Previous years of hebdomadal BtP updates

Year 17, ending October 2014

2 October 2014: the final hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Lynsey de Paul

Tomato? Hairbrush? Added a page looking forward to the London Dominion show and broadcast. Do sign up here if you're going. And the before- and after-show drinks meeting on the day of the London Dominion show will be bookable through our Fresh Fruit newsletter before long.

Visit this page for other – non-Procol – concerts in the 'Friday Night is Music Night' series, and read about the programme here

Created – rather late in the year – a tickets page for 2014 and added a couple of specimens. Do please find your tickets for 2014 gigs and send us the scans.

Amended this useful page

Advance notice: our next weekly update falls on 8 October, which is the seventeenth birthday of 'Beyond the Pale'. We've always been mindful of BJ Wilson in preparing all previous 8 October updates (it was the date of his passing away) and next week's bulletin will present an extraordinary opportunity for fans of the late, great percussionist. Watch this space.

26.September:

Public booking for Procol Harum's landmark concert at The Dominion Theatre in London, 24 November, is now open.

Well over 400 tickets were sold during the week-long Palers' early-booking period.

Many places are still available, but do hurry.

The best seats go first. And now the general public are invited to book their own tickets. Booking info here:

25 September: the ante-penultimate hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Christopher Hogwood

Procol Harum's show at The Dominion, London, on 24 November with the BBC Concert Orchestra and Crouch End Festival Chorus will be recorded for later transmission on BBC Radio 2. Advance tickets were made available to readers of this website on 19 September – the organisers gave Palers a week's grace, to choose the seats they want, before the rest-of-world publicity starts (thanks, Chris).

Thanks to those who managed not to spread the details on to Facebook or other Forums, as requested by the people who gave us the privilege of prior booking.

Details of the before and after-show drinks meeting, and another concert the day before the show, will be announced  through our Fresh Fruit newsletter very soon. There's a Facebook Event page for the gig – do sign up if you're coming – at the new 'Beyond the Pale' Facebook page, where we hope gigs and events will stand out rather more clearly than they do among the adverts and promotions and music clips that predominate on our former Procol Facebook group. 

Added this link to a recently-published Gary Brooker video-interview from Tracks Magazin, with some trenchant observations about 'rock meets classic' (thanks, Chris)

Added a page of pictures from the recent, excellent Palers' Convention in Westbury, NY (thanks, Bert)

Procol Harum tribute band 'Shine On Brightly' will be playing mid-town New York City on 11 October, Saturday night at Connelly's (thanks, Kaleidoscope Ken)
 

18 September: the forty-seventh hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Joe Sample and Kenny Wheeler

Procol Harum's show at The Dominion, London, on 24 November with the BBC Concert Orchestra and Crouch End Festival Chorus will be recorded for later transmission on BBC Radio 2. Advance tickets will be available to readers of this website on 19 September – the organisers are giving Palers a week's grace, to choose the seats they want, before the rest-of-world publicity starts (thanks, Chris).

Details of how and where to apply will be announced  through our Fresh Fruit newsletter on that day.

Notes: BtP is not planning to organise a Basecamp Hotel this time; there are many hotels close to the theatre, and a hotel-booking link for you to click in the imminent Fresh Fruit mailing. What we shall do, however, is organise a fans' meal on the Sunday evening before the Procol gig, once we know how many people are coming to London. There's a Facebook Event page for the gig – do sign up if you're coming – at the new 'Beyond the Pale' Facebook page, where we hope gigs and events will stand out rather more clearly than they do among the adverts and promotions and music clips that predominate on our former Procol Facebook group.

Updated this useful page

Congratulations to pre-eminent Paler/scholar George Lovell FRSC (get his Procol book) ... read about his recent distinction here

Fixed a dating blunder here and here (thanks, Jim)

Added sad news from Denmark (thanks, Niels-Erik)

Added surprising news from Southend on Sea (good luck,. Riga Steve)

Added a setlist here and news of 'our own little Redhill' here (thanks, Jack)

12 September: the forty-sixth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Procol Harum will be appearing at the Dominion, London, on 24 November 8 pm with a hundred musicians from the BBC Concert Orchestra and the Crouch End Chorus. The show will be recorded for later transmission on BBC Radio 2.

This was the news we'd originally hoped to bring you at Gary Brooker's birthday party in May this year ... negotiations have been continuing ever since (as have fans' speculations) and the contract was in fact signed only last night – so you read it here first.

Advance tickets will be available to readers of this website (thanks, Chris) on 19 September, and details of how and where to apply will be announced  through our Fresh Fruit newsletter on that day.

What do you do when you find that your musical chops have turned to minced meat over the years?
Added a very detailed and interesting account of one Procol fan's adventures in July 2014 (thanks, Paul)

In which connection, why not re-read another Adventure in Paler Wonderland from 2003?

8 September:

We are moving Fresh Fruit, our occasional Procol Harum newsletter, to a new system. If you wish to subscribe to the list, or to maintain your current membership, you need to subscribe again using this link. No more mailings will be sent via the old system.

4 September: the forty-fifth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Glenn Cornick

Added a great page of pictures taken when Procol Harum played at Ridgefield in July this year (thanks, Bert)

So, whose is the floating head on the cover of Procol's tenth album? It's taken us five years to get round to adding the liner notes for the Salvo re-issue of Something Magic, commissioned from and written by Roland from BtP (thanks, Chas)

'... another dimension of life and universal truth'
At last ... the meaning of A Whiter Shade of Pale! Add another explanation (thanks, Peter)

Procol Harum's high-profile orchestral gig in London on 24 November 2014: BtP and PH management are still awaiting news of how to book. As soon as we know what's what, we'll alert fans via the Procol newsletter, 'Fresh Fruit'. To get on the mailing list for this, sign up here.

28 August: the forty-fourth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'  

RIP (last month) Paramount Diz Derrick

Added a page of good photos from Procol's gig at Durham NC, in America: good backstage portrait of the band (thanks, Daniel)

Added a page of pictures taken at the In Held 'Twas NY convention .(thanks, Larry)

Added some shots of Procol's performance in Germany on the Commander's birthday (thanks, Fred and Jan-Willem)

21 August: the forty-third hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'  

Procol Harum will play a high-profile orchestral gig in London on 24 November 2014.
'Beyond the Pale' visitors will enjoy a few days' priority booking before the tickets go on general sale (thanks, Chris); more details by the end of the month. The special booking arrangements will be released through the Procol newsletter, 'Fresh Fruit'. To get on the mailing list for this, sign up here.

To remind yourself of how brilliant the last two orchestral Procol shows in London have been, reacquaint yourself with the Rainbow pages (1972) and the Barbican pages (1996) (judging by the periodicity of those two recitals, we were not due another such triumph in the capital until 2020).

Updated this fascinating page

It's taken us five years to get round to adding them, but here are the liner notes for the Salvo re-issue of Procol's Ninth, commissioned from and written by Roland from BtP (thanks, Chas)

Added some nice band pictures taken at Procol's recent Westbury gig (thanks, Bert)

Added some good shots taken at Procol's most recent show in Switzerland (thanks, François)

14 August: the forty-second hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'  

Just a few more hours ... to the end of another historic Procol Harum tee-shirt – donated for auction once again by Gary Brooker –
which will help raise money BtP's next Paler gathering, and also support the BJ Wilson fund (thanks, Gary and Franky)

Added some really good band portraits taken at Procol's recent Manhattan gig (thanks, Bert)

Added some more pictures taken at the 'In Held 'Twas NY' Convention (thanks, Gary)

SOB Story ... added a page about the début of 'Shine on Brightly', New York Procol Tribute Band. In one of the shots they appear even to have supplied their 'own tombstone'! (thanks, Ken)

10 August: (news flash)

Another New York Procol tribute band, 'Shine on Brightly', makes its debut today with a 60-minute set at Hawkins Park, City Island, NY at 5:00 PM. Entrance is free. The band includes Ken Stasion, guitar and voice;  Mike DeRosa, all keyboards and voice; Chris Scott, drums and voice; Tom Mahoney, bass. City Island is a picturesque island which is part of The Bronx, NYC.  'The weather promises to be lovely and there are a number of seafood restaurants in the area with an alehouse across from the park,' writes Ken.

7 August: the forty-first hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'  

RIP Peter Sculthorpe

NEW! Added a page about the eBay sale of another historic Procol Harum tee-shirt  – donated for auction once again by Gary Brooker –
which will help raise money BtP's next Paler gathering, and also support the BJ Wilson fund (thanks, Gary and Franky)

Added a good illustrated report of Procol Harum in Paris, France ... pictures shot from Row Q! .(thanks, Charlie)

Added some pictures taken at the 'In Held 'Twas NY' Convention (thanks, Gary)

Added another good piece in our occasional series in which die-hard Procol fans confess to liking other music as well, and give their reasons (thanks, Elizabeth)

Have a click here and search for 'procoralan'. Strange how, even in an anecdotal, non-musical article like this, the writer for some reason thinks of Procol as a 'progressive' group. (thanks, Charlie)

All visitors to this website are welcome to send their own accounts of recent Procol events (words, pictures, etc): please have a look at the Guidelines for Submissions page

Check The StrumBums website for news of Geoff Whitehorn's forthcoming engagements

29 July: the fortieth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'  

Added an mp3 of Dave Ball's splendid message to delegates and fellow Palers' Band personnel as heard at BtP's New York Procol Convention (thanks, Dave)

Added a page about the eBay sale of a historic Procol Harum tee-shirt – donated for auction by Gary Brooker – which will help raise money BtP's next Paler gathering, and also support the BJ Wilson fund. (thanks, Franky and Gary )

Also added a page about a similar shirt that you can also get from eBay ... though the price may not suit everybody

Added a first-timer's account of events surrounding (and including) the In Held 'Twas NY Procol Harum convention (thanks, Bert)

'Mysteriously whisked to the backstage area, I was asked to take a few pictures ...'
Added a nice portrait of Procol Harum 2014; also updated pictures here and here (thanks, Bert)

Added a page of excellent 'insider' pictures from Procol Harum's symphonic Ottawa concert – thanks to a member of the choir (thanks, Diane)

23 July: the thirty-ninth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'  

Added the setlist for Procol Harum's recent show at Aston  (thanks, Evan / Marvin)

Added a review of Procol Harum at Aston PA (thanks, Leigh)

Added the setlist for Procol Harum's recent show at Ridgefield (thanks, Bob, Chris, Evan, Marvin and Bert)

Added the setlist for Procol Harum's recent show at Durham (thanks, Gene)

Added the setlist for Procol Harum's recent show at Atlanta (thanks, Tim)

17 July: the thirty-eighth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'  

Added the setlist for Procol Harum's recent show at Alexandria (thanks, Evan, Bill and Phil)

Updated this complex and interesting page

Added an improved schedule, including performer credits, of all the entertainment on offer at the recent Palers' Convention in Westbury, NY

Procol fan Roland Grossenbacher enjoys the first birthday of his Rock Museum (thanks, Roland)

13/14 July:

Added the setlist for Procol Harum's recent show in Manhattan

Added the setlist for Procol Harum's recent show at Westbury

Added the setlist for Procol Harum's recent show at Westhampton

11 July: the thirty-seventh hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'  

Added the setlist for Procol Harum's recent gig at Gossau (thanks, Francois)

Added the setlist for Procol Harum's recent orchestral show at Ottawa (thanks, Bob)

Added the setlist for Procol Harum's recent show in Manhattan

The BtP team with many good friends are enjoying hot and hectic days of music-making and associated revelry in Brooklyn in preparation for tomorrow's Convention. (thanks, Gary C, Lorraine, Tito and many others)

Happy birthday to Jens Anders Ravnaas!

Enjoy this new PH-related film from Andreas Havlik, whose version of Repent Walpurgis was one of the many delights on the still available 2CD album, From Shadow to Shadow (thanks, Andreas)

6 July:

July's Procol Harum convention – In Held 'Twas N.Y – at Westbury, Long Island is SOLD OUT.

But there may still be tickets available for the Procol Harum concerts in USA. See here for details

4 July:
Added a Convention FAQ page ... please read it all.

3 July: the thirty-sixth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Bobby Womack

Very sorry tonight to report the death of our friend Pirjo Aalto, a core Procol fan – friendly, enterprising and committed – who organised the Helsinki Party in October
(and sent BtP such brilliant cameos, such as this). Our very sincere condolences go out to her family and many friends in Finland and beyond.

Added the setlist for Procol Harum's gig at the Casino de Paris (thanks, Stefano and others)

Added concert notes from Procol Harum's gig at the Casino de Paris (thanks, Ian)

July's Procol Harum convention – In Held 'Twas N.Y – is at Westbury, Long Island in nine days' time.

There is just under a handful of tickets remaining. Please note you cannot come in on the door ... entry for both parties is by advance booking only.

Follow these links to make your booking: the Convention itself, what you get and what you'll do, and how to book your place; Basecamp Hotels for the Manhattan and Westbury gigs, and special codes that will get you good accommodation rates.

The Long Goodbye, the Short Goodbye ... an interesting film interview, in the light of recent events at Ewhurst

26 June: the thirty-fifth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'  

RIP Felix Dennis

Added a good Gary Brooker interview from the July/August 2014 edition of Rolling Stone (thanks, Chris)

Added a good review – illustrated – of Procol Harum playing at 'three Glastonburies rolled into one day' (it also explains about 'The Brooker Test') (thanks, Tom)

July's Procol Harum convention – In Held 'Twas N.Y – is at Westbury, Long Island in two weeks' time.

We have been able to add ten more tickets for the Westbury Convention, but when they are gone, they are gone and no more bookings can be accepted.
We originally planned ticket sales to end Friday 4 July, but now expect the eight remaining tickets to be sold earlier.

Follow these links to make your booking: the Convention itself, what you get and what you'll do, and how to book your place; Basecamp Hotels for the Manhattan and Westbury gigs, and special codes that will get you good accommodation rates.
 

19 June: the thirty-fourth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'  

RIP Gerry Goffin

Added a setlist/review of Saturday's Ewhurst show. More will follow.

July's Procol Harum convention – In Held 'Twas N.Y – is at Westbury, Long Island.

Follow these links to make your booking: the Convention itself, what you get and what you'll do, and how to book your place; Basecamp Hotels for the Manhattan and Westbury gigs, and special codes that will get you good accommodation rates.
 

12 June: the thirty-third hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'  

Added some images from the recent Brooker birthday-party (thanks, Marion)

Theo Miller tells his tale: added a nice illustrated review of Procol Harum's recent gig in Freising (thanks, Theo and Fred)

Added an illustration here (thanks, Fred)

Coming this weekend: Procol Harum's appearance in the UK this summer ... on a charity bill that includes The Who and a host of other top attractions (thanks, Josh)

5 June: the thirty-second hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'  

Sorry for the late update to BtP this week ... distracted by listening to Hammond Organ Radio!

Added some early pictures from the Brooker Birthday party in Freising (thanks, Arnt & Astrid)

Added  some more Freising pictures from the camera of our valued and highly dependable local collaborator (thanks, Paul)

Added some photographs of Late-Night Nuptials during the Procol celebrations in Freising (thanks, Fred)

Sign up for Procol Harum's appearance in the UK this summer ... on a charity bill that includes The Who and a host of other top attractions (thanks, Josh)

Updated this page (thanks, Jay)

29 May: the thirty-first hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'  

Happy Birthday Gary Brooker 1945

We're updating the site in the wee small hours after Gary Brooker's excellent birthday party. 50+ people from many nations ate, briefly sang, and laughed together at moving/fascinating/funny/rhyming speeches by the likes of special guest Eberhard Schoener, the BtP team, and of course Gary himself. A Methuselah of bubbly made a spectacular appearance, having been transported all the way from Rome. A notable guest was Emilia Wallace, whom Redhill veterans will remember as 'The Australian Baby in the Audience' in 1997! Procol themselves got a fine reception and mingled extensively. John, Thomas and Geoff from the crew got a special mention, as of course did Gary's former teenage gang-mate, and now manager, Chris. The food was tremendous and the brewery staff, specially Gaby and Patrick, could not have been more attentive. Photographs and more info to follow when 'the dust has settled'. Thanks to everyone who came and made it such a lovely occasion. Special thanks to Stefano, Andrea and Paul for administrative work, groundwork and much more. Meanwhile, if you have pictures from the evening, please send them to webmaster@procolharum.com.

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's very special Freising gig on The Commander's Geburtstag

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's Dunkirk appearance

Added pictures here of 'Broken Barricades', the ensemble who will share the stage with the Palers' Band at our Convention in July (thanks, Larry)

Sign up for Procol Harum's appearance in the UK this summer ... on a charity bill that includes The Who and a host of other top attractions (thanks, Josh)

22 May: the thirty-first hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'  

Gary Brooker's relatively recent recording of A Whiter Shade of Pale (with orchestra and backing singers), which was scheduled for June transmission on French TV, actually went out on 17 May.
The programme (as mentioned here) was called Les Années Bonheurs... watch it here (thanks, Chris)

Sign up for Procol Harum's appearance in the UK this summer ... on a bill that includes The Who and a host of other top attractions (thanks, Josh)

Next Procol Harum gig, just a few days away: book here!

Lend an ear to Hammond Organ Radio ... (thanks Jay)

Nice to hear that Procol Harum have been 'dusting off the cobwebs', in a new rehearsal environment, though the available photograph isn't packed with clues as to what we'll be hearing as the 2014 tour starts (thanks, Josh)

Everyone in the Palers' Band of 2014 should by now know have their schedule of music to work on for our very short rehearsal in July. If by chance you haven't received it, send us an e-mail

Our attention is drawn to this extraordinary Procol sonic montage (thanks, Charlie)

Keep the orders coming in to the BtP online Procol store, but please be aware that there will be no despatches, nor 'dispatches', between now and 2 June 2014

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

Procol Harum confirm an appearance in the UK this summer ... on a bill that includes The Who and a host of other top attractions (thanks, Josh)

Next Procol Harum gig, just a week away: book here!

Added a weighty and revealing Geoff Whitehorn 'Player of the Month' interview: a must-read specially for guitarists (thanks, Barry)

Added links here and here to the above

New: Procol Harum live on vinyl : double Ledreborg album (thanks, Ian)

Here are the intrepid players who will come together as the Palers' Band of 2014 in New York State

8 May: the twenty-ninth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'  

RIP Antony Hopkins

Procol race: in a few hours' time bidding closes on two historic Procol Harum tee-shirts – here and here – donated for auction by Gary Brooker, which will help raise money for the enhancement of the In Held 'Twas N Y Convention . Have a look and see which one you fancy ... or if you can guess which one (the UK or the US one) will command the higher final price.

Added some more shots from Paul Jones's Christmas bash in December 2013(thanks, Heidi)

Added a frank and illuminating article about the Grand Hotel album by one of its illustrious creators (thanks, Chris)

Added more information (here) about Procol Harum at the Wankdorf Stadium (thanks, Jack)

Next Procol Harum gig, just two weeks away: book here!

July's Procol Harum convention – In Held 'Twas N.Y – is at Westbury, Long Island. It comes at the midway point (in space and time) among Procol's three consecutive New York gigs, Manhattan, Westbury, and Westhampton

Follow these links to make your booking: the Convention itself, what you get and what you'll do, and how to book your place; Basecamp Hotels for the Manhattan and Westbury gigs, and special codes that will get you good accommodation rates

Selling well and sounding fantastic: Procol Harum download-only album (released this month) ... Some Long Road ... [click to download]

1 May: the twenty-eighth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'  

July's Procol Harum convention – In Held 'Twas N.Y – is at Westbury, Long Island. It comes at the midway point (in space and time) among Procol's three consecutive New York gigs, Manhattan, Westbury, and Westhampton

Follow these links to make your booking: the Convention itself, what you get and what you'll do, and how to book your place; Basecamp Hotels for the Manhattan and Westbury gigs, and special codes that will get you good accommodation rates

The Palers' Band booking, which was here, is now closed. Thanks all!

Added a link to a page about a historic 1991 tee-shirt donated to BtP by Gary Brooker, to be offered for sale to fans to raise money for the enhancement of the In Held 'Twas N Y Convention (thanks, Gary)

Added a link to a page about a historic UK 1995 tour tee-shirt donated to BtP by Gary Brooker, to be offered for sale to fans to raise money for the enhancement of the In Held 'Twas N Y Convention (thanks, Gary)

Added a poster here (thanks, Heidi)

Selling well and sounding fantastic: Procol Harum download-only album (released this month) ... Some Long Road ... [click to download]

If you're signed up for Gary Brooker's 69th birthday party, your payment is now overdue

Added some pictures relating to Great Balls of Fire on the way home from Procol Harum's Christmas meal in December (thanks, Heidi)

Added a link to some interesting impressions of some relatively recent Keith Reid lyrics (thanks, Christian)

24 April: the twenty-seventh hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'  

July's Procol Harum convention – In Held 'Twas N.Y – at Westbury, Long Island is 60% sold-out in the first week, so don't delay with your booking!

It comes at the midway point (in space and time) among Procol's three consecutive New York gigs, Manhattan, Westbury, and Westhampton

Follow these links to make your booking: the Convention itself, what you get and what you'll do, and how to book your place; Basecamp Hotels for the Manhattan and Westbury gigs, and special codes that will get you good accommodation rates

There's a week left to sign up to play with fellow fans in The Palers' Band: click here to be part of this excellent party. The sign-up period it closes on Walpurgis Night, 30 April.

Added a link to a page about a unique tee-shirt donated to BtP by Gary Brooker, to be offered for sale to fans to raise money for the enhancement of the In Held 'Twas N Y Convention (thanks, Gary)

Added a link to some film of another event associated with last year's Procol Convention in Germany (thanks, Ian, thanks Luiz)

Added a Procol ticket here and here – from the most celebrated US Procol show in recent memory (thanks, William)

Added a brief report of a hitherto-unlogged Procol Harum concert in 1967 (thanks, Joe)

17 April: the twenty-sixth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'  

Added all the details you need for booking July's Procol Harum convention – In Held 'Twas N.Y – at Westbury, Long Island.

This excellent affair comes at the midway point (in space and time) among Procol's three consecutive New York gigs so it could not be more convenient of you're going to any – or all! – of the gigs in Manhattan, Westbury, and Westhampton

For those wondering what BtP's Procol Conventions are typically like, here are some more as-yet unseen photos from the end of the last one (including the longest photo-caption at BtP to date) (thanks, Andreas)

Everybody who signed up for Gary Brooker's 69th birthday party has received an e-mail with details about paying and other matters; a number of people have not yet responded, and we look forward to hearing from you in the next ten days.

Tomorrow sees the publication of Koko Ura, a Procol Harum biography every bit as good as the recent one by Henry Scott-Irvine. More details if you click this link

9 April: the twenty-fifth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'  

Everyone seems to agree that there's never been a better-sounding live Procol Harum download-only album than the new (released this month) ... Some Long Road ... [click to download]

Everybody who signed up for Gary Brooker's 69th birthday party has received an e-mail with details about paying and other matters; a number of people have not yet responded, and we look forward to hearing from you.

For those wondering what BtP's Procol Conventions are typically like, here are some as-yet unseen photos from the end of the last one (thanks, Andreas)

Added a useful map to this page

Procol Harum's new InsideOutside 2CD album is on its way to fans all over the world who have ordered it from 'Beyond the Pale' for just 8 American dollars. (Amazon also stocks it, for those who prefer to deal with a commercial organisation).

Great response to this year's April Fool's day stunt. Big thanks to all of Procol Harum for the special recording :-). It seems that demand has crashed the server – our apologies! – but this has now been fixed so just click here. Judging by various reports, some fans didn't realise that the brief SatNav jingle is not the main event: the full file is an mp3 download with the complete new No Exit number, and full spoken comments (and two excerpts played live by two more PH numbers) from the whole band. You get this by choosing one of the operating-system links towards the foot of the page ... recommended  link is I would like to hear the sample clip.

Thanks to the various people who were confused about our RIP entry on April Fool's day. There's still a few every year! Suffice to say it was not the only silly item in that update.

18 April sees the publication of Koko Ura, a Procol Harum biography every bit as good as the recent one by Henry Scott-Irvine. More details if you click this link (thanks, Jorma)

Added three links – here, here and here – to some intriguing reviews of Alexa Ray Joel  (daughter of Billy 'A Salty Dog' Joel) singing Procol Harum: 'It’s a great idea, and could be a hit single'  (thanks, Charlie)

3 April: an interim bulletin

Gary Brooker's 69th birthday party: booking is now closed, and payment details will be added to the page in coming days. 

Commiserations to people who would like to mingle with fellow Procol Harum fans at a BtP party, but who can't make the Freising celebrations. Don't despair ... still there'll be more ... as the famous song advises: see here

Commiserations also to anybody who couldn't figure out reasons for the inclusion of certain items in our April Fool posting below.

Orders are piling in for Procol Harum's new InsideOutside album. You can pre-order now from 'Beyond the Pale' for just 8 American dollars [we expect stock from the factory this week] and Amazon also stocks it, for those who prefer to deal with a commercial organisation.

April Fool's Day: the twenty-fourth abdominal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'  

RIP Carlo Curley

Now available: Procol Harum's new download-only album, all recorded live during recent tours (many fans will be intrigued to hear the Wuppertal orchestra, playing Procol, for the first time, and to hear the band play a great tune from the Brooker solo album, Echoes in the Night). Entitled ... Some Long Road ... it features twelve live songs, produced by Dennis Weinreich, which sound amazing. Liner-note and photography are by Bert Saraco from the USA.

... Some Long Road ... is available from the 'Spinshop'. As with past download albums, fans will get the recording through BtP (but not from BtP).

Something else you can get to through BtP (but not from BtP) is the brand-new recording of previously-unheard material, undertaken by the Procols in recent days and including a brand-new number, No Exit.

This is a promotional tie-in for ... Some Long Road ... : so if you own – or know how to drive – a motor-car ('automobile') then read more about it here (thanks, Elsabina). The website at http://www.phsatnav.info/ contains new Procol recordings for you to add to your collection, and to help you find your way around the world.

Last call for Gary Brooker's 69th birthday party, to which fans are of course invited. Booking will close on Wednesday 2 April; after that, we're full, and we'll be sending individual mails to the participants with details of how, when and where to send payment.

BtP is thrilled to learn of all the Procol Harum Conventions being planned around the world, and looking forward to attending as many as possible thanks to the new system. Congrats and kudos to resourceful fans in Benghazi, Honolulu, Wyoming, Hyderabad, Scunthorpe, and Magnetic Island. The most innovative idea comes from new tribute band, 'Blight on the Orchard', who will be performing the entire Brooker/Reid catalogue – necessarily at high speed, and missing out the hard words – in an empty basement during Procol's not-yet-announced gig at Cleveland, Ohio.

Following his recent recording session in Paris, watch out for Gary Brooker's performance on French television – the programme is called La Bonne Année, and it will be broadcast in June: more info when we have it (thanks, Chris)

Watch out for Procol publicity in Jukebox Magazine, Paris Match, Rolling Stone, Télérama, and Le Parisien : more details here.

Procol Harum's Paris show is selling well – can we remind Procol fans of the Dunkirk gig, a mere 150 miles to the North, and readily accessible from Belgium and the Netherlands too?

Added a classic line-up setlist here (thanks, Bill)

26 March: an interim bulletin

'Beyond the Pale' is happy to announce another orchestral show for Procol Harum: click here (thanks, Chris)

24 March: the twenty-third hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Shifting commitments oblige us to change the update to Monday-night/Tuesday-morning during coming weeks. Let us know if you prefer this to the established Wednesday-night/Thursday-morning time-slot: webmaster@procolharum.com

So nice that Gary Brooker's 69th birthday party, to which fans are of course invited, is going to be such an international affair. 'Beyond the Pale' will be sending further details shortly to fellow-guests coming from Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and the USA.

Orders are piling in for Procol Harum's new InsideOutside album. You can pre-order now for just 8 American dollars [we expect stock from the factory during next week] and Amazon have now got it advertised under the correct title (thanks to all who wrote to them to get that sorted out)

Added an early line-up picture here (thanks, Anvil)

Added some dodgy spellings to this page (thanks, all)

Added nine more pictures to this page about a Procol music gig in the USA lately (thanks, Tito)

Added a Procol Harum promo clip here

Procol fans who like to hear adaptations of Bach will no doubt enjoy this version of Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring (BWV 147) (thanks, Zara)

20 March: the twenty-second hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Booking for Gary Brooker's 69th birthday party, to which fans are invited, is going very well; we'll shortly be writing to fellow-fans in a dozen countries worldwide, giving additional details.

Added details of a splendid new Procol compilation album which contains new performances and tracks not hitherto available on CD. Order now for 8 USD:

Added freshly-confirmed Procol Harum concert dates in America: here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here (thanks, Chris)

Added a couple of pictures to this page about a Procol music gig in the USA lately (thanks, Tito)

13 March: the twenty-first hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

'Beyond the Pale' announces Gary Brooker's 69th birthday party, to which fans are of course invited

Added a review of Gary Brooker with Albert Lee on the latter's 70th birthday

Added a page of good pictures from the above gig and the full setlist from the concert (many thanks, Gudrun)

Added a picture of Procol Harum running about in a field (and several shots of the man whose chose the name) (thanks, Kjersti)

In connection with the above, see also here, here and here. And here.

Added a link to yet more Procol Harum music being played in public  (thanks, Jack)

Rectified a geographical blunder here, here and here  (thanks, Markku)

6 March: the twentieth hebdomadal bulletin already, for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Bob Casale

Added a note about Gary Brooker's part in the 70th birthday celebrations of the birth of Albert Lee (thanks, Chris)

To date 'Beyond the Pale' has archived information about only a handful of Procol Harum double compilation albums that contain In Held 'Twas in I: here, here, here and here. It's interesting to be able to add a fifth, here (thanks, Paul)

Remember this compilation analysis page, from 2 April 2004?

Added a second booking-contact for Procol Harum's fast-selling upcoming Parisian gig (thanks, Paul)

Following last week's link to a Hall of Fame story, here's another (with film-clips) which allows you to vote, if you like, about whether Procol Harum should be 'inducted' (thanks, Charlie)

Orders at the BtP online store, from music fans in the areas where upcoming gigs have been announced, are depleting the stock of remaining Salvo reissues from the 'Regal Zonophone' years. We have a few copies of Home still, and a very few of Shine on Brightly: that's it.

Added news of gigs from two Procol Harum tribute acts, in America, and in Denmark

Reminder about the recently-published book by Roland from BtP, in which Keith Reid's words feature. We know it's not a major feature, but that adds to the fun of the reminder. And lots of people are enjoying the seriously hilarious writing, which is the main thing. If you're a satisfied customer who lives within striking distance of Bristol, and would like to come to the book-launch recital on Monday – where Frank Key will be performing, and a couple of Procol offerings will be played – send us a message soon

27 February: the nineteenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Paco de Lucia

Added a link to a prominent call for Procol Harum to be admitted to the 'Rock and Roll Hall of Fame' (thanks, Evan)

Evan Wagshul reminds us of this classic exchange:

Added a couple of screenshots of a valuable disambiguation that has recently been added to a pair of unrelated Wikipedia pages (thanks, Charlie)

Added useful information to this setlist page (follow links if you have never seen 70s' footage of Procol Harum playing The Blue Danube)

Added a page about an impudent and pointless bootleg (thanks, Enrico)

Rectified a blunder here (thanks, Markku)

20 February: the eighteenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Duffy Power

' ... mi  sentivo preso da una specie di nausea ...'
Added a translation of A Whiter Shade of Pale (some of the English text used containing variants of unknown provenance) into Italian, with some intriguing notes about RMS Titanic (thanks, Carlo)

In which connection, re-read this Italian version

'... «la voix» de Procol Harum, celle sans qui A Whiter Shade of Pale ne signifierait sans doute plus rien ...
Added some prepublicity for Procol Harum's show near Dunkirk (thanks, all)

Nice to see Procol Harum up in the top ten live albums – alongside Frank Sinatra and Count Basie / Sam Cooke / The Rolling Stones / Otis Redding / Delaney and Bonnie / The Allman Brothers Band / The Who / Simon & Garfunkel / Bob Marley & The Wailers – on this very recent radio show; note the unstable spelling values both there and at this related page (thanks, Charlie)

Add a graphic – knowledgeable, imaginative, professional, ethical, dynamic, innovative, friendly, modern, creative, etc – about Procol Ltd (thanks, Charlie)

13 February: the seventeenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Shirley Temple

Added a couple more forthcoming Procol Harum gigs, here and here – one of the purlieux as obscure as the other is renowned (thanks, Chris)

Added photographs of two significant historic artefacts that visitors have occasionally noticed, propped on a ledge in Gary Brooker's barn (thanks, Gary)

'Your witness. My own hand.’ The fact that he can dream it (and masturbate over the idea) means the reality must be out there, somewhere.
Added a page of often-outlandish attempts to find particular meanings in A Salty Dog

6 February: the sixteenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Andrea Trower

Added news about Matt Pegg here and here (thanks, Matt) ... see also The Daily Mail if you can bear the idea of reading such a publication

Added a double mondegreen (from Cerdes) here (thanks, Stuart)

Added a short review of A Salty Dog (thanks, Anvil) ... anybody know where this was first published?

Modified our 'for sale' page now that the Procol Box Set, the Secrets of the Hive 2CD, and the Salvo A Salty Dog are unobtainable – good work, the people who cleaned out our remaining stock during the last days in January!

Added links to two excellent films – indispensable for Procol organ fans – here (thanks, Ian; thanks, Don)

Added a 1969 Procol Harum setlist here (thanks, Bill)

30 January: the fifeenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Pete Seeger

Added a few glimpses of Gary Brooker's historic Conquistador orchestral score, written on a flight (thanks, Gary)

Why not re-read more Edmonton pages ... Brooker's concert diary ... the purple tail-coat ... a fascinating miscellany

Added 2014 Procol tour info here and here

Added some notes to this 1967 tour page ... more information is of course most welcome

Made some changes here, here and here in the continuing interests of clarity (thanks, Bill)

23 January: the fourteenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added an interesting picture of The Paramounts (thanks, Anvil)

'But no girl on a ship full of men at sea could be so innocent.'
Added a new page containing a fan's interpretation of the words of Procol's early hit, A Whiter Shade of Pale (thanks, Kathryn)

Added a poster here for 7 November 1970 (Procol Harum and the ABB) ... (thanks, Andrew)

16 January: the thirteenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'


As promised on the Procol Facebook page: clips of six short pieces by Chris Copping for your listening pleasure (thanks, Chris!)

Added a Procol ticket (thanks, Matthias)

Added a setlist from San Francisco, 1973 (thanks, Dennis)

Added a note about Stoke Poges in a Pasadena performance (thanks, Dennis)

9 January: the twelfth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added the solution to our annual series of Christmas Procol puzzles, and the schedule of Triumphant Victors. Thanks for playing, everyone, and big thanks to the kind people who contributed the prizes, which are now on their way to their destinations in various countries..

5 January 2014:

RIP Phil Everly

Added the last in our annual series of Christmas puzzles. Good luck with the instructions that follow it: just read 'em carefully and all will be well.

4 January 2014:

Added the eleventh in our annual series of Christmas puzzles. Don't forget to have another look at the prizes and be ready with your preference order – all ten letters, please! – something like: "AGBHCIDJEF"

You're also very warmly advised to have the answers to hand in printed form: download and print from here and you'll have a big advantage when you're working, against the clock, tomorrow night.

The final clue is scheduled to appear on this page (press F5 or 'Reload' to ensure your browser shows the latest version) at midnight London time (GMT), when Saturday 4 January becomes Sunday 5 January.

3 January 2014:

Added the tenth in our annual series of Christmas puzzles

2 January 2014:

Added the ninth in our annual series of Christmas puzzles. Don't forget to look at the prizes.

1 January 2014: Happy New Year!

Added a New Year message from the BtP team to all fellow Procol fans worldwide

Added the eighth in our annual series of Christmas puzzles

31 December:

Added the seventh in our annual series of Christmas puzzles. Don't forget to look at the prizes.

30 December:

Added the sixth in our annual series of Christmas puzzles

29 December:

Added the fifth in our annual series of Christmas puzzles. Don't forget to look at the prizes.

28 December:

Added the fourth in our annual series of Christmas puzzles

27 December:

Added the third in our annual series of Christmas puzzles. Don't forget to look at the prizes.

26 December:

Added the second in our annual series of Christmas puzzles

25 December: Happy Christmas!

Added the first in our annual series of Christmas puzzles – good luck everyone! They get easier and easier, as the prizes get more and more munificent.

22 December:

Added a page about how to play the upcoming Christmas Puzzles, and a page containing all the answers in advance, which should make it a lot easier for you to win your own choice of the Excellent Prizes. We strongly advise you also to download the pdf of the answers and keep it to hand as a check-list so you can keep track of your answers as the daily questions are revealed (starting on Christmas Day, 25 December 2013)

18 December: the ninth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Happy Birthday, Josh Phillips (1962)

Added two new Procol Harum dates to this page (thanks, Chris)

If you want to be first to know about any subsequent additions, you need to sign up for the 'Fresh Fruit' newsletter: click here to join – it's free, of course, and only comes when there's something you'll really want to know.

Added the page of magnificent prizes that you'll soon be able to get your hands on (be sure to click and view them)! Our Christmas puzzles start in a few days' time, and will be pretty easy this year.

Added a link to a superb clip of Procol Harum playing For Liquorice John ... or is it Homburg? (thanks, Gary) Interesting to compare it with this clip (thanks, Evan)

Added a link to another new Josh Phillips story ... nice to hear him play some piano

'16 Vestal Virgins' tee-shirt ... get yours now! See here (thanks, Holger). Only XXL remains in the men's sizes; no problem still with supplying the women's sizes (Christmas presents, gents?)

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

11 December: the ninth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Stan Tracey

Added a page for 2014 Procol concert dates

Added a link to a peculiar robotic introduction to 'A Salty Dog' ... 'Weird facts?' Nothing that I didn't know, however  (thanks, Charlie)

Read, here, about Keith Board's important contribution to Procol Harum in 1969 (thanks, Charlie)

Add a page about the 'No Stiletto Boot' album: various customers are asking for a setlist and personnel, having received their bootlegs – which of course have no artwork – in the post

Added a fifth and final page of pictures taken when Procol Harum played Gothenburg this autumn (thanks, Charlie)

Added a note about Procol Harum at Hatfield Poly in 1977 (thanks, Tony)

Added another to our series of Palerfriend snaps

4 December: the eighth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a fourth page of pictures taken when Procol Harum played Gothenburg this autumn (thanks, Charlie)

Added a link to a good short film in which composer Josh Phillips from Procol Harum (note the badge on his jacket) reflects on the orchestration of his very well known SCD theme (thanks, Josh)

Sorted out a formatting problem on this rather interesting Brooker interview page

Coming soon ... BtP's annual Christmas Puzzles! This year we promise you an excellent selection of prizes and questions so easy you could answer them in your sleep, probably.

Added a hitherto-unrecorded 1971 Procol Harum date here, and a ticket here ... search for 'Coyote' in each case (thanks, Bobby)

Added a fifth and final page of 'insider' images of recent Procol activity (thanks, Thomas)

27 November 2013: the seventh hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a fourth page of 'insider' images of recent Procol activity (thanks, Thomas)

Added another fan's personal concert list (thanks, Gerrie). Please go here to see more, and find out how to add your own

Added the link to a Gary Brooker solo song (thanks, Aldo)

Added a link to a 1968 performance of A Whiter Shade of Pale  which is interesting because of variations in the bassline, BJ's drumming, and reconsidered passages in the definitive organ line. Intriguingly Gary Brooker retains the very quiet 'mm' in his vocal (thanks, Charlie)

Added a link to the first (1969) TV performance of Whisky Train (thanks, Charlie) about which Prof. Copping writes to BtP, 'Shocking clip – sound probably came from an early Matthew-produced version – but seems to have been cut by a blow torch)

Added another review of the Procol Harum book published last year (thanks, Dmitry)

Created archive pages for two years'-worth of BtP's hebdomadal updates, here and here

Following staff holiday, we have now despatched the outstanding orders from the BtP shop

20 November 2013: the sixth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a third page of 'insider' images of recent Procol activity (thanks, Thomas)

Added a third page of pictures taken when Procol Harum played Gothenburg this autumn (thanks, Charlie)

'16 Vestal Virgins' tee-shirt ... get yours now! See here (thanks, Holger)

Note please that there are at present no despatches from the BtP shop. These will resume at the end of the month. Keep the orders coming in.

13 November 2013: the fifth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a second page of 'insider' images of recent Procol activity (thanks, Thomas)

Charles has updated his list of Procol Harum concerts attended. Have you?

Added a fifth generous page of official pictures from 'Echoes in the Night', the BtP fans' afternoon event in Wuppertal during April (thanks, Marcus und Dirk)

Added a fourth generous page of official pictures of Procol Harum's public performance with the orchestra, choir and dancers in Wuppertal during April: this page has a somewhat Terpsichorean emphasis (thanks, Marcus und Dirk)

6 November 2013: the fourth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a page of 'insider' images of recent Procol activity (thanks, Thomas)

Added a fourth generous page of official pictures from 'Echoes in the Night', the BtP fans' afternoon event in Wuppertal during April (thanks, Marcus und Dirk)

Added a second page of pictures taken when Procol Harum played Gothenburg this autumn (thanks, Charlie)

30 October 2013: the third hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Lou Reed

Added one more page of great band's-eye pictures of the recent tour (thanks, Geoff)

Added a third generous page of official pictures of Procol Harum's public performance with the orchestra, choir and dancers in Wuppertal during April (thanks, Marcus und Dirk)

Added a link here to some salutary demographic information about A Whiter Shade of Pale (thanks, Robert)

Added some illustrations, but crucially no nudity, from a 'Procol Harum virgin' as The Commander put it in Stockholm (thanks, Björn)

Reread another article here in which Procol Harum keep their clothes on almost 40 years earlier.

In which connection, you might enjoy this article; and here is another (illustrated) on the subject, which contains the views – on spontaneously deciding to undress – of the "small, fuzzy-haired Ray Royer, billed as 'a mystical, dreamy, elf-like man who claims to have twice gone round the magic circle of meditation'"

And of course you can see Gary Brooker naked here, if you wish to

Corrected a surname-spelling in two places, here and here (thanks, Thomas)

23 October 2013: the second hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Gypie Mayo

Added some more great band's-eye pictures of the recent Procol tour (thanks, Geoff)

Added a setlist (thanks, Evan)

Updated personal concert lists here, here and here ... does your own need bringing up to date? Let us know

Added a couple of Helsinki Convention pictures here (thanks, Juice)

Added a first page of pictures taken when Procol Harum played Gothenburg this autumn (thanks, Charlie)

Added a link to some fantastic Hammonding from 1969, a former member of Procol Harum accompanying Mr Reid (thanks, all)

Southern FM in Melbourne, Australia, have released their Gary Brooker interview (recorded 5 October) set up via BtP (Jens gets a mention): listen here (thanks, Nick)

Added a note about Procol Harum merchandise

16 Vestal Virgins' tee-shirt ... get yours now! See here (thanks, Holger) '

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

' ... The “self-styled fakir from Denmark who nailed his tongue to a board” was nowhere to be seen ...'
Added an excellent, illustrated review of one of the recent Nordic gigs, by our prime reporter (thanks, Charlie)

Have another look at this suite of very interesting pages

Added some great band's-eye pictures of the recent tour (thanks, Geoff)

Added a nice picture of Procol Harum playing at Göteborg (thanks, Matthias)

Added ticket-scans to several pages, here, here, here and here

16 October 2013: the first hebdomadal bulletin for Year #17 at 'Beyond the Pale'

' ... The “self-styled fakir from Denmark who nailed his tongue to a board” was nowhere to be seen ...'
Added an excellent, illustrated review of one of the recent Nordic gigs, by our prime reporter (thanks, Charlie)

Have another look at this suite of very interesting pages

Added some great band's-eye pictures of the recent tour (thanks, Geoff)

Added a nice picture of Procol Harum playing at Göteborg (thanks, Matthias)

Added ticket-scans to several pages, here, here, here and here

What was new on this website in past times