting cancer for a couple of years, but was determined not to let the battle affect his day to day life. He continued to play his guitar, laugh, joke and share the great love he had in his heart, with all who knew him.
As he wished, he was at home when the time came, with his ever strong and loving wife Marion at his side.
Huw was one of the great guitarists with an individual style and character. He is gone but never forgotten by any of us. He will live on in our music and in our hearts.
Friday, 3 August 2012
Hawkwind supports Devon Air Ambulance Trust
Dave Brock and Huw Lloyd-Langton, of Hawkwind, will next week turn out to support a fund-raising open mic event at Sidmouth Folk Week.
The event, which has been organised by local students, is to be staged in Connaught Gardens and will be a showcase of local talent - featuring everything from singer/songwriters to metal acts.
Dave said: “I’ll be bringing my harmonica and guitar along, and me and Huw will do a couple of numbers together. It’ll be fun and it’s for a very good cause.”
Entry is free, but there will be a collection to raise money for the Devon Air Ambulance Trust, a charity which relies solely on donations.
The event is taking place on Wednesday, August 8, from 1pm to 6pm.
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