[Barbara Gaskin] la sua storia dentro e fuori gli Spirogyra
stànz
Barbara Gaskin was born and grew up in Hatfield (SE England). As
well as singing quite
spontaneously from babyhood, she had formal training in piano and
cello from the age of 10.
In her early teens she taught herself very basic acoustic guitar
(Lesson 1: The strings face
outwards) and performed in local folk clubs.
In 1969 she moved from Hatfield to Canterbury to study for a
degree in Philosophy and
Literature at Kent University, but immediately became involved in
the Canterbury music scene,
joining folk rock group Spirogyra as vocalist. Spirogyra quickly
procured a recording contract
and subsequently made 3 albums for B & C Records while gigging
extensively on the UK
college circuit, as well as completing numerous successful tours
of Europe. During the same
period, Barbara met guitarist Steve Hillage (also a student at
Kent University) and via Steve,
the members of Canterbury band Caravan, and Steve's old friend
and musical colleague Dave
Stewart. Barbara guested both live and on record with Dave's band
`Hatfield & The North',
and was a member of the `Ottawa Music Company', brainchild of
Dave Stewart and `Henry
Cow' drummer Chris Cutler. The intricate, largely instrumental
music of bands such as Egg,
Hatfield & The North and Henry Cow, and by contrast, the more
spontaneous, lyrically driven
approach of Spirogyra, were both powerful formative musical
influences on Barbara during the
six years she lived in Canterbury.
When Spirogyra split up, Barbara left England to travel in Asia
for nearly three years,
following her interest in Eastern philosophy and culture while
earning money by teaching
English. She continued to sing - in Japan, professionally - and
while living in Java and Bali
became very interested in gamelan music. She also lived in India
for a total of 18 months.
On returning to England, Barbara was invited by drummer Germaine
Dolan to play keyboards
and sing in the all female band Red Roll On. Based in Canterbury,
the band played in clubs
and art colleges in the London area. But Barbara also renewed her
musical association with
Dave Stewart by contributing vocals to his compositions on Bill
Bruford's "Gradually Going
Tornado" album. In 1981 Dave & Barbara joined forces and recorded
the hit single `It's My
Party'. The collaboration has continued to this day with a series
of singles and albums on their
own Broken Records label. (see `A brief history of Broken
Records')