Procol Harum | Biography & History. Procol Harum is arguably the most successful "accidental" group creation - - that is, a band originally assembled to take advantage of the success of a record created in the studio - - in the history of progressive rock. Ladet alle eure Freunde zu unserer kommenden Ü30.party im Musikpark in Homburg ein und ihr habt die Chance 1x2 Tickets für eben diese Party zu gewinnen. With "A Whiter Shade of Pale" a monster hit right out of the box, the band evolved from a studio ensemble into a successful live act, their music built around an eclectic mix of blues- based rock riffs and grand classical themes. With singer/pianist Gary Brooker and lyricist Keith Reid providing the band's entire repertory, their music evolved in decidedly linear fashion, the only major surprises coming from the periodic lineup changes that added a new instrumental voice to the proceedings. At their most accessible, as on "A Whiter Shade of Pale" and "Conquistador," they were one of the most popular of progressive rock bands, their singles outselling all rivals, and their most ambitious album tracks still have a strong following. Procol Harum's roots and origins are as convoluted as its success - - especially between 1.
Pianist Gary Brooker (b. May 2. 9, 1. 94. 5, Southend, Essex, England) had formed a group at school called the Paramounts at age 1. Robin Trower (b. Mar. Southend, Essex) and bassist Chris Copping (b. Finde aus 2.989 Singles in Homburg deinen Traumpartner online bei meinestadt.de. 898 Single Frauen 2.091 Single Männer. Homburger Kochpartner Börse für Single in Homburg Kochclubs und Kochgruppen, Kochfreunde, Kochpartner zum Kochen in Homburg gesucht? Aug. 2. 9, 1. 94. Southend, Essex), with singer Bob Scott and drummer Mick Brownlee. Homburg Are you there yet? At Mingle2, there’s a bevy of attractive, available singles in Homburg, and they’re looking for you. Sign up in 30 seco. Singles aus dem Saarland genießen Sie es, Menschen die sie kennenlernen. Singles aus Homburg, Kreisstadt. Singles aus Illingen. Singles aus Kirkel. After achieving a certain degree of success at local youth clubs and dances, covering established rock & roll hits, Brooker took over the vocalist spot from the departed Scott, and the group continued working after its members graduated - - by 1. British standards) covers of American R& B, and got a residency at the Shades Club in Southend. Brownlee exited the band in early 1. Barry J. (B. J.) Wilson (b. Mar. 1. 8, 1. 94. Southend, Essex), who auditioned after answering an ad in Melody Maker. Nine months later, in September of 1. Chris Copping opted out of the professional musicians' corps to attend Leicester University, and he was replaced by Diz Derrick. The following month, the Paramounts demo record, consisting of covers of the Coasters' "Poison Ivy" and Bobby Bland's "Farther on up the Road," got them an audition at EMI. This resulted in their being signed to the Parlophone label, with their producer, Ron Richards, the recording manager best- known for his many years of work with the Hollies. The Paramounts' first single, "Poison Ivy," released in January of 1. British charts. The group also got an important endorsement from the Rolling Stones, with whom they'd worked on the television show Thank Your Lucky Stars, who called the Paramounts their favorite British R& B band. Unfortunately, none of the group's subsequent Parlophone singles over the next 1. Paramounts had been reduced to serving as a backing band for popsters Sandy Shaw and Chris Andrews. In September of 1. Paramounts went their separate ways; Derrick out of the business, Trower and Wilson to gigs with other bands, and, most fortuitously, Gary Brooker decided to develop his career as a songwriter. This led Brooker into a partnership with lyricist Keith Reid (b. Oct. 1. 9, 1. 94. R& B impresario Guy Stevens. By the spring of 1. An advertisement in Melody Maker led to the formation of a band initially called the Pinewoods, with Brooker as pianist/singer, Matthew Fisher (b. Mar. 7, 1. 94. 6, Croydon, Surrey) on organ, Ray Royer (b. Oct. 8, 1. 94. 5) on guitar, Dave Knights (b. June 2. 8, 1. 94. London) on bass, and Bobby Harrison (b. June 2. 8, 1. 94. London) on drums. Their first recording, produced by Denny Cordell, was of a piece of surreal Reid poetry called "A Whiter Shade Of Pale," which Brooker set to music loosely derived from Johann Sebastian Bach's Air on a G String from the Suite No. D Major. . By the time this recording was ready for release, the Pinewoods had been rechristened Procol Harum, a name derived, as alternate stories tell it, either from Stevens' cat's birth certificate, Procol Harun, or the Latin "procul" for "far from these things" (hey, it was the mid- '6. In early May of 1. A Whiter Shade of Pale" at the Speakeasy Club in London, while Cordell arranged for a release of the single on English Decca (London Records in America), on the companies' Deram label. Ironically, Cordell's one- time clients the Moody Blues were about to break out of a long commercial tail- spin on the very same label with a similar, classically- tinged pair of recordings, "Nights in White Satin" and "Days of Future Passed," and between the two groups and their breakthrough hits, Deram Records would be permanently characterized as a progressive rock imprint. Cordell had also sent a copy of "A Whiter Shade of Pale" to Radio London, one of England's legendary off- shore pirate radio stations (they competed with the staid BBC, which had the official broadcast monopoly, and were infinitely more beloved by the teenagers and most bands), which played the record. Not only was Radio London deluged with listener requests for more plays, but Deram suddenly found itself with orders for a record not scheduled for release for another month - - before May was half over, it was pushed up on the schedule and rushed into shops. Meanwhile, the prototypal Procol Harum made its concert debut in London opening for Jimi Hendrix at the Saville Theater on June 4, 1. Four days later, "A Whiter Shade of Pale" reached the top of the British charts for the first of a six- week run in the top spot, making Procol Harum only the sixth recording act in the history of British popular music to reach the number one spot on its first release (not even the Beatles did that). The following month, the record reached number five on the American charts, with sales in the United States rising to over a million copies (and six million copies worldwide). All of this seemed to bode well for the band, except for the fact that it had only a single song in its repertory and no real stage act - - literal one- hit wonders. The same month that the record peaked in the United States, Royer and Harrison were sacked and replaced by Brooker's former Paramounts bandmates Robin Trower and B. J. Wilson on guitar and drums, respectively. The "real" Procol Harum band was now in place and a second single, "Homburg," was duly recorded. Reminiscent of "Whiter Shade of Pale" in its tone of dark grandeur, this single, released in October of 1. EMI's Regal Zonophone label, got to number six on the British charts. The group's debut album, entitled Procol Harum, managed to reach number 4. America during October of 1. A Whiter Shade of Pale" being among its tracks (which included the first version of "Conquistador") - - but a British version of the LP, issued over there without the hit, failed to attract any significant sales. The single "Homburg," however, got no higher than number 3. America a month later. On March 2. 6, 1. A Whiter Shade of Pale" won the International Song of the Year award at the 1. Annual Ivor Novello Awards (sort of the British equivalent of the Grammys). The group's newest single, "Quite Rightly So," however, only reached the number 5. England in April of that year. A new contract for the group was secured with A& M Records in America (they remained on Regal Zonophone in England), and by November, a second album, Shine on Brightly, highlighted by an 1. In Held 'Twas I," was finished and in the stores, and rose to number 2. America but failed to chart in England. The next month, they were playing the Miami Pop Festival in front of 1. Chuck Berry, Canned Heat, the blues version of Fleetwood Mac, and the Turtles, among others. In March of 1. 96. David Knights and Matthew Fisher exited the lineup shortly after finishing work on the group's new album, A Salty Dog, preferring management and production to the performing side of the music business. Knights' departure opened the way for bassist Chris Copping to join Procol Harum (thus re- creating the lineup of the Paramounts), playing bass and organ. Another American tour followed the next month, and in June of 1. A Salty Dog was issued. This record, considered by many to be the original group's best work, combined high- energy blues and classical influences on a grand scale, and returned the band to the U. S. charts at number 3. British charts to number 4. The album subsequently reached number 2. England, the group's first long- player to chart in their own country. Despite the group's moderate sales in England and America, they remained among the more popular progressive rock bands, capable of reaching more middle- brow listeners who didn't have the patience for Emerson, Lake & Palmer or King Crimson. Robin Trower's flashy guitar quickly made him the star of the group, as much as singer/pianist Brooker, and he was considered in the same league with Alvin Lee and any number of late- '6. British blues axemen. Matthew Fisher's stately, cathedral- like organ had been a seminal part of the band's sound, juxtaposed with Trower's blues- based riffing and Reid's unusual, darkly witty lyrics as voiced by Brooker. Following Fisher's departure, the group took on a more straightforward rock sound, but Trower's playing remained a major attraction to the majority of fans. Whaling Stories" was an example of quintessential Procol Harum, a mix of 1. Victorian- era cathedral, with fiery blues riffs blazing at its center. And being soaked in Reid's dark, eerie, regret- filled lyrics didn't stop "A Salty Dog" from becoming one of the group's most popular songs. It was a year before their next album, Home, was released, in June of 1. American number 3. British 4. 9 spot. This marked the end of the group's contract with Regal Zonophone/EMI, and on the release of their next LP in July of 1. Chrysalis in England. Broken Barricades reached number 3. America and 4. 1 in England, but it also marked the departure of Robin Trower.
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