Editing Nik Turner (section)

==1977–1986: Sphynx and Inner City Unit==
{{main|Inner City Unit}}
After his first departure from Hawkwind, Turner holidayed in [[Egypt]] and while visiting the [[Great Pyramid of Giza]] he was given three hours inside the King's Chamber to record some flute music.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hit-channel.com/interviewnik-turner-hawkwindspace-ritualsphynxinner-city-unit/71548 |title=Interview:Nik Turner (Hawkwind, Space Ritual, Sphynx, Inner City Unit) |website=Hit-channel.com |date=5 November 2014 |access-date=13 March 2016}}</ref> On returning to England, [[Steve Hillage]] cleaned up the tapes and assembled the Sphynx band featuring Hawkwind's [[Alan Powell (drummer)|Alan Powell]], Gong's [[Mike Howlett]] and [[Tim Blake]], and [[Harry Williamson (musician)|Harry Williamson]] to record music augmenting the original flute tracks while Turner adapted lyrics from the [[Egyptian Book of the Dead]]. The album was released as ''[[Xitintoday]]'' on [[Charisma Records]] in 1978 and the band toured, played festivals including [[Deeply Vale Festivals]] (later released as a CD), [[Glastonbury Festival]] (part of which was broadcast on BBC television) and his own themed ''Bohemian Love-In'' all day festival at the Roundhouse.
[[File:Nik Turner (2010).jpg|thumb|left|Nik Turner (2010)]]
With Williamson he conceived the "Nuclear Waste" single featuring many of the Sphynx musicians and a lead vocal by [[Sting (musician)|Sting]]. He then guested on the album ''Fairy Tales'' by Williamson and [[Gilli Smyth]]'s project Mother Gong, and out of this he, Mo Vicarage and Ermanno Ghisio-Erba (a.k.a. [[Dino Ferari]]) formed Inner City Unit (ICU) with [[Trev Thoms]] and [[Dead Fred]].  Thoms and Ghisio-Erba had previously played together in [[Steve Took's Horns]] who had played their only gig at the ''Bohemian Love-In''.  The Horns were managed by Tony Landau, a friend of Turner's since adolescence, and were fronted by former [[T.Rex (band)|Tyrannosaurus Rex]] percussionist [[Steve Peregrin Took]], who would later make guest lead vocal appearances with ICU alongside his former Horns bandmates.<ref name="cdbook">Liner notes to ''Blow It – The All New Adventures of Steve Took's Horns'', [[Cherry Red Records|Cherry Red]] CDM RED 255, 2004</ref><ref name="sitebioghorns">{{cite web|url=http://www.stevetook.mercurymoon.co.uk/biography-7.html |title=CAREER HISTORY – CHAPTER 6 – 'HE SENT ME SOME TAPES AND THEY WERE INTERESTING'- (Steve's brief 1977-8 career revival, and the story of Steve Took's Horns) |publisher=Stevetook.mercurymoon.co.uk |access-date=5 September 2012}}</ref><ref name="sitebiogicu">{{cite web |url=http://www.stevetook.mercurymoon.co.uk/biography-8.html |title=CAREER HISTORY – CHAPTER 7 – 'CAN I EVER HOPE TO DIE NATURALLY' – (Steve's last days, 1978–1980) |publisher=Stevetook.mercurymoon.co.uk |date=27 October 1980 |access-date=5 September 2012 |archive-date=23 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220523110804/http://www.stevetook.mercurymoon.co.uk/biography-8.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Inner City Unit recorded the albums ''Pass Out'' and ''Maximum Effect'' before collapsing due to certain members drug problems. Turner and Dead Fred had stints in Hawkwind before regrouping to release the albums ''New Anatomy'', ''The President Tapes'' and the EP ''Blood and Bone''.