"90 minutes of space rock"

Space Ritual (officially known as The Space Ritual Alive in Liverpool and London) is a 1973 live double album by Hawkwind. I play this dopey album when I feel the need to space out (no pun intended). A mind-blowing and mind-expanding experience. The Space Ritual show attempted to create a complete audio-visual experience, representing themes entwining the fantasy of starfarers in suspended animation travelling through time and space with the concept of the music of the spheres. On entering the venue, audience were given a programme featuring a short sci-fi story. This all sounds pretentious, but I think it's safe to say that they succeeded in their mission. The original release featured edits and overdubs. Live recordings refer to the capture of sound or video during a live performance, where the recording is made in real-time without significant post-production editing or overdubbing. However, Hawkwind goes clear. The performance featured dancers, stage set, lightshow and poetry recitations. The use of spoken word is a balancing act. The Alphonse Mucha-inspired album cover is magnetic. The sleeve was designed by Barney Bubbles and came in 3x2 panel foldout, the outer 6 panels being colour, the inner 6 panels being monochrome, the vinyls in psychedelic patterned orange and yellow inner sleeves were folded into this. AllMusic characterized the album's style as an "unhinged meld of prog, acid rock, proto metal, science fiction, fantasy, and jazz." Loudwire called the album "a thematically linked listening experience, so immersive, so hypnotic (with or without stark naked stage dancer Stacia), that chemical assistance wasn’t even required." Personally, I think the album peak is the fourth side of the double album; from "Seven by Seven", "Sonic Attack", "Time We Left This World Today", "Master of the Universe", to, last but not least, "Welcome to the Future". With very simple means Hawkwind created pioneering space rock. This is the best 90 minutes of space rock you will ever hear. Bassist Lemmy didn't remember anything. Most likely due to his consumption of drugs, which was excessive even by Hawkwind standards. But, it wasn't the drugs playing. It was the musicians (musicnauts).