By Dan Thompson
Musician Nik Turner, who had the idea to form the band Hawkwind while he was living in Margate, has died aged 82.
Turner was born in 1940, and his family moved to Margate 13 years later.
Turner had the idea for the band that would become Hawkwind while working at Dreamland with Robert Calvert, a member of a local Mod band Oliver Twist and the Lower Third.
Turner, a former Chatham House student, trained in engineering at the University of Kent, and left Margate for one voyage with the Merchant Navy. He then travelled around Europe picking up menial jobs, and while with a travelling music circus in 1967, he became friends with Dave Brock.
Hawkwind finally came together in 1969.
Dave Brock, Mick Slattery and bassist John Harrison were joined by drummer Terry Ollis, Nik Turner on saxophone, and Michael “Dik Mik” Davies. Calvert joined them some three years later.
Hawkwind mixed hard psychedelic rock with science fiction themes. They had considerable success on the emerging festival circuit, and a hit single Silver Machine in 1972. Turner was asked to leave the band in 1976, but rejoined from 1982 to 1984.
He formed the band Sphynx after recording hours of flute music inside the Great Pyramid of Giza, and then the band Inner City Unit. In 1987, he founded Nik Turner’s Fantastic All Stars, a saxophone and Hammond organ driven jazz and rhythm and blues band. He also guested with the Stranglers, Psychic TV, Sham 69 and others.
In 2001, he formed Hawkestra for a gig in London, and then toured as xhawkwind.com. Other musicians using the Hawkwind name at the time took legal action to prohibit Turner from trading under the name Hawkwind, a case which Turner lost.
He continued to play, guesting with many bands, including Dark Sun and Space Mirrors, and with his own band Space Ritual.
In recent years, Turner could also be found busking in Cardiff city centre. He died at his home on 10th November.
