Similar Artists:
Influenced By:
Worked With:
- Active: '90s, 2000s
- Genres: Rock
- Instrument: Guitar
- Representative Albums: "Nonfiction," "Language," "Not Part of the Solution"
Biography
Guitarist Chris Haskett was a longtime (and original) member of the Rollins Band, whose all encompassing playing style included elements of several different genres (jazz, heavy metal, punk, and experimental, to name a few). Haskett first met Rollins during 1979 in Washington, DC, while the guitarist was a member of a local group called the Enzymes. A few years later, Rollins served as the frontman for Black Flag (from 1981 through 1986), and when the band was put to rest, Haskett got the call to join up with Rollins. Haskett promptly accepted (despite the fact that he was living at the time in England), and played on a pair of solo Rollins releases, 1987's Hot Animal Machine and Drive By Shootings. By 1988, Rollins formed the more permanent Rollins Band, as the singer and Haskett were joined by ex-members of Greg Ginn's instrumental outfit, Gone (bassist Andrew Weiss and drummer Sim Cain). The band toured heavily over the next few years, and issued such albums as 1988's Do It and Life Time, 1989's Hard Volume, and 1990's Turned On.After a spot on the inaugural Lollapalooza festival tour in the summer of 1991, the Rollins Band issued their two strongest and most commercially successful releases, 1992's The End of Silence and 1994's Weight (the latter of which saw Weiss replaced with Melvin Gibbs). It was also around this time that Haskett issued a pair of solo albums, 1996's Language, and a year later, Nonfiction, before the guitarist returned back to the Rollins Band once more for 1997's Come in and Burn. The album would prove to be the last from the Rollins-Haskett-Cain-Gibbs line-up, as the group split up after its ensuing tour wrapped up (Rollins would retain the Rollins Band name, and carry on with new members). In addition to his solo albums and recordings with the Rollins Band, Haskett has guested on other artists' releases, including Pigface's Fook, Tool's Undertow, and David Bowie's Hours, among others. Additionally, Haskett is an avid photographer, whose images have graced both Henry Rollins' spoken word CD's (Big Ugly Mouth, Sweatbox, and Human Butt), as well as books from Rollins' 2.13.61 publishing company. ~ Greg Prato
, All Music Guide
