Danish Society of Procoholics

Minutes of their first meeting

Niels-Erik Mortensen writes, 'Just sending you a few words as promised about our Procoholic orgy last night.'

Under the title, "Causes of Procoholism", 21 Palers / Whalers / Procoholics had found their way to the meeting at Frederiksberg Hospital. The interest for all things Procol was as thick as a brick (thanks, Tull), and we presented a number of entertaining items.

Apart from the Copping video, The Procol Harum, we presented videos such as the first colour / b&w-videos of AWSoP, a Danish interview with Gary from Ballerup (outside Copenhagen 1995) and a number of German recordings (the NDR programme, 1971, several Beat Club videos from '67 and '68). Unfortunately, the historical photos taken by Axel Leonhardt and Peer Lund hadn't been returned from Claes Johansen yet, but we´ll get back to them next time. Stig Nielsen presented the contents of the Danish Procol homepage as found here.

I presented a handful of AWSoP-covers, including the (new?) theory that AWSoP might just as well been have inspired by Maurice Ravel's piano piece Pavane (1899, orchestral version 1910) as by Bach's Air (approx. 1729).

We remembered BJ Wilson, presenting the outcome of the American magazine vote, in which BJ was elected the best drummer in the world. After the break, in which we presented the new album Pandora's Box, Doctor Karsten Overgaard, M.D., and his Almost Live Band was responsible for live performances of Barnyard Story and AWSoP. In his basement, he had recorded organ, bass and drum tracks, while singing and playing the piano live.

The evening ended showing the last 15 minutes of the Redhill-event, and we agreed to meet again some time next year when we can present Claes´s book. Obviously, a good time was had by all - which was the exact purpose. But we shall not rest before having persuaded Danish radio managers to let Procol play the Radio Concert Hall with full symphony orchestra!

"Two other facts might be added. One of the participants had reflected on our leaflets at the library and had asked the librarian to check a dictionary for the concept of "procoholism". Completely confused she had to give up… And, very appropriate, the auditorium - where the meeting was held - is just next door to the hospital's psychiatric ward. The question then is: Did we keep the loonies out - or had they already invaded the auditorium?"

Thanks, Niels-Erik

Thanks to Bøje Arenholt for the pictures, which show (a) the auditorium and the audience and (b) Niels-Erik explaining while Karsten Overgård - coughing into the keyboard - demonstrates chords in a song, probably by PH (Note the coffee machine).