Dave Brock
As Hawkwind's eternal captain, he fused psychedelic rock with science fiction, creating a chaotic, enduring soundtrack for counterculture voyages.
Born 1941 (age 85)·English musician·Birthday: August 20·The Silent Generation
Biography
Dave Brock is the unwavering nucleus of Hawkwind, a band that has always been more a traveling commune of ideas than a traditional rock group. A former street busker, he co-founded the band in 1969, aiming to marry driving, improvised music with spoken word and cosmic imagery. While members famously cycled in and out—including Lemmy Kilmister for a time—Brock remained, steering the ship through punk, electronic experimentation, and countless festivals. His role was that of aural architect, layering searing guitar with synthesizers and tape loops to create their signature 'space rock' sound. More than just a musician, Brock fostered a collective, DIY ethos, often handling management and album art. For over fifty years, he has kept the mothership aloft, a steadfast pilot for generations of fans seeking a sonic escape from gravity.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Dave was born in 1941, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dave Was Born
The biggest hits of 1941
#1 Movie
Sergeant York
Best Picture
How Green Was My Valley
Dave's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1941Born
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1946Started school
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1954Became a teenager
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1957Could drive
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1959Could vote
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Turned 21
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1971Turned 30
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 40
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 50
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 60
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 70
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 80
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 85 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Founded and has been the sole constant member of the pioneering space rock group Hawkwind since 1969.
- Co-wrote and performed on the hit single 'Silver Machine', which reached No. 3 on the UK charts in 1972.
- Received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Progressive Music Awards in 2013.
- Has released over 30 studio albums with Hawkwind, maintaining a prolific and consistent creative output.
Did You Know?
He was a street musician and played in a blues band called 'The Famous Cure' before Hawkwind.
He is a skilled visual artist and has designed many of Hawkwind's album covers and logos.
He is a passionate advocate for environmental causes and organic farming.
In the early days, he and Hawkwind lived communally in a large house in Ladbroke Grove, London.
“The riff is a road, and we just drive it into the sun.”
