Harum scarum right to top!

(Melody Maker, May 1967)

The Procol Harum, formed only three months ago, leaped to the top of the MM Pop 30 this week with A Whiter Shade of Pale. And as they snatched number one from the Tremeloes, the record was poised for worldwide success.

In France it sold 120,000 in ten days and Switzerland sold out of copies in a very short time and wholesalers cabled London for more copies. The record is being released in Australia, Spain and Germany this week and many other countries are being lined up for release.

Procol manager Jonathan Weston is planning to fly to America nest week to discuss the record which is being heavily plugged and is reported to have sold 20,000 on its first day on sale. Producer Denny Cordell was already in New York this week and gave a press conference on the record to US journalist.

The Harum last week made a colour TV film in the grounds of a derelict  Worcestershire mansion which will be used to promote the record throughout the world and may be seen on BBC’s Top of the Pops.

The group have four tracks already recorded, but their follow-up will probably be a new number by Keith Reid and lead singer Gary Brooker.

This has not yet been recorded, but the group plan to record material for a new single and an LP within the next two weeks.

Future plans for the group include a trip to America for promotion, possibly in July and a return to London’s Saville Theatre as top of the bill. No date has been finalised for this.

They will also undertake a tour of major British cities in the near future. On Sunday (11) they appear on Billy Cotton’s BBC-TV show.

More Procol history in print

More Procol lifelines, from the NME