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Harry’s Bar was an enormous breakthrough for Gordon Haskell thanks to the unexpected UK success of the single 'How Wonderful You Are.’ European audiences were so charmed by his catchy little ballad that the virtually unknown singer songwriter suddenly hit the British Top 10 peaking at No.2 on the UK chart, (narrowly beaten by Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman's cover of "Something Stupid").
It‘s particularly astounding that after 10 years of solo records, it was this threadbare folk-jazz record (recorded live in the studio in two takes) that made Haskell an overnight household name in the UK. Yet it is the simplicity that makes “How Wonderful You Are†so irresistible.
Relaxed, self-assured, and smooth as silk, Haskell dresses like Johnny Cash and sings like a perfectly modulated blend of Marvin Gaye, Kenny Rogers and (somehow) Nina Simone…all without the slightest hint of affection.
Gordon Haskell was born 27 April 1946, in Bournemouth, Hampshire, England. He was a member of the 60’s cult band Les Fleur de Lys - the Atlantic records session band who backed Aretha Franklin on her first European tour as well as making many records of their own. The group were managed by Frank Fenter who arranged the first British Stax tour that featured Otis Redding and Sam & Dave.
In 1966 Haskell became friends with his new housemate who was staying for a few months at his rented flat in London, a young American guitarist in the UK for the first time called James Marshall Hendrix.
Haskell had his first No 1 as a songwriter a year later in South Africa with a song called “Lazy Life.†He was then signed to CBS for a solo album called Sail In My Boat. One of the songs “Zanzibar†gave Haskell his second No 1 in South Africa.
School friends with Robert Fripp, (they previously worked together in an earlier version of League of Gentlemen), Haskell became the bassist and vocalist in the transitional King Crimson line-up of 1970 appearing on the album Lizard, but Haskell's more folk oriented interests were in conflict with Crimson's sound, so he elected to leave.
Ahmet Ertegun signed Haskell to Atlantic Records in 1971 with plans to produce and record him at Muscle Shoals but the merger of Atlantic to Warner got in the way. Arif Mardin (Bee Gees, Aretha Franklin, Wille Nelson, Norah Jones) stepped in and a year later producing Haskell’s album It Is And It Isn’t, which is currently valued highly by collectors selling on ebay for around £100, ($195).
Haskell continued to write, tour Europe and record albums working as a solo artists as well as joining forces with Hamish Stuart (formerly of Average White Band) and guitarist Robbie McIntosh, (Pretenders), both of whom had been touring the world as part of Paul McCartney’s group.
How Wonderful You Are was given to Johnnie Walker of BBC Radio 2 the day before 9/11 who played it to his listeners, who in turn made it the most requested song in the radio station's 40 year history.
(Check out the history of Harry's Bar on Google. Freakily, two of the pilots were interviewed by the FBI on Sept 8th in Harry's Bar in Manhattan. (Documented)...BBC Radio 2 presenter Johnnie Walker and Gordon Haskell were talking in a bar in Soho, London on the same day. Johnnie went on to play the record a few days later, as he felt after 911 that’s what people would want to hear). The rest is history. No wonder it was a bumpy ride for Haskell. Who says a spiritual song is a lot of baloney?
Due to public demand, the track was released as a single for the UK Christmas number one chase. It crashed in at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart, selling 400,000 + copies.
Warner Bros. signed Haskell for a long-term album deal, and Harry's Bar was released under East West, it also crashed into the UK charts at number 2, making Haskell's comeback a great success. European audiences also embraced Harry's Bar and it became more successful.
Haskell had his autobiography The Road To Harry’s Bar published in 2006 with the foreword written by his old pal David Nobbs author of The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin.
Haskell will write and record again when he chooses to. Songs are born naturally; beautifully; philosophically; spiritually. The time is not yet right. So there are no songs. When the next batch arrives we'll let you know…
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