Robert Calvert

Robert Calvert (1945–1988) was a poet, singer, and songwriter, best known for his stints in the English space-rock band Hawkwind. He first joined as their performance poet on the 1972/73 releases “Silver Machine,” Doremi Fasol Latido, and Space Ritual. As a solo artist, he issued the 1974/75 UA albums Captain Lockheed and the Starfighters and Lucky Leif and the Longships.

Calvert rejoined Hawkwind and served as their frontman on the 1976–78 recordings Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music, Quark Strangeness and Charm, 25 Years On (released as Hawklords), and PXR5. After his final exit, he made the 1981 solo album Hype with backing by Bethnal. He embraced electronic music on the 1985/86 albums Freq and Test-Tube Conceived.

He was born Robert Newton Calvert on March 9, 1945, in Pretoria, South Africa. At age two, his family moved to England, where he aspired to be a fighter pilot. He attended college in Canterbury and served as corporal in the Air Training Corps, where he played trumpet in the 438 Squadron band. After his discharge, he immersed himself in London’s hippie scene and took up poetry. In 1967, he formed the street theatre group Street Dada Nihilismus.

Discography:

• Captain Lockheed and the Starfighters (1974)
  
• Lucky Leif and the Longships (1975)
  
• Hype: Songs of Tom Mahler (1981)
  
• Freq (1985)
  
• Test-Tube Conceived (1986)

Sources:

• Discogs: Robert Calvert