THE NASHVILLE TEENS:
The Nashville Teens' "Tobacco Road" album (from 1964) was the first recorded appearance of John Hawken. A huge hit on both sides of the Atlantic, "Tobacco Road" appeared during the first wave of the British band rise during 1964. Produced by noted British producer Mickie Most, "Tobacco Road" featured John's driving piano as part of the overall strong performance. The Teens also worked with other noted producers like Andrew Loog Oldham, producer of The Rolling Stones. John was a member of the Teens until 1968.
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RENAISSANCE:
Following his departure from The Nashville Teens in 1968, John became a founding member of Renaissance -- a band formed from the ashes of The Yardbirds, the band that had birthed legendary guitarists Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. Former Yardbirds Keith Relf and Jim McCarty created Renaissance with the help of Keith's sister, Jane Relf (vocals), Louis Cennamo (ex-Steamhammer (Rod Stewart's old band) on bass) and John Hawken on keyboards. The original 1969 album was released with two different covers, the gold-looking cover was the UK cover (on Island Records) and the greenish cover was the one seen in the USA (released on Elektra Records).
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The original Renaissance created just two albums before calling it a day in 1971. There was the 1969 self-titled album (also sometimes referred to as the 'Kings & Queens" album) and 1970's Renaissance "Illusion" album. This album also includes the first appearance of Michael Dunford (who would later lead Renaissance through many more albums), whom John introduced to Renaissance following their years together in the Nashville Teens.
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LUTHER GROSVENOR:
This was the first solo album recorded by this former guitarist with Spooky Tooth who would go on to greater fame as Ariel Bender -- lending his guitar to artists like David Bowie, Ian Hunter, Mott the Hoople, Widowmaker and many others. |
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CLAIRE HAMILL:
In 1971, Claire Hamill recorded "One House Left Standing," an album recorded for Island Records and that included an all-star cast of musicians like John Martyn, Terry Reid and David Lindley (Kalidescope, Jackson Browne) on guitars; Paul Buckmaster (Elton John's arranger) on cello; John "Rabbit" Bundrick (Free) and John Hawken on keyboards; Simon Kirke (Free, Bad Company) on drums and Tetsu Yamauchi (Free) on bass. Claire's voice is wonderful and this is a great album.
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THIRD WORLD WAR:
In 1972, John Hawken joined Third World War in time to record their second album, Third World War 2 for Track Records, Pete Townsend's record company. Third World War has been referred to as possibly being England's first punk band. A big departure from the kind of material that John normally played, Third World War is arguably the most rocking band John ever played with.
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SUTHERLAND BROTHERS:
In 1972, John Hawken also did session work for the Sutherland Brothers "Lifeboat" project. The Sutherland Brothers soon afterward toured the United States as Elton John's opening act on the "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" tour. The Sutherland Brothers were a great band and Lifeboat contained one of their major hits "(I Don't Want to Love You But) You Got Me Anyway," as well as one of their songs which would become a major hit for Rod Stewart, when Rod recorded the Sutherland Brothers "Sailing."
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STRAWBS:
In 1973, John Hawken joined the Strawbs. Soon afterward, the band began recording the Gold certified "Hero & Heroine," an album that is considered one of the cornerstone projects of the folk-progressive genre. |
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Following H&H, Strawbs recorded the masterpiece, "Ghosts," the last record by the Strawbs to feature John's keyboards as a member. Ghosts is considered by many Strawbs fans to be one of the high points in the long career of this great band which began in 1968 and continues to record today.
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Following the success of "Hero & Heroine," Strawbs toured heavily throughout Europe, the United States, Canada and Japan. Today, "Strawbs Live in Tokyo '75" hails from this period and is available on DVD. It also includes the bonus of the "Grave New World" movie made for the cinema in the UK, featuring the songs from GNW done on film years before the advent of MTV. There is also a bonus video track of the first TV appearance of Rick Wakeman playing live with the Strawbs.
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ILLUSION:
In 1977, the former members of the original Renaissance reformed and unable to use the name Renaissance, they settled on Illusion -- the title of the second Renaissance album from 1971. Illusion's "Out of the Mist" is hailed as one of the most beautiful classical rock albums ever recorded and features what many believe to be some of John's most dramatic and lyrical playing.
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In 1978, Illusion recorded their second album, the self-titled "Illusion" project which features "Madonna Blue" and other great cuts like "The Revolutionary."
Note: Both "Out of the Mist" and "Illusion" are now available on a special remastered "two-fer" CD entitled "Illusion: The Island Years."
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"Enchanted Caress" is a set of previously unreleased Illusion songs and demo recordings largely made in 1979 and also includes a rare track, "All the Falling Angels," earlier recorded by Keith Relf (along with Louis Cennamo on bass) shortly before his death in 1975. Though not pictured, John is credited on the cover. As demo recordings, the project does not have the polish of the other Illusion recordings but Jane's vocals are prevalent and include some wonderful recordings of her work.
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| "Da Capo" is a set of 25 Renaissance songs that were chosen to represent Renaissance from its formation in 1969 until 1995 when the two disc project was released. Included from John's tenure with the band are two songs from each of the first two Renaissance albums, 'Kings & Queens' and 'Island' from the 1969 album. As well as 'Love Goes On' and 'Love Is All' from the 1971 Renaissance "Illusion" album. |
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One of many Strawbs compilations that feature some of John's work with the Strawbs. |
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"Supernatural Fairy Tales: The Progressive Rock Era" is a five disc boxed set released by Rhino Records in 1996 that features many of the greatest progressive rock bands in one of the most comprehensive compilations ever set to disc, John is featured in the set as a part of both Renaissance (with "Kings & Queens" from the original 1969 album) and with Strawbs (whose "Round & Round" from Hero & Heroine is also heard here). Out of print and usually very expensive when you find a copy. A great set for those who truly love progressive symphonic rock.
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RENAISSANCE ILLUSION:
"Through the Fire" is a project recorded in 2001 under the band name of Renassance Illusion, headed by Jim McCarty and featuring John Hawken, Jane Relf, Louis Cennamo and other guests. |
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STRAWBS:
"Deja Fou" is the 2004 disc created by the classic 1974/75 line-up of the Strawbs which featured all new material, with songs like "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow," "Under a Cloudless Sky," "Russian Front" and "This Barren Land" featuring John's keyboards. Deja Fou also features Adam Wakeman, Rick Wakeman's son, on songs like "NRG." John came up with the album title as a play on words referencing both the well-known deja vu and the lesser known French word, fou, meaning something "insane or crazy." John said that getting back together again after thirty years to do a tour and a new album was indeed a deja fou! But the fans that caught the 2004 tour of the classic 1974/75 Strawbs line-up greeted the band enthusiastically and most venues were sell-outs. The tour's final date found the Strawbs headlining the 2004 NearFest (North East Art Rock Festival) at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania -- before a standing ovation audience of whom nearly half were not even born when the 1974/75 line-up were making their original tours and records.
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STRAWBS:
"Live at NEARfest 2004" is the 2005-released disc created during the 2004 tour of the classic 1974/75 line-up of the Strawbs. Many fans feel that the Live at NEARfest disc is one of the finest produced by Strawbs and it contains many powerful performances, such as a blistering version of "Autumn" and arguably the most intense version of "New World" on record. Other stand-out cuts include "Burning For Me," "Down By the Sea," and "Round and Round," among others. |
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