Kevin Haskins
Background information
Born	July 19, 1960 Northampton
Genre(s)	Rock Goth Post punk Electronic Music
Occupation(s)	Drummer Songwriter Composer
Instrument(s)	Drums
Years active	1978 - present
Label(s)	4AD Records Beggars Banquet Records RCA Records American Red Ant
Associated acts	Bauhaus Tones on Tail Love and Rockets Messy
Website	http://www.messymusic.com

Kevin Haskins also known as Kevin Michael Dompe (b. July 19, 1960, in Northampton) is an innovative drummer best known from the British rock group Bauhaus, whose sound epitomized dark post-punk and was very influential in inspiring the gloomy style that would eventually come to be known as gothic rock. He was also a member of Tones on Tail and Love and Rockets. He currently lives in Los Angeles, California with his wife Pamela Dompe and two daughters Diva and Lola.

History

As a child, Kevin Haskins banged on flowerpots and kitchen pots and pans. He eventually moved to bongos and then to drums. It wasn't until Haskins attended a Sex Pistols gig, that he and his brother David J formed a band called the Submerged Tenth. The band was short-lived, but Haskins and J collaborated again in another band which featured guitarist Daniel Ash. In 1978, Haskins joined Bauhaus 1919 which consisted of vocalist Peter Murphy, J, and Ash. The band took their name from the German Bauhaus art movement, dropping the latter portion within a year of the band's formation. Although there were bands before them that pre-figured the style, Bauhaus is generally agreed to have been the first gothic rock group. Bauhaus combined a number of influences (punk, glam rock, even funk and dub) to create a gloomy, but very passionate sound which appealed to many looking for something new in the wake of punk's collapse. Their sound proved very inspiring and brought attention to a whole wave of post-punk groups delving in the gloomy style that would eventually come to be known as gothic rock. Because of this, Bauhaus became one of the most influential Goth rock bands. Bauhaus officially broke up (for the first time) in July of 1983.

When Daniel Ash pursued his first side project Tones on Tail with bassist Glenn Campling, he asked Haskins to play drums. He again utilized Kevin for his next band Love and Rockets which also featured David J. Despite their previous band's Goth status, Love and Rockets moved away from that genre. Their first release, Seventh Dream of Teenage Heaven (1985), leaned more towards psychedelic music. In 1987, Earth, Sun, Moon had a folkier sound and spawned the minor hit "No New Tale to Tell."

In 1989, Love and Rockets released "So Alive," a Top Ten hit. After a grueling tour schedule in support of their big hit, including one with The Dandy Warhols, Love and Rockets took 5 years off before returning to the studio together. The result was a move to a much more electronic sound that had more in common with the Orb than their rock or Goth roots. A few more records were released including Sweet F.A. and Lift, but interest in the group increasingly dwindled and the band's members went in different directions in 1998. It was then when Kevin decided to make music from his home so he could spend more time with his wife and two daughters.

In the fall of 1998, Kevin began composing scores for video games, film, and television, under the name Messy, with partner Doug DeAngelis. The duo met as producer and artist during the making of the critically acclaimed Love and Rockets album Lift. Doug and Kevin describe Messy as Electronic Alternative music, featuring guests like Michael Balzary from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jessicka from Scarling., along with many other interesting individuals. Messy's recent credits include music in The Crow III, What Lies Beneath, 2Gether, NBC’s Third Watch, Things Behind the Sun, Skechers USA, EVE.com, PlayStation 2, The Unreal Tournament sequel, Myst III’s “Exile” single, HBO, Disney, and an award-winning trailer for the Independent Film Channel.

In 1998, Haskins reunited with Bauhaus for the extremely popular "Resurrection" tour. The band reformed again in 2005 to co-headline the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival held in Indio, California, which was followed by another tour through North America, Mexico, and Europe. In the summer of 2006 Bauhaus toured with Nine Inch Nails on the summer leg of the With Teeth tour.

Trivia

• Kevin has two daughters in a Los Angeles band called Blackblack.
• Kevin has also appeared on a Porno for Pyros release.

Composer filmography

• Kevin Haskins at the Internet Movie Database

References

1. Haskins MP3Bio Jan 05, 2000
2. MessyMusic.com July 25, 2000

External links

• Official Bauhaus site
• Q&A with Kevin Haskins
• Messy Music