Simon King (musician)

Simon King (born Oxford, 12 August 1950) is an English drummer most noted for his work with Hawkwind. He was described in 1985 by British rock magazine 'Sounds' as (the) 'definitive rock drummer.'

His career commenced as a teenager in the late 1960s in the Oxfordshire-based psychedelic group Opal Butterfly who produced two singles as well as contributing to the soundtrack to the film Groupie Girl, in which King had a cameo role.

At their demise, Opal Butterfly's frontman had been Lemmy who went on to join Hawkwind. Hawkwind were having problems with their drummer Terry Ollis so King was invited by Lemmy to play alongside Ollis, but after a couple of gigs Ollis left and his place was permanently taken up by King. His first gig as sole drummer was the Greasy Truckers Party at the Roundhouse on 13 February 1972 which was recorded and released on two Various Artists compilation albums and as the hit single Silver Machine, earning King an appearance on Top of the Pops.

King remained with Hawkwind until the 1978 Hawklords album, passing his drum duties onto Martin Griffin for personal reasons. During this time he teamed up with Huw Lloyd-Langton and Nic Potter to form a three piece named Jawa, and it is this band that recorded the Steve Swindells album Fresh Blood.

He briefly returned to Hawkwind for their Winter 1979 tour, but quit again during the recording sessions for the Levitation album. He auditioned one final time for the 1982 Choose Your Masques tour, but being rejected he chose to sell his drum kit and leave the music business.

According to Hawkwind guitarist Dave Brock, in a 1984 taped interview for Tim Gadd's radio show 'Zooks', King left the band after 1979 because of drug problems.

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