By mid-1989, the group's line-up had changed once again. GuitaristDave Brock, keyboardistHarvey Bainbridge, and bassistAlan Davey remained. Drummer Richard Chadwick had just established himself, while lead guitaristHuw Lloyd-Langton had left, his position occasionally being filled by former keyboardistSimon House providing lead lines on violin. In addition, singerBridget Wishart had started to perform with the group. This new line-up recorded a 60-minute live performance at Lenton Lane television studios, Nottingham on 25 January 1990 for broadcast on theITV late-night seriesBedrock, later released as the videoLive Legends.
The group enteredRockfield Studios in April through to June to record this album, produced with Paul Cobbold. "Black Elk Speaks" features a sample ofJohn Neihardt reading from his bookBlack Elk Speaks, the testimony ofBlack Elk as given to Neihardt. The cover is byJoe Petagno, who had done some publicity artwork for Hawkwind'sWarrior on the Edge of Time album, from which he had befriended the then group's bassist Lemmy, and gone on to do most ofMotörhead's cover work.[5] The album was released on Motörhead manager Douglas Smith'sGWR label.
The group undertook a 25 date UK tour in October and November to promote the album, although House had left the group by then.[6] This was followed by 18 North America dates in December, the Oakland Omni Theatre show on 16 December being recorded and released asCalifornia Brainstorm.
Still supporting Space Bandits, 1991 commenced with perhaps the most surprising Hawkwind tour in the band’s history, without Dave Brock. Brock’s temporary replacement was former Smart Pils guitarist Steve Bemand (who had played with Chadwick and Wishart in the Demented Stoats). The tour began in Amsterdam on 12 March and took in Germany, Greece, Italy and France before wrapping up in Belgium on 10 April after 24 dates.[7]
