Road to Utopia (album)

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Road to Utopia

| type = studio

| artist = Hawkwind

| cover = Hawkwind_Road_to_Utopia_album_cover.jpeg

| alt =

| released = 2018

| recorded =

| studio =

| genre = Space rock

| length =

| label = Cherry Red

| producer =

• Dave Brock
• Mike Batt

| prev_title = Into the Woods

| prev_year = 2017

| next_title = All Aboard the Skylark

| next_year = 2020

}}

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = Classic Rock

| rev1score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}{{cite magazine |last=Fortnam |first=Ian |title=Hawkwind – Road To Utopia album review |url=https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/hawkwind-road-to-utopia-album-review |magazine=Classic Rock |date=September 2018 |page=91}}

| rev2 = Mojo

| rev2score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |title=Hawkwind – Road To Utopia |magazine=Mojo |date=October 2018 |page=93}}

| rev3 = Uncut

| rev3score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |title=Hawkwind – Road To Utopia |magazine=Uncut |date=November 2018 |page=30}}

| rev4 = The Wire

| rev4score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |title=Hawkwind – Road To Utopia |magazine=The Wire |date=September 2018 |page=59}}

}}

Road to Utopia is the thirty-first album by space rock band Hawkwind, released in 2018. It features new acoustic versions of the band's 1970s repertoire with two new compositions.

The group's line-up had stabilised for some time with guitarist/singer Dave Brock, drummer Richard Chadwick, singer Mr Dibs and bassist Niall Hone being joined by bassist Haz Wheaton and guitarist Magnus Martin .

They had toured Britain in March through May 2017 in support of their Into the Woods album,{{cite web |title=Into The Woods: Deluxe CD Edition |publisher=Cherry Red Records |url=https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/into-the-woods-deluxe-cd-edition/ |accessdate=8 July 2022 }} which featured an opening set performed acoustically. The Roundhouse main show from 26 May was issued as Hawkwind At The Roundhouse as a 2CD/DVD boxed-set on 8 December,{{cite web |title=Hawkwind At The Roundhouse: 2CD/1DVD Boxset |publisher=Cherry Red Records |url=https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/hawkwind-roundhouse-2cd1dvd-boxset/ |accessdate=8 July 2022}} and the group made a promotional appearance playing an acoustic version of "Ascent" on Matthew Wright's Channel 5 daily morning television programme The Wright Stuff on 1 December.

The band started work recording this acoustic set in the studio when Brock had a chance meeting with Mike Batt at the US Embassy while both were applying for a travel visa.{{cite web |title=Road To Utopia Press Release |publisher=Cherry Red Records |url=https://www.hawkwindmuseum.co.uk/Utopia2018.htm |date=6 July 2018 |accessdate=8 July 2022 }} Batt joined the project adding string and horn arrangements. Eric Clapton, who had been a teenage friend of Brock's prior to his rise to fame, contributed to the session along with their former sax player, Jez Huggett. Road to Utopia was released on 14 September 2018.{{cite web |title=Hawkwind: Road To Utopia |publisher=Cherry Red Records |url=https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/hawkwind-road-to-utopia/ |accessdate=8 July 2022 }}

A one-off concert at the London Palladium on 4 November billed as In Search of Utopia – Infinity and Beyond with Batt conducting Docklands Sinfonia was scheduled, but demand lead to an extended UK tour in October and November with a guest appearance from Arthur Brown and support from The Blackheart Orchestra.