Editing Captain Lockheed and the Starfighters

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{{Infobox album
| name       = Captain Lockheed and the Starfighters
| type       = studio
| artist     = [[Robert Calvert]]
| cover      = Captain Lockheed and the Starfighters.jpg
| alt        =
| released   = 1974
| recorded   = March 1973 – January 1974
| venue      =
| studio     = {{hlist|[[Island Studios|Island]] (London)|[[Olympic Studios|Olympic]] (London)|[[Radio Luxembourg (English)|Radio Luxembourg]]}}
| genre      = 
| length     = 42:24
| label      = [[United Artists Records|United Artists]]
| producer   = [[Roy Thomas Baker]]
| prev_title =
| prev_year  =
| next_title = [[Lucky Leif and the Longships]]
| next_year  = 1975
}}
{{Album ratings
|rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
|rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r32153|pure_url=yes}} AllMusic review]</ref>
}}<!-- Automatically generated by DASHBot-->

'''''Captain Lockheed and the Starfighters''''' is a 1974 [[satire|satirical]] [[concept album]] by [[Robert Calvert]], the former frontman of British space-rock band [[Hawkwind]]. The album contains a mixture of songs and comic spoken interludes with an overall concept based on the German Air Ministry's purchase of the [[Lockheed F-104G Starfighter]], which was eventually nicknamed ''Widowmaker'' by Luftwaffe pilots. In [[Lockheed F-104G Starfighter#German service|German service]] these planes had a poor safety record, with 262 out of 916 Luftwaffe Starfighters lost in accidents during the aircraft's time in service from the early 1960s until the mid-1980s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vectorsite.net/avf104_2.html |title=[2.0&#93; F-104 In Foreign Service (1) |website=Vectorsite.net |access-date=2012-02-09 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324091044/http://www.vectorsite.net/avf104_2.html |archive-date=2012-03-24 }}</ref>

Musicians who appeared on the album include members of [[Hawkwind]], [[The Pink Fairies]], [[Brian Eno]] (although not credited as Eno), [[Arthur Brown (musician)|Arthur Brown]] and Adrian Wagner. The spoken sketches are primarily performed by Calvert, [[Viv Stanshall]] and [[Jim Capaldi]].

"Ejection" (coupled with "Catch a Falling Starfighter") was released as a single, although both songs are slightly different versions to those on the album. "The Widow's Song" was included in the libretto and Calvert had hoped to record it with [[Nico]] singing. It wasn't recorded at the time but it was eventually recorded in 1984 with Calvert's wife Jill Riches on lead vocals and included on the ''[[Hawkwind, Friends and Relations]]'' Vol.3 compilation.

The album was re-released in the late 1990s by BGO Records and later became available on Eclectic Records (ECLCD1056) with bonus tracks.

== Track listing ==
All songs by [[Robert Calvert]] except where stated.

# "[[Franz Josef Strauss]], Defence Minister, Reviews The Luftwaffe in 1958. Finding It Somewhat Lacking in Image Potential" – 1:40
# "The Aerospaceage Inferno" – 4:35
# "Aircraft Salesman (A Door in the Foot)" – 1:41
# "The Widow Maker" ([[Dave Brock]], Calvert) – 2:42
# "Two Test Pilots Discuss the Starfighter's Performance" – 0:41
# "The Right Stuff" – 4:23
# "Board meeting (Seen Through a Contract Lense)" – 0:58
# "The Song of the Gremlin (Part One)" ([[Arthur Brown (musician)|Arthur Brown]], Calvert, Adrian Wagner) – 3:21
# "Ground Crew (Last Minute Reassembly Before Take Off)" – 3:17
# "Hero with a Wing" – 3:20
# "Ground Control to Pilot" – 0:52
# "Ejection" – 3:35
# "Interview" – 3:55
# "I Resign" – 0:27
# "The Song of the Gremlin (Part Two)" (Arthur Brown, Calvert, Adrian Wagner) – 3:10
# "Bier Garten" – 0:38
# "Catch a Falling Starfighter" – 2:54

=== Bonus tracks ===
# "The Right Stuff" (extended version) – 8.07
# "Ejection" (single version) – 3.47
# "Catch A Falling Starfighter" (single version) – 3.00

[[Hawkwind]] has incorporated some of the songs in their live set through the years including "The Right Stuff", "Ejection", "The Widow Maker" and "The Song of the Gremlin" and they have also been recorded and included on several of their live albums and compilations.

[[Monster Magnet]] did covers of "The Right Stuff" on their 2004 album, ''[[Monolithic Baby!]]'' and "Ejection" on their 2018 album ''[[Mindfucker (album)|Mindfucker]]''.

== Personnel ==
=== Musicians ===
* [[Robert Calvert]] - [[singing|vocals]]
* [[Arthur Brown (musician)|Arthur Brown]] - vocals on "The Song of the Gremlin (Parts 1 and 2)"
* [[Paul Rudolph (musician)|Paul Rudolph]] - lead  and rhythm [[guitar]] (all), [[bass guitar]] on "The Song of the Gremlin (Parts 1 and 2)", "Hero with a Wing"
* [[Dave Brock]] - lead guitar on "The Widow Maker"
* [[Lemmy]] - bass guitar
* [[Nik Turner]] - [[saxophone]]
* [[Brian Eno]] (as Brian Peter George St John La Baptiste De La Salle) - [[Synthesizer]] and electronic effects
* [[Del Dettmar]] - synthesizer
* Adrian Wagner - [[keyboard instrument|keyboards]] on "The Song of the Gremlin (Parts 1 and 2)"
* [[Simon King (musician)|Simon King]] - [[drum kit|drums]]
* [[Twink (musician)|Twink Alder]] - [[drum kit|Funeral drum]] on "Catch a Falling Starfighter"
* The Ladbroke Grove Hermaphroditic Voice Ensemble - [[backing vocalist|backing vocals]]

=== Actors ===
* [[Vivian Stanshall]] - most leads (e.g. Ground Control, Bright Mechanic)
* [[Jim Capaldi]] - American Salesman, Recruiting Officer, Dim Mechanic
* [[Robert Calvert]] - Pilot
* Tom Mittledorf
* Richard Elen (mis-credited as "Richard Ealing")

=== Recording ===
* Technicians: [[Phill Brown]], Frank Owen, Rufus Cartwright, Anton Matthews, Phil Chapman
* Producer: [[Roy Thomas Baker]]
* Studios: [[Island Studios|Island]], [[Olympic Studios|Olympic]], [[Radio Luxembourg (English)|Radio Luxembourg]] (dialogue) between March 1973 and January 1974
* Mixing: [[Trident Studios]]

=== Sleeve ===
* Concept: Bob Calvert
* Art Directions: [[Pierre Tubbs]]
* Illustrator: Stanislaw Ferdandes

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.headheritage.co.uk/unsung/thebookofseth/74 www.headheritage.co.uk]: The Book of Seth review

{{Robert Calvert}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1974 albums]]
[[Category:1970s concept albums]]
[[Category:Robert Calvert albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Roy Thomas Baker]]
[[Category:United Artists Records albums]]
[[Category:albums recorded at Olympic Sound Studios]]