The Xenon Codex
Studio album by
Hawkwind
Released25 April 1988
RecordedFebruary and March 1988
StudioLoco Studios, Caerleon; Rockfield Studios, Monmouth
GenreSpace rock
Length43:54
LabelGWR
ProducerHawkwind, Guy Bidmead
Hawkwind chronology
Live Chronicles
(1986)		 The Xenon Codex
(1988)		 Space Bandits
(1990)

The Xenon Codex is the fifteenth studio album by the English space rock group Hawkwind, released in 1988. It spent two weeks on the UK albums chart peaking at #79.[1]

The group's line-up remained unchanged for three years. The album was recorded at Loco Studios, Caerleon and Rockfield Studios, Monmouth in February and March 1988. It was produced with Guy Bidmead, who had previously been Vic Maile's assistant.

The lyrics to "The War I Survived" and "Heads" were written by Roger Neville-Neil, who was a Hawkwind fan. "Lost Chronicles" is banded as separate track, but it forms the instrumental middle section of "Neon Skyline".

The cover is by Bob Walker, who had also illustrated the inner sleeve for The Chronicle of the Black Sword and adapted Michael Butterworth's Ledge of Darkness in graphic novel form. It is an Art Deco design derived from the hawk by Barney Bubbles on the rear cover of Astounding Sounds, Amazing Music. Initial copies came in a fold-out sleeve with a die-cut front.

The group undertook a 25 date UK tour in April to promote the album.[2] The Hammersmith Odeon show on 21 April was recorded by BBC Radio 1 for broadcast as a 60-minute in-concert programme.

After the tour, drummer Thompson left the group. He was replaced by former Dumpy's Rusty Nuts drummer Mick Kirton for some September dates, but the group felt he was unsuitable. Richard Chadwick, a veteran drummer of groups involved with English free-festival scene, then joined for an 18 date UK tour in November and December. The Nottingham Rock City show on 7 December was recorded, and part released on Undisclosed Files Addendum (1995), with these tracks being included as bonus tracks on the 2010 re-issue.

Track listing

Side One
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The War I Survived"Dave Brock, Alan Davey, Roger Neville-Neil5:23
2."Wastelands of Sleep"Kris Tait, Brock4:14
3."Neon Skyline"Davey2:19
4."Lost Chronicles"Harvey Bainbridge5:20
5."Tides"Huw Lloyd-Langton2:54
Side Two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Heads"Brock, Neville-Neil4:55
7."Mutation Zone"Bainbridge, Brock3:57
8."E.M.C."Bainbridge4:53
9."Sword of the East"Davey5:24
10."Good Evening"Hawkwind4:35
Atomhenge CD bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Ejection"Calvert4:29
12."Motorway City"Brock6:47
13."Dragons and Fables"Lloyd-Langton3:19
14."Heads"Neville-Neil, Brock3:52
15."Angels of Death"Brock5:36

Personnel

Hawkwind

Credits

Charts

Chart (1988) Peak
position
UK Albums (OCC)[3] 79

Release history

  • April 1988: Great Western Records, GWLP 26, vinyl and CD - initial vinyl copies came in a fold out cover.
  • 1989: Enigma/GWR, 7 75407–1, USA CD and vinyl
  • February 1992: Castle Communications, CLACD 281, UK CD
  • July 1999: Essential Records, ESMCD 737, UK CD digipak
  • May 2010: Atomhenge (Cherry Red) Records, ATOMCD1022, UK CD

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic [4]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Hawkwind". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
  2. ↑ Youles, Steve. "Gig and Set Lists 1988". Starfarer's hawkwind Page. self-published. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
  3. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  4. ↑ The Xenon Codex at AllMusic
  5. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
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