Memorabilia of BJ Wilson, Procol Harum's great percussionist

Historic snare-drum etc. offered for sale, thanks to Gary Brooker • 8 October 2014

Gary Brooker's vocal explanation of the items offered for auction: click to listen. Bid for snare drum, spare head and stand at eBay

 

Anyone who has heard the likes of Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone) – to choose just one of many Procol tracks that feature the snare-drumming of BJ Wilson –
will know what an impeccably sensitive and exciting player he was on this instrument. Gary Brooker attributes this, in part, to BJ's
Boys' Brigade background. So the sale of BJ's snare drum of choice, from the late 1960s and early 1970s, is
certain to excite musicians and non-musicians alike from among his fanbase 

Like the other items offered in this sale, BJ Wilson played this instrument with Procol Harum on stage and in the studio;
 it was later in the possession of Gary Brooker, who played BJ's kit for home demo purposes

It's a Rogers drum from the USA, 14.5 inches across and 6 inches deep. As the pictures show, it is in good playable condition, but we have not
tidied it up nor cleaned it; Its historic patina will surely give it real appeal to BJ's fans – it is as he handled it – but of course it can
also be cleaned up, restored and so on as required by its eventual lucky owner

Who knows what echoes of early Procol – or Paramounts? – tunes remain inside this lovely item of memorabilia?

Another shot of the snare itself. Almost imperceptible is the small split in the bottom head, just where the
snare-string crosses its edge. There are plenty of other BJ heads, however, in different sales

A shot of the drum on its stand

The stand is structurally sound, but as the picture shows it has lost the rubber foot from one of its three legs

A new, unused Yamaha head for the above drum is included in the present sale

One last look at the drum on its stand. Happy bidding!

Bid for snare drum, spare head and stand at eBay

Back to the index page for the sale of BJ's drums