Assault and Battery by Hawkwind: studio, gear and credits

Assault and Battery by Hawkwind: recorded at Rockfield Studios, Monmouthshire, Wales (Coach House Studio) (Documented studio per MusicBrainz: Eventim Apollo), produced by Hawkwind, engineered by Dave Charles. See the credits and gear, then recreate the sound in your DAW.

Details

Song: Assault and Battery
Artist: Hawkwind
Genre / Style: Space Rock / Psychedelic Rock / Hard Rock
Date(s) Recorded: January–February 1975
Original Record Company & Catalog #: United Artists Records – UAG 29766
Release Date: May 9, 1975
YouTube Search: Listen on YouTube

Personnel and session credits

Producer(s): Hawkwind
Chief Recording Engineer(s): Dave Charles
Mixing Engineer(s): Phil Chapman, Steve Owen
Musicians & Session Performers:

Dave Brock - Lead Vocals, 6-String Electric Rhythm Guitar, EMS Synthi AKS
Lemmy (Ian Kilmister) - 4-String Bass Guitar
Simon House - Mellotron M400, EMS VCS3 Synthesizer, Minimoog, Acoustic Piano, Electric Violin
Simon King - Drums, Damped Concert Toms
Alan Powell - Drums, Auxiliary Percussion
Nik Turner - Transverse Flute, Soprano Saxophone

Studio and recording technology

Tracking Studio & Room: Rockfield Studios, Monmouthshire, Wales (Coach House Studio) (Documented studio per MusicBrainz: Eventim Apollo)
Mixing / Overdub Studio: Olympic Studios, Barnes, London (Studio 1)
Multitrack Tape Machine & Format: 3M M79 24-Track (2-inch @ 15 IPS)
Synthesizers, Drum Machines & Electronic Instruments:

Mellotron M400 (Tape-Replay Keyboard): Carries dense brass, 8-voice choir, and 3-violins tape frames providing the primary symphonic harmonic wash
EMS VCS3 "The Putney" (Analog Modular Synthesizer): Produces modulating ring modulation textures, white noise sweeps, and continuous frequency warbles via patch-pin matrix
EMS Synthi AKS (Analog Synthesizer with Sequencer): Deployed by Dave Brock for resonant electronic space sweeps, filtering, and repetitive pulse sequences
Minimoog Model D (Analog Monosynth): Supplies cutting portamento pitch glide leads and low-frequency resonant fundamental lines

Reported gear and setup (not independently verified)

Mixing Console / Desk: Custom Rosser 24-Channel Console (Rockfield) / Helios Custom 24-Channel Console (Olympic)
Studio Monitors: Tannoy Dual Concentric Gold 15" (Lockwood Enclosures)
Key Outboard Processors & Hardware Units:

Audio Design Recording ADR Compex F760X-RS (FET Compressor/Limiter): Applied across drum sub-mix buses and dynamic room channels for punchy transient leveling during tracking
Helios Type 69 Console EQ (Inductor EQ): Used at Olympic Studios for shaping aggressive 2 kHz to 4 kHz presence on rhythm guitars and chordal bass
Roland Space Echo RE-201 (Tape Delay / Spring Reverb): Provided recurring tape delay repeats and oscillation feedback across synthesizer passages and processed woodwinds
EMT 140 (Steel Plate Reverb): Added lush spatial diffusion to lead vocals, acoustic piano, and Mellotron string textures during mixdown

Signal chains covered in the full track sheet

Instrument-by-instrument recording pathways, including: Lead Vocals (Dave Brock), Electric Rhythm Guitar (Dave Brock), EMS Synthi AKS (Dave Brock), Bass Guitar (Lemmy), Drums (Simon King), Drums & Auxiliary Percussion (Alan Powell), Mellotron M400 (Simon House), EMS VCS3 Synthesizer (Simon House), Minimoog Synthesizer (Simon House), Acoustic Grand Piano (Simon House), Electric Violin (Simon House), Transverse Flute (Nik Turner).

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