Procol Harum

Beyond
the Pale

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Procol Harum Day

A great new use for 12 May each year


April 2000: Beverly Peyton, dubbed 'an honorary member' of Procol Harum by BJ Wilson, writes to BtP …

Howdy Palers!

I guess you're all wondering why I asked you here today ;-) Well, it's like this ... I've never been one to stand on ceremony over my birthday, just never seemed important, silly as that may seem. Make no mistake about it, I love celebrating everyone else's, but just this once, I would like to state that in fact, today indeed is my birthday.

Yup, folks, it was fifty-four years ago that I was born and in 1949, I was chosen for some reason, to adorn the cover of Woman's Day magazine holding a kitty cat. Actually, there was a reason, but I won't go into that. Anyway, I like to look at that cover now and again and think that that kitty cat is Procol Harum, even though it in no way resembles the cat that the band was named after. (we think ;-) The fact remains, that I was once told that that cat had a peculiar way of NOT showing up in photographs, so aside from the fact that there's no way it would have lived that long to be the actual Procol Harum, there's also no way he would have appeared in his image.

Now, I know you are wondering where this is all going, but you see, from the time that I was three, that cat (for the sake of this birthday wish) and I, were straight away headed for Procol Harum. ;-) When AWSoP came along, little did I know that my destiny would have me somehow connected to this band that we have all come to know and love.

Here's where it gets interesting ... just prior to there ever being a Procol Harum or a song called A Whiter Shade of Pale, (released on 12 May 1967) a friend and I decided one day to see what a clairvoyant had to say about our futures, we were very young and curious (and probably very high ;-)) To make a long story short, I have to admit, this very sage-looking man told me that 12 May would come to be THE most important date in my life.

So, for my birthday, this is my wish, (aside from Procol Harum recording and playing live again ;-) ... I would like to proclaim 12 May PROCOL HARUM DAY all over the World. From now on, that day will be set aside for everything and all things 'PROCOL' and maybe, just maybe ... the boys will see fit to hold a concert on that day, every year, so we can all celebrate them!   

Shine On Palers!

Much love,

Beverly

PS ... could we all play In Held … sometime today for me? ;-)

PPS Don't you think we're gonna need banners and t-shirts and buttons and badges ... and all my goodness, the list is endless! A FLOAT ... WE NEED A FLOAT!!! With Wizards and Mermaids and Mabel and McGreggor and Brightly the Frog and a big old Buddha and Peep the Sot … and SOUSA SAM!


More from Beverly Peyton


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