Authors of Rock

From a Danish Literary Calendar

Niels-Erik Mortensen writes to BtP:
In 1994, librarian Ejgil Søholm published this text in his Literary Calendar. I sent a copy with a translation to Gary on his 50th birthday. I wonder if it ever reached him ... but perhaps 'BtP' readers could enjoy it too.

Ejgil Søholm, Gyldendals Litteraturkalender 1995 (Gyldendal's Literary Calendar, published by Gyldendal, 1994)

Authors of Rock

'This is Gary – he´s a composer. And this is Keith – he writes words'. That is the way Gary Brooker and Keith Reid are believed to have been introduced at a party back in 1967. And that´s what they did. Wrote. To keep the record straight they started right at the top with A Whiter Shade of Pale – the very first and very biggest hit by the band Procol Harum. Brooker has been obliged to do the song at every gig [sic] for 25 years. As on Danish TV some years ago when he visited the country owing to some ballet music he did for The Royal Theatre. So badly paid that he was compelled to go by bus to Gyngemosen (the TV studio) – he confided to the host, Hans Otto Bisgaard.'