FOR a band that was formed as long ago as 1969, space-rock legends Hawkwind have shown amazing endurance.

They've had numerous line-ups over the decades - Lemmy, the Motorhead frontman, who died last December, was part of the band in the early 1970s.

Throughout it all, they have continued to fascinate their loyal fanbase while managing to attract new devotees.

Tomorrow night they bring their psychedelic stage show, complete with a glittering array of projections, dance, theatricals and special effects, to Glasgow's 02 ABC.

Founder Dave Brock is joined by long-standing band members Richard Chadwick, Mr Dibs, Tim Blake, Niall Hone and Dead Fred - in fact, it's the longest established Hawkwind line-up.

The band was formed at the end of the 1960s, originally as Hawkwind Zoo, by Brock, a former London busker.

The following year, they appeared outside the perimeter fence of the Isle of Wight Festival as a protest at the admission charge. The same year they played at the first Glastonbury Festival.

Such appearances established Hawkwind as the people’s band and were also widely acknowledged as the creators of a brand-new genre of music - space-rock.

By 1972, Hawkwind's popularity had grown to such an extent that they could headline venues such as London's celebrated Chalk Farm Roundhouse.

A gig billed as the Greasy Truckers Party at this venue in February became part of the band's folklore - it was there that they recorded their best-known single, Silver Machine.

The track, which featured Lemmy on vocals, brought the band to the attention of the wider general public after it reached number two in the UK charts in the June of that year. A few years ago, Jarvis Cocker, presenting the band with the Mojo magazine Maverick award, described Silver Machine as the "greatest live single of all time."

The success of the single financed their spectacular Space Ritual tour, which set the precedent for all future Hawkwind shows. The band’s wealth of creative talent, including contributions from sci-fi author Michael Moorcock, poet and visionary Bob Calvert, designer Barney Bubbles and lighting engineer Liquid Len created what was billed as the world’s first truly multimedia touring roadshow.

The band released several classic albums in the 1970s, including Doremi Fasol Latido, and ever since they have toured and recorded incessantly, via numerous line-up changes.

Hawkwind marked their 40th anniversary in 2009 by playing to packed houses across the UK, including a headline set at the Beautiful Days festival in Devon, which earned them a nomination at the UK festival awards.

In June 2010 came the Mojo magazine award to mark their influence and longevity in the music business.

Presenting the award, Jarvis Cocker said: "It's almost 41 years since man first walked on the moon. And for people of my generation, it's been a little bit disappointing that the space programme seems to have fizzled out.

"So it is heartening to know it didn't all fizzle out - some people have been exploring the outer reaches of space for 41 years, still going strong.

"They're a bit like Halley's Comet in a way - they're there, travelling through the universe, and just sometimes we can glimpse them here on earth."

Accepting the award on the band's behalf, Dave Brock said: "This is a great honour for us all. We've had a lot of ins and outs in the old music business, trials and tribulations ... This band has had a lot of interesting characters in and out, they've all given a part to Hawkwind - I'm just the Captain of the Ship."

Hawkwind's new tour will see them promote their latest album, The Machine Stops. A concept studio album and a live stage show, it is based on E.M. Forster's sci-fi classic. "His dystopian vision of the future is brought to life with characteristic Hawkwind style," says the band.

* Hawkwind play the O2 ABC tomorrow night. TicketWeb: 0844 477 2000. You can also book in person at the venue box office. Band website: http://hawkwind.com/