Throughout the first half of the 1970s, the band experienced a few more personnel changes. It wasn’t until their third album Salty Dog in 1969 that they fell back into good graces with their UK fans. They focused most of their touring in the US for the next few years. It appeared Procol Harum was looking at being a one-hit-wonder in their home country. The following year, their second album, Shine on Brightly, did well in the US but not as well in the UK.
Due to the band’s lineup and management changes, the UK release of the album didn’t happen until December. Their debut album, Procol Harum, released the same month in the US, endeared them to an American audience. While it did reasonably well on the charts in the US and UK, it didn’t reach the level A Whiter Shade of Pale did. The band released their second single, Homburg, in September 1967. Robin Trower joined as guitarist, and Barry “BJ” Wilson replaced Harrison on drums. Procol Harum announced Royer and Harrison had left the band. In fact, he even joined them on stage for a song.Ī few months later, the band went through a few lineup changes. Jimi Hendrix was in attendance as an early supporter of the band. It happened to be the same day A Whiter Shade of Pale hit the airwaves. Procol Harum played its first live show at London’s Speakeasy Club on May 12, 1967. Keith Reid figured he’d round out the more serious band members. While Harrison had the skills they were looking for, he also had a great sense of humor. Not long after, they hired Bobby Harrison. The band didn’t have a regular drummer when they made this single. It became an instant worldwide hit upon its release the following month. In April 1967, Procol Harum recorded their debut single, A Whiter Shade of Pale. The group’s manager heard the name over the phone and wrote down what he understood. The band named themselves after a friend’s cat, which was actually spelled Procul Harun. The founding members included organist Matthew Fisher, guitarist Ray Royer, bassist David Knights, and Brooker on lead vocals. Reid and Brooker interviewed several musicians before deciding on the core group. The writing duo became the foundation for Procol Harum. A friend in the music business introduced him to lyricist Keith Reid.
#Procol harum whiter shade of pale free#
With his new free time, Gary decided to focus on songwriting. But by 1966, the band only had one hit song and decided to call it quits. They even shared the stage with The Rolling Stones, who were fans of The Paramounts. The group became well-known in the British R&B scene. Fellow Englishman Robin Trower joined the band as the guitarist while Brooker played piano. The first band Brooker formed was in 1960 called The Paramounts.
#Procol harum whiter shade of pale professional#
But he dropped out early to follow his dreams of becoming a professional musician. By age ten, Gary played the piano, trombone, and cornet.Īfter finishing high school, Brooker began studying zoology and botany in college. Born on May 29, 1945, in London, England, Brooker’s father, a professional pedal steel guitarist, was an early inspiration. We’re taking a deep dive into the history of this great oldies band to go beyond A Whiter Shade of Pale and find out if they really are a one-hit-wonder.įounding member Gary Brooker learned to play music at a young age. But maybe Procol Harum’s sound appealed to a specific type of music fan, and they only had one true hit. Many of their singles released in the 60s and 70s did well in both England and America. But, a band with a history as long as theirs is sure to have several popular tunes. Most people may only be able to name one Procol Harum song.
0 kommentar(er)
