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Centigrade 232
"232 is the temperature at which writing paper burns rather than book paper. It's meant to signify the writer destroying his rough drafts." - R.C.
Despite the fact that most people view Robert Calvert as a rock musician, Robert actually viewed himself as a poet and a writer. It is of course easy to see where the confusion arises as Robert was for many years a member of British rock band Hawkwind. Robert recorded numerous albums with the band between the years 1971 and 1978 including important releases such as Space Ritual and Quark, Strangeness and Charm.
Originally published in 1977, Centigrade 232 is seen amongst the Robert Calvert fans as being an important publication gathering together as it did some of Robert Calvert’s best work up to this point including Centigrade 232, Beach Combing, First Landing On Medusa and Fly On The Screen.
In 1986 Robert Calvert recited Centigrade 232 and sold the tape through his mailing list. These cassette tapes are like the book - now incredibly rare and treasured collectible items in part due to their rarity. Original copies of the book and cassette now change hands for inflated sums on the traders and collectors markets.
This Voiceprint limited edition is a reprint of Centigrade 232. The book was issued as a limited edition package which included a CD of the original Robert Calvert recording of Centigrade 232.
This edition was limited to just 500 copies with each copy being individually numbered.
Despite the fact that most people view Robert Calvert as a rock musician, Robert actually viewed himself as a poet and a writer. It is of course easy to see where the confusion arises as Robert was for many years a member of British rock band Hawkwind. Robert recorded numerous albums with the band between the years 1971 and 1978 including important releases such as Space Ritual and Quark, Strangeness and Charm.
Originally published in 1977, Centigrade 232 is seen amongst the Robert Calvert fans as being an important publication gathering together as it did some of Robert Calvert’s best work up to this point including Centigrade 232, Beach Combing, First Landing On Medusa and Fly On The Screen.
In 1986 Robert Calvert recited Centigrade 232 and sold the tape through his mailing list. These cassette tapes are like the book - now incredibly rare and treasured collectible items in part due to their rarity. Original copies of the book and cassette now change hands for inflated sums on the traders and collectors markets.
This Voiceprint limited edition is a reprint of Centigrade 232. The book was issued as a limited edition package which included a CD of the original Robert Calvert recording of Centigrade 232.
This edition was limited to just 500 copies with each copy being individually numbered.
- GenresPoetry
26 pages, Book and CD
First published January 1, 1977
12 people want to read
About the author
Robert Calvert
42 books7 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Robert Calvert (9 March 1945, Pretoria, South Africa - 14 August 1988) was a writer, poet, and performer.
Calvert moved to England when he was two years of age and attended school in London and Margate. He began his career by writing poetry and in 1967 formed a Street Theatre group Street Dada Nihilismus.
He was best known as the lead singer, poet and frontman of Hawkwind intermittently from 1972-1979 during which time he co-wrote their hit single "Silver Machine" and directed their Space Ritual Tour.
Calvert suffered from bipolar disorder, at one point being sectioned under the Mental Health Act.
During periods away from Hawkwind duties, and after finally leaving the group in 1979, Calvert worked on his solo career, his creative output including albums, stage plays, poetry, and a novel. His first solo album, Captain Lockheed and the Starfighters, attained mainstream success.
His other musical collaborators include Michael Moorcock, Brian Eno, Arthur Brown, Jim Capaldi, Steve Pond, Inner City Unit, Vivian Stanshall, Nektar, John Greves, Adrian Wagner, Amon Düül II, and Spirits Burning (posthumously).
Calvert died of a heart attack in 1988 in Ramsgate, England.
Robert Calvert (9 March 1945, Pretoria, South Africa - 14 August 1988) was a writer, poet, and performer.
Calvert moved to England when he was two years of age and attended school in London and Margate. He began his career by writing poetry and in 1967 formed a Street Theatre group Street Dada Nihilismus.
He was best known as the lead singer, poet and frontman of Hawkwind intermittently from 1972-1979 during which time he co-wrote their hit single "Silver Machine" and directed their Space Ritual Tour.
Calvert suffered from bipolar disorder, at one point being sectioned under the Mental Health Act.
During periods away from Hawkwind duties, and after finally leaving the group in 1979, Calvert worked on his solo career, his creative output including albums, stage plays, poetry, and a novel. His first solo album, Captain Lockheed and the Starfighters, attained mainstream success.
His other musical collaborators include Michael Moorcock, Brian Eno, Arthur Brown, Jim Capaldi, Steve Pond, Inner City Unit, Vivian Stanshall, Nektar, John Greves, Adrian Wagner, Amon Düül II, and Spirits Burning (posthumously).
Calvert died of a heart attack in 1988 in Ramsgate, England.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
May 16, 2019
The only rock lyricist who, to my knowledge, was also a credible poet. This collection is an absolute must-read. It includes the charming 'Swing' and the evocative 'Circle Line.' The horrendous misogyny that so disfigured his only novel, 'Hype', is, thankfully, either absent or so close to absent that I didn't spot it. If he'd not passed away so terribly young, I think this gives us a better idea of where Calvert's creativity would have led him than does his work with Hawkwind, 'Captain Lockheed' etc. Though quite a few of the pieces, slightly or more-than-slightly adapted, wound up as Hawkwind or 'Lockheed' lyrics, you do not need to be a Hawkwind fan to appreciate this - In fact, some of the stuff is more likely to appeal to fans of, say, Robert Wyatt, Ivor Cutler or Billy Bragg.
Displaying 1 of 1 review