Gordon Haskell

Gordon Haskell
Gordon Haskell - The Lady Wants To Know cover
Background information
Born	(1946-04-27) 27 April 1946 (age 71)
Origin	Verwood, England
Genres	Rock, Folk, Jazz, Blues
Occupation(s)	musician, song writer, vocalist, music producer, etc.
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, bass guitar
Years active	1965–present
Labels	Wilderness Records, East West Records, etc.
Associated acts	Les Fleur de Lys, King Crimson
Website	http://www.gordonhaskell.com/

Gordon Haskell (born 27 April 1946, in Verwood, England) is an English musician and songwriter. A pop, rock and blues vocalist, guitarist, and bassist, he was a school friend of King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp, the two first working together in Fripp's mid-1960s teenage group The League of Gentlemen (not to be confused with Fripp's later new wave beat band). Haskell first gained recognition as bass player for the British band Les Fleur de Lys, and subsequently spent a short period in King Crimson, singing one of the songs on their second album and both singing and playing bass on their third album. After departing from King Crimson, he continued his musical career as a solo musician, finally gaining international recognition in 2001 with his hit song How Wonderful You Are' 'followed by his Platinum selling album 'Harry's Bar'.

During the late 1960s Haskell moved from Dorset to London (for a brief period, sharing a flat with Jimi Hendrix). While playing bass in the psychedelic pop band the Fleur De Lys,who were hired by Atlantic Records as a full time session band Haskell recorded a few singles with the group to minimal success but achieving a No 1 and No 3 in South Africa and Australia as a songwriter with his song 'Lazy Life'.During the two years at Atlantic he worked with Isaac Hayes and David Porter (who wrote many songs for the Atlantic stable, including Sam and Dave ,and worked with a variety of producers namely Glyn Johns, Donnie Elbert, Arif Mardin and George Martin. His debut solo album Sail in My Boat was recorded for the U.K. division of CBS Records in 1969. The album did not chart and today remains a rare collectible, valued by Record Collector in their 2016 "Rare Record Price Guide" at £125. A song from the album was covered by Wanda Arlitti making No 1 in the singles charts in South Africa.

When King Crimson parted company with original singer Greg Lake, Haskell was asked to be the bassist and vocalist in the transitional King Crimson line-up of 1970. He appeared on the albums In the Wake of Poseidon (although just for one song) and Lizard. However, Haskell’s preference for Nat King Cole and Ray Charles songs led to frustration in Fripp’s band, and his folk and blues oriented interests were in conflict with Crimson's more complicated progressive rock musical style. Haskell left the band acrimoniously following the recording of Lizard, during rehearsals for planned live work.He objected to his voice being distorted, speeded up and totally unrecognizable and felt it would only damage his reputation.