Education
In 1966, the family moved from Brighton to London where Campbell attended the City of London Boys School. He left Egg and attended the Royal College of Music, studying the French horn and composition.
In 1966, the family moved from Brighton to London where Campbell attended the City of London Boys School. He left Egg and attended the Royal College of Music, studying the French horn and composition.
In his own words, he later "forswore the genre of rock music altogether, even the experimental variety (where can one find that now?) and began to develop an interest in folk tradition and, increasingly, non-western music"
Born to Mary Elizabeth Shaw ("Jackie") and Lieutenant Colonel H.A.L. While at school he met guitarist Steve Hillage and keyboardist Dave Stewart, whereupon the three formed the band Uriel in early 1968. Following Hillage"s departure, the band changed its name to "Egg". Campbell played bass guitar in the group and was its main composer, citing Igor Stravinsky as his main influence.
He reunited with his former Egg bandmates for their final album "The Civil Surface" in 1974, which consisted of unreleased material from 1971-1972, including what many view as his masterpiece in the progressive rock canon, Enneagram.
After a brief stint with Gilgamesh, in 1975 he again linked up with Stewart as part of the original line-up of National Health, for which he composed several pieces, including Paracelsus, Agrippa, Zabaglione and Starlight On Seaweed. In June 1976, prior to National Health securing a recording contract, Campbell left the band after a United Kingdom tour, a radio session for the British Broadcasting Corporation and a one-off French festival, which was his final appearance with the group.
His compositions finally appeared twenty years later on the archive collection "Missing Pieces". In 1977, he changed his name to Dirk Campbell and moved away from rock music
After releasing his first solo album, Music from a Round Tower in 1996, he has in recent years focused on world music, including a link up with The World Wind Band.
He has also been involved in film scores, including performances for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire as well as television programs.
He also played and composed for the Ottawa Music Company, a large ensemble co-led by Dave Stewart and Chris Cutler, which brought together members of Egg, Henry Cow and Khan, along with other composers and instrumentalists.