History of Procol Harum

Piero Scaruffi

The following history of Procol Harum was written by the poet, historian and free-thinker Piero Scaruffi, and appears in Italian as part of his e-zine and cultural archive. It was kindly rendered into English for BtP by Martin Clare (though the last two sentences of the original were in English anyway). Scaruffi himself is a critic and historian of rock music, on which he has been writing for over twenty years for over thirty magazines world-wide (including a six-volume history of rock music, a guide to avant-garde music and an encyclopaedia of electronica): the astonishing scope of his interests may be seen in the index page to his site.

I Procol Harum fecero parte del contingente "neo-classico" della musica rock Britannica dei secondi anni '60. A differenza dei Nice, che avevano inventato il genere, i Procol Harum usarono la musica classica per comporre canzoni eleganti, non brani sperimentali. Le loro composizioni piu` audaci sono fantasie melodiche. La loro specialita` divenne l'album a tema.

Procol Harum were part of the "neo-classical" contingent of British rock music in the latter part of the 60s. Unlike the Nice, who invented the genre, Procol Harum used classical music to compose elegant songs, not experimental pieces. Their boldest compositions are melodic fantasies. The theme album became their speciality.

I Procol Harum si evolsero, piu` che formarono, nel 1966 da un gruppo di rhythm and blues, i Paramounts, che avevano pubblicato il primo singolo nel 1963, e il cui repertorio verra` raccolto su A Whiter Shade of R&B (Edsel, 1983). A lanciarli fu A Whiter Shade Of Pale (dieci milioni di copie vendute), versione psichedelica per organo Hammond di una cantata di Bach, un lento struggente che spopolo` nell'Aprile 1967, Il primo album, Procol Harum (Deram, 1967), e` una raccolta di melodie imponenti sostenute da ritmi marziali e da solenni timbri d'organo: Homburg, il 45 giri dell'ottobre, forse il loro classico per eccellenza, un ritornello arioso che si avvolge in spire languide ed eteree con cadenza malinconica e apocalittica; Conquistador, l'apice dei loro barocchismi orchestrali; Salad Days e lo strumentale Repent Walpurgis.

Procol Harum evolved, rather than were formed, in 1966 from an R&B band, The Paramounts, who had released their first single in 1963 and whose repertoire was to be brought together on A Whiter Shade of R&B (Edsel, 1983). Their début single was A Whiter Shade of Pale (10 million copies sold), a psychedelic Hammond organ version of a Bach cantata, an aching slow number which took the world by storm in April 1967. The first album, Procol Harum (Deram, 1967), is a collection of imposing melodies supported by martial rhythms and solemn organ tones: Homburg (released as a single in October of that year) perhaps their classic par excellence, an airy refrain which winds in languid and ethereal coils with a melancholy and apocalyptic measure; Conquistador, pinnacle of their orchestral "baroquisms"; Salad Days; and the instrumental Repent Walpurgis.

Quel sound fluido e maestoso scaturiva in realta` da componenti tutt'altro che uniformi: le doppie tastiere che fecero epoca, e che conferivano al suono un tono grave e solenne, accomunavano l'organo da cattedrale di Matthew Fisher e il piano blues di Gary Brooker; il canto spiritual alla Ray Charles di Brooker (autore di quasi tutto il repertorio) duettava con la chitarra alla Eric Clapton di Robin Trower.

That fluid, majestic sound was born in fact of extraordinarily diverse components: the epoch-making two-keyboard line-up, which gave a grave and solemn feeling to the sound, brought together the cathedral organ of Matthew Fisher and the blues piano of Gary Brooker; the Ray-Charles-spiritual-like voice of Gary Brooker (writer of almost all the repertoire) duetted with the Claptonesque guitar of Robin Trower.

Con Shine On Brightly (A&M, 1968) il gruppo comincio` a capire quali fossero i loro punti di forza, e accentuo` pertanto la passione struggente (Shine On Brightly, 1968) e l'epica titanica (All This And More). Presa confidenza, il gruppo deliro` romanticamente nei diciotto minuti di ascesi mistica di In Held Twas In I (1968), una suite in cinque movimenti.

With Shine On Brightly (A&M, 1968) the group began to understand their strong points, and so put more emphasis on aching passion (Shine On Brightly, 1968) and titanic epics (All This And More)[sic]. Having gained confidence, they rambled romantically through the eighteen minutes of mystic asceticism of In Held ‘Twas In I (1968), a suite in five movements.

In breve il gruppo si fece una nomea per le storie pacate e "vissute" di lontananza e solitudine, e in particolare quelle di vita marinara, per esempio Salty Dog (1969) e Whaling Stories. Gli arrangiamenti di A Salty Dog (1969) avevano raggiunto il massimo equilibrio fra le velleita` neoclassiche e la drammaturgia rock (The Devil Came From Kansas, Wreck Of The Hesperus, Boredom).

The group soon acquired a name for calm, "real-life" stories of separation and loneliness, and especially of sea-faring life, such as Salty Dog (1969) and Whaling Stories. The arrangements on A Salty Dog (1969) hit the greatest balance between neo-classical ambitions and rock dramatics (The Devil Came From Kansas, Wreck of the Hesperus, Boredom).

Perso Fisher, Home (1970) volto` pagina, abbracciando l'hard-rock (Whiskey Train) e Broken Barricades (1971), che di fatto presentava la stessa formazione dei vecchi Paramounts, passo` decisamente lo scettro del complesso a Trower, che pennella sia le sincopi soul-boogie di Simple Sister si la nobile visione psichedelica di Song For A Dreamer.

With Fisher gone, Home (1970) marked a change of direction, embracing hard rock (Whiskey [sic] Train); and Broken Barricades (1971) which in fact featured the same line-up as the old Paramounts, passed the band’s crown decisively to Trower, who creates images ranging from the syncopated soul-boogie of Simple Sister to the noble psychedelic vision of Song For A Dreamer.

Per quanto felice, quell'escursione nell'hard-rock andava contro la natura del complesso, che infatti licenzio` Trower e si rifugio` nel formato dell'album concept. Il primo album concept fu dedicato al Grand Hotel (Chrysalis, 1973), ambiente che, per lusso, splendore e imponenza, ben si prestava ad ospitare la loro musica. Gli fece seguito Exotic Birds And Fruit (1974), forse migliore. Ma poi il gruppo decise di incidere Ninth (1975) affidandosi ai compositori americani di musica leggera Leiber and Stoller e Something Magic (1977) fece anche peggio.

For all it was agreeable, this excursion into hard rock went against the band’s nature, and they sacked Trower and took refuge in the format of the concept album. The first of these was dedicated to the Grand Hotel (Chrysalis, 1973), an atmosphere which with its imposing luxury and splendour made an ideal host for their music. There followed Exotic Birds And Fruit (1974), perhaps better. But then the band decided to entrust the recording of Ninth [sic] (1975) to the American light music composers Leiber and Stoller, and Something Magic (1977) did still worse.

Sia Brooker sia Fisher pubblicarono anche album solisti, ma l'unico membro del gruppo ad avere successo da solo fu Trower, da molti considerato l'erede di Jimi Hendrix per la quantita` di effetti che spalma sui suoi virulenti brani. Dopo il preparatorio Twice Removed From Yesterday (Chrysalis, 1973), che annuncio` il suo stile psichedelico/onirico (I Can't Wait Much Longer, Hannah, Daydream), Trower diede il suo capolavoro (e uno dei grandi "guitar album" di tutti i tempi) con Bridge of Sighs (Chrysalis, 1974), che contiene una manciata di classici: Too Rolling Stoned, Bridge of Sighs, Little Bit of Sympathy, Day Of The Eagle, Fool And Me, In This Place, Lady Love. Fondamentale fu il contributo del cantante Jimmy Dewar (morto nel 2002).

Both Brooker and Fisher also released solo albums, but the only member of the band to achieve solo success was Trower, considered by many the natural heir to Jimi Hendrix on account of the number of effects he spreads over his powerful pieces. After the initial Twice Removed From Yesterday (Chrysalis, 1973), which introduced his psychedelic / dreamlike style, (I Can't Wait Much Longer, Hannah, Daydream), Trower produced his masterpiece (and one of the great "guitar albums" of all time) with Bridge of Sighs (Chrysalis, 1974), which contains a fistful of classics: Too Rolling Stoned, Bridge of Sighs, Little Bit of Sympathy, Day Of The Eagle, Fool And Me, In This Place, Lady Love. Fundamental to it was the contribution of the singer Jimmy Dewar (who died in 2002).

Trower divenne un "guitar hero" di fama mondiale a partire da For Earth Below (Chrysalis, 1975), che contiene Shame the Devil e Alethea, oltre alla feroce Gonna Be More Suspicious. Fu il primo di una serie di album milionari: Long Misty Days (1976), equamente spartito fra brani trasognati (Long Misty Days e Same Rain Falls) e brani travolgenti (Caledonia e Messin' the Blues); In City Dreams (1977), che invece vira decisamente verso il sound rilassato da salotto (In City Dreams, Sweet Wine of Love, Bluebird); Caravan To Midnight (1978), ancor piu` barocco e lezioso (Lost In Love, I'm Out to Get You, Caravan To Midnight); Victims of the Fury (1980), che torno` invece allo stile delle origini (la title-track, Jack And Jill).

Trower became a world-famous "guitar hero" from the time of For Earth Below (Chrysalis, 1975), which contains Shame the Devil and Alethea, besides the ferocious Gonna Be More Suspicious. It was the first of a series of albums that sold in their thousands: Long Misty Days (1976), equally divided between dreamy pieces (Long Misty Days and Same Rain Falls) and rockier ones (Caledonia and Messin' the Blues); In City Dreams (1977), which swings decisively, however, towards a relaxed "lounge" sound (In City Dreams, Sweet Wine of Love, Bluebird); Caravan To Midnight (1978), still more baroque and mannered (Lost In Love, I'm Out to Get You, Caravan To Midnight); Victims of the Fury (1980), which reverted to the earlier style (the title-track, Jack And Jill).

Jack Bruce (dei Cream) suono` il basso su BLT (1981), che contiene Into Money, e Truce (1982), poi Trower riprese la sua routine con Back It Up (1983), l'ultimo album con Dewar; il live Beyond The Mist (1985); Passion (Atlantic, 1987), forse il migliore di questo periodo (con la romantica No Time); Take What You Need (Atlantic, 1988), altrettanto romantico e atmosferico; In The Line Of Fire (Atlantic, 1990), su cui figura per la prima volta un organista. The Collection (Castle Communications) is a Robin Trower anthology. Trower staged a comeback with 20th Century Blues (V12, 1994), Someday Blues (V12, 1997), and Go My Way (V12, 2000), which is surprisingly heavy.

Brooker, Fisher, Trover [sic] reformed the group to record Prodigal Stranger (RCA, 1991).

Jack Bruce (of Cream) played bass on BLT (1981), which contains Into Money, and Truce (1982), and then Trower went back to his routine on Back It Up (1983), the last album with Dewar; the live Beyond The Mist (1985); Passion (Atlantic, 1987), perhaps the best of this period (with the romantic No Time); Take What You Need (Atlantic, 1988), as much romantic as it is atmospheric; In The Line Of Fire (Atlantic, 1990), which features an organist for the first time. The Collection (Castle Communications) is a Robin Trower anthology. Trower staged a comeback with 20th Century Blues (V12, 1994), Someday Blues (V12, 1997), and Go My Way (V12, 2000), which is surprisingly heavy.

Brooker, Fisher, Trover [sic] reformed the group to record Prodigal Stranger (RCA, 1991).

We don't think Robin Trower was sacked, incidentally, when he departed from Procol Harum in 1971!

More Procol history in print