Book review - the moving memoir of guitarist Huw Lloyd-Langton
The life story of Huw Lloyd-Langton, guitarist for Hawkwind, Widowmaker, and veteran many other sessions along the way.
The story of enduring love shared between Huw and his widow, Marion. The life of a gigging musician always risks putting a relationship under strain, but the love they had for each other shines through. The book is titled A Wandering Minstrel because Huw was truly happy when he was on the road, playing to large audiences with Hawkwind or smaller ones in some of his other projects. The point was he was playing.
He got off to a difficult start with Hawkwind after being given a drink spiked with LSD. His subsequent illness meant taking a break from the band, but, once fit again, he got the call to resume, and his association with various versions of Hawkwind is an underlying theme of the book.
For several years, through the eighties, he was committed to Hawkwind (gigging or recording) for nine months of the year. Did that mean three months off, at home, for a much-needed rest? Rarely, because that gap could be filled with other work – to earn money, of course, but more importantly, to play.
Huw Lloyd-Langton, ‘Hurry on Sundown’ from Hawkfest 2008
Marion’s book, too, is a labour of love. She has woven in stories and tributes from the many musicians Huw worked with along the way. These do not always show Huw in the best light – like many driven people, he could be difficult if the people around him were not on the same wavelength – but there’s no need to pretend anyone is perfect, because none of us are. It’s clear, though, that Huw’s heart was always in the right place and was always in service of the music he played and the people he shared the rock ‘n’ roll life with.
The book also tells another story, that of Marion’s life. While she would do anything to support Huw, she impressed in her own work, whether raising substantial funds for charity, taking care of finances, or organising offices. Marion writes of her commitment to work-based learning, and as this features in my own background in education and training, I could understand the challenges in working in this challenging field and keeping a band on the road.
Minstrel features numerous images of Huw onstage and off, including a selection of collages created by Marion. It’s a terrific read and, if you’ve enjoyed Huw Lloyd-Langston’s music, worth seeking out.
We think of people like Huw as rock stars, playing an important role in keeping their bands going and the rest of us entertained. Sometimes we forget it’s not all highs, and Minstrel sets out some of the lows too, even for someone who has ‘made it’. That was the case in the seventies, and it is even more the case now.
Illness caught up with Huw too early in his life. Even when he had received the worst diagnosis, he fulfilled his commitments and kept playing for as long as he could. When the music is within you, it has to be expressed somehow, and I’m sure Huw and Marion would not have wanted it any other way.
Listen to Hawkwind’s Levitation album, or his varied solo work, to hear his liquid lead guitar lines, and read Marion’s book as you listen.
Following the release of the memoir, a limited edition of 100 copies of a 7” Huw Lloyd-Langton vinyl single a-side ‘It’s On Me’ and b-side ‘Dreams That Fade Away’ will be released by Marion and available to purchase later in August 2025. Details will be published on: www.huwlloyd-langton.co.uk in due course.
A Wandering Minstrel is available through Amazon KDP, priced at £14.99; a Kindle edition follows in the autumn.
I occasionally review books related to music – biographies, autobiographies, and books about the psychology of music and the human experience. Marion submitted her book to me via my website, ianpaulsharp.uk, and you are welcome to do so too.
You can also find a selection of books about music to buy via my shop on Bookshop.uk (aff).