Album review: NIK TURNER – Space Fusion Odyssey

Nik Turner - Space Fusion Odyssey

Cleopatra Records [Release date 30.10.15]

Nik Turner’s biography ‘The Spirit Of Hawkwind 1969-1976′ has just been published and chronicles the earlier sorties of this enduring space cadet.  If you thought Nik Turner in Hawkwind parped away in search of a tune rather than space you were wrong.  In recent years he has emerged as a formidable free jazzer and assembling around him a coterie of jazz rock royalty.

Space Fusion Odyssey is his latest outing and he has enlisted such luminaries as Billy Cobham, John Etheridge and Steve Hillage.  To be honest, Turner’s flute and sax is the icing on a cake that yields some tasty jazz rock/funk punctuated throughout by Juergen Engler’s spacey moog sounds evoking Del or Dik from the glory days.

From the funky opener ‘Adjust The Future’ which resounds to Robert Pagliari’s pneumatic bass lines, via the infectuous ‘Spiritual Machines’ and Amon Duul II founder John Weinzierl’s psychedelic guitar figures and the formidable ‘Pulsar’ which teams Cobham and Etheridge, this is a great listen.  ‘Interstellar Clouds’ reminded me of a more spaced-out “Rock Candy Funk Party’, Joe Bonamassa’s jazz funk side project.

‘A Beautiful Vision Of Science Forgotten’ is perhaps the most instantly accessible and is a wonderful funky Steve Hillage workout that recalls his own best solo work and that of Gong (represented here also by Gilli Smyth on ‘We Came In Peace’).  A bonus track features Rick Wakeman and Mahavishnu icon Jerry Goodman.

Probably best on large headphones (do we still use such things?) and under the cover of darkness with a smell of patchouli oil in the air to feed the battered soul.  A perfect antidote to more troubled times.  ****

Review by David Randall

David Randall presents ‘Assume The Position’ on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio every Sunday at 22:00 GMT.


Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Josh Taerk Sunday Sessions 2024

Latest session: Sunday 25 February
Next session: Sunday 14 April

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio



David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 25 February 2024.


UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 27 February 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com


Power Plays w/c 4 March 2024

COLLATERAL Glass Sky (Big Shot Records)
THE ZUTONS Pauline (ICEPOP)
THE GEORGIA THUNDERBOLTS Rise Above It All (Mascot)
MATT PEARCE & THE MUTINY From Here To The Moon (indie)
THE BLACK VULTURES Never Say (indie)

Featured Albums w/c 4 March 2024

09:00-12:00 LEE AARON Tattoo Me (Metalville)
12:00-13:00 THE END MACHINE The Quantum Phase (Frontiers)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023


To see our Tweets you need to be logged in to a Twitter account



Popular (last 10 days)


This entry was posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply