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HUW LLOYD-LANGTON
BIOGRAPHY – OVER 40 YEARS OF HISTORY
DECEMBER 2011
Self taught - self styled guitarist, songwriter, artist and guitar teacher, Huw is recognised as one of the UK's finest guitarists. He reads and writes both rock and classical music. Huw is renowned as an original member of Hawkwind and as such, he has been in and out of the band ever since. Born in Harlesden, North London, Huw started playing guitar at school. His first professional gig was in Germany with WINSTON G, a very popular band in Europe. He toured with them continuously for 6 months. The bass player was Pete Becket from PLAYER and LITTLE FEET.
After this jaunt Huw returned to UK and joined HAWKWIND with Dave Brock, Jon Harrison, Nik Turner, Terry Ollis & Dik Mik. He remained with them for next 2 years recording their first 2 LPs, which sell regularly to this day. He left them after an illness in late 1971, and although he occasionally joined them he did not return full time until 1979 when their LP 'LIVE 79’ went straight in the top 10 UK charts. In fact everything they did between 1979 and 1985 was either in the pop, heavy metal or independent charts.
Between 1971 and 1979 Huw did a variety of gigs which included a 2-year acoustic (7 days a week) slog in a vegetarian London restaurant called PASTURES. Here John Butler DEISAL PARK WEST'S singer joined him for 6 months making a duet. Later in 70s John joined Huw in Widowmaker replacing Steve Ellis. Eddy Klima joined him making another duet at Pastures which lasted a further year. He also taught guitar at Dunraven School in Streatham for a year between bands and numerous sessions, one included writing the music for a cartoon, narrated by Viv Stanshall of the BONZO DOG DOO DA BAND. Another session was 6 months with LEO SAYER touring UK & Europe.
Several band situations came up where he worked with John Lingwood MANFRED MANN'S long standing drummer. SALT was another one with John and top Austrian artist Bobby Hammer. Huw formed AMON DIN with Dave Anderson AMON DULS bass player. Later came GALLERY with Rob Rawlinson on Bass from Ian Hunter’s OVERNIGHT ANGELS. He formed MAGILL with Pete Scott from SAVOY BROWN. Huw toured former Yugoslavia with ALEXANDER JOHN (also known as Sasha Mezek) who to this day is the country’s most loved top solo artist. He also joined PRETTY THINGS on one European tour early 90s. Another excellent band he was with was the Trinidadian Band BATTI MAMSELLE, the music had a strong Latin American influence and the lead singer was none other than LONDON BEAT’s Jimmy Chambers. They had a guest spot in ALAN PRICE'S film ‘Alfie Darling’.
He spent 3 1/2 years (from 1975 – 1978) with supergroup WIDOMAKER touring the USA and recording 2 LPs, both of which charted there. This line-up included Steve Ellis - LOVE AFFAIR, Aerial Bender-MOTT THE HOOPLE, Bob Daisley-RAINBOW, Paul Nicholls-LINDISFARNE and John Butler (again)! In l979 he rejoined HAWKWIND where he remained for the next IO years. During this period he also had his own column in GUITARIST magazine for 6 months titled 'Langton's Leadlines’. He toured Italy in'93 with DR BROWN they had 2 independent hits there.
Throughout the whole of the 80s & 90s Huw toured regularly in UK with his own rock band LLOYD LANGTON GROUP (LLG) and played many solo acoustic gigs.
From 1982 for 5 years Huw taught guitar at the Kilburn Community Centre in London.
Apart from his work with Hawkwind & LLG he appears with Michael Moorcock on DODGEM DOOD, then the late but much loved Bob Calvert and also with Nick Potter (from Van De Graaff Generator)on MOUNTAIN MUSIC.
Spring’95 he toured Sweden with Ray Majors MOTT THE HOOPLES last guitarist. They played individual solo acoustic sets and a joint blues set. Between 95 to 97, Huw formed a Swedish version of LLG and toured there twice recording an album there ‘On The Move’ released by Angel Music Records.
August'97 Huw’s wife Marion was working with Shelter to help promote aid for the Homeless in UK. Marion did a ten day 200 mile Thames walk with Huw steering the boat up the Thames. He played solo acoustic sets every night at Inns where they stopped. He call it Huw’s Rock The Boat Tour. They reached the Thames barrier and Huw then joined Hawkwind as a special guest at Blackheath Concert Halls raising over £8,000 for Shelter’s work with the Homeless. Fans came from all over UK for this rare treat.
Autumn of 2000 Huw rejoined Hawkwind for ‘Hawkestra Re-Union’ gig at Brixton Academy. This sell-out show featured 21 past members, including Lemmy. However, the main nucleus on stage throughout was Dave Brock, Alan Davey, Richard Chadwick and Huw Lloyd-Langton.
Huw officially rejoined Hawkwind in 2001. They played their first major Tour in the UK since 1977 playing 18-dates nation-wide in November 2001. They kicked-off at London’s Royal Festival Hall on 10th October. However, Huw contracted ‘Legionnaires Disease’ on this tour and was hospitalised. This left him extremely fragile. Hawkwind toured UK again December 2002 but Huw was unable to complete last two dates and suffered ill health on and off for the next few years. He was featured April 07 on BBC’s documentary “The History of Hawkwind”.
Gradually Huw regained full health and he started recording a new LLG album ‘Hard Graft’ in 2009 . But ill health hit him again September 2009. Following food-poisoning he went down with septicaemia and total renal failure. However yet again Huw came back fighting and the delayed ‘Hard graft’ album was released earlier this year. This album has received rave reviews in UK and on the net. Huw continues his association with Hawkwind performing solo acoustic sets at their annual HAWKFESTS and selected London shows. LLG headlined the Sunday night at their last Hawkfest August 2010 .
Earlier in the year Huw and LLG supported Hawkwind at the Leamington Spa all dayer – 5th May 2010 receiving rave reviews. A double live DVD with Huw’s solo acoustic set and LLG’s set was recorded there and will be released shortly.
Huw & LLG headlined at Hawkfest on the Sunday night on Isle of Wight , August 29th 2010.
Huw and LLG performed a charity concert for in Aid of Cancer November 2010 in Gravesend and a limited edition of a double live CD was released. Huw and Marion have worked for several year with the Killing Cancer Charity and their last project is heavily featured on Huw’s website under it’s own section.
Huw performed two solo acoustic sets on 15th of May 2011 at Hawkwind’s Leamington Spa show and 16th May 2011 at The Brook Southampton.
Apart from the many Hawkwind albums Huw is featured on, over the years Huw has released 10 solo LLG albums. In 80s ‘Night Air’ and ‘Outside The Law albums were both in top ten heavy metal charts as well as two single from the albums. Night Air was re-released by Cherry Red Records 2010. A new solo acoustic album ‘Classical Tales’ was released by Cleopatra Records 2011 showing another side to Huw’s guitar wizardry.
Huw also recorded a guitar track on GURU GURU’s new album (June 2011) for Cleopatra Records.
Huw opened Hawkwind’s show with his solo acoustic set, Falmouth 12th August 2011.
17th August to 3rd September 2011 Huw toured across USA on Nektar Tour with Brainticket on support. Huw opened the 13 shows with his acoustic set. More on this tour under news & reviews section.
December 2011 Huw finished recording a solo (mainly acoustic) Blues album for Cleopatra Records due out Spring 2012.
December 7-10th 2011 Huw & LLG played support dates on the HAWKWIND Xmas dates in Sheffield, Birmingham, Manchester and London. Huw was joined by Gonzalo Carrera on keyboards, Sam Wilkinson on drums and Saun Longueira on bass.
Cleopatra are to release a new album in February 2012 ‘PSYCHEDELIC DUBSTEP: by the band : SPACE TEMPLE. Produced by: Jurgen Engler (die krupps) . The album Features: Huw Lloyd-Langton, Wayne Krammer (MC5), Roy Albrington (NEKTAR), Hellios Creed (CHROME), Edgar Froese (TANGERINE DREAM), Joel Vandroogrenbroek (BRAINTICKET) & Steve Hillage (GONG)
