Michael Davies, who played keyboards and synthesizers in Hawkind from its beginning in 1969 until 1973 and was credited on their records as both "DikMik" and "Dik Mik," has died. The cause of death is unknown as of this time.

"We are very sad to let you know that our old friend and band mate DikMik, (Michael Davies), passed away early this morning," Hawkwind wrote on its Facebook page. "He will be loved and remembered for his innovative contributions not only to Hawkwind, but to a whole musical genre of which he was an important pioneer."

The post also included a note from founder Dave Brock, the only original member still in the band. "I remember when DikMik joined the band, he bought himself an audio generator from Tottenham Court Road, got himself a Watkins Copycat echo unit, a fold up card table, (complete with green baize), and became one of the innovators of electronic music! It was on DikMik's suggestion, and later persistence, that we got Lemmy to join the band and you know the rest! Goodbye old chap your legend lives on......x"

In 1969, Davies and Nik Turner originally signed on as roadies for the group that Brock, a childhood friend of theirs, had formed with guitarist Mick Slattery, bassist John Harrison and drummer Terry Ollis. But his interest in the burgeoning genre of electronic music led to him being offered a slot before their first gig.

By the time of their 1970 self-titled debut, Slattery had been replaced by Huw Lloyd Langton. A year later, Davies left the band following a car accident and was replaced by their sound engineer, Del Dettmar. But he was back in time for their second record, In Search of Space. According to the Hawkwind Museum fan site, when he rejoined the band, Davies was also trying to bring his roommate in a second guitarist to little success. However, when bassist Dave Anderson didn't show up for a gig, they gave the roommate, Lemmy Kilmister, a shot on bass.

Davies lasted two more albums, 1973's Doremi Fasol Latido and their classic live record Space Ritual. But he chose to stay in Rome after a show, which soon spelled the end of his time. "Things like that [members not turning up for a gig] used to happen all the time - different people would go away for a few weeks and nobody would think anything of it," Brock said in 1973. "But now, because we're more well known, you do anything like that and people start thinking, 'ah-ha...'"

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