On a silent Sunday afternoon, fourteen years ago, I was waiting for a bus on Kings Avenue, Brixton, South London. In the bus shelter, a shaking man with a Special Brew can met my eye. I’ve always been someone strangers feel entitled to talk to, but few of my long conversations with racist pensioners in city centre pubs and drug addicts at bus stops lead to lasting friendships, though I’ve siphoned some off into stories. The man at the Brixton bus stop saw I had a plastic bag full of vinyl records and asked me if I liked Hawkwind. I did like Hawkwind, a bit. Throughout my teens and twenties, knowing a little about the invincible British acid-rock collective helped me through many unsolicited encounters with similar characters. For a generation of would-be cyborg-biker-warlocks, Hawkwind wasn’t just a band. It had offered, like the Grateful Dead, a lifestyle. And by the late 80’s, many of the once young men who had followed the psychedelic warlords enthusiastically through the 70’s were reaching that age where the effects of one trip too many were all too evident. From the mid-80’s to the mid-90’s, it seemed that all the glazed-eyed men that proffered me their life-stories owed their current woes to early 70’s hippy culture generally, and Hawkwind in particular.
In Cornwall in 1984, and man who claimed to be a part-time antiques dealer nobbled me at a train station, eulogised the hippy activist Wally Hammond, explained how he had met Merlin in a dream at a Stonehenge free festival, and told me his philosophy; “it makes no difference who you love, so long as you love.” In 1991, I sat opposite a man on a Central Line London tube station, who reminded me of him, but he didn’t recognise me. From Notting Hill and North Acton he told a young woman next to him his unrequested tale, of Wally Hammond and Merlin and his philosophy of love, hundreds of miles East, and seven years older, but word for word the same. And outside a rural riverside pub in Oxforshire in 1987, not far from a temporary traveller encampment, a snooker game gone sour led to a knife held at my throat, until I agreed, rather controversially, that Hawkwind’s sometime frontman and lyricist, the late Robert Calvert, had been more important to the group than its long-term leader Dave Brock. Nowadays I am a part-time music critic for newspapers and magazines, but I have never since felt so certain about the value of a previoulsy overlooked talent.
The man at the Brixton bus-stop had his Hawkwind story too. He’d been homeless, he explained, since the early 70’s, when he had lived in a flat in Notting Hill with Lemmy, now of Motorhead, but then the guitarist with Hawkwind. One night when Lemmy was absent, he may, he admitted, have dropped a smouldering joint, starting a fire. When Lemmy returned to the smoking wreck of his home, the man was given his marching orders, and he had been homeless ever since. Naturally this fascinating story couldn’t fail to liberate me of the remainder of my small change, and it became one of my arsenal of interesting anecdotes. But was it true? Probably not. And in a way, it didn’t matter. It was a good story, and the idea of a Hawkwind flat burning down as a result of an abandoned joint had, I suppose, a pleasing metaphorical flavour. Cultural commentators will tell you the 60’s ended with the murder of an audience member by Hells Angels security guards at The Rolling Stones’ Altamont show, or at the time of the Manson Murders. For me it was when Lemmy’s flat burned down. The story served a little purpose. The worst thing that could happen would be if were almost confirmed.
.
Two years later I went to meet a friend on the Portobello road. She had just bought a long-derilect flat there and was doing it up herself. We went to her local newsagents. “Is it you that’s taken on that flat at the end of the road?”, said the man behind the counter. “Lemmy from Motorhead used to live there, but it caught fire years ago.”
Stewart Lee is currently appearing in What Would Judas Do at The Bush Theatre, Shepherd’s Bush London, in a double-bill with Mark Ravenhill’s Product. His latest stand-up DVD, 90’s Comedian, is only available at www.gofasterstripe.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter