Karl Blake

British multi-instrumentalist and singer, born 1956 in Reading, Berkshire, England. Karl Blake began creating music in the 1970's in his hometown of Reading, England. In 1973, he started playing and singing principally as a result of reading the poetry of William Blake "from a sort of twisted filial interest only" and hearing Black Sabbath, then took on board such influences as Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Faust, King Crimson and Roxy Music, etc. He then went on to contributing vocals, guitar, bass and drums to such bands as Kneeswand, Orange Jelly Baby And The Six White Chocolate Mice, Sedusa, Chrome Toad, and Maggots. None of these outfits produced much more than a handful of gigs, rehearsals and jam sessions. Blake's career took a more serious turn in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In April of 1978 (other sources say 1977) Lemon Kittens was formed. After that band broke-up in 1982 Blake formed Shock Headed Peters, for which he's probably most famous. In 1988 Shock Head Peters ended and several new projects were started. One was British Racing Green, which produced over an album’s worth of material that has yet to be recorded or released - the group only did 4 concerts during its existence as a live concern. Another was Evil Twin, which was Blake working with the musician, writer and educator David Mellor. It has resulted in 1 CD so far, released in 1992. In 1990, Shock Headed Peters re-formed as a two-piece and went on to record 3 further albums, their last released in 1996. Throughout the late eighties and up to the present day Blake also collaborated for or guested with various other musical projects, including Left Hand Right Hand, for whom [guesting] he recorded 3 albums and toured extensively. He has been playing bass for Eric Rogers Gae Bolg and the Church Of Fand, and various other instruments in Rogers' other Seven Pines project - all in a live capacity only. In 2005 Blake had split ways with Sol Invictus, the group he had long been associated with through studio recordings and live appearances. Since 2009 Blake has been less active.

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