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Nik Turner RIP

One of the pioneers of space rock has moved into the cosmic beyond. Nik Turner, the flamboyant woodwind player who was with Hawkwind from its beginnings, died peacefully at home on November 11, 2022.

by Jon Davis, Published 2022-11-11

Nik Turner at Seaprog 2015, photo by Danette DavisNik Turner came from a family with theatrical connections, and took clarinet and saxophone lessons, though he didn’t pursue music because he thought he didn’t have the talent. He completed an engineering course and made one tour in the Merchant Navy, then spent a time traveling around Europe as a roustabout for a touring music circus, where he met Dave Brock in 1967. He also encountered free jazz musicians in Berlin, and became interested in the idea of applying their ideas in a rock context.

He joined Calvert and Brock in the first version of Hawkwind and appeared on their studio and live albums through 1976. After that time, he formed Nik Turner’s Sphynx and guested with a wide range of other artists, many of whom he knew from the Hawkwind connection.

Filed under: Obituaries

Related artist(s): Hawkwind / Hawklords, Nik Turner, Gong

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