Nik Turner

One of the founding members of Hawkwind, saxophonist/flutist Nik Turner has had perhaps the most prolific and varied outside career of all its many alumni. Turner grew up in Margate, Kent, England, with future Hawkwind bandmate Robert Calvert, and came to Hawkwind's original 1969 lineup from a band called Mobile Freakout. Turner was an integral part of the band's prime period, contributing not only sax and flute work but also vocals and occasional songwriting (including the band staple "Brainstorm," which appeared on 1972's Doremi Fasol Latido, and the classic "Silver Machine," which he co-wrote with Dave Brock). Turner's final album with Hawkwind was 1976's Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music, after which group leader Brock fired most of his personnel (including Turner). Turner used his newfound freedom to travel to Egypt, where he soaked up the history and culture, and also made a recording of his flute music in the King's Chamber of the Great Pyramid of Cheops. With backing from several musicians associated with Gong, the results were released in 1978 as Turner's solo debut Xitintoday (credited to Nik Turner's Sphynx). Turner next played on the 1979 Mother Gong album Fairy Tales, and headed up a new group called the Inner City Unit, which also featured guitarist Trevor Thomas, bassist Baz Magneto (soon replaced by Dead Fred Reeves), and drummer Mick Stupp. The group's debut album, Pass Out, was issued in 1980, displaying an odd blend of influences that ranged from prog-rock to punk and big band swing. Turner rejoined Hawkwind in 1981, but initially continued to record with the Inner City Unit, which released The Maximum Effect in 1981 and Punkadelic the following year. Also appearing in 1982 was Ersatz, an ICU collaboration with Turner's boyhood friend and Hawkwind mate...