Nik Turner had been a frequent guest on the BB Skone Show.
Nik Turner, who died last week aged 82 and had lived here in west Wales for several decades, was an internationally renowned saxophonist, flautist, singer and songwriter.
His first and most well-known band was space rockers Hawkwind (who also included Lemmy, later of Motorhead). The band reached number three in the charts with Silver Machine.
They released many albums and were a fixture on the festival circuit for their terrific live shows which were a visual spectacle (and included naked dancer Stacia!). Their influence could be heard on many bands that came after them – in punk, jazz, psychedelia, hard rock, and heavy metal.
After Nik left Hawkwind he fronted his own bands – including the Fantastic All-Stars, Inner City Unit and Space Ritual – relentlessly touring and he also collaborated on the recordings of others – Sting and the Stranglers being just two examples.
He was well known in Pembrokeshire for collaborating with local artists such as Sendelica, Raul Speek, and Avril Yospa.
His last album, the magnificent I Do What I Like, was produced and co-written with former Zion Train man, Sendelica member, and PWR presenter Colin Consterdine.
Nik just loved to perform (in fact sometimes it was near impossible to get him off stage!) and was just as likely to been seen and heard busking in the town centres of the Shire as he was headlining a festival. He loved to encourage others to develop their creativity for, in the title of one of the songs he performed, he believed “to create is divine”.
He was a humane man, spiritual too, with an infectious smile and a twinkle in his eye, an advocate for freedom and love of the natural world.
Local Artist of the Week: NIK TURNER