“Some of the police were dealing dope! They’re knocking at the door and we stop rolling joints, but the promoter says, ‘They have marijuana for us!’” When America fell in love with an eccentric British prog band

Hawkwind in 1974.

After the success of their Space Ritual tour, Hawkwind were keen to explore new possibilities for their music. The result was the eclectic and much-loved Hall Of The Mountain Grill, now released as a nine-disc box set including three live shows from 1974. Prog looks back on the making of a classic.

At the start of 1974 Hawkwind were very much a band on the up. They’d just completed their first North American tour, with thousands of fans attending every show, and on returning home had immediately embarked on The Ridiculous Roadshow, playing to sold-out concert halls around the UK.