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the Pale
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The Palers' Band / The Palers' Project
Fans play the music of Procol Harum
Origins and outings
The Palers' Band is the name that has come to refer to a group founded by Jens and Roland at 'Beyond the Pale' [hence the name!] to provide an opportunity for fans to play Procol Harum music to each other – primarily at conventions organised by the website – in order to while away the waiting before Procol Harum themselves take the stage. A pool of players takes turns to perform Procol material, or numbers from the solo repertoire of Procol members.International in constitution, the Palers' Band to date has performed many times at BtP's private parties and once in public [BB King's Blues Club, Hollywood, California]. It has included some 73 individuals [listed below] and it plays with limited rehearsal – but with much e-mail consultation with the webmasters beforehand. It has typically been open to players and singers of all ages and capacities -- in Westbury, NY, the band's ages spanned half a century -- and the performances have ranged from the entirely 'informal' to the definitely inspiring. Caution is thrown to the winds: for example, the Palers' Band has performed the whole of The Worm and the Tree to Procol Harum themselves, as well as tackling In Held 'Twas in I in their presence in Denmark with a circulating line-up of 23 players, and again in New York.
Clearly there's no attempt whatever at pretending to be the proper Procol Harum, as some other fans'-bands do … our emphasis is solely on enjoying the richness of the Procol repertoire, in the context of fun, mutual respect, and a lack of ego-tripping! See here for the origins, or not, of the band's name.
Recordings
See the foot of the page for information about the Palers' Project, which is a studio collective playing polished and exciting, often innovative, arrangements of favourite Procol songs and rarities. These have had some interesting airplay in the USA and supported Gary Brooker during the Procol Harum Fortieth Anniversary celebrations in London, July 2007: setlist here
We formerly had audience recordings of the Palers' Band – a more rough-and-ready, live-action affair, for sale in the BtP shop, but they have long since sold out.
September 2000
Guildford, UK24 songs and personnel listed here (inc. one Gary Brooker performance); the band included Procol's own Dave Ball.
May 2001
Kristiansand, Norway13 songs and personnel listed here
June 2001
Manchester, UK27 songs and personnel listed here (inc. two Procol Harum performances)
July 2003
Hollywood, USA32 songs and personnel listed here (inc. five Procol Harum performances)
August 2006
Lejre, Denmark30 songs and personnel listed here and here (inc. three Procol Harum performances, one song with Gary Brooker guesting with the Palers' Band, and one song with the whole of Procol joining The Palers onstage mid-song) July 2007
St John's, Smith Square, London16 songs and personnel listed here (no song hitherto performed by the Palers' Band). The band again included Procol's own Dave Ball, and The Palers' Project, which played the following day, included special guest Geoff Whitehorn April 2013
Live Club Barmen,
Wuppertal, Germany33 different songs including many Gary Brooker solo items; two songs sung by Gary with the Palers' Band; a Dave Ball number with the band; a spontaneous, unrehearsed encore with Geoff Whitehorn July 2014
Westbury, Long Island NY
USA19 different songs including two world live premieres, and two numbers sung by Gary with the Palers' Band; July 2015, Brooklyn USA Liquorice Jam. Not the Palers' Band, per se, but a great day's music in the familiar template: read more here May 2016
Zoetermeer, Netherlands14 different songs including a world live première, and two numbers sung by Gary Broooker with the Palers' Band A Double CD of the Palers' Band, September 2000, was
available from BtP … including one track by Gary Brooker
A CD of the Palers' Band, May 2001, was available from BtP … including one bonus track from 1973
A double CD of the Palers' Band, June 2001, was available from BtP … including one track by Procol Harum
Repertoire
So far the Palers' Band has played 123 different songs at BtP conventions ... see the table below ... amounting to almost 200 performances [at Hollywood, 8 songs (marked *) were played twice and in Wuppertal, Westbury and Zoetermeer two songs (marked **) were played twice, once each with Gary Brooker as special guest vocalist; it would be more performances again, and more different songs, if we included the public show on 27 July 2003].
Note that there is a smattering of Brooker, Reid, Fisher, Trower and Ball solo pieces in here, as well as two covers of Procoloid significance, and at least one very standard Standard ... the composers are: Brooker / Reid (78); Brooker / Fisher / Reid (12); Trower / Reid (6); Brooker (5); Fisher (5); Brooker / Reid / Noble (3); Fisher / Reid (2); Ball (1); Brooker / Sutherland (1); Brooker / Trower / Reid (1); Brooker / Renwick / Sinfield (1); Grabham / Reid (1); Hill / Hill (1); Leiber / Stoller (1); Reid / Noble (1); Reid (1); Toussaint (1); Trower (1).
Heard at
1 celebration(No More) Fear of Flying [Brooker / Reid]
A Robe of Silk [Brooker / Reid]
A Souvenir of London [Brooker / Reid]
About to Die [Trower / Reid]
An Old English Dream [Brooker / Reid]
Brickyard Blues [Toussaint]
Bridge of Sighs [Trower]
Broken Barricades [Brooker / Reid]
Butterfly Boys [Brooker / Reid]
Cerdes (Outside the Gates of) [Brooker / Reid]
Chasing for the Chop [Brooker / Reid]
Crucifiction Lane [Trower / Reid]
Echoes in the Night [Brooker / Fisher / Reid]
For Liquorice John [Brooker / Reid]
Fresh Fruit [Brooker / Reid]
Give It a Try [Fisher]
Give Me Something to Remember You By ** [Brooker \ Renwick \ Sinfield]
GonnaDoThis GonnaDoThat [Ball]
Good Captain Clack [Brooker / Reid]
Happy Birthday to You [Hill / Hill]
Hard to be Sure [Fisher]
Hear What You’re Saying ** [Brooker]
Homeloving [Brooker]
I Realise [Brooker / Reid]
In the Wee Small Hours of Sixpence [Brooker / Reid]
Into the Flood [Brooker / Reid / Noble]
King of Hearts [Brooker / Reid / Noble]
Lead Me to the Water [Brooker]
Learn to Fly [Brooker / Fisher / Reid]
Luskus Delph [Brooker / Reid]
Mabel [Brooker / Reid]
McGreggor [Brooker / Reid]
Memorial Drive [Trower / Reid]
Mr Blue Day [Brooker / Sutherland]
New Lamps for Old [Brooker / Reid]
Not Her Fault [Fisher]
Perpetual Motion [Brooker / Reid]
Piggy Pig Pig [Brooker / Reid]
Pilgrims Progress [Fisher / Reid]
Playmate of the Mouth [Brooker / Reid] (Geoff Whitehorn, guitar)
Poison Ivy [Leiber / Stoller]
Power Failure [Brooker / Reid]
Robert's Box [Brooker / Reid]
Saw the Fire ** [Brooker / Fisher / Reid]
Seem to Have the Blues (Most all of the Time) [Brooker / Reid]
Simple Sister [Brooker / Reid]
Skating on Thin Ice [Brooker / Reid]
Something Magic [Brooker / Reid]
Song for a Dreamer [Trower / Reid]
Strangers in Space [Brooker / Reid]
Taking the Time [Brooker / Reid]
The Angler ** [Brooker] (twice, once with Gary Brooker, vocalist)
The Cycle [Brooker]
The Devil Came from Kansas [Brooker / Reid]
The Emperor's New Clothes [Brooker / Reid]
The Final Thrust [Brooker / Reid]
The Idol [Brooker / Reid]
The Long Goodbye [Brooker / Fisher / Reid]
The Mark of the Claw [Grabham / Reid]
The Pursuit of Happiness ** [Brooker / Reid / Noble] (twice, once with Gary Brooker, vocalist)
The Truth Won't Fade Away [Brooker / Fisher / Reid]
The Unquiet Zone [Brooker / Reid]
The Worm and the Tree (complete) [Brooker / Reid]
TV Ceasar + Rule Britannia [Brooker / Reid]
Typewriter Torment [Brooker / Reid]
Whisky Train [Trower / Reid]
Without a Doubt [Brooker / Reid]
Wizard Man [Brooker / Reid]
You’d Better Wait [Brooker / Reid]
Your Own Choice [Brooker / Reid]
Yours if you Want Me [Brooker / Reid]Heard at
2 celebrationsAll This and More [Brooker / Reid]
Alpha [Brooker / Reid]
Bringing Home the Bacon [Brooker / Reid]
As Strong as Samson [Brooker / Reid]
Repent Walpurgis [Fisher]
So Far Behind * [Brooker / Reid]
Lime Street Blues [Brooker / Reid]
Ghost Train [Brooker / Fisher / Reid]
A Christmas Camel * [Brooker / Reid]
Barnyard Story [Brooker / Reid]
Beyond the Pale * [Brooker / Reid]
Boredom [Brooker / Fisher / Reid]
Drunk Again [Brooker / Reid]
Grand Hotel [Brooker / Reid]
Fool's Gold * [Brooker / Reid]
Fires (Which Burnt Brightly) [Brooker / Reid] (once with Jane Clare, featured vocal, once with Katie Hockley, ditto. Once with Geoff Whitehorn, guitar)
In Held 'Twas in I (complete, once including members of the band 'Broken Barricades') [Brooker / Fisher / Reid]
Juicy John Pink [Trower / Reid]
Long Gone Geek [Brooker / Fisher / Reid]
Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone) [Brooker / Reid]
Mr Krupp [Reid]
Nothing but the Truth [Brooker / Reid]
Nothing That I Didn't Know [Brooker / Reid]
Pandora's Box [Brooker / Reid]
Separation [Fisher]
She Wandered Through the Garden Fence [Brooker / Reid]
Something Following Me [Brooker / Reid]
The Dead Man's Dream [Brooker / Reid]
The Milk of Human Kindness ** [Brooker / Reid] (once with Gary Brooker, vocalist)
The Thin End of the Wedge [Brooker / Reid]
This Old Dog [Brooker / Reid]
Toujours l'Amour * [Brooker / Reid]
Trick of the Night [Brooker / Fisher / Reid]
Venus Exploding [Reid / Noble]
Wish me Well [Brooker / Reid]
Wreck of the Hesperus * [Fisher / Reid]Heard at
3 celebrationsA Salty Dog [Brooker / Reid]
Conquistador [Brooker / Reid]
Holding On [Brooker / Reid]
Homburg [Brooker / Reid]
Kaleidoscope [Brooker / Reid]
One Eye on the Future * [Brooker / Reid]
Shine on Brightly [Brooker / Reid]
Whaling Stories [Brooker / Reid]Heard at
4 celebrationsA Rum Tale [Brooker / Reid]
A Whiter Shade of Pale [Brooker / Fisher / Reid]
Quite Rightly So [Brooker / Fisher / Reid]
Salad Days (Are Here Again) [Brooker / Reid]
Too Much Between Us [Brooker / Trower / Reid]Heard at
5 celebrationsRambling On [Brooker / Reid]
Still There'll Be More * [Brooker / Reid]Heard at
6 or 7 or 8 or 9 celebrations(nothing)
Special guests!
At the various parties, organised by the website, we have also had guest performances of A Rum Tale [by Gary Brooker, 2000]; Pilgrim's Progress [ending] and The Dead Man's Dream [Procol Harum 2001]; A Rum Tale, The Emperor's New Clothes, Echoes in the Night, Juicy John Pink, and Green Onions [Procol Harum 2003]; and A Rum Tale, Skip Softly [My Moonbeams], Bringing Home the Bacon [Procol Harum, 2006]. It's a strange thrill for the Palers' Band to have Procol in their own audience [sometimes filming us!] and occasionally getting up to play on our own gear – or indeed joining us as the chorus in Whaling Stories; or [as at Domus Felix 2006, Live Club Barmen in 2013, Westbury NY in 2014, and Zoetermeer NL in 2016] having Gary Brooker get up and sing with the Palers as his backing band.
Palers' Band personnel
The Palers' Band has played Guildford (2000), Kristiansand and Manchester (2001) Hollywood USA (2003), Lejre in Denmark (2006), St John's Smith Square (2007), Wuppertal in Germany (2013) and Westbury NY, USA, as follows. Players marked with an asterisk (*) also played as The Palers' Project who (reinforced by special guest Geoff Whitehorn) opened for Gary Brooker and Guests in London on 21 July 2007 (setlist here)
Who?
From?
2000
2001
2001
2003
2006
2007
2013
2014
2016 Gigs
Poul Achton
Denmark
London
Wuppertal
2
Michael Ackermann
Germany
Manch
1
Per Andersen
Norway
Krist
1
Jan Athammer
Norway
Krist
1
UK
Guild
London
Wuppertal
3
Rob Barnes
UK
Guild
1
Richard Beck
USA
Guild
Manch
LA
Lejre
4
Donna Blue
USA
LA
1
Luiz de Boni
Brazil
Wuppertal
1
Søren Borello
Denmark
Lejre
London
2
Stefano Bottacchi
Italy
Guild
1
UK
Lejre
Wuppertal
Westbury NY
Zoetermeer NL 4
Elizabeth Bryson
USA
Wuppertal
Westbury NY
2
Stewart Bryson
USA
Wuppertal
Westbury NY
2
Beatle Buck
USA
LA
1
Sam Cameron
UK
Guild
Krist
Manch
3
Gary Celebre
USA
Westbury NY
1
Marvin Chassman
USA
LA
Lejre
London
Wuppertal
Westbury NY
5
Denmark
London
1
Peter Christian
UK
Lejre
1
Gummo Clare
UK
Manch
1
Jane Clare
UK
Guild
1
Linda Clare
UK
Guild
Krist
Manch
Lejre
Wuppertal
Westbury NY
6
UK
Manch
1
Nicholas Clare
UK
Manch
1
Peter Clare*
UK
Guild
Krist
Manch
Lejre
London
Wuppertal
6
UK
Guild
Krist
Manch
LA
Lejre
London
Wuppertal
Westbury NY
Zoetermeer NL 9
Antonio Costa Barbé*
Italy
Guild
London
Wuppertal
3
John Crouch
USA
LA
1
Brian D'Addario
USA
Westbury NY
1
Michael D'Addario
USA
Westbury NY
1
Ronnie D'Addario
USA
Westbury NY
1
Wilfried van Damme
Netherlands
Guild
1
Tito Davila
USA
Guild
LA
Lejre
London
Wuppertal
Westbury NY
Zoetermeer NL 7
Allen Edelist*
USA
Manch
LA
Lejre
London
Wuppertal
5
Lloyd Edward
USA
LA
1
Rainer Emerson
Germany
Wuppertal
1
Dennis Fetchet
USA
LA
1
Lou Fowkes
UK
Manch
1
Fritz Friedl
Germany
Guild
1
Alberto Gallarini*
Italy
London
1
Jeremy Gilien*
USA
LA
Lejre
London
3
Karl Glørstad
Norway
Krist
1
Bruce Gold
USA
Westbury NY
1
David Goodwick
USA
Wuppertal
1
USA
LA
1
Torgeir Hefre
Norway
Krist
1
Ian Hockley*
Oman
Lejre
London
Wuppertal
Westbury NY
Zoetermeer NL 5
Katie Hockley
UK
Zoetermeer NL 1
Martine Hoogendoorn
Netherlands
Lejre
1
Bjørn Jensen*
Norway
Lejre
London
2
Stein Kaald
Norway
Krist
1
Charlie Kirelawich
USA
LA
1
Dave Knight*
UK
Manch
London
2
Malène Lemoine
France
Guild
1
Axel Leonhardt
Denmark
Wuppertal
1
Jeff Levine
USA
Manch
LA
Lejre
London
Westbury NY
5
Sev Lewkowicz
UK
Guild
1
Wolfgang Lieke
Germany
Guild
Manch
Wuppertal
Zoetermeer NL 4
George Lovell
Scotland / Canada
LA
Lejre
London
Wuppertal
Westbury NY
5
Don Milione*
USA
Manch
LA
Lejre
London
Wuppertal
5
Sharon Nichols
USA
Lejre
1
Claus Nielsen
Denmark
London
1
Greg Panfile
USA
Guild
Manch
2
Beth Pellegrini
Italy
Wuppertal
1
Matt Pegg Lejre Larry Pennisi
USA
Guild
Manch
Lejre
Westbury NY
4
George Phipps
USA
Westbury NY
1
Rodger Phillips
USA
LA
1
Carlo Ponissi ('Jack')
Italy
Wuppertal
1
Jens Anders Ravnaas *
Norway
Guild
Krist
Manch
LA
Lejre
London
Wuppertal
Westbury NY
Zoetermeer NL 9
Torjus Ravnaas
Norway
Krist
Lejre
Wuppertal
3
Leif-Otto Eriksen
Norway
Krist
Manch
2
Steinar Revheim
Norway
Krist
1
Andrè Romkes*
Norway
Lejre
London
Wuppertal
3
Bjørn Rovar
Norway
Krist
1
Tony Sadowski
USA
Manch
LA
2
Bert Saraco
USA
Westbury NY
1
Carina Saraco
USA
Westbury NY
1
Gary Shepard*
USA
LA
Lejre
London
Wuppertal
Westbury NY
Zoetermeer NL 6
Jonas Söderström
Sweden
Lejre
Wuppertal
Zoetermeer NL 3
Gunnar Stedje
Norway
Krist
1
Atle Strøm
Norway
Krist
1
Hans Tammes
Netherlands
Manch
Lejre
Zoetermeer NL 3
Jay Terleski
USA
Westbury NY
1
Justin Tetlow
UK
Wuppertal
1
Runar Todok
Norway
Krist
Wuppertal
2
Nicky Turner
UK
Manch
1
Dag Tveikra
Norway
Krist
1
Benny Tworek
Denmark
London
1
Stephen Wallace*
Australia
Guild
London
2
Nathan Walpow
USA
LA
1
Kari Warhuus
Norway
London
Wuppertal
2
UK
Wuppertal
Zoetermeer NL 2
Kenny White
USA
Westbury NY
1
Richard Williams
USA
Wuppertal
Westbury NY
2
Josh Wolfe
Canada
Westbury NY
1
Paul Wolfe
Canada
Westbury NY
1
Nancy Zohner
USA
Manch
1
The 99 players have come from the following countries: USA 36, UK 19, Norway 17, Denmark 6, Italy 5, Germany 4, Netherlands 3, Sweden 1, Canada 3, Oman 1, France 1, Brazil 1, Australia 1.
Studio recordings
A new venture for 2002 was The Palers' Project, "a loose international collective of fans of Procol Harum who record the songs of Gary Brooker, Matthew Fisher, Robin Trower and Keith Reid for their own and others' pleasure". The third 2CD album from this project was released in May 2006, and we gave our first public performance on 21 July 2007, supporting Gary Brooker and Guests at St John's Smith Square in London.
Unlike the Palers' Band above, The Palers' Project is primarily not a live music project: their first album, Lost in the Looking Glass [2002] consists of 40 Procol Harum / Matthew Fisher tracks, chiefly recorded in studios. 'Compulsive listening,' said Gary Brooker, while Keith Reid opined that 'every home should have one'. The second Palers' Project 2CD album – From Shadow to Shadow – was released in May 2004, with a special price for all orders received before 1 May. Like its predecessor it contains 40 Procol Harum / Matthew Fisher / Gary Brooker / Robin Trower / Paramounts tracks, chiefly recorded in studios. The third Palers' Project 2CD album – Trace of a Feeling – was released in May 2006. Unlike its predecessors it contains 42 Procol Harum / Matthew Fisher / Gary Brooker / Robin Trower. Members of Procol Harum and Cpt Beefheart's magic band are among the hundred musicians featured on this recording. Many hundreds of these albums have been ordered online here: to hear excerpts for yourself, to view the line-ups and pictures, and to order these excellent collections, visit The Palers' Project website ... there's a lot of good stuff there – it's a feast for a Procoholic's ears. All proceeds are used to find 'Beyond the Pale' and thereby to promote Procol Harum worldwide. There's also an artist-designed Palers' Project tee-shirt. And – a kind of spin-off from the 2006 Palers' Band – there's now a Danish cover band, The Procol Harum Project and a Hispanic one here.
On the three 2CDs above you can hear 170 people from eighteen countries, as follows:
From Australia: Penny Davies, Roger Ilott, Elleanore Wallace, Stephen Wallace; Austria: Peter Skorpik; Belgium Sophie de York, Zoé de York, Gilles Snowcat; Benin: Marcel Adjibi; Brazil: Luiz de Boni; Canada: George Bertok, Wayne Franks, Gary Hodgins; Denmark: Claes Johansen, Kasper Johansen, Mons Olesen; Finland: Saara Gibbs; France: Martial Baudoin, Marc Chaniot, Jean-Marc Devaux, Aurélie Guinard, Greg Revel; Germany: Christian Braunschmidt, Stefan Braunschmidt, Andreas Havlik, Sebastian Katzberg, Wolfgang Lieke, Christian Nicolai, Ethan Reilly, Klaus Tschirner; Italy: Antonio Costa Barbé, Alberto Gallarini, Antonio Rotunda, Laurita Tanzi, Amelia Wisloch; Mexico: Jorge Mijangos; Netherlands: Huub Gillisen, Tineke Hoogendoorn, Guus Laatsch, Hans Tammes; Norway: Kåre Asbjørn Byrknes, Gunnar Stedje, Jorunn Stedje; Oman: Ian Hockley; Peru: Ciro Hurtado; UK: Richard Amey, Jon Baker, Alan Balmer, Adam Barnes, Robert Barnes, Sue Batcheler, John Bobin, Martin Bostock, Billy Boulter, Jack Briggs, Derren Brown, Sam Bushell, Helen Byrne, Sam Cameron, Janey Carden, Alan Carnegie, Jane Clare, Linda Clare, Peter Clare, Roland Clare, Nigel Constable, Rick Cottan, Anne Cunningham, Chris Denman, Ellice Dow, John Edgar, Charlotte Espiner, Alan Garmonsway, Fran Glendining, Adam Hart-Davis, Lucy Hughes, Marina Johnson, Pam Kaye, Roy King, Dave Knight, Dave Lee, Dave Levett, Nick Lewis, Sev Lewkowicz, Mick Mangan, Denis Masterton, Alan Matthews, Clyde Matthews, Rudy Matthews, Trevor Morgan, John and Harry Oakes, Simon Payne, Gary Peters, Rebecca Phipps, Val Powell, Fred Purser, Nigel Ratcliffe, Steve Rayner, Chris Rusbridge, Erik Russell, Andrew Shepherd, Colin Sillence, Rose Sillence, Joshua Simpson, David Tattersall, Matthew White, Geoff Whitehorn; USA: Tony Airoldi, Bob Banks, Rick Bellaire, Donna Blue, Elizabeth Bryson, Beatle Buck, Mike Callahan, Andrew Cann, Billy Clarksville, Tom Curiano, Ronnie D’Addario, Stephen Doster, John Dunn, Cliff Dyches, Allen Edelist, Vince Fabiano, Dennis Fetchet, Christopher Forbes, Ken Forbes, Les Fradkin, George Gearhardt, Jeremy Gilien, Michael Gutmacher, Wash Hamilton, Rich Hardesty, Cindy Harding, Libby Harding, Xyra Harper-Cann, Gothic Harris, David Highfill, Peter Hummers, Gary Johnson, Jennifer Johnson, Bill Lordan, Boyd Maits, Ted McCallion, Mark McNulty, John Milne, Rick Moors, Rockette Morton, Robert Moselle, Newdle, Steve Olschesky, Ed Palermo, Davey Pattison, Larry Pennisi, Rodger Phillips, Dave Ray, Gary Richardi, Delethia Ridley, Rick Royston, Danny Sego, Gary Shepard, Jeff Spencer, Don Stapleson, Ken Stasion, Dave Steffen, Trevor Tranova, Tom Usher, Jack Vees, Rick Wager, Chris Walters, Brad Wilson and Billy Young.
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