Barbara Gaskin

On returning to England, Gaskin 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 Gaskin also renewed her musical association with Dave Stewart by contributing vocals to his compositions on Bill Bruford's "Gradually Going Tornado" album. In 1981 Gaskin and Stewart 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 and Rykodisc Records.

Gaskin was lead vocalist in British folk-prog band Spirogyra (1969–1974). From 1973 to 1976 she sang backing vocals with Dave Stewart's band Hatfield and the North, as one third of 'The Northettes' (with Ann Rosenthal and Amanda Parsons, both since retired from music). In 1981 she and Stewart formed a duo and in September of that year, they had a number one single in the UK with a cover version of the song "It's My Party". Subsequent singles "Busy Doing Nothing" (1983), and "The Locomotion" (1986) also entered the UK Singles Chart, without reaching the heights of their debut release. Seven albums followed, released on the duo's own Broken Records label. Gaskin and Stewart continue to work together and occasionally play live concerts with Andy Reynolds (guitar, 1990-2009), Beren Matthews (guitar, 2018 onwards) and drummer Gavin Harrison (Tokyo 2001 and London 2018 concerts). Gaskin has also sung with Egg (The Civil Surface), National Health, Peter Blegvad (The Naked Shakespeare), Phil Miller, Nigel Planer (Neil's Heavy Concept Album), Jane Wiedlin (Tangled), Rick Biddulph and Mont Campbell (Music from a Round Tower).

In 1969 she moved from Hatfield to Canterbury to study for a degree in Philosophy and Literature at University of Kent at Canterbury, 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, namely:- 'St Radigunds' B & C Records (CAS 1042), 'Old Boot Wine' Pegasus Records (PEG 13), and 'Bells, Boots, & Shambles' Polydor (2310 246), while gigging extensively on the UK college circuit, as well as completing numerous successful tours of Europe. During the same period, Gaskin met guitarist Steve Hillage (also a student at Kent University) and via Hillage, the members of Canterbury band Caravan, and Hillage's old friend and musical colleague Dave Stewart. Gaskin guested both live and on record with Stewart'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 Gaskin during the six years she lived in Canterbury.

Barbara Gaskin (born 5 June 1950) is a British singer formerly associated with the UK Canterbury scene.