Robert Calvert - 2021 - The Last Star Fighter

(77:00; Cleopatra Records)

It is impossible to talk about Calvert without also mentioning the band with which he was involved so heavily during their golden years, Hawkwind. But he also released five solo studio albums before his demise from heart attack at the early age of 43. Of these, the one which is most fondly thought of by his fans is the debut, ‘Captain Lockheed and the Starfighters’, which is obviously referenced here in the title. Calvert was a true multi-media artist, being involved in poetry long before he joined Hawkwind, and I am sure he would have been intrigued in this bringing together of his music from throughout his career. The project features vintage Calvert tracks taken from both his solo albums as well as raw, unfinished demos, completely revamped by the likes of indie noise icons Xiu Xiu, chillwave group Small Black, post-punkers Soft Kill plus darkwave duos Xeno & Oaklander and Sixth June as well as veterans A Flock Of Seagulls and The Damned’s Rat Scabies!

The one thing everyone has in common is that they are huge fans of the music and are trying to do their best to pay homage and tribute to someone they hold in very high regard. Of course, at the same time they are going to move and meld the music in their own ways, and it probably is not surprising that Die Krupps have shifted “Ned Ludd” into an area very much of their own making. For me, this is an album I can appreciate as opposed to wanting to play repeatedly, but that also has something to do with the fact that I would also much rather play classic Hawkwind as opposed to classic Calvert. This album appears to have been released somewhat under the radar, but I am sure there are may fans of his music who will find this intriguing even if I am not one of them.

Kev Rowland, November 2021

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