Hawkwind – Quark, Strangeness And Charm(1977)

Biography
Hawkwind are an English rock band and one of the earliest space rock groups. Their lyrics favour urban and science fiction themes. Formed in November 1969, Hawkwind have gone through many incarnations and they have incorporated different styles into their music, including hard rock, progressive rock and psychedelic rock. They are also regarded as an influential proto-punk band. Dozens of musicians, dancers and writers have worked with the band since their inception. Notable musicians to have performed in the band include Lemmy, Ginger Baker and Huw Lloyd-Langton, but the band are most closely associated with their founder, the singer, songwriter and guitarist Dave Brock, who remains the only original member. They are best known for the song “Silver Machine”, which became a number three UK hit single in 1972, but they scored further hit singles with “Urban Guerrilla” (another Top 40 hit) and “Shot Down in the Night.” Twenty-two of their albums charted in the UK from 1971 to 1993. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawkwind

Album & Cover
Quark, Strangeness and Charm is the seventh studio album by the English space rock group Hawkwind, released in 1977. It spent 6 weeks on the UK albums chart peaking at #30. This is Hawkwind’s seventh studio album, hence “The Hawkwind Part 7” title on the inner sleeve. It is the band’s first album without co-founding member Nik Turner, and drummer Alan Powell had also departed. In addition, Adrian “Ade” Shaw from Magic Muscle replaced Paul Rudolph during the recording session. Robert Calvert starts to dominate proceedings with his science fiction-inspired lyrics, whereas the music is lighter and more commercial than with their previous offerings. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quark,_Strangeness_and_Charm

The cover design is explained by Richard Manning: The print of the thing in the foreground with a dial was a separate print I cut out with a scalpel and feathered and greyed the edge. This was mounted in position with Columbia Cement. I drew in some luminous green looking bits with a Sable brush above the console, then holding loose straight edged masks, I airbrushed the red lines with Windsor and Newton Flame Red Gouache to meet at the green bits, I then drew in the orangey core to the red with a fine Sable brush. The white glow I airbrushed round the green bits with Windsor and Newton Permanent White. The orange and blue ‘Quarks’ on and around the console I airbrushed in white to kill the print and then airbrushed the colour over the white. http://www.richardmanning.co.uk/hipgnosis-album-cover-art/hawkwind-quark-strangeness-and-charm–1977/27

Cover Location: Battersea Power Station(Front Cover)
Who Did What: Graphics – G. Halpin. Photography: C. Christopherson.
Label: Sire SRK 6047(US), Charisma CDS 4008(UK)
Source: Vinyl. Album. Cover. Art, The Complete Hipgnosis Catalogue: Aubrey Powell

Credits
Bass, Vocals – Adrian Shaw
Drums, Percussion – Simon King
Engineer – Dave Charles
Guitar, Synthesizer, Vocals – Dave Brock
Keyboards, Violin, Percussion [Anvil], Vocals – Simon House
Producer – Hawkwind
Voice, Percussion – Robert Calvert