Eric Clapton Vs. Hawkwind – Ultimate Classic Rock Hall of Fame Round One

In one of our more bizarre pairings in the November 2013 Ultimate Classic Rock Hall of Fame election, we find two highly influential entities from the glory days of British Rock that are from totally opposite sides of the fence: Eric Clapton and Hawkwind.

Clapton, of course, is a household name when it comes to classic rock. From his reinvention of the electric blues in the '60s to his laid-back anthems of the '70s, the man is the very definition of a guitar hero who has a universal appeal.

Hawkwind are as underground a band as you can get. They were scraggy, drug-fueled hippies who performed for the people, not profit, and who held Lemmy Kilmister as a member before he founded Motorhead. It may be fair to call them an acquired taste, but if you love them, you really love them, and plenty of future generations of rockers clearly fall into that category.

Every two months, the readers of Ultimate Classic Rock will decide which of eight legendary artists or bands will be remembered for their contributions to the genre.

So, 'Layla' or 'Silver Machine'? 'Let it Grow' or 'Orgone Accumulator'?

It's time for you to decide!

Round one of the competition ends Sunday, Nov. 17, at 11:59 PM EST and the winner will be announced Monday, Dec. 2. Be sure to read our official rules here. Get those votes in! We'll be revealing the rest of the November 2013 UCR Hall of Fame nominees and battle pairings in the coming days.