The Alpha Days, Part 5

David Evans, for BtP

This is the author's own, fascinating research ... it's not been endorsed or validated by the band ... so read, mark, inwardly digest, and draw your own conclusions! To get the most out of it, read the previous instalments first

Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone).

Originally included as Track 17 on Disc 3 of the 1997 Westside Thirtieth Anniversary Anthology. The quality was poor as it was taken from an acetate ‘(All that survived!)’ In the notes it was credited  ‘as Track 11’, ie the extended stereo version of AWSoP. (Procol Harum 1!)

In 2007  it reappeared as the mono B side to a Salvo 7” vinyl single release of AWSoP, and on a CD single.  BtP described here how the original tape was erased in error and an early acetate had previously been the sole surviving version.  Recently it had been rediscovered among tapes dating from 1967 and mastered in 2007 by Rob Keyloch.

When included in the 2009 Salvo Shine On Brightly Bonus tracks, Henry Scott Irvine’s liner notes, perhaps wary of another Royer/Harrison controversy, simply stated that it was recorded ‘early in 1967’.  No date, No studio. No credits.  No reference is made to Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone) in any of the abortive Royer/Harrison studio sessions for the deebut album. 

Gary is quoted as preferring the magic and warm of this original version.  Even, so it is difficult to believe that it was created by the same musicians as the take on the Shine on Brightly album.

In the Wee Small Hours of Sixpence

In the Wee Small Hours of Sixpence is another track that has been linked to the Harrison /Royer line-up. Its variants have been discussed in great depth in BtP here.

It is a non-album track,  released only as a mono B side mono to the single Quite Rightly So (UK RZ3007) on 22 March 1968 and in April 1968 in the US (A&M 927).

The debate centres around the differences between the UK release, referred to as the  ‘RZ’ version, and US release referred to as ‘Dojo’ version (as it had been released on the ‘Dojo’ Early Years compilation in 1992).

RZ and Dojo are certainly different performances, not just different mixes, at least as far as drums and vocal are concerned.

In 1999 Westside’s Pandora’s Box Compilation  introduced a stereo version here   (The CD box shows a photo of the tape box dated 25 July 1967 (the week after Royer/Harrison left) - although the Esoteric Shine onn Brightly Disc 3 release 2015 claims it was ‘recorded’ on 6 December 1967?)

The Pandora's Box Stereo is in fact a stereo version of the A&M mono single. A distinctive click in the opening few bars is the easiest way of identifying this version, but the other anomalies also match up.  (As yet no stereo version of the RZ single has been released (found?)

Even so the 2002 Repertoire A&B The Singles Compilation still managed to mix them up. CD 1 Track 8 is described as the RZ single but they used the A&M version; and vice versa for Track 11!

Until now I was of the opinion that they were both exclusively Procol Harum 2 recordings.

However, in the context of this research, I listened again to the stereo backing track of In the Wee Small Hours of Sixpence that appeared on the 2009 Salvo Release of Shine on Brightly.  Perhaps I am beginning to hear what I am listening for, but this sounds very much a Procol Harum 1 take.  They state it was mixed down, by Rob Keyloch, from a 6 December 1967 Advision Studio multi-track master. None of these dates would appear to indicate a link with Procol Harum 1. However, the story behind this duplication were also discussed here.

‘Marcelo Pereira put the Sixpence question to Matthew Fisher in an e-mail: ‘Do you remember why did the group record that song twice, and which is the first one? Is BJ Wilson playing in both of them (I ask cause the drums sound very different)?’

Matthew’s reply was as follows: ‘I’ve often wondered about that myself. I think it’s quite possible that the slower version was actually with Bobby and Ray. My feelings are that it’s simply a question of some idiot mixing the tapes up. I do remember that we recorded a version with the old line-up and the new line-up at the same studio (Lansdowne), which coincidentally was where Homburg was recorded.’

Slower version? - not very helpful as both versions and the backing track have the same tempo and length 2 mins 57 secs.

So, with the information available to date, perhaps the story went as follows:-

In December 1967 the first album was about to be released in the UK.  Another single was required to follow up Homburg for release in March 1968. To back up Quite Rightly So with a previously unreleased B-side would be preferable.  So what was available? 

The presence of the Pandora’s Box 25 July 1967 stereo version of In the Wee Small Hours of Sixpence on a tape dated 6 December (the Esoteric 2015 release wrongly assumes it was recorded on that date) suggests this was considered. Unhappy with that version, they set about a new take. Did they start from scratch or use an existing backing track to produce another ‘hybrid’ single à la Homburg? If so, was the same backing track used to create both variant singles?

The 2009 Salvo reissue claims the backing track was mixed down from a multi track master also dated 6 December 1967.  This backing track does indeed have the same basic drum beat, piano and organ as both the A&M and RZ singles. As the A&M single is derived from the multitrack tape dated 25 July 1967 the backing track must date to this time at least. 

So possibly, a Procol Harum 1 backing track was the basis for both singles. On 25 July, at Advision Studios, additional BJ drumming (and a vocal?) was added; resulting in the A&M source tape rediscovered and released in the 1999 Pandora’s Box compilation.

Then, on 6 December 1967, the same old backing track was used to add a new vocal and a different/additional drum embellishment from BJ.  Like the AWSoP and Homburg singles Royer’s guitar contribution was inaudible but, for once, was retained on Rob Keyloch’s 2009 Salvo mix of the backing track.

This time line fits with the release of the Quite Rightly So/In the Wee Small Hours of Sixpence single (UK RZ3007) on 22 March 1968 and April 1968 in the US (A&M 927).

So, in summary, the 4 versions of In the Wee Small Hours of Sixpence :

Stereo Backing track    A Harrison/Royer session recorded, (like Homburg at Lansdowne Studios)  (Original may have had a vocal?)  Used as a basis for both single variants.

Pandora’s Box Compilation  Stereo Created 25 July 1967 - a ‘hybrid’  using the backing track with BJ embellishment (possibly vocal added at this time?).

A&M  Mono B side in US.  Created from the Pandora’s Box multi track. Either here  ‘simply a question of some idiot mixing the tapes up’ or  the RZ tape was not made available to A&M!. (On the disc itself A&M also managed to mix the writing credits (Quite Rightly So - Brooker/Reid and In the Wee Small Hours of Sixpence to Reid/Brooker/Fisher!).

RZ Mono B side in UK. Created 6 December 1967 using the backing track with  both a new vocal and new BJ embellishment. Like, Homburg, how much of the original track is left in the single variants, especially the contributions made by Royer and Harrison, is difficult to assess. I suspect very little. A stereo version of the RZ track has not yet surfaced.

Therefore, a compilation Procol Harum 1 Album perhaps entitled Alpha Days (Are Here Again) might look as follows:

    1. Alpha

    Recorded at Olympic Studios, London on 29 March 1967

1999 Westside Shine on Brightly Plus - mix retains Royer’s guitar, Eyden (or Harrison?) on drums.

  2. Salad Days (Are Here Again)

    Recorded at Olympic Studios, London on 29 March 1967

    1999 Westside Procol Harum Plus - mix retains Royer’s guitar, Eyden (or Harrison?) on drums.

  3. A Whiter Shade Of Pale

    Recorded at Advision Sound Studios, London on 19 April 1967

2003 Classic Records Single A side - which ‘lets us really hear, for the first time, what original guitarist Ray Royer .. was doing in this song’

  4. Lime Street Blues

    Recorded at Advision Sound Studios, London on 19 April 1967

2017 ‘AWSoP ‘Record Store Day’ Fiftieth Anniversary EP’ - in which ‘largely underappreciated guitarist Ray Royer,.... acquits himself very well ‘.

  5. Homburg (extended stereo version)

     Recorded at Lansdowne Studios Early summer 1967 -

     1997 Thirtieth Anniversary Anthology Tom Moulton mix - Royer’s guitar not in mix.

  6. In The Wee Small Hours Of Sixpence - backing track

     Recorded at Lansdowne Studios Early summer 1967

     2009 Salvo Shine on Brightly

  7. Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone)

     Recorded early 1967

     2007, Salvo, Fortieth Anniversary series

  8. Easter Egg Track

 Bonus studio mixes

  9. Alpha

    Recorded at Olympic Studios, London on 29 March 1967

    2007 40th Anniversary Edition Salvo (with Royer’s guitar missing from the mix)

  10. Salad Days

    Recorded at Olympic Studios, London on 29 March 1967

    2015 Procol Harum : 2CD Deluxe Expanded (with Royer’s guitar missing from the mix)

  11. A Whiter Shade of Pale

    Recorded at Advision Sound Studios, London on 19 April 1967

    1997 Thirtieth Anniversary Anthology Tom Moulton mix - Royer’s guitar not in mix.

  12. Lime Street Blues

    Recorded at Advision Sound Studios, London on 19 April 1967

    2003 Classic Records Single B side

  13. Homburg (1971 stereo mix)

     Royer/Harrison mix overdubbed with BJ Wilson drumming (extent of which debateable).

 Bonus BBC radio performances (Esoteric 2015 Procol Harum : 2CD Deluxe Expanded)

 BBC Light Programme Easybeat session 14 June 1967
  14. Morning Dew
  15. A Whiter Shade of Pale
  16. Mabel

                 To be read in the spirit it was written!!

If anyone knows why any of these takes should not be there (or any others that should be included) please inform.

Likewise are there answers to any of the following questions:-

Re. A Whiter Shade of Pale

    1. Why the stereo version of the original single has not appeared on any official Procol Harum release?

    2. Is the 2003 Classic 7” single variant as different as they claim?

    Salad Days (Are Here Again)

    3. Who was playing the drums on the early version of Salad Days (and possibly Alpha)?

    Lime Street Blues

    4. Why the variant takes have not appeared as bonus tracks on any CD compilations?

    Easter Egg Track

    5. Is there any further information out there?

    Homburg / In The Wee Small Hours Of Sixpence

    6. When and what did Procol Harum 1 record at the Lansdowne Studios?

    Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone)

    7. When and where was it first recorded?

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