Procol Harum

Procol Harum were an English rock band formed in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, in 1967. Their best-known recording was the 1967 single "A Whiter Shade of Pale", which sold over 10 million copies worldwide and was among the few singles to reach that level of commercial success. Although noted for baroque and classical influences, Procol Harum’s music was described as psychedelic rock and proto-progressive rock with elements of blues, rhythm and blues, and soul. Read more on Last.fm

Procol Harum were an English rock band formed in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, in 1967. Their best-known recording was the 1967 single "A Whiter Shade of Pale", which sold over 10 million copies worldwide and was among the few singles to reach that level of commercial success. Although noted for baroque and classical influences, Procol Harum’s music was described as psychedelic rock and proto-progressive rock with elements of blues, rhythm and blues, and soul. In 2018, "A Whiter Shade of Pale" was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Singles category, having previously been nominated for performer induction in 2012. The group formed after the dissolution of The Paramounts, a Southend-based band that had achieved minor UK chart success in the mid-1960s. Following their split, vocalist Gary Brooker focused on songwriting and was introduced to lyricist Keith Reid. In 1967, they decided to form a band to perform their material. Early line-ups changed rapidly, including drummer Barrie "B. J." Wilson, bassist David Knights, organist Matthew Fisher, guitarist Ray Royer, and drummer Bobby Harrison. The band name was taken from a Burmese cat associated with a friend of the group; it was reportedly misheard or misspelt when communicated, resulting in the final spelling. Although the name was sometimes interpreted as Latin for "beyond these things", the correct Latin phrase would have been "procul hīs". In April 1967, Procol Harum recorded "A Whiter Shade of Pale" at Olympic Studios in London with session drummer Bill Eyden replacing Harrison for the recording, and with production by Denny Cordell. The song, featuring a prominent Hammond organ part by Fisher influenced by J. S. Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, received strong radio support and was released in May 1967. It reached number one in the United Kingdom for six weeks and reached the top five in the United States, becoming an international hit. The band’s first live performance took place on the day of the single’s release in London. Shortly afterwards, internal changes led to departures within the line-up and management changes, with guitarist Robin Trower and drummer B. J. Wilson later joining or rejoining the group under new management. The follow-up single "Homburg" was released later in 1967 and reached number six in the United Kingdom. The band’s self-titled debut album was issued in the United States in 1967 and later in the United Kingdom. Their second album "Shine on Brightly" (1968) moved further towards progressive rock and achieved moderate success in the United States but did not chart in the United Kingdom. The 1969 album "A Salty Dog" became their first strong-selling album in the United Kingdom, and its title track received significant FM radio airplay in the United States. The band were invited to perform at the Woodstock Festival but did not appear due to personal circumstances involving a member’s family. Matthew Fisher left the group in 1969, followed by bassist David Knights; both were replaced by Chris Copping. The album "Home" (1970) featured this line-up, and the band also performed at the Isle of Wight Festival. In 1971, after "Broken Barricades", Robin Trower left to form his own group and was replaced by Dave Ball, while Alan Cartwright joined on bass. The band signed to Chrysalis Records and toured extensively, particularly in the United States. A notable development came with the live recording "Procol Harum Live: In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra", recorded in 1971 and released in 1972. The album was commercially successful, reaching number five in the United States and achieving gold certification. The band continued with albums including "Grand Hotel" (1973) and "Exotic Birds and Fruit" (1974), the latter marking a return to a harder rock style. Later releases included "Procol’s Ninth" (1975), which featured the single "Pandora’s Box", and "Something Magic" (1977), after which the band’s activity declined and line-up changes continued frequently. The group effectively ceased regular activity by the late 1970s, and members pursued other projects. The band reformed in 1991 with Gary Brooker, Matthew Fisher, Robin Trower and Keith Reid, and released "The Prodigal Stranger". Line-up changes continued throughout the 1990s, with various musicians participating in touring versions of the band. In 1995, they performed at the Cropredy Music Festival and toured in the United Kingdom and United States. A 30th anniversary concert for "A Whiter Shade of Pale" took place in 1997, featuring several former members. In the 2000s, Procol Harum resumed recording and touring, releasing the studio album "The Well’s on Fire" in 2003 and issuing several live recordings. Matthew Fisher left the band in 2004 following legal disputes concerning songwriting credits for "A Whiter Shade of Pale", a case he later won in 2006. The band continued to tour with a revised line-up and collaborated with orchestras on several occasions, including performances in Denmark and Sweden. A number of archival and retrospective releases were issued during this period. In the 2010s, Procol Harum continued to perform internationally, often incorporating orchestral arrangements. The album "Novum" was released in 2017 and supported by a European tour. In 2012, Gary Brooker was hospitalised after a fall but recovered and continued performing. The band remained active until Brooker’s death in 2022. Following his death, Procol Harum ceased activity and effectively disbanded. Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procol_Harum Studio albums Procol Harum (1967) Shine on Brightly (1968) A Salty Dog (1969) Home (1970) Broken Barricades (1971) Grand Hotel (1973) Exotic Birds and Fruit (1974) Procol's Ninth (1975) Something Magic (1977) The Prodigal Stranger (1991) The Well's on Fire (2003) Novum (2017) Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.