I have to click on the button above that says "show outline of ALL messages" or something to that effect.

Hopefully a helpful hint

Best, Joan :-) Jem33@aol.com

Jem33@webtv.net

In searching like the Sycophants of Learning,

The Symmetry it calls to me...

The chandelier in Sinful Swing.

And the face of Alice Ghostly Turned a Wyatt Earp shade of pale...

can anybody out there help with backgroundfacts about the lyrics in ”Nothing but the truth” I need info about purpose, morals, aimings and so on. Please answer to jan.wifstrand@sydsvenskan.se

Thanks!

Does anybody have a MIDI file of Conquistador? If not, does anybody know if sheet music of the song is in print?

Dionysus

Was entitled by choosing the first word of each verse.

OK - here goes Nothing!

I'm not used to this Board and hope this Works.  BTW - who's
that Webmaster Henri, anyway? <g>

Jens and Roland have done a GREAT job revamping this Site
today, haven't they?

I just noticed a real Gem of a comment from Denny Cordell in
the History Section - from 2/14/69 - Bristol Evening Post -
the last sentence, describing AWSoP:

"..the instruments used were piano, organ, lead guitar, bass guitar and drums,  and it was the haunting sound produced on the organ which captured the ears of disc-buyers everywhere."

No matter what Denny's faults were as a producer - the man
sure knew musical Quality when he heard it!  :-)

  

Shine On! jens

http://www.procolharum.com/epost.htm

http://www.procolharum.com/procol_dc.htm

I had never seen what he looked like as a young man before - only recently having seen him shortly before his death, being interviewed in that Tom Petty "Behind the Music" on VH1.

I'll always love Denny for producing Procol's First, knowing that they sound best Live, with no frills!! It's just a damn shame he didn't get better sound engineers to do that job -- Is the dorky looking guy sitting next to him one of those incompetent engineers, by any chance? (BtW, Denny's the one in the foreground, let there be no confusion).

I also love him for his statement about what aspect of AWSoP caught the ears of all those millions --- see that quote repeated in the place of honor -- atop the Hammond Page here

http://www.procolharum.com/organlinks.htm

and for bringing in BJW to the Joe Cocker "Little Help Session."

I don't know any instance of his being a "n'er do well" and won't believe ill of him until and unless I see proof of any misdeeds. As far as I know he was a great asset to Procol and the world of music.

Thanks again, Larry!! Best, Joan :-)

Hi Jason

I'd bet they never played the Fisher/Reid masterpiece
"Wreck of the Hesperus" LIVE.

I wanted to add a Title to my last message, which I neglected to do because I'm not used to this Board yet <g>

I also want to add that Hesperus is one of my Favorite PH tunes - Especially the Vocals - I can't imagine Gary or anyone else singing that song as beautifully - and also for that ethereal Piano, which I assume to be Fisher as well, although there's No official documentation of that, as far as I know.

This brings up another question -- the composer credits of the ASD album,  and also SOB -- both Very sketchy!

Can anyone officially confirm the Piano Credits on Wreck of the Hesperus?

Whoops -- of course I meant to say in my last message that the
MUSICIAN credits of SOB AND ASD are sketchy, not the Composer
Credits.

The composer credits are only a little bit sketchy on SOB --
i.e.  who wrote the music for Each Section of In Held Twas In
I? That's been partially documented on the Repertoire Reissue
of SOB -- Fisher composed the Music of Grand Finale.. But the
other sections have not been delineated, as far as I can
remember....

I emailed MF about this, and he was kind enough to respond. He played it - of course we all guessed that, right? Apparently, actually, Brooker played the left hand, and MF the right. Problem is, as I noted on the SS CD... I cannot decifer exactly what the low-end, right hand part is...

However... all that bitchen high end stuff that we CAN hear is most definately MF - Just knew it, God love him - And congratualtions to him - It's absolutely fuckin' brilliant! Kills me over and over, even as the years roll by.

Ethan Reilly papa_abba@yahoo.com

        I wrote this last nite in rather a blur, I fear.  What I meant to say was that MF emailed me that Brooker played the "low range" piano (which I mentioned I was barely able to decifer while programming SS) and MF played the obvious two handed "mid and high range" piano of which we are all familiar.  Clearly there are at least three hands on the "Hesperus" piano - probably four.  By the way, MF said that his and Gary's piano parts were not recorded simultaniously.

Ethan

	Goodness knows I hope someone cleans up all of my rubbish from the last 24 hours!  I should be rather embarrassed (I should be taken out and tarred and feathered!)  And yet, my dedication to accuracy supersedes even my own “cringing embarrassment”.
	As to the question of “who played piano on Hesperus”, well first of all:  I think that I somehow managed to allow my own musical understanding (or lack there of) to influence a remembrance of what MF had emailed me some 10 months ago on this matter, and want to be absolutely exact about it now.
	I actually feel somehow “inappropriate” passing on Fisher’s words on this, and yet, I think I will violate no one with this info (I HOPE!).	  

	These are MF’s exact words about the Hesperus piano part:

Q. Did you, or Gary Brooker play piano on “Wreck of The Hesperus”, and who is singing this one?

A - That’s me on piano and vocals. (Actually, I play the Right-Hand piano and Gary plays the Left-Hand - not at the same time - they were overdubs.)

	There: now you have the quote - straight from the horse’s mouth - and I hope that it has been “appropriate to reproduce”, and of service to all PH fans.
	Funny, really, all this discussion about this particular part, because I carried this very question (and, of course, many others!) around inside my head from the time that the “ASD” LP first came out in the 60’s, and only by way of email - and a great deal of patience (waiting for MF to very graciously find the time to get back to me) did I finally get this long awaited answer.
	I do have to say however, that having transcribed “Hesperus” for literally scores of wonderful, musical-unearthing hours, I am still, not exactly sure what Fisher meant by this statement.  Performing (what I perceive to be) the left and right hand parts to this song separately, seems somehow impossible.  To me, one hand literally relies upon the other - which is, I fear, what led me to guess that there must be still another “lower” part which Brooker had played.  But then, please remember, I am no keyboard player!
	Anyway, aside from all this, what can be said for sure is that this is Fisher’s tune.  As a musician, I (personally) believe that it is safe to say that the entire piano part - however exactly executed, was created by him.  And if you want my opinion - it - and the complete work - is NOTHING SHORT OF BRILLIANT.  		Indeed, I have hundreds of hours in the total reproduction of this masterpiece, and believe me, I could tell you of MANY MORE absolutely magnificent treasures I have uncovered within! 

Thanx again, everyone, for your patience with me!

Ethan Reilly

One reason that Matthew Fisher hasn't received his due credit for so much of his Procol work -- aside from the Big One, of course, his creation of the organ melody of A Whiter Shade of Pale -- is the very poor crediting on the liner notes of SOB and ASD. The former does not have a breakdown of who composed what parts of In Held 'Twas In I, and the latter's Musician credits are TERRIBLE -- with no breakdown by track of who played what instruments. (I was hoping the liner notes to the Westside Reissues would correct these oversights but so far they haven't, have they?)

Aside from than the main - Brilliant! - piano on Hesperus, other ways Fisher has been slighted by these inadequate notes:

His composition of the (imo) best parts of In Held 'Twas In I: In The Autumn of My Madness and Grand Finale, and his creation and playing of the lovely piano solo in the latter. The piano solo is still "hearsay" - the other 2 have been documented here at BtP and by Keith Reid (Repertoire Reissue, re Grand Finale).

And I just read an interview in the Shine On archives where Gary Brooker says that Matthew Fisher plays all the instruments on "Pilgrim's Progress" except bass and drums, so I guess that means he's the pianist on that track as well. Gary apparently did not play at all on Pilgrim's Progress.

Thanks to Ethan for the Hesperus clarifications. One reason that Matthew Fisher hasn't received his due credit for so much of his Procol work -- aside from the Big One, of course, his creation of the organ melody of A Whiter Shade of Pale -- is the very poor crediting on the liner notes of SOB and ASD. The former does not have a breakdown of who composed what parts of In Held 'Twas In I, and the latter's Musician credits are TERRIBLE -- with no breakdown by track of who played what instruments. (I was hoping the liner notes to the Westside Reissues would correct these oversights but so far they haven't, have they?)

Aside from the main - Brilliant! - piano on Hesperus, other ways Fisher has been slighted by these inadequate notes:

His composition of the (imo) best parts of In Held 'Twas In I: In The Autumn of My Madness and Grand Finale, and his creation and playing of the lovely piano solo in the latter. The piano solo is still "hearsay" - the other 2 have been documented here at BtP and by Keith Reid (Repertoire Reissue, re Grand Finale).

And I just read an interview in the Shine On archives where Gary Brooker says that Matthew Fisher plays all the instruments on "Pilgrim's Progress" except bass and drums, so I guess that means he's the pianist on that track as well. Gary apparently did not play at all on Pilgrim's Progress.

So my only point was that your's and Josh's interest was strongest around the first LP - and mine carried on...

However, I am indeed grateful that you brought that "PH" LP home, so long ago... It's tough to say which PH LP is the best, but one thing is sure - none is better than that one.

Is Henry Scott-Irvine on line?

Thank for the ospitality

antonio costa barbe (most@msoft.it).

Hi Jason!

I think you're right abuut Fisher being the composer of the Autumn.. section of In Held Twas In I,  as well as Grand Finale.

Henry Scott-Irvine, in the liner notes for the Boxed Set, singled out Grand Finale for special praise, btw, calling it "classic Harum,"  but forgot to mention Fisher as the sole composer of its music.. Luckily,  Keith Reid (I think) did acknowledge that in the notes to the Repertoire Reissue of SOB..

But back to the subject of "In the Autumn of my Madness" - I'd like to see an Official acknowledgment from PH about its composership... too bad that opportunity was missed in the liner notes of the Boxed Set..

I asked MF at Shepherds Bush (where a section of the audience hollered for it) whether Hepserus might ever be played on that tour. 'Well, there's nothing to it, really,' he replied.

Gary's 1969 interview about the lyrics to AWSoP is now up on this Site.

I had read this in an old issue of Shine On, and always wondered --- Shouldn't Gary have said:

"Hey MAN,  why ask ME??  I Didn't write those WORDS!!!"

I guess he just couldn't bring himself to admit that he didn't create the WHOLE THING..

 

Here's the LINK:

http://www.procolharum.com/awsopint.htm

http://www.procolharum.com/mojo95.htm

- writer Rob Chapman quotes "the old salty dog" - i.e. Gary - as offering the following "..less than politically-correct scenario: -

"I always imagine that if I ever get stuck in one of those cauldrons on the Ivory Coast and the cannibals are about to cook me, I'd just have to mention that I did A Whiter Shade of Pale and they'd let me go."

To which Chapman adds - to end his artcle: "Actually, knowing Procol's luck, they'd probably reply 'Sorry mate, we prefer Homburg."

Which makes absolutlely NO SENSE, because everyone knows that Gary is the sole composer of Homburg, so why wouldn't they have let him go anyway???

Of course what Chapman SHOULD have written was

".....'Sorry mate, we prefer Pilgrim's Prgress.'

OK - Let's see how this works from Prodigy...

I really appreciate the tributes to BJ from his friends and bandmates, as posted here at this Site.  But those who knew him personally tend to focus on his tragic death, and how much they miss him.  This is very understandable.

As someone who didn't know him, but admires his music tremendously, I'd like to remember him by focusing on his amazing musicianship, which is something that can and should live forever.

Sadly, BJ is now virtually unknown among the world of drummers.  I found this out about a year ago, when my husband and I wrote to Modern Drummer Magazine about him, and was told that ours was the ONLY letter about BJ that they Ever received in their 20 years of publication!  BJ is Never mentioned by other drummers who are interviewed in this publication. Even Mark B. - the Cover Subject of their 2/92 issue - didn't mention him!!!

I think there are several reasons for BJ's anonymity among drummers - a major one being that he was never very well recorded on PH's studio albums.  His best recorded work so far is on the Edmonton album, and even there he's obscured by the orchestra unless one listens for him.  That's why I'm so interested in seeing some of PH's LIVE shows released on CD - in HiFi form.  I hear that Jens may start a Forum on requested LIVE shows that should be released on CD (the perfect cure for Bootlegging), and I hope this is done soon.

I'll close with a section of BJ's daughter Nicola's tribute to him - see the AOL postings - of 10/8/96, which moves me to tears almost every time I think of it:

"...I want the whole world to know how much he loved to play his drums for you, and just bring great music to your ears..."

I want more of the world to know about this as well.  BJ deserves no less.

One reason the might be valid for the lack of acclaim on
BJ's behalf, and ye the group members in general, is that
the music they were playing from 1967-77 was not that of its
contemporaries--in other words focused (Focus was a great
 group, but that's another story) on the virtuosity of the
various performers.  Look at Trower in his post Barricades
era...the guitar just let loose a torrent of notes, much like
every other well known guitarist of the age. (in the case of
keyboards, look at Jon Lord,Keith Emerson,etc)  Procol didn't
do anything along the lines of verse-insert looooong solo passage here-verse-etc. With the exception of Power Failure
which blew me away in that BJ didn't get compositional credits
(Imagine a wet-behind-the-ear Procol fan listen to the tune and say, "Gosh! Brooker even wrote the drum solo! he's zany!")
The sheer group mentality of starting, playing then ending the
song that PH exhibited on vinyl kicks it to the side of
the public eye's field of vision.  So, all you hear of is:
AWSoP, Gary Brooker singing it, KR writing it and comments about RT's departure, w/ occasional talk about organs and somesuch, the end.  A shame really, but such is the way of
things.
Thought for food,
Jason

ED

The only drum solo on an official PH album is on Broken Barricades -- "Power Failure." B.J. did that solo very differently each time he played it -- except I think the last few bars were the same going back into the song. There are several Live recordings of that solo that put the album version to Shame -- e.g. Texas radio show on KZEW in 1974; Rockpalast German TV show, 1976, WPLJ NYC radio show 1971 (this one with the mighty Trower as well), and others.

Another Live drum solo he did was in 1977 -- at the end of"The
Unquiet Zone."  The best performance of that I've heard --
with the best fidelity of any of the audience-taped shows --
was at Hofstra University -- 5/77 -- WLIR Radio, I think --
one of their last shows.  That awful Farfisa Synth really
mucked up Procol's sound during that gig, but it wasn't very
prominent on "The Unquiet Zone" thank goodness -- and this was
a real tour de force for Gary, Mick and B.J.!!!  Mick quit the
band soon after and then they all disbanded -- a shame because
 - except for that wretched {{synth}} replacing the
indispensable Hammond, those 3 musicians were at the top of
their form at that time..

I'm always hoping for the release of these great Live shows in high fidelity sound, emplasizing the Drums. Too bad Gary has decided to begin the Live releases with that Liquorice John set -- what PUTRID MATERIAL that is -- no PH tunes just trite rock 'n roll -- kinda like The fParamounts must've sounded before Matthew and Keith joined the others and moved them in more unique and glorious directions..

http://www.procolharum.com/vox86.htm

I recently noticed that the photo of Fisher at the Hammond that they used (and labeled 'Gary Brooker, 1967' or something like that) was probably from the video shoot of AWSoP with Royer and Harrison in that old castle. I still don't have a complete copy of that and wish I did because it includes some nice performance footage... I've seen 2 versions - both incomplete -- one presented on MTV, 1986, cut off with RT commenting at the end; and the other with the complete song but interspersed with &^%^&** Vietnam War footage -- What a Bringdown!! - to coin a phrase from back then -- and certainly having NOTHING to do with AWSoP --- grrr.....

So if anyone has a complete unadulterated copy of that video please email me.

Hi friends! I'm think I'm not crazy, but.... I've listened carefully to the alternative 'naive' version of Homburg in the three CD box set: no doubt, is B.J on Drums: His style, His COLOR on drums, and His pulse of the bass drums, His breaks. Then I ve re-listened the original version of Homburg: am I crazy, or the style and the sound of the drummer are like-Bill-Eyden style???....?? what do you think about? best :-) antonio c.b. most@msoft.it

     I named my dog Homburg 'cos he wouldn't answer to A Whiter Shade of Pale. ;-)

I especially like their reissue of ASD because it includes Long Gone Geek - one of my fave PH tunes, and a NICE LEAN Production - just the way I like 'em!

I'd still like to know if the band approved the Liner Notes to all these Repertoire releases, or just the music.

Please send any information to hughesdw@geocities.com. Thanks!

jens

just bought the triple cd. Good job stereo version of
Whiter shade of pale was never released, would never have
been a hit - Bobby Harrison's drums were so poor!
He later found his true vocation as a vocalist - i have 3
SNAFU albums - at times they are incredible.
Like Gary said in Shine on they picked the best versions in
the first place!
Mike

http://www.the-spa.com/nomortal/page1.htm

The Fillmore West was located at Market and Van Ness Streets, and PH played there in the late 60's and early 70's. I was privileged to see them there in 1970, and it was the BEST SOUND I've EVER heard, with the possible exception of their 1973 gig at the even-larger Winterland Auditorium, also a Bill Graham venue.

If you want more info about the Fillmores - see my page in tribute to the late great Bill Graham at this Site:

http://www.procolharum.com/procolbg.htm

where there's a LINK to the Fillmore Page.

My Question: Did PH play at the Fillmore Auditorium in the 60's? It would have to have been between 1967 and 7/4/68.

We consulted Robert Moselle, who sent us those items. He replied,

"I wasn't in SF in the '60's, so will defer to the historians on the respective names of venues where Procol Harum may or may not have performed. Go with whatever changes you wish. I just looked at the ad in the paper for the '95 concert, and it was for "The Fillmore." So there you have it. Not Fillmore West, not Fillmore Auditorium, not even Millard Fillmore (America's 13th president). Just "The Fillmore." Wherever it was, it was great!'

So we have amended the pieces on that basis.

I'm looking for the album "Procol Harum Live".
Was it released as a CD?

Please e-mail me, if you can give me a hint where I can buy it.

Thanks, Gerhard

gerhard.hanzal@bmuk.gv.at

Having bought the triple cd I notice the versions of Quite
Rightly So as album track and single are quite different.
Lyrics towards end  of first verse are even different.
Was this the genuine single release.
Can't remember i was only 7 at the time!!
Mike

I noticed on the "THrough the Garden Fence" boot
it does have an alternate end to the first verse:
"Though seldom meeting, I'm not conceding
 Seems to me there's no retreat (I think= that how it goes)
So there actually might have beebn two versions at the outset
I wonder what lead to the vers change?

Jason

sounded to me like " i'm not repeating" not conceding
The album track sounds tons better to me
Mike

http://www.procolharum.com/kr_variant.htm

Dave - hopefully you're reading this. Thanks so much for your Guestbook entry!! On your page at this Site, it says you played uncredited on Grand Hotel. I'm a real stickler for giving credit where due (!) and am saddened when I read about "uncredited" performances. So -- Would you be willing to tell us what guitar parts you played on Grand Hotel?

http://www.procolharum.com/db_gh.htm

"Salad Days" from the first album is described as being from "Separation," and there's a track on one of Matthew Fisher's solo albums that is also credited as being from the same film.

Does anyone know anything about the movie, and what the Procol connection was?

Sincerely,

MrEWorm

Separation (1968)

UK 1968 Color

Produced by: Bond Films

Language: English

Runtime: UK:93

Distributed by: London Independent Producers

Directed by Jack Bond

Cast (in alphabetical order)

Jane Arden (II) .... Jane

Joy Bang

Fay Brook

David De Keyser....Husband

Terrence De Marney....Old man

Ann Lynn....Woman

Iain Quarrier...Lover

Written by Jane Arden (II) (also story)

Cinematography by Aubrey Dewar, David Muir (I)

Film Editing by Michael Johns (I)

Produced by Jack Bond

And...I saw GB May 97 live with Ringo Starr, Jack Bruce and Peter Frampton and a real drummer whose name I forget. This performance was GREAT and better appear on CD and video. Bruce, Brooker and Frampton played like they have been a band for years! It turned me on to Brooker and I have been adding to my Brooker/Procol Harum collection ever since! (Where was Procol Harum all my life?)

Happy Holidays to all. And, Gary, how about dropping us a posting?

Meanwhile as you will see from our 'What's New' feature Gary sends his Christmas good wishes to the Online PH community.

I have always felt that Gary was playing on "Hear Me Lord,"
Side 4, Track 4).  If not kudos to whomever it was.
When GB goes on line, I hope he can fill us in with
the answer.
RAM
Monterey, CA
www.cce-mcle.com

     Gary's contribution on All Thing's Must Pass
      can be found on the track of My Sweet Lord

      From the Alex Bennett Radio Show 1970
  "A trained ear could hear it"... Gary Brooker

I'm not usually into gaming, but I must compliment Jens, Roland and/or Whomever for those GREAT Contest Anagrams!!! Be Barrie's and Rock, & Fisher's Turf INDEED!

They remind me of a very clever San Francisco crossword puzzle writer named Merl Reagle, who clued me in to the fact that you can rearrange the letters in "ERIC CLAPTON" to spell "NARCOLEPTIC" - LOL!!

But seriously folks, have Great Holidays!!

Best, Joan :-)

Enjoy, and happy holidays.

-Annabel Gill.

January 7, 1998

I am the producer of a radio show in Chicago named NeedleDrop,
hosted by a band named the Cleaning Ladys.  We have been on-air for 4 years.

I am having trouble finding out how to contact Gary or Matthew in order to conduct a phone interview for our show.

My name is Tina and my work # is 773-525-2101 if anyone
can assist me in this matter.  Thank you.

January 7, 1998

I am the producer of a radio show in Chicago named NeedleDrop,
hosted by a band named the Cleaning Ladys.  We have been on-air for 4 years.

I am having trouble finding out how to contact Gary or Matthew in order to conduct a phone interview for our show.

My name is Tina and my work # is 773-525-2101 if anyone
can assist me in this matter.  Thank you.