Nik Turner (born Nicholas Turner, 28 August 1940, in Oxford, England) is best known as the co-founder and former singer and saxophonist with influential rock group Hawkwind. He co-founded the group with Dave Brock in 1969. Turner was a major influence on the Hawkwind sound during the band's most popular period in the early 1970s, writing and singing a number of their best-loved tracks, including Master of the Universe. Turner was ousted from the band in 1976. Brock maintained it was due to his finally losing patience with Turner's supposedly chaotic and distracting habit of playing over the sound of his bandmates. The event signaled the start of a feud between Brock and Turner which has simmered for 20 years. After his first stint with Hawkwind finished, Turner performed as a solo artist, then helped form the psychedelic punk band Inner City Unit. In 1982, his disagreements with Brock put aside for the time being, Turner rejoined Hawkwind, performing with the group for the next two years. He later formed a group of his own, teaming up with other former Hawkwind musicians, getting involved in a name dispute after calling his group xHawkwind. The band now calls itself Space Ritual, after Hawkwind's most famous live album. Currently performing as the Nik Turner Band and as the Nik Turner Fabulous All Stars, as hard working as ever.
