Procol Harum

Beyond
the Pale

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Previous years of hebdomadal BtP updates

Year 15, ending October 2012


10 October 2012:  The final Year #15 hebdomadal bulletin at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a page containing two photographs of BJ Wilson – hitherto unseen gems from the forthcoming Procol Harum biography, of which he is the dedicatee (cheers, Lucy)

Click here to pre-order your signed copy of the new Procol biography from the online Procol store (cheers, Henry)

Added a link to BJ Wilson playing BBC Sight and Sound in Concert, 1978
Added three photographs of Barrie Wilson in his Joe Cocker days (thanks, Gerard)  

Just five days left, if you want to sign up for the 2013 Palers' Band: use this page.  Even Old Friends who have played in the Palers' Band before need to sign up, so we have contact details, and exact days of arrival, and so on.

Wuppertal April 2013: please note that the special seats for the two orchestral shows, which 'Beyond the Pale' reserved, will cease to be available exclusively on 15 October. After that date, they'll be available to the public again. Before that date, you can get them from this page ... and they're the best tickets remaining for these wonderful concerts.

Added a link with a possible faint Salty Dog connection

Congratulations to Peter Cohen in the UK, who was the winner in this free CD-giveaway competition (thanks, Elizabeth)


8 October 2012:  

Birthday update! It's fifteen years ago today that Jens and Roland started 'Beyond the Pale'

We certainly didn't imagine that – fifteen years on – Procol Harum would have their sights on a Japanese tour, followed by an orchestral series culminating in two amazing gigs at the Wuppertal Stadthalle. And we didn't suppose they would be the subject of a second biography in book form ... nor that they would be nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Hurrah!

Please celebrate with us by watching the whole of this magnificent clip (thanks, Jan) which shows how the Procol magic works irrespective of age / language / territory ...


3 October 2012:  The fiftieth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Big Jim Sullivan

Procol Harum have been nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Rolling Stone has a poll here

Visit the official Rock and Roll Hall of Fame website – and vote by clicking http://rockhall.com/get-involved/interact/poll/

It's amazing how hitherto-unknown Procol Harum dates (and spelling errors!) continue to emerge! Click here and here for Oxford Polytechnic reportlet and graphic from forty years ago (thanks, Bill)

Click here to pre-order your signed copy of the new Procol Harum biography from the online Procol store (cheers, Henry)

Today's the last day in this free CD-giveaway competition

Twelve days left, if you want to sign up for the Palers' Band: use this page.  Even Old Friends who have played in the Palers' Band before need to sign up, so we have contact details, and exact days of arrival, and so on.

Twelve days left to get your Procol tickets, for Wuppertal, through BtP (cheaper, and better seats than available through the regular outlet: get them from this page)

Added a fifth page of stellar pictures from the final Band du Lac gig at Wintershall in Surrey (thanks, Heidi)

Added some pictures of Procol Harum on tour this August (thanks, Steve)

"It’s not just the two of us sitting here in a café saying, 'That sounds like Bach ...' ... That organ riff is basically the same riff as in Bach’s Air on the G String" (thanks, Charlie)

Wuppertal April 2013: please note that the special seats for the two orchestral shows, which 'Beyond the Pale' reserved, will cease to be available exclusively on 15 October. After that date, they'll be available to the public again. Before that date, you can get them from this page ... and they're the best tickets remaining for these wonderful concerts.


26 September 2012:  The forty-ninth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Andy Williams

Following the healthy bidding for the 1967 Procol Harum silk robe (auction now ended) – added another page advertising a different, equally fine 'robe of silk' for sale by auction (link here)

This is the embroidered white 'Chinese Clobber' Gary Brooker wore to promote A Whiter Shade of Pale  in the summer of 1967.
  By bidding for this, you're supporting GB's BJ Wilson fund! (thanks, Gary)

Added booking details of a very promising show of Procol Harum footage at the British Film Institute, tying in with the launch of Henry Scott-Irvine's long-expected Procol Harum book (thanks, Henry)

Added a hi-res cover shot of the new biography ... what were the chances that such a Procol book would be published in 2012? (thanks, Lucy)

Added a page of promotional material for Henry's book (thanks, Matt)

Added a picture here

One more week to go in this free CD-giveaway competition ... it's easy, so don't be shy!


19 September 2012: The forty-eighth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Keep an eye on the final hours of the sale of the AWSoP robe (at eBay, here) ... the one Gary Brooker wore to sing A Whiter Shade of Pale on the BBC's 'Top of the Pops' in July 1967 (thanks, Gary)

(Reminder to musicians): if you would like to play with The Palers' Band on stage in Wuppertal in April 2013, you need to fill in your details promptly on this page (big thanks, Piers)

Added a surprising AWSoP reference, of special interest to prosopographers (thanks, Peter)

Added an unusual Procol tee-shirt – please send in others from your collection, if they're not already on this page (thanks, Kroy)

Added a Procol Croydon ticket here (thanks, Anvil)

Added an obituary for the famous engineer of 1967's A Whiter Shade of Pale session (thanks, Joan)

Added a second, illustrated and listenable review of Reflections in My Tea

Added a free CD-giveaway competition here !

Have a listen to this curiosity  ... specially the cheeky Hammond counterpoints. I Dik Dik and Camaleonti are contextualised at this BtP page ... and there's peculiar Procol / Dik Dik hybrid here to boot (grazie, Antonio!)

Added a fourth page of pictures from Gary Brooker's final Band du Lac gig at Wintershall in Surrey (thanks, Heidi)


12 September 2012:  The forty-seventh hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a page advertising a very fine robe for sale by auction (link here) ... the one Gary Brooker wore to sing A Whiter Shade of Pale on the BBC's 'Top of the Pops' in July 1967 (thanks, Gary)

Added the ticket for a historic live recording here and here and here (thanks, Anvil)

Added a link to new music by Mick Grabham ... see here ... this will be of particular interest to guitar players (thanks, Charlie)

Added a ticket to the foot of this page ... now you can compare prices in two areas of the same London gig (thanks, Bradshaw)

Added an Amazon link to our page for the new Reflections in  My Tea album, and a review (thanks, Rob)

Added a link where you may see and hear the vocalist with whom Procol will collaborate in November/December, singing A Whiter Shade of Pale

Added an antique ticket to this page ... but does anybody know the venue for this June 1964 gig? (thanks, Bradshaw)

Modestly-priced on eBay ... time-traveller's authentic Procol tee-shirt from 1969 with artwork from 1971 on the back (thanks, Henry)


5 September 2012: The forty-sixth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added first news of Procol Harum's nine Japanese dates in December, and the band's recent Abbey Road session (thanks, Chris)

Further details about the Japanese shows are here, here, here, here, here and here ... still there'll be more (detail!)

(Reminder to musicians): if you would like to play with The Palers' Band on stage in Wuppertal in April 2013, you need to fill in your details promptly on this page (big thanks, Piers)

Added substantially to this well-illustrated page (thanks, Bradshaw); time to have another look at this sequence too

Added a nice review of the end of Procol Harum's recent tour of America (thanks, Michael)

Added a gastro-link to the last paragraph of the first concert review ever written for 'Beyond the Pale'

Added two very unusual 1967 Procol Harum sound-clips to this excellent page

Added a picture and a link to this page ... the new CD is now available! (thanks, Elizabeth)

Added the setlist and comments from Procol Harum's gig at Boca Raton, USA (thanks, Ernie)

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's gig at Rosemont, IL, USA (thanks, James)

Still one recent US setlist we don't know: is anyone able to help – please mail us from this link – with Salt Lake City (10 August)?

Added a third page of pictures from the final Band du Lac gig at Wintershall in Surrey (thanks, Heidi)

Wuppertal 2013 Convention; 'Echoes in the Night' • don't miss the train: book tickets and hotel rooms now

Follow 'Beyond the Pale' on Twitter (http://twitter.com/ProcolHarum1)


30 August 2012: The forty-fifth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Happy Birthdays (yesterday) to Chris Copping and Geoff Whitehorn!

Nobody watching can have realised at the time, but in July 1967 the BBC TV audience heard a bit of the third verse of A Whiter Shade of Pale ... whose existence was scarcely known about outside the band. They also heard two lines that Keith Reid definitely didn't write: details are here

Added some action photos from Procol Harum in San Diego (thanks, One-Eye)

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's gig at San Jose, USA (thanks, Robert)

6 September 2012: 'Fabulously eccentric ex-Procol Harum guitarist Dave Ball makes a very welcome return to The Spark with his zany and crazy tunes to captivate and amuse'

Added a second page of pictures from the final Band du Lac gig at Wintershall in Surrey (thanks, Heidi)

Added a page about Geoff Downes from the band Yes, a Procol Harum fan (thanks, Jim)

Added the first glimpse of a forthcoming CD from a musician who is a passionate Procol Harum fan (thanks, Elizabeth)

Updated two pages – here and here – following discussion on the very lively Procol Harum Facebook page (1,700+ participants)

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's gig at Snoqualmie, USA (thanks, Pat and others)

Brilliant success for Bristol's Phantom Limb – watch here – whose new album has garnered so many fans from the Procol camp: while searching this Classic Rock Poll for the various categories in which you can vote for Procol Harum ('living legend' is sadly not a reader-votable award), take a moment to vote Phantom Limb as 'best new band'


23 August 2012: The forty-fourth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added the setlist – which contains a surprise – from Procol Harum's gig at Las Vegas, USA (thanks, Freddie)

BtP shop: all orders received at the online store in the past six weeks have now been despatched. Thanks for your patience while staff holiday meant we were unable to send out CDs and tee-shirts.

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's gig at San Diego, USA (thanks, One-Eye)

Have a look at this surprising poll, which canvasses the relative merits of BJ Wilson and Nick Mason (drummer of Pink Floyd!).

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's gig at Denver, CO, USA (thanks, Evan)

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's gig at Scottsdale AZ, USA (thanks, Bradshaw)

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's gig at Los Angeles, USA (thanks, One-Eye)

Added some pictures taken before the show at Los Angeles (thanks, One-Eye)


16 August 2012:  The forty-third hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added some thoughts about the Procol show on Monday 6 August (thanks, Howard)

Added a link to a video interview with Geoff Whitehorn recorded in Atlanta (thanks, Gary)


9 August 2012:  The forty-second hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's gig at Portsmouth, VA, USA (thanks, Zedog)

Added the setlist and a report from Procol Harum's recent concert at Clarkston, MI (thanks, Michael)

Added some pictures from Procol Harum's concert in Upper Darby (thanks, Anthony)


5 August 2012: Sunday catch-up

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's gig at N Myrtle Beach SC, USA (thanks, Michael)

Also added a report from the Myrtle Beach concert (thanks, Michael)

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's gig at Washington DC, USA (thanks, Amy and Richard)

Added a report from Procol Harum's gig at Washington DC (thanks, Wayne)


2 August 2012:  The forty-first hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's gig at St Augustine, USA (thanks, Leo) 

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's gig at Boston, USA (thanks, Pat)

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's gig at Alpharetta, GA, USA (thanks, John and Steven)

Added some pictures from Morristown (thanks, Jim)

 Added pictures from Raleigh, NC (thanks, Jerald)

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's gig at Clearwater Fl, USA (thanks, Jim)

Also added a short report from the Clearwater concert (thanks again, Jim)


29 July 2012: Sunday catch-up

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's gig at Raleigh NC, USA (thanks, Michael, Joel)
Uncertainties regarding this setlist have now been resolved. Thanks, everyone.
 
Added some pictures from Raleigh (thanks, Bob)

A link to a review by Soundpress.net (thanks, Evan)

Added a report from the Raleigh concert (thanks, Sam)

Can you help fellow-fans with setlists, for our archive, from Boston, Boca Raton or San Augustine? Send us a mail (thanks)

Tickets for 'Echoes in the Night' and Procol Harum's concerts – all in April 2013 – are selling fast. Get yours, and a room at the Palers' Basecamp Hotel today


26 July 2012:  The fortieth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a review from Upper Darby (thanks, Leigh)

Added the first instalment of pictures from Lewiston (thanks, Bob)

Added some great pictures from Westbury (thanks, Bert)

'But if you could take it apart and explain it it wouldn't be Procol Harum, would it?'
Added Bert Saraco's review from Westbury (thanks, Bert)

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's gig at Morristown NJ, USA (thanks, Evan and Alan) 

Added a review from Procol Harum's concert in Pittsburgh and the setlist from the same concert (thanks, Jim)


22 July 2012: Sunday extra, setlists and reviews from the ongoing US tour

Added some notes about Procol Harum at Lewiston (thanks, Bob)

Added a Lewiston review (thanks, Stephen)

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's gig at Bethlehem, USA (thanks, Evan)

Added some pictures from Atlantic City (thanks, Anthony)

Added a review from Westbury (thanks Carl)

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's gig at Upper Darby PA, USA (thanks, Mike and Ralph)

Added some comments here (thanks, Mark)


19 July 2012:  The thirty-ninth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Jon Lord

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's gig, including Gary Brooker's tribute to Jon Lord, at Lewiston, USA (thanks, Jen)

We'd really like to archive the complete set of setlists from this US tour so please, if you go to a show, share the list of what the band played by sending an e-mail to webmaster@procolharum.com.

Added a page of photographs of Procol Harum on stage at Atlantic City, America (thanks, Unsteady Freddie)

Added a review of Procol on stage at Englewood (thanks, Ken)

The band's current US touring backdrop: more reviews and pictures will follow when we have readied the pages  


Booking fast: the Wuppertal 2013 Convention, three fab events under one resonant title, 'Echoes in the Night'.

BtP shop reminder: the online store will remain open all summer, but there will be no more despatches from now until 22 August, for staff holiday reasons. By all means continue to place your orders, and they'll remain safely on the system until we're in a position to send the merchandise out to you.

Follow 'Beyond the Pale' on Twitter (http://twitter.com/ProcolHarum1)

And do enjoy this interview with the excellent Yolanda Quartey of Phantom Limb


17 July 2012:

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's gig at Westbury, USA (thanks, Evan)

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's gig at Englewood, USA (thanks, Evan, Mark, Amy) 


14 July 2012:

Added the
setlist from Procol Harum's gig at Atlantic City, USA (thanks, Amy, Richard and Evan)


12 July 2012:  The thirty-eighth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Procol Harum, having played a Danish festival at the weekend, are tonight en route to the USA for their extensive summer tour – we'd really like to have the complete set of setlists from these gigs so please, if you go to a show, share the list of what the band played by sending an e-mail to webmaster@procolharum.com. Good luck all!

Added some pictures from Procol Harum's recent concert in Denmark (thanks, Anders)

Basecamp discount hotel bookings for the Wuppertal convention got off to a flying start thanks to Procol delegates from the USA (7), Denmark (4), France (4), the UK (4), Italy (3), Austria (2), Finland (2), Germany (2), New Zealand (2), Switzerland (2), Poland (1) and Spain (1), at the last count. 'Beyond the Pale' has reserved plenty of hotel capacity: it's the Procol tickets themselves that you really need to hurry for, because the local publicity for these orchestral shows has been understandably enormous. It's going to be a very exciting few days: below we repeat the exciting arrangements for the best-ever get-togethers and parties for Procol Harum fans:


Now Booking: the Wuppertal 2013 Convention, three events under one resonant title
'Echoes in the Night'.

Click here, or here, to read about the social/musical events organised by 'Beyond the Pale' and 'Whaling Stories', as a
complement to the magnificent orchestral Procol shows in one of the finest halls the band is ever likely to play in.

The page contains all the links you need to get in quick and place your online order (tickets will arrive by e-mail).

It also tells how people coming to 'Echoes in the Night' can acquire good Procol tickets,
better seats than those that now remain at the public booking site

[Click here for a step-by-step guide to the online booking site for 'Echoes in the Night' tickets]

Now booking also: Wuppertal Basecamp Hotel, (see also here) where BtP has negotiated a discount price
so that fans may stay together, very close to the Procol gigs, and enjoy shared transport
(provided by the organisers) to get to the 'Echoes in the Night' events.

Added a page of pictures taken at the Basecamp Hotel, last month, by the BtP team

See you there next April!
 

Musicians! If you'd like to play and/or sing with the Palers' Band in 2013, please read this page ... note that the sign-up form is not live yet!

'I'm pleased it contains some more unusual songs ... Gary 'Bluesman' Brooker and Inky Reid, the original and the best ...'
Added a second review of MMX (thanks, Richard)

Added the fifth and final picture (with comments, and note of verbal variants), from the Carole M Hassan illustrated In Held series (thanks, Gary)
 


8 July 2012:

Added the setlist from last night's concert in Skagen, Denmark


5 July 2012:  The thirty-seventh hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added more good news about Gary Brooker (thanks, Gary)

Added a page about the programme from the magnificent concert hall where Procol Harum will play in April 2013 in Germany. It's advance publicity like this that explains why these high-prestige gigs are selling so fast (thanks, Michael)

Added an excerpt from a German rock magazine which, again, accounts for the high public interest in the Wuppertal concerts in 2103 (thanks, Michael)


Now Booking: the Wuppertal 2013 Convention, three events under one resonant title
'Echoes in the Night'.

Click here, or here, to read about the social/musical events organised by 'Beyond the Pale' and 'Whaling Stories', as a
complement to the magnificent orchestral Procol shows in one of the finest halls the band is ever likely to play in.

The page contains all the links you need to get in quick and place your online order (tickets will arrive by e-mail).

It also tells how people coming to 'Echoes in the Night' can acquire good Procol tickets,
better seats than those that now remain at the public booking site

[Click here for a step-by-step guide to the online booking site for 'Echoes in the Night' tickets]

Now booking also: Wuppertal Basecamp Hotel, (see also here) where BtP has negotiated a discount price
so that fans may stay together, very close to the Procol gigs, and enjoy shared transport
(provided by the organisers) to get to the 'Echoes in the Night' events.

Added a page of pictures taken at the Basecamp Hotel, last month, by the BtP team

See you there next April!
 

Musicians! If you'd like to play and/or sing with the Palers' Band in 2013, please read this page

As excitement mounts about the next Palers' Band outing (Wuppertal, April 2013), added links
here in memory of three great Palers – Gothic Harris, Palle Bas Christensen, and Martin Clare – whom we'd love to play with one more time

Setlists for the Procol Harum summer tour – we'd really like to have the complete set of setlists. Please, if you go to a show, share the list of what the band played by sending an e-mail to webmaster@procolharum.com

'There are only two types of people that ought to buy MMX, the new Live Procol Harum album ...'
Added
a first review of MMX (thanks, Bert)

Revised! Can you think of 42 Procol Harum songs that have never appeared on any authorised live recording? Or 44 that have appeared on only one? Or the 17 that have appeared twice? No prizes for guessing which song has appeared on the most live albums (bet you get it wrong, though!). All this and more, on this thrilling page (thanks, Henbane; thanks, Ian)

BtP shop news: the online store will remain open all summer, but there will be no more despatches from now until 22 August, for staff holiday reasons. By all means continue to place your orders, and they'll remain safely on the system until we're in a position to send the merchandise out to you.

Follow 'Beyond the Pale' on Twitter (http://twitter.com/ProcolHarum1)


28 June 2012:  The thirty-sixth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a further bulletin about the recuperation of Gary Brooker (thanks, Franky and Gary)

Added a page about the new Procol Harum album (thanks, Chris)

Added the liner note for the above album, where readers may find out what it contains (including the new Brooker/Reid songs)

Some early customers may not have realised that two different versions of the new live album, MMX, are available. You can choose 14 individual tracks, or you can choose the whole programme in one long track which includes the spoken introductions. See here for more details. If you chose the latter, you may have accidentally been supplied with a Wave file ... too large to burn on to a single CD. The record company has rectified that error, so the long track is now available in mp3 format, as was originally intended by the band. Customers who bought the Wave file, by accident, should now have received an apologetic message including a special code that will permit them to make a fresh purchase at the Procol download shop, at no additional charge. (Note: 'Beyond the Pale' isn't involved in either supplying the music or rectifying the problem ... just taking turns in trying to pass on the news)

Our 2013 Procol Harum convention page ... though it's early days still ... has caused a lot of excitement. We have to emphasise that the Symphonic Procol tickets are selling fast (Wuppertal's is an 'A' rated orchestra): click here and find the links that take you to English-language versions of the online booking page

BtP shop news: thanks to all our customers, specially the recent tee-shirt buyers. The online store will remain open all summer, but please be aware that there will be no despatches from now until 22 August, for staff holiday reasons. By all means place your orders, and they'll remain safely on the system until we're in a position to send the merchandise out to you.

Well done to the lucky winners of these six treasured Procol Harum items in recent auctions: Gary Brooker's 1974 leather jacket, his silk shirt from 1973, Procol's charming George W Bush toy, Procol Harum's 'Fat Old Buddha', a yellow homunculus, and a fine galleon ... click and see the prices they reached. All proceeds are divided between the BJ Wilson fund, and 'Beyond the Pale' (thanks, Gary). More items of this nature in a couple of months' time.

Should you want Procol Harum handbills and posters, click here (thanks, Debi)

Added another strong example of the words 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' in common parlance (thank you, Peter)


21 June 2012:  The thirty-fifth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Victor Spinetti (brother of Procol's Henry)

'Already 1,000 tickets sold!' Such is the buzz about the German symphonic shows that yesterday's Wuppertaler Rundschau published an article about them, and the rapid sale of tickets, with a nicely-faked photograph showing Procol Harum on stage in the fantastic Historic Town Hall where they will play in about 290 days' time (thanks, Michael)

Added a mixed page about trains – and an elephant falling out of one into the river below – all closely related to the Wuppertal Procol Convention in April 2013

Added a page offering – to the highest bidder – a famous Procol Harum garment and two photographs from the Exotic Birds and Fruit years (thanks, Gary)

Updated this interesting index (thanks, Bradshaw)

Added a useful link to this page (part of an excellent series starting here)

Should you want tickets for Procol Harum at the Fillmore East, click here (thanks, Debi) or see here


15 and 18 June 2012:

Added more two more bulletins of news to our page concerning Gary Brooker's accident in Cape Town (thanks, Chris)


14 June 2012:  The thirty-fourth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Bob Welch

Added much material to the 2013 Procol Harum convention page ... a splendid time is guaranteed for all, and still there'll be more.

Added a page about the Procol Harum weekend patron

Added a page offering – to the highest bidder –
a famous Procol Harum garment and a good photograph from the Grand Hotel years (thanks, Gary)

Added Atlanta ticket-stubs here and here (and here) (thanks, Ernie)

Click here to enjoy Gary Brooker in Evita singing what can surely not be the finest Lloyd-Webber song ever ... 'reign in Spain' notwithstanding

Added the fourth picture (with comments, and note of verbal variants), from the Carole M Hassan illustrated In Held series (thanks, Gary)

Added a new gig to the Dave Ball live page (thanks, Dave)


9 June 2012:

Added more news to our page concerning Gary Brooker's accident in Cape Town (thanks, Franky)

The BtP team is just back from Wuppertal in Germany where we have started preparations for the planned Palers' Party next year (thanks, Michael)
We will soon announce the exciting details:  everything seems to fit perfectly for a fantastic weekend.
For more information, please bookmark this page and save the date ... week ending
6 April 2013.


7 June 2012:  The thirty-third hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Many thanks to the great numbers of well-wishers who have left messages for Gary Brooker, who is recuperating in hospital at Cape Town. You may read these, and of course contribute, by clicking here

Added a South African news article (thanks, Chris M)

Added a page offering – to the highest bidder – a charming politician in effigy that adorned the drum-baffle during Procol Harum's the Union Chapel DVD concert in 2003 (thanks, Gary)

Added an mp3 link here to a really good British radio interview with Procol's Dave Ball, now embarked on a vigorous solo career: overseas listeners may need to tune their cultural antennae to the Midlands banter. Note how the Procol tunes played (which we've edited down, to spare your download time) didn't feature Dave, and feature barely a note of guitar! Still – great to have such Procol coverage, and Ball coverage too (thanks, Dave/Denny). If you fancy the whole thing in stereo too, with Alan Price to boot, you've got a few days to catch up with it here

Added the third picture (with comments, and note of verbal variants), from the Carole M Hassan illustrated In Held series (thanks, Gary)


3 June 2012:

Added a heartening bulletin to our page concerning Gary Brooker's accident in Cape Town
(thanks, Chris)

To send a goodwill message to Gary visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/2342972630/ : you can add a comment there. The 'BtP' team will ensure that Gary gets to see these messages.
 


31 May 2012:  The thirty-second hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale' RIP Doc Watson

Added a page containing the official news about Gary Brooker's accident in Cape Town (which has meant that Procol Harum's South African gigs will not take place).

Many thanks to everybody who has written to us in concern, and of course to everybody who has shared their thoughts, sympathy and concern for Gary, Franky, and the rest of the band and team.

Added a recently taken photograph of Gary Brooker in London, wearing his MBE

Added a page offering – to the highest bidder – a stately galleon that adorned the Hammond organ rig during Procol Harum's the Union Chapel DVD concert in 2003 (thanks, Gary)

Readers may be interested to see the winning bids for other Procol items recently offered at eBay – here and here. The sums raised will be divided between Gary Brooker's BJ Wilson fund, and 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a correction at the foot of this page, which we now know contains a picture of Chris Copping at sixteen years old  (thanks, Mick)

Added the second picture (with comments, and note of verbal variants) from the Carole M Hassan illustrated In Held series (thanks, Gary)

Added an informative page about last week's Sormorock concert in Italy (thanks, Carlo)

To create space in the Procol download store, the One More Time download album will be disappearing on 31 May 2012. If you haven't already got this fine live album, from the Brooker / Bronze / Brzezicki / Fisher / Whitehorn line-up, then you've got moments to download it before it vanishes forever.

Thanks, OE, for the cuttingGet yourself kitted out with Procol tee-shirts for all the forthcoming gigs, from the very busy online Procol Harum shop (thanks, all customers!)

Follow 'Beyond the Pale' on Twitter (http://twitter.com/ProcolHarum1)


24 May 2012:  The thirty-first hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'  RIP Robin Gibb

Coming up this week: 29 May, Happy Birthday Gary Brooker (1945).  30 May / 1 June: first Procol Harum gigs in South Africa

Added a page offering – to the highest bidder – a Fat Old Buddha that has sat on Gary Brooker's piano during numerous concerts (thanks, Gary)

(See a much smaller gold Buddha on this page)

Another unique Procol item for auction (thanks, Gary)

Added some Paramounts information culled from the excellent Thames Delta exhibition that celebrates the amazing music to have emanated from Southend-on-Sea

Added the first picture (with comments, and note of verbal variants) from the Carole M Hassan illustrated In Held series (thanks, Gary)

Added an AWSoP promo scan here (thanks, Lars)

Added a graphic here (thanks, Jens H)

Added news of another biography of Procol Harum, due for publication in November 2012


17 May 2012:  The thirtieth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

'I enjoy any artistic manifestations of morbidity that I can find....'
Added a note received this morning from Gary Brooker, and a 1971 fan letter to Procol Harum that he enclosed
(thanks, Gary)

Added a new page where information will appear about the end-of-tour party that 'Beyond the Pale' and 'Whaling Stories' are starting to plan. Although there is not much information there at present, please bookmark the page and save the date ... week ending 6 April 2013.

This information has already been made public in our 'Fresh Fruit' newsletter. Become a subscriber here

Added some great Harry Brooker information as a taster for the excellent Thames Delta exhibition that celebrates the amazing music to have emanated from Southend-on-Sea

Added a page offering – to the highest bidder – a singing homunculus that has performed in many countries with Procol Harum (thanks, Gary)

' ... it lacks the sort of freedom that may come when Procol Harum has gained more experience in the field ...'
Added another contemporary review of Procol Harum's first orchestral show (thanks, Franky)

Added the latest setlist from Denmark's excellent Procol Harum Project (thanks, Søren)


10 May 2012:  The twenty-ninth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale' RIP Donald "Duck" Dunn

Added newly-announced Procol Harum gigs to a handful of pages here, here, here and here (thanks, Chris)

Added some pictures as a taster for the excellent Thames Delta exhibition that celebrates the amazing music to have emanated from Southend-on-Sea

Maybe it's time to revisit the private Procol Harum museum in the Netherlands

Added a 'Christmas Rock' poster here to clarify the origins of a band-name

Added a picture here, and another here

Added a reminder of a concert of Procol music this coming Friday

Added useful music-buying links here and here


3 May 2012:  The twenty-eighth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added (here) a compilation soundclip representing the diverse music on Dave Ball's new solo-album

'An impressive if somewhat eclectic solo effort': added a review of the above album here

'A charming, fascinating and totally endearing missive from the genuine master': added another review of the above album here

'Let’s face it, only the Shadows can get away with playing Shadows' music all night ...'
Added an unusual feature: a former member of Procol Harum interviews a former member of Procol Harum (thanks, Dave)


26 April 2012:  The twenty-seventh hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added Procol Harum gigs to a couple of pages (here and here) – so fans may now plan to see and hear the band at the following 33 shows (chronological order): Cape Town, South Africa; Johannesburg, South Africa; Skagen, Denmark; Atlantic City, USA; Westbury, USA; Englewood, USA; Lewiston, USA; Bethlehem, USA; Upper Darby PA, USA; Boston, USA; Morristown NJ, USA; Raleigh NC, USA; Boca Raton, USA; St Augustine, USA; Clearwater Fl, USA; Alpharetta, GA, USA; Portsmouth, VA, USA; Washington DC, USA; Rosemont IL, USA; Denver CO, USA; Snoqualmie, USA; San Jose, USA; Universal City, USA; Scottsdale AZ, USA; San Diego, USA; Las Vegas, USA; Copenhagen,
Denmark
; Copenhagen, Denmark again; Vejle, Denmark; Aalborg, Denmark; Aarhus, Denmark; Wuppertal, Germany; Wuppertal, Germany again. Seven of these shows will see the band accompanied by chorus and orchestra.

Added a review of the excellent first solo album from Procol Harum's former guitarist, Dave Ball – including links so you can buy or order it direct

Updated our page about Dave Ball's autobiography ... which is also released this week in downloadable form

Added the tenth and last in a series of festival shots from Kløften in 2011


19 April 2012:  The twenty-sixth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Levon Helm and Bert Weedon and Chris Etheridge

Readers may notice that some of the dates that disappeared from the 2012 gigs list have now been restored, as promised. PH management had withdrawn the notification (by US request) from the website until they were officially announced. This was purely a clerical matter so there was no need to panic ... the remaining gigs will go ahead of course, and will be announced (again!) when the moment is right.

Added the ninth and penultimate in a great series of festival shots from Kløften in 2011

'Beyond the Pale' paid a visit to the wonderful Thames Delta Exhibition in Southend-on-Sea. A report will follow ... it's strongly recommended.

'Polish television has set up a deal to produce a one-hour TV special, including Brooker's backing group': see here  (thanks, Franky) (Have a fresh look at the excellent Polish Procol Harum pictures here)

Corrected and expanded a tour-schedule entry for 1975 for Indiana PA (thanks, Rebecca)

Added a particularly comprehensive contribution to the Fans' Concert Diary feature (thanks, One-Eye)  ... we welcome more readers' contributions ... click here for an easy way to get started


12 April 2012:  The twenty-fifth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Readers may notice that some dates have disappeared from the 2012 gigs list. PH management has withdrawn the notification (by US request) from the website until they are officially announced. This is purely a clerical matter so don't panic ... the gigs will go ahead of course, and will be announced (again!) when the moment is right.

Added a new gig in the USA (thanks, Chris)

Added the eighth in a series of festival shots from Kløften in 2011

' ... a sensational performance, joining the Rolling Stones, and Van Morrison as one of the concert highlights of 1972 ...'
Added a terrific review of Procol Harum from forty years ago, which is notable also for its prediction about the career of support band, The Eagles (thanks, Franky)

Added another fascinating contribution to the Fans' Concert Diary feature (thanks, Linda)  ... we welcome more readers' contributions ... click here for an easy way to get started

Added a backstage pass (thanks, Vince) for a show in 1972 we didn't know ... were you in Las Vegas at the start of July?


5 April 2012:  The twenty-fourth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Jim Marshall

Procol Harum announce new concert dates, all taking place in the next twelve months in the USA or Denmark: details here, here, here, and here; and here, here and here (thanks, Chris)

There were more dates on the above list, but PH management has withdrawn them (by US request) from the website until they are officially announced.
This is just a clerical matter so don't panic ... the gigs will go ahead of course, and will be announced (again!) when the moment is right.

If you follow 'Beyond the Pale' on Twitter (http://twitter.com/ProcolHarum1) or on Facebook, or if you subscribe to our Fresh Fruit newsletter or The Beanstalk, you will have known about the American shows for some time now, of course

Routinely updated this useful page

Added the seventh in a great series of festival shots from Kløften in 2011

Added an authoritative and insightful page about Robin Trower's guitar work with Procol Harum (thanks, Bob)

Kicked off the 2012 tickets-page (thanks, One-Eye)

Added a poster advertising three exciting St George's Day releases from a former member of Procol Harum who has worked as soldier, seaman, policeman, actor, computer programmer, postal worker, printer, estate agent, hospital worker, bodyguard, university lecturer, artist, writer, and banker… as well as finding time to be a musician, author, and artist (thanks, Dave)

Added a link to ninety-five very recent live reviews of Procol Harum gigs in the USA ... they make good reading unless you're stuck in the past.

Added a fourteenth Procol Harum Project show (thanks, Søren)


1 April 2012:

Procol Harum have unexpectedly confirmed eleven more concert dates for this summer!

Sorry we have not yet had a chance to make all the pages and setlists-in-waiting.

If anybody would like to know the dates before we announce them on the website, please use one of these two links: send an e-mail to find out the USA gigs or send an e-mail to find out the wider world gigs (thanks, Chris)


29 March 2012:  The twenty-third hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added flowers for BJ (thanks, Sue)

Added a summer 2012 US date for Procol Harum ... booking opens 31 March (thanks, Chris)

Added the sixth in a series of festival shots from Kløften in 2011

Added another fascinating contribution to the Fans' Concert Diary feature (thanks, Peter J)  ... we welcome more readers' contributions ... click here for an easy way to get started

' ... this piece is, in reality, an embarrassingly inept attempt ... to create a rock cantata ... kitsch ...'
Not everybody liked Procol Harum's first orchestral show – added another 'of-its-time' contemporary review by a self-confessed snob (thanks, Franky)


22 March 2012:  The twenty-second hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

'Keith especially, spectacles and all, looks almost straight ... having a grand old time dancing along with his band, safely hidden ...'
Added a weighty-enough piece of Procol journalism from the USA, 1972 (thanks, Franky)

Added the fifth in a series of festival shots from Kløften in 2011

Added another fascinating contribution to the Fans' Concert Diary feature (thanks, Peter C)  ... we welcome more readers' contributions ... click here for an easy way to get started

Added a reminiscence from the musician knocked down by The Commander onstage in front of 40,000 fans

Added a ticket scan here (thanks, Peter)


Ides of March 2012:  The twenty-first hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added the setlist from Gary Brooker's performance in London at the weekend ... much related material here

Added the fourth in a series of festival shots from Kløften in 2011

Added another fascinating contribution to the Fans' Concert Diary feature (thanks, Ian)  ... we welcome more readers' contributions ... click here for an easy way to get started

'...the Procol Harum ... have no conception of rhythm and its immense possibilities. There was nothing but an incessant pounding of drums and cymbals ... '
Not everybody liked Procol Harum's first orchestral show – added another contemporary review in which some of the inaccurate and patronising statements once again beggar belief (thanks, Franky)


8 March 2012: The twentieth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

We are not in a position to bring you any more contracted Procol Harum dates at the moment – but we'd like to advise US Procol fans not to plan any foreign holidays ('vacations') during the four or five weeks starting 13 July.

'No one buys virility or vanity when buying Procol Harum ...'
Added a 1970 assessment of the band's prowess and promise from Denver, in America
(thanks, Franky)

Added the third in a great series of festival shots from Kløften in 2011

Added another fascinating contribution to the Fans' Concert Diary feature (thanks, Marvin)  ... we welcome more readers' contributions ... click here for an easy way to get started

You can find clips on YouTube of Procol's Geoff Dunn playing at the weekend

Procol Harum at Skagen, here; AWSoP in Salem, here; new Blur song 'shares similarites with Procol Harum', here (thanks, Charlie)

Which Procol Harum songs have been stuck in your head? Here's the place to register them

Good to be getting messages from Procol fans who have been enjoying Bristol band Phantom Limb – recent live review here


1 March 2012:  The nineteenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Davy Jones

Added a message from Gary Brooker regarding the London show in eleven days' time.

' ... a tear-duct-bending operation, whether the listener was 14, 40, or 74 ...'
Added most of another contemporary review of Procol Harum's first orchestral show (thanks, Franky)

Added a review of the Procol Harum Union Chapel Blu-Ray disc, including direct links to purchase it (thanks, all)

Added the second in a great series of festival shots from Kløften in 2011

Added another fascinating contribution to the Fans' Concert Diary feature (thanks, Charlie)  ... we welcome more readers' contributions

Added a brief 1970 Atlanta Festival memoir (thanks, John)


23 February 2012:  The eighteenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

As we look forward to summer festival music from Procol Harum, here's the start of a great series of shots from Kløften in 2011

Considerably upgraded our 1971 Procol tour schedule with information sent in by a reader (thanks, David)

This may well jog the memories of American fans who haven't yet sent in their Concert Diaries ... we welcome your contributions

Added another contribution to the above-mentioned Fans' Concert Diary feature (thanks, Lars)

Journalism in 1970: what on earth was meant by writing like this ' ... the Harum sound: sullen bass chords dropping on piano runs like a guillotine falling on marching feet, lyrics from Keith Reid that stand out like an effigy for 18th-century poets, and doses of volume dominated by the organ and followed by breaks of light Mozartian runs speeded to resemble rock 'n' roll ...'?  (thanks, Franky)

Where did Procol Harum play on 3 August 1973 – was it Aylesbury or Dunstable? (thanks, Laurence). Can anybody clarify?

The above contributor also seeks ' ... info on a spectacular and stellar night I had in Bilzen at the Jazz festival in I think 1974 – 'twas a far out occasion for sure –  I remember that I also saw Argent performing, followed by Procol Harum, the perfect ending to a brilliantly-lit night out.' Again, can anybody clarify?


20 February 2102:

Added a link announcing the first concert dates for 2013 (tickets on sale from 1 March 2012) (thanks, Chris)


16 February 2012:  The seventeenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Dory Previn, RIP Whitney Houston

Added a 1979 review of Gary Brooker's first solo album (thanks, Franky)

'Keith probably wished I'd go away … he certainly gave me a funny smile when we met again a week later ... artists should be judged by their own highest standards, not against prevailing mediocrity'
Added a long and fascinating Keith Reid interview from 1977, in which the validity of The Worm and the Tree is the principle subject. (thanks, Franky)

Time to re-read the 'History of Harum' by the same author: part one, part two

Listen to Gary Brooker address the audience on the origins of The Worm and the Tree after The Palers' Band performed it in 2006 – and promise to play it again!

New readers might be unaware of the comprehensive 'Taking Notes and Stealing Quotes' entry on The Worm and the Tree

Added the first item in a new feature: fans' own Concert Diaries. First up is Webmaster Jens: see what Procol Harum shows he's been to, down the years, and then go to this page and send us your own!

Added a Randy Newman excerpt to clarify the mondegreen origins of The Devil Came from Kansas


9 February 2012:  The sixteenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Diane Stevens (cf AWSoP)

Added a 2012 festival date for Procol Harum (thanks, Chris)

'What’s this filth? That Keith Reid is getting more perverted every album’ ... 'It must be love that keeps us together ...’
Added a terrific 2,800-word interview by Ritchie Yorke from the Broken Barricades era, in which Brooker, Reid and Wilson express candid opinions on numerous artists of the day (Medicine Head / Pentangle / Black Sabbath / Curved Air / Mylon / Dr John / James Taylor / The Band / Janis Joplin / Neil Diamond / The Moody Blues / The Stones / Ry Cooder / Joe Cocker / Dave Edmunds / Led Zeppelin / Elton John / Randy Newman / Cat Stevens / Crosby Stills Nash and Young / Neil Young / Bobby Sherman / Deep Purple) – some are 'rubbish', some are 'terrific', one elicits
‘I've never heard of him' and one is 'a big wet sponge’ ('... my favourite group,’ said Brooker, ‘As long as I don't have to hear them ...'). The band – on sibylline and provoking form – also offer a track-by-track commentary on the Barricades album, and all-in-all this is a must-read article for any Procol fan! (thanks, Franky)

Added this link to a true AWSoP curiosity (thanks, Pat) – why not follow that with another (involving Helium!) (thanks, Charlie)

'There seemed to be close to a dozen mics all over the stage ...'
Added another contemporary review of Procol Harum's first orchestral show (thanks, Franky)


2 February 2012:  The fifteenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a Procol Harum date in Colorado (thanks, Evan)

Added an article about Procol Harum on the verge of a San Bernardino gig (thanks, Franky)

' ... soap-operatic religiosity and funeral-parlor solemnity ...'
Not everybody liked Procol Harum's first ever foray with orchestra and chorus! (thanks, Franky)


26 January 2012:  The fourteenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Etta James and Johnny Otis

'The lyrics are weighted. They hang in the air'
Added a Procol album review from The Miami News ... draw your own conclusions, indeed (thanks, Franky)

Added a page catching up with Geoff Whitehorn and his new signature guitar (thanks, Geoff)

Added an interesting and copiously-illustrated collectors' page about Procol Harum broadcast shows (thanks, Keith)

Added a couple of photographs here

Added twelve 2012 tour-dates here that no fan of great music can afford to miss


19 January 2012:  The thirteenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added news of a Gary Brooker appearance celebrating the posthumous sixtieth birthday party of a famous fan of Procol Harum (thanks, Thomas)

So you think you can spell the name of the lyricist responsible for A Whiter Shade of Pale and Homburg? Have a look at this 'beautiful rarity' page and see if you are right! (thanks, Tormod)

' ... the Procol Harum sound is the kind of music you want to dance to ...'

Added three pages relating to a Procol Harum performance in 1970 at the home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra: one here, another here, and some background here (thanks, Franky)

Routinely updated this page and this page and this page


12 January 2012:  The twelfth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added the solution to this year's Christmas Conundrums

Added the schedule of Triumphant Victors, with the now-traditional 'glamorous assistant' as well ... if your name is listed, do tell us where to send your prize.

Added a link to this page, which shows other work by the co-creator of Procol Harum's famous 'mediaeval spacemen' outfits (thanks, Bradshaw)

'New CD': added a link to this article about 'a letter to Gary Brooker', and the infidels of Procol Harum (thanks, several people)

Added this link to a page which, as our contributor remarks, gives us Procol Harum, Denny Cordell and Big Pink all at once (thanks, Charlie)

Added a good poster and brief concert note to this page (search for 'Buffalo') (thanks, Bob)


5 January 2012:

Added the twelfth and final consignment of this year's Christmas Conundrums, with the extra, brief instruction that tells you what you need to do to claim your choice of prizes.


4 January 2012:

Added the eleventh consignment of this year's Christmas Conundrums.


3 January 2012:

Added the tenth consignment of this year's Christmas Conundrums.


2 January 2012:

Added the ninth consignment of this year's Christmas Conundrums.


1 January 2012: Happy New Year! (due to New Year celebrations in Norway, this upload is several hours later than usual. But as they say: the French girls know how to fight – but the Norwegians know how to party!)

Added a note from the vigilant Prof. Copping here – which has also caused us to revise Statement #5 in the Christmas Conundrums, and to amend this recently-added page. We've had a word with the compiler of the questions and he assures us 'it won't happen again, Guv' – we don't think anyone will have to change their answers, but it's obviously worth checking your working, in view of the excellence of the prizes

Added the eighth consignment of this year's Christmas Conundrums.


31 December 2011:

Added the seventh consignment of this year's Christmas Conundrums.


30 December 2011:

Added the sixth consignment of this year's Christmas Conundrums.


29 December 2011:

Added the fifth consignment of this year's Christmas Conundrums.


28 December 2011: RIP Jim 'Motorhead' Sherwood

Added the fourth consignment of this year's Christmas Conundrums.


27 December 2011:

Added the third consignment of this year's Christmas Conundrums.


26 December 2011:

Added the second consignment of this year's Christmas Conundrums.


25 December 2011: Happy Christmas!

Added the first consignment of this year's Christmas Conundrums ... good luck, everybody!


22 December 2011:  The eleventh hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Coming shortly to 'Beyond the Pale', our traditional twelve days of Christmas puzzles. This is not affected by the changeover to hebdomadal working!

Added a page indicating how the new season of Christmas puzzles will work.

Added the schedule of fab prizes that will be available to winners in this year's Christmas puzzles

Added a page relating to the recent activities of a well-known guitar-player and some of his hard-core fans (thanks, Hans)

Added two links – here and here – relating to some charity activity by Gary Brooker in Norfolk, UK (thanks, Charlie)


15 December 2011:  The tenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Procol organist Chris Copping writes, 'RIP Russell Hoban I still maintain that the language in Riddley Walker is almost identical to that heard in pubs in deepest Suffolk' (thanks, Chris)

As you will know from BtP on Twitter (follow us on http://twitter.com/ProcolHarum1) there have been last-minute negotiations concerning the new Procol Harum overseas dates: however, they are now contractually secure, so if you fancy hearing Procol Harum on a bill with 10cc and the Moody Blues, the details are here and here (thanks, Chris)

'If people – the audience – take a group seriously enough to go out and spend a hefty chunk of their income on the group's album, then of course the group should take themselves seriously.'
Added a good-length Keith Reid interview (with a self-indulgent journalistic preamble to wade through) from the time just before the release of Procol Harum's masterpiece (thanks, Franky)

Updated this page ... one of 6,400 on this website at the most recent count

Added a marital codicil here (thanks, BfP)

Added links to this live 1968 AWSoP ('well sung and played with a hooded MF and the most driving performance by BJ') and this latter-day AWSoP ('The Miller's Tale, EC on guitar') (thanks, Charlie)
 


8 December 2011: The ninth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'  RIP Dobie Gray

Added a perceptive review of the Union Chapel concert on Blu-Ray (thanks, various people)

Added more nuggetry from Franky Brooker's scrapbook: a fascinating article from the time just before the release of Procol Harum's finest album (thanks, Franky)

' ... tradition took a knock ...'

Added a page that vouchsafes a glimpse of the way-out gear in which Gary and Franky Brooker were married in 1968 (thanks, Franky)

And we'll add to that page any pictures we're sent of other Procol-oriented couples who happen to have been married on exactly the same day (13 July 1968)

Added a press clipping to this seminal page  (thanks, Franky)

Added a link to a page about Gary Brooker's career (including a Grammy) (thanks, Charlie)

Added a link to a 60s' pop single derived from Bach's Air on a G String (thanks, Charlie)

'I pardoned a pig!' writes Vicki (Mrs Chris) Copping from Australia (thanks, Vicki)

Added one more curiosity (thanks, Charlie)

New single from Bristol's finest (Yolanda, the singer, sang some fine Matthew Fisher with a BtP webmaster at one time)


1 December 2011: The eighth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale' RIP Ken Russell

As readers of BtP's Procol Facebook Forum will already know, Gary Brooker's performance of two great songs in new arrangements was broadcast on Friday (thanks, Pia). Gary explains that when Procol Harum started we were 'little boys ... sixteen ... it seemed like a good idea at the time' ... and sheds amusing light on his relationship with Eric Clapton.

Added a page about this great show from BtP's Roman correspondent
(thanks, Stefano)

'... they don’t get attacked like The Rolling Stones. They’re just a different type ...'
Added an interview with a 57-year-old Mrs Violet Brooker (thanks, Franky)

Added a still from the film Luna de Avellaneda (thanks, Pato)

Find A Whiter Shade of Pale music here

Top 10 music Blu-Rays according to Steve Guttenberg, more about one of the Blu-Rays here


24 November 2011: The seventh hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added pictures to this 1969 Procol Harum interview, which we thought originated in Crawdaddy!, but turns out to have been published elsewhere first (thanks, Franky)

Added new of Gary Brooker on television (thanks, Chris) and Josh Phillips on stage (thanks, Josh) here

Restored a missing paragraph about a 'laughably ugly vocal' to this Salty Dog review, which we thought originated in Rolling Stone, but also turns out to have been published elsewhere first (thanks, Franky)

Jelle Ravestein alerts BtP to a Top 2,000 list – in Holland – 'that will broadcast in the last week of every year. Fans can vote in the last week of November (NOW) to stand the best change for Procol Harum. Select only Procol Harum with the song A Whiter Shade of Pale ... this song currently already hits the best 40 ... so let us make it a number one after all these years. You must vote before Friday 25 November, 17:00 Central European Time

Robert Moselle sends us 'a link to the Jack of Clubs Metasymbology page, since Gary Brooker is identified (here) as a Jack of Clubs ... 'This link has a list of other Jack of Clubs people – you should get a kick out of it!'

When Gazza met Macca: Alan Matthews alerted the Procol Facebook group to a long lost gem - an unreleased forty-minute documentary on the Abbey Road Rockestra recording session on 3 October 1978. Gary Broooker can be spotted on many occasions throughout but the significant highlights are as follows: 7’18” : Macca announces “Gary Brooker of Procol Harum” as the fifteenth member of the team (fourth on the alphabetical end credits) as the sound of a camera shutter and accompanying stills suggest that Linda is taking shots of each member; 8’16” : Gary chatting with session producer Chris Thomas; 9’47” and 10’ 25” Gary chatting with Tony Ashton; 11’00” : some solo pipe smoking!; from 14’00” – and this is the big moment of interest – McCartney running through the piano part with Gary. Read a related interview here

Procol Harum go down the memory-hole of instant oblivion, in some pretty good company (thanks, Frank)


17 November 2011: The sixth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale' RIP Doyle Bramhall and Jackie Leven

‘Money’s nice; it buys security, not only for me but for the people around me.’
Added
a significant article about the first line-up change in 'The' Procol Harum – fascinating both for what it says and for its 'period' style – that BtP has been looking for for many years (one webmaster read it in 1967, but didn't note the publication it appeared in). It has surfaced at last, in Franky Brooker's scrapbook  (thanks, Franky)

In connection with the above, readers may care to glance at the same writer's article about the previous Procol line-up

Added a transcription, here, of the Procol reference in the Mart Scorsese film, Living in the Material World, about George Harrison (thanks, Geoff)

Added a comment here about Christiane Legrand playing live with Procol Harum (thanks, Chris)

Today: sale of some Procol memorabilia –  full story here – and you might well get a brand new CD by an ex-Procoler into the bargain (thanks, Dave).

Added the missing link ... click here to know how Procol Harum are related to The Sound of Music

Added an excellent review of the Union Chapel concert on Blu-Ray (thanks, Robert)
 


10 November 2011: The fifth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale' RIP Christiane Legrand        

'I suppose we might have become a bit lazy ...'
Added a very illuminating
note about Procol Harum ... being sold off by their manager ... (thanks, Franky)

Procol fans will be interested in the upcoming sale of some irreplaceable and unique Souvenirs of Malibu: Lot No 478, from a field of 840 exceptionally eclectic items. The auction's on 17 November 2011: full story here – and you might well get a brand new CD by an ex-Procoler into the bargain
(thanks, Dave).

In connection with the emergence of the above-mentioned photographs (which Gary Brooker characterised as 'very Python-influenced') read about Dave Ball's playing on Grand Hotel (and here ... and listen
to a recording).

Another interesting archive piece about a mystery Procol guitarist in a photograph may be read here

'This was the first time in 40 years that Brooker had ever sat in with another group ...'
Added a  link to a 'well-intentioned but strange article' (thanks, Robert) clearly written by someone who hasn't read about Gary and the Palers' Band at Domus Felix

Added a link to a film-clip of the Parisian orchestral AWSoP that Henry Spinetti refers to
here – a treat indeed for fans of the 'Barbican 1996' line-up (thanks, Carlo)

John Greenway alerts UK readers that 'BBC2 are showing Living in the Material World – about George Harrison – this coming Saturday, 12 November, from 9.45pm to 11.20pm.' He wonders if this will reduce the potential DVD sales for Christmas! If you would like to own this Martin Scorsese film it's now available from Amazon.co.uk (DVD or BluRay) and Amazon.com (DVD or BluRay). The Commander, who attended the première screening in London, informs us that Procol Harum gets a mention.


3 November 2011: The fourth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

'No More Fear of Jazz' ... added documentation concerning an unusual Gary Brooker recording (thanks, Gary)

Added an intriguing note from Procol's erstwhile organist to this page (thanks, Chris; thanks, Sebastian)

Added a link to '... the weirdest [TV] context in which a Procol Harum song has been aired' ... click here and search for 2 Point 4 Children (thanks, Alan). Mind you, was this version ever played on Top of the Pops? Should the characters not be listening to the orchestral version?

Added a link to a cover version (search for 15 Pop Greats ) of A Whiter Shade of Pale 'The AWSoP singer might be Justin Hayward – from his previous recording with Mike Batt, probably?' wonders our correspondent. (thanks, Niels-Erik).

Added a brief gig-note to this page (thanks, Gil)

Added a link to Procol Harum's Cornerstone album, to this page (thanks, Per)

Christmas shopping ... attention Beatles fans! The Martin Scorsese film – Living in the Material World – about George Harrison is now available from Amazon.co.uk (DVD or BluRay) and Amazon.com (DVD or BluRay). The Commander attended the première screening in London, and informs us that Procol Harum gets a mention.


27 October 2011: The third hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added scans from the concert-programme from Gary Brooker's performance last weekend in Malcolm Arnold's A Grand, Grand Overture, Op 57 (Arnold was, incidentally, the original conductor of Deep Purple's Concerto for Group and Orchestra). The Overture, originally commissioned for a Gerard Hoffnung concert, is dedicated to US President Herbert Hoover and its score includes sundry vacuum cleaners.

Playing lead Hoover is a second Hoffnung connection for GB, following his comment 'It's a Hoffnung' at the start of the Edmonton LP, in allusion to the fact that the opening number seemed unable to start, band waiting for orchestra, orchestra waiting for band, and so on.

[Think of the opening choral shout preceding Whaling Stories on the Edmonton album, then click on Sir William Walton's oratorio Belshazzar's Feast and listen at about 1.53. Similar? This is probably a third Procol / Hoffnung echo, since Walton himself presented that single choral shout (of 'Slain!') during another of Hoffnung's musical extravaganzas in the 1950s]

Added a ticket here (thanks, Kjell) and updated this tour-dates page

Charlie Allison draws our attention to this imperfect archive recording of Homburg ... the perils of a live vocal! 'A technician tries to give him a new [mic],' says Charlie, 'Which doesn't work either! The host tries to make it look swinging!'

Here's an antidote – same country, different microphone. Ray Royer and Bobby Harrison in the band, of course. This probably dates from the era when the Brooker moustache was dyed by his hairdresser ('a bit too much salt and pepper in it' as he explained to BtP). Gary's wearing the iconic garment he has also sported at various 21st-centruy gigs. What are the chances of any of his distinctive stage-outfits ever coming up for sale? BtP sold one at auction, a while back


20 October 2011: The second hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Birthdays yesterday: Keith Reid and Peter Solley 

Added two Procol Harum ticket-scans, here and here and here (thanks, Per)

In case anyone missed it, added a sick kiwi bulletin here (thanks, Dave)

Added a good, illustrated review of Procol Harum on Blu-ray disc


13 October 2011: The first hebdomadal bulletin for Year #15 at 'Beyond the Pale'

' ... [Procol] may play something awful at the start of the set and by the end they’ll have forgotten it. I can remind them of their mistakes.'

Added a hitherto-unknown Keith Reid interview from (probably) 1973
(thanks, Per) : intriguing to compare it with this article

Added an all-night 'Procul' graphic from the London School of Economics to this page and to this one (thanks, Dave)

Added prize-winners' names and solution from our recent Esoteric / Cherry Red Prog CD competition ... please send your addresses ...

Recommended Hallowe'en reading ... Black Shuck ... a new all-English horror novel written by a man ('the new MR James' according to one reviewer) with close Paler links (look inside all the Palers' Project CDs, for instance)


8 October 2011: 'Beyond the Pale' has been uploading pages daily for fourteen years today

Added a couple of very late Old Testament Procol Harum pictures (thanks, Ron)

Changes at 'Beyond the Pale'

Since this Procol Harum website started, fourteen years ago, Jens and Roland have uploaded on average five pages every four days – there are now something like 6,400 – thanks of course to Procol fans all over the world who raided their scrapbooks, typed out archive articles, and sent us numerous setlists, concert reports, learned disquisitions and photographs.

Way back in October 1997 e-contact among fans was exciting and new and our forum, The Beanstalk, was soon humming with convivial conversation and controversy. 5,000 days later, however, Facebook, Twitter and so on offer many other ways of keeping in touch and sharing photographs, and the supply of historic or unknown Procol interviews and pictures is all-but exhausted (unlike the webmasters, of course, whose own Procoholism remains undimmed!).

So, following consultation with Gary Brooker and the band's management, we are about to enter a new phase with 'Beyond the Pale'. Our 'diet of news' will now be published hebdomadally, in the middle of each week, and we shall switch to more frequent updates only when Procol are touring or there is some other cause for a daily report: any such changes will be heralded on Twitter, so do follow us now.

The BtP Online Store will remain open round-the-clock, as will The Beanstalk of course. We know that everyone who has enjoyed the first fourteen years at BtP will continue to send in material for our bulletins, – and we hope they'll enjoy absorbing it in the new, weekly way. And for people who really need their dosage daily: just go back to day one – bookmark this index  – and revisit an archived page every 24 hours!
 


October 7:

BtP's Procol Harum page may be archived in the course of the never-ending 'improvements' to Facebook. To prevent this, please visit the page and post a message. When there is enough 'recent activity' we shall have the option of an 'upgrade' rather than being archived. So, please visit this page now.

Later: superb response, everyone: thanks! The Procol Facebook page is now upgraded and full of life.

Added – arguably later than expected – an overnight review of a Procol Harum aftershow party from December 2010 (thanks, Bub)

Competition for these excellent musical prizes closes on at 2359 GMT on 7 October: see how to play

Routinely updated this useful page

"I would try to convince them not to come to the show, because who needs all that passion, art, and life-changing emotion in their lives?" Richard Thompson, in this interview, evincing a bit of British obliquity reminiscent of Gary Brooker here


October 6:

Added a third and final page of pictures of fans enjoying the Band du Lac experience in June (thanks, Michael)

Follow BtP on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ProcolHarum1


October 5: RIP Bert Jansch

Added a second page of pictures of fans enjoying the Band du Lac experience in June (thanks, Michael)


October 4:

Added a page of pictures of fans enjoying the Band du Lac experience in June (thanks, Michael)


Competition for these excellent musical prizes closes on at 2359 GMT on 7 October: see how to play


October 3:

Forty years after Procol Harum's Scopitone Whiter Shade of Pale promo one or two of the same visual tropes have been recycled by 'Cosmic Trip Machine' (thanks, Will)

Keith Reid gets an incompletely-informed mention on this blog


October 2:

Added some more pictures of an Italian Procol tribute band (with variant instrumentation) in action (thanks, Carlo)


October 1:

Added some happy Whaling Stories pictures from June this year


What was new on this website in past times