Preview

One of the biggest surprises of the singles charts this year is the astonishing success of Gordon Haskell's 'How Wonderful You Are', which came straight in at number 2, and was the only serious challenger to Robbie and Nicole this Christmas. The public and critics were amazed that a complete unknown managed such a feat with no marketing budget compared to the millions spent on the big names of today. Of course, this does not tell the true story. Both Gordon Haskell and Robbie McIntosh have worked at the top of their industry for the past 30 years - their address books read like a who’s who of the music business. Recently they have come together to form a marriage made in musical heaven, totally in tune with each other’s tastes and songwriting directions.

Born in Dorset, Gordon Haskell entered the professional world of music in 1966 as a member of freakbeat legends Les Fleur de Lys. During his time with the band they cut several classic singles including 'Circles', 'Hold On' and 'Mud In Your Eye'. After leaving the band in 1969, Gordon began his solo career with CBS, releasing a critically acclaimed LP that became album of the week on UK radio. Shortly after signing with CBS, Gordon was asked to join King Crimson, which he eventually did between 1970 & 1971 playing on two albums. He then returned to his solo career and signed with Atlantic where he released his now cult album 'It Is and It Isn't'. After a period as a session bass player for various people including Cliff Richard, Gordon once more focused on his solo career.

In the last decade Gordon has recorded some of his finest work including the highly acclaimed albums 'Hambledon Hill', 'Butterfly In China', 'Scheme Of Things' and most recently 'Look Out'. His peers regard him as one of the most committed and accomplished live performers, and he receives worldwide respect as a songwriter and vocalist with numerous covers including number one hits. The astounding success of 'How Wonderful You Are' has led to a major deal with Warner Bros., and the repackaged and retitled album, 'Harry's Bar' is set for release in early January.

Originally from Surrey, Robbie McIntosh is probably the most highly prized sideman among the top names in the business. After five years with The Pretenders, six with Sir Paul McCartney and numerous minutes with the likes of Cher, Celine Dion, George Martin, Paul Young, Joe Cocker, Phil Collins, Annie Lennox and Carl Perkins, you've almost certainly heard his work. He's performed in major venues all over the globe and has played at the Greatest Show on Earth - Live Aid. He is, in the ears of those who know, the guitarists' guitarist.

Robbie released his first solo album, 'Emotional Bends', in 1999, featuring Pino Palladino on bass, and harmonica wizard Mark Feltham. This album enjoyed critical acclaim in the UK, Europe and America. Robbie also released the stunning acoustic album, 'Unsung', through the late Douglas (Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy) Adams' company Digital Village. Douglas referred to it as one of his "favourite-ever albums". Robbie has just released a new album "Widescreen".

"Robbie McIntosh's guitar playing thrilled and inspired me during his years as a Pretender and now almost unbelievably he sounds better than ever." - Chrissie Hynde

Review

When we booked Gordon Haskell & Robbie McIntosh last autumn, we never guessed that Gordon would achieve the dizzy heights of a Christmas chart No. 2 (nor did he!), so their gig (15th Feb.) was an unprecedented in-demand capacity event - 250 delighted souls gathered to witness the kind of informal mastery that has nothing to do with chart success, but only comes from accumulated decades of hard graft in the music biz. Bizzarely, despite Haskell's 7-figure signing to the Warner Brothers record label, it is Robbie McIntosh's role as Sir Paul Macca's irreplacable musical right-hand man that entails them being chauffeured in a glossy black MPV and shadowed by a bulky minder, but our affable heroes, augmented by the wonderful Paul Yeung (no relation) on saxes, made it a determinedly low-key jeans-and-T-shirts affair, trading great songs from their respective repertoires of original material, including That Hit of course, interspersed with some wonderful on-stage banter and clowning, with Gordon as the grizzled Tommy Cooper figure. McIntosh's guitar work was truly enthralling, and Haskell's no slouch either. Warm, intimate, intelligent, beautifully played, funny and funky, this was an evening tosavour, one that boosted our egos no end and sent the audience home with permanent grins, many clutching a Robbie McIntosh CD - Warner Brothers haven't yet cottoned on to the notion of their artists selling their product at grass-roots level gigs, so Haskell's 'Harry's Bar' CD was unavailable - a bit daft, if you ask me...