APRIL 2003Hugh Lloyd Langton@ The Marr's Bar, Worcester, 6/4/03 Review courtesy of Toxic Pete http://www.toxic.pete.btinternet.co.uk A shortened set from Huw Lloyd Langton and his band was the result of a poor turn out at The Marr's Bar tonight. Probably a mis-match of the choice of evening (normally an acoustic night) and the brash psychedelia of the band. Nonetheless, eventually they started their set and instantly ones senses were aroused by the barrage of drums, bass, keyboards and guitar. Quite typical of the early Hawkwind material but with contemporary undertones, the set was brilliant. Load, brash and uncompromising with effects laden guitar at the fore supported cleverly by the often jazzy feeling keyboard. A rhythm section that did just what they're supposed to do; provide the driving force without ever overriding the main instruments. Nuances of many styles were thrown into the mix - even some reggae rhythms - what's all that about then? The numbers were long and interesting with, again in typical early Hawkwind tradition, occasional vocal interjections. Some of the post-rockers around would do well to experience Huw's style; the use of reverb, delay and sustain to create breathtaking dynamics was pretty inspiring. Yes, the set was loud, very loud, fearsome, the sort of decibels that you could pick up and take home with you by the pocketful!! Maybe not everybody's cup of tea but if you were out tonight looking for a mind-trip then this was the place to be. The overall feel was earthy, eerie and spacey (eh, earthy and spacey at the same time?), a mind-fuck of gigantic proportions. Certainly, with this sort of sound you don't need chemicals or booze to get high - music is the drug!! The use of the contemporary undercurrent with the total psychedelia of the lead guitar was stunning; witness an updated version of 'Hurry On Sundown' - a superb reworking of a brilliant track some thirty years or so on!! A great, if somewhat short, set!! FEBRUARY 2003The following 3-page article appeared in 'VINTAGE GUITAR MAGAZINE, FEB'03. Thanks to Melvyn Vincent for all pictures The article was written by journalist Ralph Heibutzki.
APRIL 2003Bruce Welsh's review of Lloyd Langton Group at The Rigger http://www.starfarer.net/gigreview11.html This review was written by Bruce Stringer - muchas gracias mate! Sometimes, against all odds, there are people who not only manage to perform well in their given field but offer unique insight into their developed techniques. Last Friday’s Lloyd-Langton Group gig, just outside Stoke-on-Trent, was indeed an event of insurmountable obstacles and bad timing. Huw, bass player Kenny Wilson and drummer John Clark arrived just before 8:30pm to find that not only was the PA sent away just minutes beforehand, but the gig had been cancelled. Reason being, supposedly, that the venue operator and promoter had figured because the band was running late they not going to show and, thus the gig should be cancelled. And to top it all off, Huw had just broken his arm. Any other act would have probably just thrown the towel in there and then, however Huw insisted on slinging his arm up and playing. Slinking on the edge of the drum rises – as only Huw could do – what transpired through the course of the evening was an interesting set of extended and improvised pieces. This was my third meeting with Huw in as many years and each time Huw has always been the warm, kind and generous individual that one might expect. This was my first time meeting John Clark who sat in one corner with sticks in hand furiously keeping time on his lap in deep concentration. Kenny Wilson was the comic relief of the trio and, like John, a genuinely nice guy. It was no wonder Huw’s most impressive material comes from his work with these guys, as was demonstrated in the all-too-brief sound-check when John and Kenny burst into a pumping version of 5/4. During Huw’s level check, he attempted Rocky Paths and some other bluesy guitar parts, playing along with a cover tune that was playing through the front of house speakers. His fluid motion was really a treat to see again. Armed with his trusty Epiphone through a Trace Elliot combo, Huw was obviously in pain and not able to move his arm too far outside the confines of the 7th fret to about the 15th. Travel weary after spending almost all day on the road in traffic jams, the LLG made their way onto the stage. Waiting For Tomorrow I confess that this is one of my favourite Hawkwind tracks (along with Solitary Mindgames) and it was a nice opener to the set. I was always a little disappointed that Huw’s vocal pieces were not more prominent in the band’s material, considering some of the lacklustre pieces the Hawk’s were releasing in the 1980’s. With fingers barely able to hold string to neck and a few odd bum notes, the guitar virtuoso suddenly clicked and the magic was there. Vocally, there was a relaxed mood that fit in well with the counterpart of Kenny and John’s tight rhythm section. Less “spacey” than Hawkwind, the three-piece line-up was able to open up and relax without being cluttered by the swirling synth sounds that sometimes detracted from some of the better Hawkwind material. This enabled them to be more dynamic in their roles and really bring the volume down when required, for the subtle nuances. Wind Of Change The lyrics of this piece always demonstrated to me that one must be able to work with the constant change that is inevitable in everyday life. And this is exactly what the LLG did. After a slightly rough start, the pace picked up and Huw was able to utilise the constraints, playing on some of the themes and mantric runs that he is known for. Past-life swindles may have dealt Huw a blow with his third (?) broken arm in this last two year period but players like him simply do not just give up. This was reflected in the grimacing facials and pained contortions that Huw displayed during his solos. Jokingly, I wonder: if the wind changed would his face stay like that? Lonely Man From the Night Air album comes Lonely Man, my least favourite of the night by deduction only, (as Night Air as an album does in fact rate quite high with me). I was in a North London guitar shop before our first meeting 3 years ago and the Spanish retailer mentioned that Huw was the “Keith Richards of Hawkwind”. Upon our actual meeting Huw came across as a very shy, kind, introverted character who could easily be mistaken as subject of this song (although, with Marion, his wife, by his side I could hardly imagine that he would be this lonely man). This piece extended out nicely as a big, bluesy jam and allowed the rhythm section to unfold and explore. Talk To You Talk To You is an older jam song that Huw has only recently released on Chain Reaction for the first time (besides a live version from the bootleg Outside The Law LP) and is a great, funky little number with its held back rhythmic pattern. Always managing a smile and a quick word to the audience, Huw’s brave face kept the uplifted mood from ever turning, even when he had to briefly re-learn the main guitar parts an octave higher to suit his slung-up arm position. Huw even quipped that it’s not a break idea to break your arm if you’re a guitar player. With Huw’s parts an octave higher and a focus on the bass and drum interaction, the song delved into very interesting territory. Dipping into a funky little bass solo, Kenny took centre stage and played some really aggressive lead lines, a la Jaco Pastorius and Stanley Clarke. John’s stop-start stick work really cut through and gave Huw the space to experiment wherever his hands would allow him to go. Hurry On Sundown "Hurry on sundown…See what tomorrow brings” It had always been a surprise to me that Huw often performed this song as part of an encore. According to the man, himself, one of his favourite periods with Hawkwind was being part of the line-up that made the original, self-titled album. Hurry On Sundown, fits in as a nice rounding off to some of the more complex musical pieces, and I suppose, provides a nostalgic perspective. Once again, due to restrictions Huw spent a brief moment working the song and some of his guitar parts out in a different key, whilst chatting to the eager crowd. Kenny burst into Dave Brock’s old number, carried by John’s tight-but-loose 12/8 percussive beat and Huw’s choppy rhythm and distinct vocals. Huw ended the show with a croaked “Thank you”, possibly feeling a lot worse than he looked: all smiles and polite to the core. Very Dylan-esque in his approach to the evening, sitting on the drum riser, Huw managed to entertain and amuse the audience without losing any enthusiasm from them. At times looking like an old blues band with Mr Lloyd-Langton seated like a pale Muddy Waters, the guys really rocked out and brought a particular youthfulness to the songs. With shouts of “Huwey” and whistles throughout the end of the night, I am quite sure that all that were there had a great time. It was indeed a pity that the group weren’t able to perform 5/4 or some of the other more intricately timed pieces, but what they did offer was itself an altogether enjoyable set. I would have liked to have heard some material from the Time, Space & LLG album or possibly other, quirkier numbers like Candle Burning (from Night Air) or Freedom (from Chain Reaction) but the trio did what they could with the available facilities. Of course, this performance was indeed a unique experience and would have no bearing on other gigs, especially concerning track selection. I have often thought how interesting it would be to see Huw play some of his solo acoustic material alongside a set of LLG material, as I was lucky enough to have Huw play an acoustic version of Solitary Mind Games for me after our interview last year. Interestingly, that could be an idea for a future CD release: a mixture of acoustic and electric, full-band material live in concert? Review by Bruce Stringer, © 2003 Bruce Stringer is an Australian session musician and freelance music journalist currently residing in England. Some samples of his music can be heard at http://www.mp3.com/bruce_stringer APRIL 2002Alternate View: Review of Huw Lloyd-Langton: 'On The Move...Plus'. Article by 'Frank Blades'. frank@rockhaven.co.uk Rockhaven: The Ultimate Guide to Progressive Rock with Rock News, World Gig Guide, Album Reviews, Concert Reports & Interviews, and The Rock Directory of Weblinks. http://prog.rockhaven.co.uk I first became aware of guitarist Huw Lloyd-Langton in the early Eighties when he rejoined Hawkwind. Until quite recently, I was unaware that he was in fact a founder member of the band appearing on the first two albums - Hawkwind and Roadhawks, as well as their debut hit single Hurry On Sundown. I just thought he was a new-kid-on-the-Hawkwind-block; one of many in the changing faces of the band. His rejoining of the band heralded, in my opinion, the best albums the band ever produced. I am probably in a minority here - but Levitation, Sonic Attack and Choose Your Masques are my favourite three Hawkwind albums. There is no coincidence, because these three albums also sees Huw's guitars taking a prime role in the band's music. Instead of the spacey synths and riffing guitars, we suddenly had some intricate fretwork and some well-constructed songs. And it was with joy that I greeted the news that Huw had rejoined the band yet again in 2001, and catching them at the Canterbury Festival in the summer of that year, it was good to see he hasn't lost any of his skill. But what else has the man done? After leaving Hawkwind for the first time in 1970, he worked as an itinerant guitarist - occasional bands, various sessions, soundtracks and resident musicians at various clubs. In 1975 he joined former Mott The Hoople guitarist Ariel Bender's hard rock band Widowmaker - and was a part of two successful years before the band folded in 1977. In 1979 he rejoined Hawkwind and stayed with the band for the next decade. During this time he also put together the Lloyd-Langton Group, a band which has provided an outlet, both in the studio and live, for his own compositions ever since. Huw still plays live sets - solo, duos - often with his wife Marian - or as a band. On The Move was the result of one-such studio session, recorded in Sweden in 1997, and here re-issued as On The Move...Plus on the Angel Air label with three bonus tracks. On the Move sees Huw (guitars and vocals) joined by Calle Mansson (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), Mat Stahl (bass) and Lars Schill (drums and backing vocals). It's an interesting album blending Hawkwind song structures only without the spacey synths with a more bluesey rock ambience. The opening track is typical - Got Your Number - could easily be adapted as a Hawkwind track with the addition of swirling synths, but without them it is a straight rocker of a track with the archetypical guitar solos that Huw has made his own. Yet something like Wrong Streets is totally different, maybe something you would expect on a Snowy White album. My favourite track on the album is the instrumental title track On The Move. Built around a lead guitar line that doesn't let off for the whole track, this is a stunning composition with a Thin Lizzy Celtic rock feel to it, and a great vibe. This is a live set would be a real show stopper! Did I say Thin Lizzy? Well the following track, Move Over Lady, is even more Lizzy-esque with Huw's normally distinctive vocals sounding more like Phil Lynot than…well, than Lizzy's current vocalist certainly! Throughout the album though one thing shines through - Mister Lloyd-Langton is one talented guitarist. With Hawkwind, I never rated his playing as technically brilliant, rather that he had a unique and distinctive style, rather like U2's The Edge does. Well, you can scrap all that! There are fifteen tracks here, and each of them is a showcase of Huw's guitar playing - and there are so many styles included that you are left in no doubt that Huw is a talented, versatile and, sadly, vastly underrated guitarist. And he ain't a bad singer and songwriter either! As with most Angel Air releases, the CD is packaged beautifully. The cover shows another aspect of Huw's talents - his drawings. Like his music, the cover artwork is an under-stated but sensorally gratifying composition. Inside, there is a five-page biography of the man, together with three pages of discography. All in all, a package deserving a place in any Hawkwind fan's collection - and indeed a welcome addition to anyone's CD racks. Certainly it is going to be a well-played part of mine! On The Move...Plus (SJPCD093) is released on Angel Air Records. For more information about Angel Air, contain Peter at Angel Air Records, PO Box 14, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 4UD, England, tel: 01449 770139, fax: 01449 7701333 or email to peter@angelair.force9.co.uk or at the Angel Air website at http://www.angelair.co.uk. MAY 2001At last classic LLG albums, 'Night Air', 'Time Space & LLG' and 'Like An Arrow' are being released in CD format into UK shops 4th June 2001. Hawkwind at their very best, review by Independent 24th August 2001.
The following article appeared in Record Buyer and Music Collector, June 2001 issue.
See diary page for more information. |
