{"id":34493,"date":"2018-04-08T11:46:46","date_gmt":"2018-04-08T10:46:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/?p=34493"},"modified":"2018-04-08T11:46:46","modified_gmt":"2018-04-08T10:46:46","slug":"bela-lugosis-read-drummer-kevin-haskins-new-book-relives-his-years-with-goth-rockers-bauhaus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2018\/04\/bela-lugosis-read-drummer-kevin-haskins-new-book-relives-his-years-with-goth-rockers-bauhaus\/","title":{"rendered":"BELA LUGOSI’S READ – Drummer Kevin Haskins’ New Book Relives His Years With Goth Rockers Bauhaus"},"content":{"rendered":"
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BLACK STARS – Bauhaus do Bowie at the Ziggy Stardust video shoot – picture by Fin Costello<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bauhaus<\/strong> drummer\u00a0Kevin Haskins<\/strong> was behind the kit for one of the most iconic groups of the late ’70s and early ’80s.<\/h4>\n

Now he’s got together with Cleopatra Records to document his life and times with the band in a glossy, coffee table art book.<\/h4>\n

Featuring\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>largely unseen\u00a0<\/em>memorabilia,\u00a0Bauhaus\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>Undead<\/em><\/strong> is Haskins personal account of the goth rockers turbulent history, from their inception in 1978 to their successful comeback tours of 1998 and 2005.<\/p>\n

Derided by some as pretentious David Bowie\u00a0<\/strong>clones,\u00a0<\/strong>Bauhaus nevertheless carved their own place in music history with a series of dark, moody records and provocative performances.<\/p>\n

Named after a German art and design movement, they set out their stall with a \u00a0monumental nine-minute debut single\u00a0Bela Lugosi’s Dead<\/strong><\/em>, which stayed on the independent chart for two years following its release in 1979.<\/p>\n

Fittingly, the band went on to perform the song in the vampire film\u00a0The Hunger<\/strong><\/em>, starring\u00a0Catherine Deneuve<\/strong> and Bowie, whose\u00a0Ziggy Stardust<\/em><\/strong> the band would cover to memorable effect in 1982.<\/p>\n

The quartet – Haskins, his bassist brother David J<\/strong>, guitarist\/vocalist\u00a0Daniel<\/strong>\u00a0Ash<\/strong> and frontman\u00a0Peter Murphy –<\/strong>\u00a0parted company a year later, but remain a huge influence on a host of American artists including\u00a0NIN<\/strong>,\u00a0Marilyn Manson<\/strong>,\u00a0Jane’s\u00a0<\/strong>Addiction<\/strong>,\u00a0Interpol<\/strong> and\u00a0The Flaming Lips<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Nirvana<\/strong>‘s\u00a0Kurt Cobain<\/strong> is also said to have a been a closet fan, his Bauhaus albums scratched up from over-use.<\/p>\n

After the split Murphy, whose chiselled cheekbones saw him becoming the face of\u00a0Maxell\u00a0<\/strong>tape ads, formed\u00a0Dalis Car <\/strong>with Japan<\/strong>‘s\u00a0Mick Karn<\/strong>,\u00a0before going solo, while the other three played together in\u00a0Tones On Tail<\/strong>, before enjoying US success with\u00a0Love and Rockets<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

More recently Haskins has become a soundtrack composer with credits including The\u00a0Crow III<\/i><\/strong> and\u00a0What Lies Beneath<\/strong><\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Now based in L.A, he and daughter Diva Domp\u00e9<\/strong> united with Ash again last year to form Poptone –\u00a0<\/strong>playing a set laden with Tones on Tail, Love and Rockets and Bauhaus tracks.<\/p>\n

Matt Catchpole <\/strong>caught up with Haskins to reminisce about the stories behind \u00a0Bauhaus – Undead<\/strong><\/em>, the band’s enduring legacy and the prospect of another resurrection tour.<\/p>\n

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Kevin Haskins with the Bauhaus Undead book – picture by Pamela Dompe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Kevin please tell us about the book \u2013 why did you decide to put it together?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Well it was actually the suggestion of a good friend of mine Matt Green<\/strong> at Cleopatra<\/strong>, three years ago. I had no plan at all to do anything with my collection, so I’m very grateful to him for suggesting it. Cleopatra did offer me a standard book publishing deal at that time, but I chose to self publish instead. So I embarked on what would become a very eventful journey, and actually came full circle and ended up doing a better deal with Cleopatra!<\/p>\n

Had you kept good records over the years or did it take a long time to assemble all the memorabilia and other material?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Early on in this journey, as I was researching how to self publish, I ran in to a chap by the name of Jeff Anderson<\/strong> following an Underworld<\/strong> show at The Hollywood Bowl. This proved to be very significant and synchronous. It happened that I would run in to him again and again at shows and on the third occasion I asked him what he did for a living. He informed me that he produced books and box sets for the likes of NIN<\/strong>, Sigur Ros<\/strong>, Pixies<\/strong>, Roger Waters<\/strong>, Beck<\/strong> and Fleetwood Mac<\/strong>. When I saw his work I immediately knew that we should work on the book together.<\/p>\n

Did working on the book bring back any special memories for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes it brought back many, many special memories. Meeting Iggy Pop<\/strong> on our first US tour. Meeting Bowie<\/strong> when we filmed The Hunger<\/strong><\/em>. Purchasing a hearse and all that that entailed. Recording Bela Lugosi’s Dead<\/strong><\/em>. How we came to release Bela<\/em> on Small Wonder Records<\/strong>. Performing I’m Waiting For My Man<\/strong><\/em> with Nico<\/strong>. Meeting John Peel<\/strong> and hearing Bela<\/em> for the first time on a transistor radio. Playing to over 100,000 people on the main stage at Coachella<\/strong>. The list goes on and on and all the stories are in the book folks!<\/p>\n

Were the other members of the band involved in the project?<\/strong><\/p>\n

No. I wanted this to be my project, produced and directed by myself. I had a vision for this to be a celebration of the band and our legacy, told from my point of view.<\/p>\n

Why do you think Bauhaus has such an enduring popularity?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Because the music for a start is timeless and real. It has a purity with no contrivance, and although back in the day the UK music press could not see that, our audience did and the numerous bands who named us as a powerful influence obviously did. What we created was unique and groundbreaking, and I’m very proud of that.<\/p>\n

Who were your influences starting out?<\/strong><\/p>\n

In terms of influences, I believe it’s every piece of music that one hears, every book one reads, every film ones sees, from birth to conception of the band. It’s every experience, good or bad that each member of the band had. That all goes into the blender and organically comes out.<\/p>\n

Was it conscious decision to go for a gothic rock sound \u2013 had the term goth even been coined at that time?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The only conscious decisions we made in the early days were to wear black and use white light on stage. The first song we wrote, Bela Lugosi’s Dead<\/em>; how you hear it on the record is pretty much how it sounded the first time we ran through it! We never sat down to synthetically create a sound, it just happened. I can tell bands from a mile off who do that, and for me it’s shallow and has no soul. The term Goth didn’t exist, probably until a year after we started.<\/p>\n

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Stigmata Martyrs – Bauhaus vamp it up for a picture by Graham Trott<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You attended one of the early Sex Pistols gigs \u2013 was that a \u2018Road to Damascus\u2019 type moment?<\/strong><\/p>\n

To a certain degree, it definitely was a revelation. Several months before The Sex Pistols gig I went to see Led Zeppelin<\/strong> at a Earls Court, a huge venue in London. They were in their prime, and it was a marvellous rock show. John Bonham<\/strong> played a blistering half hour drum solo. I left the show with a mixture of elation and depression. I knew that I could never be as technically good as Bonham, and a feeling of dejection enveloped me! Fast forward to the 100 Club<\/strong>. I had just left high school, dressed in flared denims and long hair, and immediately felt very out of place amongst the punks who consisted of Siouxsie,<\/strong> Sue Catwoman<\/strong> and Sid Vicious<\/strong>. The Clash<\/strong> took to the stage and it was like being hit by an express train! Their style and sound blew me away, and I instantly thought, “I can do this!” – such a cliche. The Pistols followed and I was converted. The next day I went to the barbers and had my long locks cut short and took my pyjamas in to the garage and splattered them with emulsion paint, Jackson Pollock<\/strong> style. That show gave me the confidence to use what little chops I possessed to great effect.<\/p>\n

Did you feel any sense of kinship with other proto goth acts like Sisters of Mercy, Killing Joke and Siouxsie and the Banshees?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Well the first Banshees drummer, Kenny Morris<\/strong> was a big influence, as was Stephen Morris<\/strong> of Joy Division<\/strong>. Sisters Of Mercy didn’t connect with me but I loved The Banshees and Killing Joke. We played a few shows with the latter and struck up a friendship with them.<\/p>\n

I spoke to Colin Moulding<\/a> recently and he said XTC were initially banned from mentioning they came from Swindon \u2013 did you encounter similar issues coming from Northampton?<\/strong><\/p>\n

No. I think we took a certain delight in mentioning that we came from a town that had not really produced anything that significant musically before. Des O’Connor<\/strong> being an exception.<\/p>\n

Bela Lugosi\u2019s Dead<\/em> stayed in the Independent charts for two years \u2013 were you surprised by its success?<\/strong><\/p>\n

When we recorded it we knew that it was very special. It really came out of nowhere and shone above the few other songs that we had written. Still, I think that we were surprised by its longevity on the charts.<\/p>\n

Did record companies baulk at the idea of releasing a nine-minute single?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Daniel hawked Bela Lugosi’s Dead<\/em> around to every major label in London. Actually one of my favourite pieces in the book is his chaotic hand written notes referring to each company, their comments, and his opinions of them. It’s funny as Beggars Banquet<\/strong> who we eventually signed with a couple of years later were not that impressed. Each one turned us down citing its length and that, “It’s the sort of thing that I love listening to at home, but it’s not commercial”. Eventually, the acetate ended up in the hands of Pete Stennett<\/strong> at Small Wonder\u00a0and he got it! He had no issue with the length. In fact he probably loved the audacity of it!<\/p>\n

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