Robert Calvert, Captain Lockheed and the Starfighters (side A)

1974's Captain Lockheed and the Starfighters has many odd qualities. It's hard to figure out why Calvert was so interested in German history. The narrative between songs has vague connections to this military history, but it's very clumsily executed (by Jim Capaldi and Viv Stanshall, along with Calvert himself). The songs, which alternate with the confusing narrative, are generally hard rock with prominent bass grooves. The list of musicians here is pretty amazing—Lemmy, Paul Rudolph, Twink, Arthur Brown, and even a strangely credited Brian Eno! The songs are simple, tasteful, and of course well played. I encountered the mid-90s Hey Drag City compilation before I realized that its cover art was an homage to Captain Lockheed's odd cover design.