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Call me if there's any change ...

15 September: the forty-fifth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

' ... their combination of gothic instrumental work and ominous lyrics have been either wildly embraced or violently abhorred ...'
Added a Keith Reid interview by a writer considerably better attuned to the Procol wavelength than last week's offering (thanks, Mary)

Added a link to some interesting news from Southend-on-Sea (thanks, Bim)

' ... a bone-chilling piece straight out of Poe. It makes death-metal seem pitifully insincere ...'
Added a terrific piece of writing from a scholar who really gets what Procol's finest album is about. Forgive a few false notes in the exposition ... this is a majestic article well worth your attention (many thanks, Wilfried)

And for an antidote to the above, how about '... another relatively forgettable piano/organ vocal piece ...' in this re-read

Added a graphic to this review  (thanks, Paul)

Order your copies of the recent album, Novum, by clicking these special links (which incidentally send a few cents to keep this website afloat): Amazon UK / Amazon USA

Follow 'Beyond the Pale' on Twitter (http://twitter.com/ProcolHarum1) and at the somewhat new 'Beyond the Pale' Facebook page, where we hope gigs / events can be more easily spotted than they are amid the busy newsfeed on our former Procol Facebook group.

9 September: the forty-fourth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a seventh glorious page of pictures from Procol Harum's recent engagement at Collingswood, NJ (thanks, Bert)

' ... the listener is forced to get into the heads of the musicians to distinguish what the band is saying or trying to play within the written structure of the music ...'
Added a brilliantly incompetent Keith Reid interview from a writer who, it's fair to say, failed to find a soulmate in the distinguished lyricist (thanks, Mary)

Added a twenty-ninth array of personally-selected and captioned Procol pictures (thanks, Mary)

Evidently many Procol fans have enjoyed this young vocal coach enjoying Gary Brooker's AWSoP from Ledreborg

2 September: the forty-third hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a festival date – close to home! – for Procol Harum in 2020 (thanks, Barry)

'... the only reminder of the band’s early style of fragile, but compelling songs ...'
Added a pre-concert account of the band's career, from 1977 ... what song does the above quotation allude to? (thanks, Mary)

Added a snippet about Gary Brooker's lead vocal on the recent release, Long Live Rock & Roll (thanks, Tom)

Added a sixth exemplary page of pictures from Procol Harum's recent engagement at Collingswood, NJ (thanks, Bert)

Added a most intriguing graphic to the page about the mysterious Brooker rarity, Verse 1 (thanks, Michael)

We notice that four books by Southend musician and author John Bobin are on special offer at Amazon UK ... click here ... including Kindle editions of In the Autumn of My Madness and Bark Staving Ronkers

24 August:

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's twenty-second gig of 2019, played tonight at Spiez, Switzerland (thanks, Barry)

23 August: the forty-second hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's recent gig in, or at, Arbon, Switzerland (thanks, Heidi)

Added a good photo-page from tonight's Arbon festival gig (thanks again, Heidi)

Added a substantial article about Edmonton ... readers will find plenty of hitherto unbrowsed 1971 info (thanks, Bradshaw)

18 August : the forty-first hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a good Keith Reid article from Record Collector (thanks, Lin)

In which connection, re-read this Keith Reid interview from the end of 2018 ... and buy his new record!

Added a fifth memorable page of pictures from Procol Harum's recent engagement at Collingswood, NJ (thanks, Bert)

Added fourteen photos taken at the London Palladium last October (thanks, Nancy)

Added a morsel of superstar esteem here (thanks, Romilly)

10 August : the fortieth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a listening link and the tale of an intriguing early demo in the possession of a British collector, and Gary Brooker's reaction thereto (thanks Mick, thanks Gary)

We understand that the city of Pompano Beach (Florida, USA) intends to use Procol Harum’s In the Blink of an Eye – accompanied by the well-known video presentation realised by the musician Ronnie D’Addario from Hicksville, Long Island – as part of Cherie Saleeby’s 9/11 Sculpture unveiling of Unbroken Spine, a book of American Heroism. Read more about it here.  This will be shown inside the historical society on 11 September, next to the #1 Pompano Beach Firehouse Museum. 'In attendance will be the mayor, city councilman, Fire Rescue honour guard, antique firetrucks and the boy scouts hoisting the flag at half-mast. In addition, a bagpipe will play.'

Added a tiresome contemporary 'Buyer's Guide' to Procol Harum records ... a provocative but pointless article ... not unlike this one from 1995 (thanks, all)

Added a link to the pictures, which we've had for some time, of fans and band at the London Palladium aftershow party (thanks, Charlie)

Fixed a blunder here (sorry, Mark)

3 August : the thirty-ninth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added the text of an excellent BJ Wilson article from next month's Modern Drummer (thanks, all)

Added a link to the pictures, which we've had for some time, of fans and band and the London Palladium aftershow party (thanks, Charlie)

Added a fourth stylish page of pictures from Procol Harum's recent engagement at Collingswood, NJ (thanks, Bert)

Added pictures to our Michel Polnareff pages here, here and here (merci, Romilly).

28 July : the thirty-eighth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a third awesome page of pictures from Procol Harum's recent engagement at Collingswood, NJ (thanks, Bert)

Added a handful of hitherto unarchived photographs of the first 1967 line-up of Procol Harum (thanks, Bradshaw)

Added the line-up of the Saugatuck Festival, 1969

Added (grey panel below) a note from a correspondent, with this question: When did this performance take place?

21 July : the thirty-seventh hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a second groovy page of pictures from Procol Harum's recent engagement at Collingswood, NJ (thanks, Bert)

Added a page of pictures from the rehearsals for Rick Wakeman's Journey to the Centre of the Earth which was played last weekend at the Royal Festival Hall in London  (thanks, Anvil)

Added pictures to this recent setlist (merci, Michel)

Added Roine Stolt's recent published praise for Gary Brooker and Procol Harum (thanks, Adey)

14 July : the thirty-sixth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added news about the health and progress of Chris Cooke, in his own words and those of his partner Eliza (thanks, Chris)

Added a very interesting, highly complimentary, recently-discovered review of Procol Harum playing the whole of the Something Magic album at a British University in February 1977 (many thanks, Jim).

In which connection, we have archived reviews from many concerts from that tour ... see how many of these praise The Worm and the Tree: Edinburgh, Birmingham, Manchester, Bern, London, London again, London again again, Anaheim, Anaheim again, and Burbank

Added a first classy page of pictures from Procol Harum's recent engagement at Collingswood, NJ (thanks, Bert)

Added details of a free concert at St George's Hanover Square, in London, on 23 July: a good opportunity for a gathering of organ fans ! (thanks, Ian)

7 July : the thirty-fifth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added the setlist with commentary and illustrations from Procol Harum's recent gig in historic Albi, France.
Interesting to see how many, and which, Novum songs make it on to the cut-down festival playlist (thanks, Éric, Dominique, Barry)

Added a fifth and final page of splendid Procol Westbury pictures (thanks, Bert) 

Stratford! It's fifty years on from Procol Harum's first concert with choir and orchestra ... a world first in rock music. Read all about it, starting here ... a good slew of links to click and read.

'... a master of the morbidly mystical, his images dark, grey clouds of perplexity ...'
Added a review of Procol Harum at Santa Monica in 1972 (thanks all). In which connection, see this review as well ('its members’ songwriting limitations will probably keep the group in the middle echelon of rock') and an associated setlist

30 June: the thirty-fourth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

' ... tripping the light fandango ... echoes of classics like Bach fugues ...'
Added a tongue-in-cheek, rather lazy piece of US journalism from November 1967. There are several ways of interpreting its final two words (thanks, Paul)

Six Procol dates cancelled at the last minute in Ireland ... see graphic here (thanks, Jim)

Added a fourth page of splendid Procol Westbury pictures (thanks, Bert)

24 June: the thirty-third hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added the first new gigs announced by Procol Harum for 2020 (thanks, Barry)

'If it goes on like this I’ll be nipping out to calm down my pacemaker'
Added a thoroughly excellent review of Procol plus guest in action back in May (thanks, Kim)

Added a new song here, with a note from the composer and lyricist (thanks, Kurt)

Added a third page of splendid Procol Westbury pictures (thanks, Bert)

No doubt we all remember Wuppertal 2013 with Procol Harum ... but what has happened in that fine town since? Those marvellous choral/orchestral concerts spawned a series of illustrious successors, involving the music of Jethro Tull and of Albert Hammond. And to know what our favourite sandwich-board-persons, Michael Ackermann and Marcus Grebe, are offering next ... click the thumbnail adjoining.

It's always delightful to add items to our invaluable Tickets Scrapbook (click here) and also to re-read associated pages.

Accordingly ... added a 1973 ticket scan here (thanks, Marvin) ... a good chance to revisit a classic setlist here, and read a review of Procol's 'paramilitary waltz' here (guess the song title before you read the review)

And added a 1972 ticket scan here (thanks, Marvin) ... in which connection, enjoy some tour notes. and a vivid personal memoir here

And added a 1977 ticket scan here (thanks, Marvin) ...  in which connection, enjoy some fab pix here

'I don't really understand the lyrics, but they speak to me ...'
Hear a writer from Westbury-on-Trym, talking on BBC Radio 4 in a lovely Bristol accent about the amber glow of A Whiter Shade of Pale by clicking here. British tour dates here

Added a fourth and final page of pictures from Procol Harum's recent Copenhagen engagement (thanks, Henrik)

Modified this personal concert page (thanks, Marvin)

11 June: the thirty-first hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

'Fisher’s spitefully tortured cathedral Hammond organ madly churns away ...'
Added a compact and occasionally incomprehensible assessment of The Prodigal Stranger (thanks, Paul)

Kevin Ayers, Wizzard, Argent and Procol Harum ... all on the same day!
Added a graphic to this page (thanks, Fritz)

Added a third page of pictures from Procol Harum's recent Copenhagen engagement (thanks, Henrik)

4 June: the thirtieth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Leon Redbone (aged 127)

'I remember Barrie playing me a Leon Redbone album in fact'
BtP's earliest interview states that Procol were friends with the lately-departed Mr Gobalian

Added a tenth and final set of memorable – and very widely admired – pictures from the February's NYC Winery gigs (many thanks, Bert)

Added to our gallery of pictures of Gary Brooker, guitarist with Procol Harum (thanks, all)

Added a second page of pictures from Procol Harum's recent Copenhagen engagement (thanks, Henrik)

29 May: the twenty-ninth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

A very happy birthday to Gary Brooker, born this day in 1945

'I don't think this is going to be a hit ... '
Added a non-prescient graphic to this much-visited page

Added a first page of pictures from Procol Harum's recent Copenhagen engagement (thanks, Henrik)

Added two graphics, here (thanks, Arleen and Martin)

Added a ninth and penultimate set of striking pictures from the February's NYC Winery gigs (thanks, Bert)

21 May: the twenty-eighth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added somewhat overdue song notes to this recent setlist

Added a eighth and antepenultimate set of tremendous pictures from the February's NYC Winery gigs (thanks, Bert)

"If one of us wrote good words AND good music there wouldn't be any problem. It's not a question of me wanting to write everything."
Added a link from this page to this very interesting Gary Brooker interview, at the suggestion of a valued contributor (thanks, Per)

In which connection, newer readers may well be interested in doing some browsing from this admirable jumping-off point (thanks once more, Yan)

13 May: the twenty-seventh hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Doris Day

Added a great page of pictures from Procol Harum's recent Knebel engagement (thanks, Mike)

Added a seventh set of superb pictures from the February's NYC Winery gigs (thanks, Bert)

Added an American article about the PH First Album, released on mono vinyl (thanks, all)

Something (somewhat) familiar at about 12m 17s, here, in this short film about a musically-talentless inventor

Updated fascinating pages here, here, here and here

5 May: 

Added the illustrated setlist from Procol Harum's recent gig in Copenhagen, Denmark (thanks, Thomas)

4 May: the twenty-sixth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added the illustrated setlist from Procol Harum's recent gig (with special guest!) in Knebel, Denmark (thanks, Thomas)

Added a sixth set of first-rate pictures from the February's NYC Winery gigs (thanks, Bert)

Added a twenty-eighth array of personally-selected and captioned Procol pictures (thanks, Mary)

28 April: the twenty-fifth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's recent gig in Porto, Portugal

Added a fifth set of exceptional pictures from the February's NYC Winery gigs (thanks, Bert)

Added a twenty-seventh array of personally-selected and captioned Procol pictures (thanks, Mary)

Added some star approval (from Roger Glover) to this valuable page. Shocking spelling, mind: it's 'Vaughan' of course (thanks, Billy from Philly)

26 April:

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's recent gig in Lisbon, Portugal

20 April 2019 : the twenty-fourth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Procol management have asked us to alert fans that the next two Procol gigs will be selling merchandise on a cash-only basis. Please don't expect to pay by plastic

Added a fourth set of brilliant pictures from the February's NYC Winery gigs (thanks, Bert)

Added a twenty-sixth array of personally-selected and captioned Procol pictures (thanks, Mary)

Booker T plays something (somewhat) familiar at about 5.45, here, before showing us how to crawl

Sorted out some rum links here (thanks, Zachary)

13 April 2019 : the twenty-third hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Procol management have asked us to alert fans that the next two Procol gigs will be selling merchandise on a cash-only basis. Please don't expect to pay by plastic

Added a third set of outstanding pictures from the February's NYC Winery gigs (thanks, Bert)

Added a twenty-fifth array of personally-selected and captioned Procol pictures (thanks, Mary)

Just to dispel any residual confusion among our correspondents, about the status of The Albert Hall gig mentioned in last week's update: yes, it is certainly real and not an April Fool. Clicking the link will demonstrate this.

And also, at risk of labouring the point, this article is entirely specious ... as stated at the foot of the page. Clicking the link will demonstrate this.

8 April 2019 : the twenty-second hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Thanks to all who wrote in having enjoyed our April Foolery this year, and commiserations to the single sap who sent in the right answers ... at which point ticket-demand exceeded supply.

For animal lovers who care about such trivia, the solution is here ... in alphabetical order, of course

Presale tickets for the RT + lifetime musical collaborators gig at The Albert Hall sold out in five minutes, and the public sale, started the following day, was equally rapid. Hope everyone got the tickets they wanted! (thanks, Flora Lipo)

Added a second set of excellent pictures from the February's NYC Winery gigs (thanks, Bert)

Added a twenty-fourth array of personally-selected and captioned Procol pictures (thanks, Mary)

Don't forget 13 April's Record-Store Day re-issues from Bucks Music etc ... see here for the single and here for the double album (which – as well as the strange 1967 US running order – includes Absolutamente Correcto / En Lo Que Duran Seis Peniques)  (thanks, John and others)

April Fool's Day 2019 : the twenty-first hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added the first glimpses of an exciting musical event in London (thanks, Flora)

Added an archival article (thanks, Lipo) that we've temporarily modified to make a simple competition relating to the above entry

Added a first set of fine pictures from the February's NYC Winery gigs (thanks, Bert)

Added a twenty-third array of personally-selected and captioned Procol pictures (thanks, Mary)

23 March 2019 : the twentieth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a twenty-second array of personally-selected and captioned Procol pictures (thanks, Mary)

Added a page about the long-awaited re-issue of Broken Barricades with 36 bonus tracks

Added to our page about the mythical Procol Rainbow film (thanks, Anvil)

Added a graphic to this Beat Instrumental page (thanks, Jim)

Why not re-read a couple more good articles from the same organ ... here and here?

18 March 2019

Added a summer date for Procol Harum in a country not thus far included in the 2019 schedule (thanks, Barry)

'Procol Harum is a group whose music is easiest described as a combination of the bizarre and haunting ... should prove to be fascinating on or off stage'
Added a good-length 1968 Zeitgeist article in which Procol mischief hilariously subverts the publicity for a high-minded US university festival investigating the origins of rock, 'Why Are the Beatles?', etc (thanks, Martin)

Added a Paramounts ticket here (thanks, Anvil)

31 January 2019 : the sixteenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added two Procol Harum dates for April (thanks, Barry)

Procol cruise news (already taken ... that was quick!)
Stan Berman writes to BtP: 'Ok here goes for someone who was wanting to go on the cruise from 10 to 15 February. I bought cabin 2,350 from someone else who needed to sell it. She paid $3,074. I paid her $2,000 but now I can’t go. So if you ever wanted to go for a bargain, contact me and make an offer. The firm deadline from the cruise company is Friday 1 February so you have to act fast.

Added a seventeenth array of personally-selected and captioned Procol pictures (thanks, Mary)

Jens and Roland are very sorry to be the bringers of sad news about Henrik Gøttrup … whom readers will remember from the magnificent Procol Convention in Lejre, Denmark in 2006, where he was our excellent host, and made so many great friends. His wife Helle Frandsen tells us that Henrik suffered a severe and wholly unexpected brain-stem embolism before Christmas; his future still seems very uncertain. Despite his bodily paralysis, however, therapists are beginning to be aware of small movements in his legs, and a little in the arms. He will begin intensive therapy soon at a nearby hospital that specialises in the training of limbs and language. ‘We play a lot of Henrik’s beloved music, when we are with him,’ says Helle, who wants the Procol community to know what has happened. He is aware, and ‘can laugh and cry when emotions take over’. BtP will bring further news when we have it. Meanwhile we extend our love and best wishes to Henrik and Helle, children Jakob and Laura, and their wider family.

27 January 2019 : the fifteenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Jean Guillou, RIP Michel Legrand ... two great French musicians

Added a digested mp3 which removes the music, but preserves all the chat, from Gary Brooker's appearance this evening on local DAB radio with Brea Gosling. GB is present for the first hour, talking about his influences and some favourite songs, and Brea makes plenty of references to Procol in the second hour also. Overall, she played lots of PH songs, a Brooker Ensemble piece, and a Harry Brooker composition (of which you'll hear only token snippetry ...). Don't head immediately for the 26m 58s mark, but enjoy the whole show. We've left in some call-signs and a hint of some adverts for the enlightenment of non-British listeners.

Added a sixteenth array of personally-selected and captioned Procol pictures (thanks, Mary)

January 2019:

‘Beyond the Pale’ was glad to learn, in a call from the Brooker household on 23 January 2019, that Procol’s manager Chris Cooke is responding encouragingly to the treatment he’s been receiving since suffering a serious stroke before Christmas. Visiting him in hospital, Gary was heartened to find Chris propped up in a chair, already able to speak a few words, and beginning to recover a little control over the limbs affected by paralysis. 'He's still very ill, but we were happy to see him doing so well,' was the verdict.

20 January 2019 : the fourteenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added the liner note from Salvo's re-issue of Broken Barricades ... already ten years ago!

Added an intelligent Paramounts article from 1964 (thanks, Anvil)

Added a fifteenth array of personally-selected and captioned Procol pictures (thanks, Mary)

13 January 2019 : the thirteenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a sequence of solution-pages for this year's puzzles here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.  Even if you didn't play, these will be interesting!

'You sneaky bastard(s)!'  ... '... it took a diabolical mind ... '
Added an entertaining page of competitors' comments ... many of them frank and revealing!

Added an intriguing personal concert diary (thanks, Frans)

Added a scan to this page (thanks, Bob)

Added a graphic to this review ... and why not re-read this historic, associated page?  (thanks, Anvil)

8 January 2019 :

Added a schedule of Triumphant Victors in this year's Christmas Conundrums ... and some preliminary comments about solving the puzzles

5 January 2019 :

Added our twelfth, and final, beguilingly approachable page of Christmas clues

Click on the link at the bottom of the above page, and you'll find your way to the simple Final Procedure ... then you'll soon be sending in your answer!

You'll be sending us the answer AND your choice of prizes (twelve alphabetical letters, please)

4 January 2019 :

RIP Daryl Dragon

Added our eleventh, painless page of Christmas clues

And here's the second instalment of the Final Procedure, which in the past we haven't released until 5 January

And once again, the schedule of fabulous prizes ...

3 January 2019 :

RIP Dean Ford

Please read this very sad announcement relating to a key member of the Procol Harum team

Added our tenth, pellucid page of Christmas clues

2 January 2019 :

Added our ninth, unproblematic page of Christmas clues

And here's the first instalment of the Final Procedure, which in the past we haven't released until 5 January, but which we're drip-feeding this year, to make life easier on the final night

And once again, the schedule of fabulous prizes ... which are suddenly so much more easily attainable

01 January 2019 : Happy New Year to all!

Added our eighth, briefly-despatched page of Christmas clues

31 December 2018 :

Added our seventh, speedily-solved page of Christmas clues

30 December 2018 :

Added our sixth, easy page of Christmas clues

29 December 2018 :

Added our fifth, undemanding page of Christmas clues

28 December 2018 :

Added our fourth, transparent page of Christmas clues

27 December 2018 :

Added our third, uncomplicated page of Christmas clues. And a teeny hint: the info you're looking for, when you follow a link, may not be at the top of the article in question ... do read the whole page.

26 December 2018 :

Added our second, straightforward page of Christmas puzzles

25 December 2018 : Happy Christmas!

Added a Christmas message from two key representatives of Procol Harum (thanks, Gary, thanks Josh)

Added our first, simple page of Christmas puzzles ... good luck to all! Here's the schedule of fabulous prizes ...

Make sure you've read the page introducing this year's Puzzles before you put pen to paper

24 December 2018 : the eleventh hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Galt MacDermot

Added a page introducing this year's Christmas Puzzles (a simpler affair than usual ... just a question of collecting some song-titles)

Added a very good Resources Page to help you coast through the Christmas Puzzles and win your choice of prizes

Added a page of twenty photos showing Gary Brooker in action, with Eric Clapton and Albert Lee and many others, at the Concert for Chas last week (thanks, Gudrun)

Added a fourteenth array of personally-selected and captioned Procol pictures (thanks, Mary)

17 December 2018 : the tenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a thirteenth array of personally-selected and captioned Procol pictures (thanks, Mary)

10 December 2018 :

Ian Hockley (of The Royal Opera House Muscat, and of The Palers' Band) presents a free, festive organ recital in London Thursday 13 December, under the auspices of the Anglo-Omani Society. He will take the audience on a journey through Denmark, Germany, Austria, France and on to Oman with a wide variety of music by Bach, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Widor, concluding with a new work, Sindbad, by Naji Hakim. England will be represented by composers with significant London connections, Purcell, Handel and John Stanley. The organ at St Andrew is a 1989 Mander

The details: Thursday 13 December 2018, 18:30 – 21:00 GMT, at St Andrew Holborn, 5 Saint Andrew Street, London EC4A 3AF; music at 7.00pm, but arrive at 6.30pm for a mince pie. The recital is free, as are the refreshments: register here

7 December 2018 : the ninth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a BtP exclusive, Keith Reid's first interview about his new album – In My Head – which is released today. A review of the ten songs is interleaved with Keith's revealing commentary (thanks, Keith)

Added the words of a new Keith Reid song, The Trial of the Century, in which the author looks back on a fairly recent lawsuit (thanks, Keith)

Incidentally, a signed copy of the above new album is among the fab prizes in the annual BtP Christmas Puzzle recreation ... more about that soon. For all those who can't wait, links to buy the album are here

Added a third page of fine photographs from one of Procol Harum's most memorable recent shows

Added a twelfth array of personally-selected and captioned Procol pictures (thanks, Mary)

Updated this crucial page, and this one

2 December 2018 : the eighth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a second page of excellent photographs from one of Procol Harum's most distinguished recent shows

Added an eleventh array of personally-selected and captioned Procol pictures (thanks, Mary)

Check in again on 7 December to read the weighty new BtP Keith Reid interview, which is also a review of his new album.

24 November 2018 :

AWSoP was sung live (vocal and piano) on BBC Radio 4's ISIHAC again this evening (thanks, Jeff) ... well worth a listen ... the link is on this page

24 November 2018 : the seventh hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP the excellent Roy Bailey [MBE] ... another Southend connection

Added an illustrated review of Procol Harum's most recent concert (thanks, Mirek, and Mac)

Added a very strong set of Polish photographs here (thanks, Anvil)

'... another playground for the veteran ...'
Added a review of the new KRP album (thanks, Todd)

Added a tenth array of personally-selected and captioned Procol pictures (thanks, Mary)

19 November 2018 :

Quite by chance – 'continuum!' – BtP today (birthday of the late Allen 'One-Eye' Edelist) received a distinctive tribute to OE from a fellow fan who's only just found out the sad news ... click here ...  (thanks, John)

18 November 2018 :

Updated two Polish pages, here and here (thanks, Howard)

17 November 2018 : the sixth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a first page of great photos from a recent Procol show

Added a ninth array of  personally-selected and captioned Procol pictures (thanks, Mary)

'I wouldn’t assume to know what the song is about in its entirety ... I’ve written many myself ...'
Added another fan's brief page of notes about the 'meaning' of A Whiter Shade of Pale' (thanks, Nigel)

Added a link here which, should you choose to follow it, will yield access to a mixable online multitrack of A Whiter Shade of Pale ... albeit not the original!

'...an organ melody not a million miles away from you-know-what ...'
Again, can you judge from the above which album is being reviewed in this archival review (thanks, Royston)

10 November 2018 : the fifth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a page of great photographs from one of Procol Harum's finest recent shows

Updated this interesting schedule of songs  (thanks, Todd)

Overhauled this hastily-typed review of last month's Procol Palladium concert

The Procol road-crew accomplish a speedy set-up in this instructive lo-fi collage from Zoetermeer, November 2018. With help from local hands, John Magner fettles the piano and lead guitar; Thomas Wyler the drums; and Howard Colinese the bass and other keyboards.

Added an eighth array of personally-selected and captioned Procol pictures (thanks, Mary)

Updated this crucial page

Added the setlist from Procol's recent show at Alkmaar, Netherlands

' ... there is no epic this time, shorter songs are the order of the day ...'
Again, can you judge from the above which album is being reviewed in this archival review (thanks, Royston)

Added a seventh array of personally-selected and captioned Procol pictures (thanks, Mary)

Added some more venues to this end-of-show photographs page (thanks Pia and Peter)

Added a Procol Harum concert for 2019, across the water (thanks, Julia)

Corrected an error here (sorry, Gary Brooker)

Added the setlist from Procol's triumphant show at Zoetermeer, Netherlands

1 November 2018 :

Added some audience photographs (of the musicians, onstage) from the Esbjerg concert (thanks, Peter H)

Added the setlist from Procol's recent show at Zwolle, Netherlands

Hallowe'en 2018 :

Added some audience photographs from Procol's recent show at Sønderborg, Denmark

Added some end-of-show photographs, which you can help us identify! (many thanks, Thomas)

30 October 2018 :

Added the setlist from Procol's recent show at Sønderborg, Denmark

Corrected an error here (thanks, Kim) and added some choice pictures here (thanks, Erik)

Expanded the setlist from Aalborg with comments about the songs, banter-notes, and so forth

Added the setlist from Procol's cracking show at Aalborg, Denmark

27 October 2018 : the third hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added the setlist from Procol's recent show at Odense, Denmark

'If you consider yourself a fan of progressive rock, and you do not yet own a copy of this album, you owe it to yourself to invest in a record that pointed the way ...'
Again, can you judge from the above which album is being reviewed in this archival review (thanks, Royston)

Added a sixth array of personally-selected and captioned Procol pictures (thanks, Mary)

Added a nice find to our 'whiter shade of pale' common-parlance feature (thanks, George)

26 October 2018 :

Added the setlist from Procol's recent show at Esbjerg, Denmark 

Added the setlist, with illustrations and comments,  from Procol's recent, definitive show at Greve, Denmark

24 October 2018 :

Added another Procol Harum concert, overseas (thanks, Julia)

Added the setlist from Procol's recent show at Magdeburg, Germany (thanks, Chris)

Added the setlist from Procol's recent show at Hannover, Germany

22 October 2018 :

Added the setlist from Procol's recent show at Bonn, Germany

21 October 2018 :

Added the setlist from Procol's recent show at Heilbronn, Germany  (thanks, Howard and Uta)

Added a comprehensive and well-illustrated review of Procol Harum in Vienna (thanks, Charlie)

20 October 2018 : the second hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added an excellent review of one of the recent Esoteric re-mastered albums. Why didn't critics respond this way at the time? (thanks, Paul)

A British politician offers a controversial opinion of a Whiter Shade of Pale (thanks, Charlie)

Added early news of a forthcoming album from a former member of Procol Harum (thanks, Anvil)

Added a fifth array of personally-selected and captioned Procol pictures (thanks, Mary)

Added the setlist from Procol's recent show at Chemnitz, Germany (thanks Mario, Matthias)

17 October 2018 :

Added photos from Procol's recent show at Berlin, Germany (thank you, Peter)

Added the setlist from Procol's recent show at Berlin, Germany (thank you, Peter)

Added another illustrated BtP review of the Procol Palladium concert (thanks, Charlie)

Updated crucial pages here, here, here, here,  here, here and here

15 October 2018 : the first hebdomadal bulletin for Year #22 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added an illustrated BtP review of the Procol Palladium concert (thanks, Howard)

Added the setlist from Procol's recent show at Zürich, Switzerland (thanks, Heidi)

' ... like influences from traditional French music ...'
Can you judge from the above which album is being reviewed in this archival review (thanks, Royston)

Added a fourth set of personally-selected and captioned Procol pictures (thanks, Mary)

Added a link here about David Knights's time with Jimi Hendrix (thanks, Charlie)

14 October 2018 :

Added the setlist from Procol's recent show at Vienna,  Austria (thanks, Charlie)

Added an illustration here (thanks, F)

12 October 2018 :

Added the setlist from Procol's recent show at Winterbach, Germany

11 October 2018 :

Added a high-angle page of London Palladium concert photographs (thank you, Linda)

10 October 2018 :

Added a comprehensive page of London Palladium rehearsal photographs (thank you, Linda)

9 October 2018 :

Added the setlist from Procol Harum's epic concert at The London Palladium, their fortieth with choir and orchestra ... more concert notes will follow, but sleep is a more pressing priority

8 October 2018 : the final hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Montserrat Caballé, RIP Kim Larsen

Today's the twenty-first birthday of 'Beyond the Pale', which we duly celebrated with a fine crew of Procoholics in a London restaurant (thank you, Linda)

Added a few snaps of Procol Harum in rehearsal (thank you, Linda)

Added an interesting page of ancient lo-fi photos of the great BJ Wilson – whom we always remember on this date – in action in the late 60s and early 70s (thanks, Mystery Donor)

Added a link to a great clip of Richard Williams from the Palers' Band, playing Bringing Home the Bacon on BJ Wilson's restored drum kit ... full story here (thanks, Rich!)

Added a third selection of personally-selected and captioned Procol pictures (thanks, Mary)

Please read the autumn gigs page for news about two gigs in doubt (thanks, Chris)

Alumnae corner: from The Palers' Band, Jeremy Gilien was featured composer here (interview / performances); the Lemon Twigs are en route to the UK to record Later With Jools Holland; and from The Palers' Project, Jack Briggs (Mick Grabham's kinsman) has a couple of tracks on YouTube and an album deal

30 September 2018 : the forty-ninth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Sam Spoons, RIP Marty Balin, RIP Otis Rush

Five days to go if you want to join Procol Harum at the London Palladium after-show party. Demand for places so far has been slim (about forty people have paid for about a hundred 'tickets'), so you still stand a strong chance of having your name drawn from the hat. What you need to do is simple, and it's all explained here. BUT please note – when you pay, you also need to e-mail us (webmaster@procolharum.com) or your name will not go into the hat. We need all participants' e-mail addresses so we can contact winners following the draw, which will take place at midday GMT on Friday 5 October.

Reminder: pre-show drinks (+ food) and after-show drinks – but without the band – at a nice English Pub in Soho on Palladium evening, 9 October (no booking needed) (thank you,. Peter)

The fans’ meal in London on 8 October is booking very well: details here

'Working man songs for working people'
Added a previously-overlooked contemporary review of Novum (thanks, Royston)

Added a second set of personally-selected and captioned Procol pictures (thanks, Mary)

Added a page for the latest Esoteric Procol re-issue, a remastered 3CD edition of Procol Ninth, with copious bonus tracks, two live 1975 shows, and an illustrated booklet with elaborate liner notes (thanks, Mark)

22 September 2018 : the forty-eighth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP the excellent Chas Hodges

Reminder: you-plus-one can be guests of Procol Harum for aftershow drinks in the London Palladium bar on 9 October (pre-booking essential) (thanks, Gary; thanks, Chris)

Procol's UK promoter has sent fresh links to the Boston gigs ... find them here ... and also asks us to tell readers that the New York shows (here) are almost sold-out. Book very soon if you want to be there!

Added the start of a new feature, in which a guest presenter reveals pictures from her Procol archive, with intriguing personal captions attached! (thanks, Mary)

Added a link to interesting new artwork from Julia 'Novum' Brown (thanks, Julia)

The Allen Edelist fund is approaching 2,000 USD ... the more people who want to have drinks with Procol Harum after the Palladium show, the more his bereaved family will benefit. Pat Edelist rang BtP yesterday and conveyed heartfelt thanks for the work fans are doing to help out in their time of need

18 September 2018

RIP Maartin Allcock

A valued US correspondent writes to BtP: 'You may want to pass this on. I just got my tickets for Boston right down in front. Folks can buy a VinoFile membership at www.citywinery.com/boston for $99 and buy tickets two days in advance with no ticket fees. I think when I looked at Nashville they charged $240 but a membership is good for all City Wineries. It looks like my seat is the only one taken so this is a great time to buy.' (thanks, Nancy)

Added a page about Gary Brooker's 'Outstanding Contribution' honour at last night's 'Progressive Music Awards' (thanks, Charlie)

Added a page explaining how you-plus-one can be guests of Procol Harum for aftershow drinks in the London Palladium bar on 9 October (thanks, Gary; thanks, Chris)

Added a page about pre-show drinks (+ food) and after-show drinks at a nice English Pub in Soho on Palladium evening (thank you,. Peter)

Added details of nine long-awaited new Procol Harum concerts (sorry to disappoint our European readers!): see here, here, here, here, here and here (thanks, Julia)
 

10 September 2018 :

Added another gig to the Procol Harum concert list. This one will take place overseas (thanks, Julia)

The fans’ meal in London on 8 October is booking well; Procol Harum fans are joining us from South America and Australia, as well as from Canada, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Jersey, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the USA: more welcome, of course: please read the details here

9 September 2018 : the forty-sixth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added some great pictures from yesterday's Procol book-launch party (thanks, George)

Added scans to this Record Collector feature, which is worth re-reading (thanks, Howard)

Added a forward-looking promo piece with an absurdly backward-looking illustration (thanks, Thomas)

'Could he really be a fan himself if he couldn't remember AWSoP's title?'
Added a very useful to link to the foot of this heart-warming page from long ago (thanks, Jonas)

Added two links – here and here – to recent performances by The Lemon Twigs (ex-Palers' Band) on American television, playing songs from their second album Go to School ... which feels as ambitious and brilliant in its way as Shine on Brightly or Pet Sounds. Big claims? Get the album (Amazon UK, Amazon USA) and hear for yourselves (thanks, Brian and Michael)

1 September 2018 : the forty-fifth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a page about a fans' event in London, on Monday 8 October (the evening before the Palladium concert by Procol Harum). If you'd like to be there, please send an e-mail. Details are on the page

If you would like to join in a fans' event at Winterbach, on Thursday 11 October (the evening before the concert by Procol Harum, who are also invited) please send an e-mail to paul-stuttgart@procolharum.com ... and he can send you all the details.

Added your invitation to 8 September's Procol book launch (thanks, George)

It’s way too early to say it’s the reissue of the year, but it’s going to be up there.
Added a good review of the recent Esoteric Boxed Set, Still There'll be More (thanks, Anvil)

Added a link to something daft about A Salty Dog and drink (thanks, Charlie)

Modified this interesting page

30 August 2019:

Added one more Procol Harum concert for 2019 (thanks Chris)

26 August 2018 :

RIP Lindsay Kemp

Added setlist/pictures from last night's Brooker / Pegg / Whitehorn concert with Judy Blair and Graham Broad (many thanks, Judy)

25 August 2018 : the forty-fourth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Today, the Brooker / Pegg / Whitehorn concert with Judy Blair and Graham Broad (sold out)

Added a page for the latest Esoteric Procol re-issue, a remastered and expanded edition of the great Procol Harum / Edmonton album, with five bonus tracks and an illustrated booklet with copious liner notes (thanks, Mark)

'It has flown under the radar, but after nearly 45 years it’s time to re-open the doors to spend another night at Hotel Grande:'
Added a good review of the recent Esoteric Grand Hotel CD/DVD re-issue (thanks, Anvil)

Added YouTube links here and here to the most recent Procol performance of this brilliant song (thanks Evan, e molti altri amici)

Recitified some minor errors on this 1975 tour page

Good to see the Mrs One-Eye fund continuing to swell. Kind people, Procol fans.

Early Procol single 'acknowledged' by hall of fame over in America: see here

18 August 2018 : the forty-third hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Benny Andersen, RIP Aretha Franklin

Added a review of Still There'll be More (the Boxed Set) from Billboard (thanks, Nick)

Added a new Gary Brooker interview leading up to his concert in a week's time (thanks, Bradshaw)

' ...try hard not to let it become an obtuse fetish, the object of unwelcome derision in the minds of the vast majority of humanity for whom the name [of the band] means nothing ...'
Added an interview / review relating to the fine new Procol book by George Lovell (thanks, Charlie)

A reminder that you can order your copy of the above memoir, The Crowd Called Out for More. Pay with card or PayPal: just select the correct destination region, and we'll send it out to you (thanks, George) .

Added a link to a review of the most recent London gig by The Lemon Twigs ... which doesn't ascribe much importance to the loss of two touring band members and the arrival of three more (thank you, Peter)

11 August 2018 : the forty-second hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Reminder: Procol Harum at the London Palladium ... over 90% of the seats are already sold

'Even if we went out there and dropped our trousers, it would have cost us as much ...'
Added an Edmonton piece from Disc and Music Echo (see also https://tinyurl.com/y8pydupd)

Re-read something interesting by the same author, about the same band

Added a new – or, at  least, hitherto unremarked – Beatles connection to the conclusion of this article about Robert's Box (many thanks, Gary)

4 August 2018 : the forty-first hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Coming soon! Gary Brooker au Vigan.

Procol Harum at the London Palladium ... over 90% of the seats are already sold

'It sure beats playing Beethoven every night'
Added another Edmonton review (thanks, Anvil)

Added a link to a Procol-oriented piece by a prominent British intellectual,  and another to this associated playlist for songs touching on ancient history (thank you, Peter)

30 July 2018 : the fortieth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a long-overdue page, showing pristine scans from a famous concert programme from 47 years ago (thanks, Tim)

Added a new overseas concert date for Procol Harum (thanks, Chris)

Apologies to Joe Stefko! My Own Choice, the Keith Reid anthology, is not out of print, as incorrectly stated in the recent Esoteric liner notes (thanks, Joe)

You may be interested to listen to, and read, this page about AWSoP covers (thanks, Charlie)

22 July 2018 : the thirty-ninth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added details of this summer's much-anticipated Gary Brooker date au Vigan

'More than one epiphany ...  Grand Hotel sounding like it did in the control room ... the best I ever heard PH sound live ...'
Added some very interesting observations about the new Esoteric re-issues,  from Procol's former organist (thanks, Chris)

Added an illustrated follow-up to last week's page about the Brooker anniversary (thanks, Michael)

The prime Procol Palladium ticket (sold to swell the Mrs One-Eye fund) is now allotted to a good new owner! (thanks, Elizabeth; thanks, Christina)

13 July 2018 : the thirty-eighth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Gary and Franky Brooker have been married for fifty years today! Congratulations to them both!

Added a picture of their celebratory cake (thanks, Franky)

And here are reminders of other Brooker cake-stories, here and here

Made some needful corrections to the website, here,  here and here

Added a very nice note from One-Eye's family about the progress of the appeal for his widow (thanks, George)

Just 48 hours left to put in your own bid for the Procol Palladium ticket (see entry below, 7 July)

10 July 2018

Added a statement from Procol management, after the band was obliged to cancel a gig from the forthcoming tour (thanks, Chris)

7 July 2018 : the thirty-seventh hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

'Yes, the Floyd supported us, but, to be honest we thought they were a bit stuck up ... Jim Morrison was fantastically charismatic. I remember going out drinking with Janis Joplin ... '
Added the text and pictures of an interesting Gary Brooker interview (thanks, Paul)

And the UK is planning a memorable Pink Floyd tribute for next Friday

Added a fifth and last page of memorable Procol Harum pictures from September 2017 (thanks, Uta)

A reminder that you can order your copy of George Lovell's excellent new Procol memoir, The Crowd Called Out for More.
Pay with card or PayPal: just select the correct destination region, and we'll send it out to you promptly (thanks, George) .
Still only two customers in the USA thus far!

Brilliant to see Procol fans taking the appeal for One-Eye's widow close to 1,000 USD in the first week.

1 July 2018 : the thirty-sixth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Alan Longmuir

Added the details about three new Procol Harum re-issues, from Esoteric, with very special features! Extra tracks and a DVD performance on Grand Hotel, extra tracks and two radio shows on Exotic Birds and Fruit, and two demos and a live track on The Prodigal Stranger. All these remastered reissues have new liner-notes based on hitherto-unpublished interviews with Gary Brooker, Mick Grabham, Geoff Whitehorn, Keith Reid, Chris Copping, Henry Spinetti and others.

'... working from home – however fantastic that is – does not mean swanning around in your pyjamas at 11 am. Even as an artist ...'
Added something unique ... BtP's interview with Julia Brown, Procol Harum's artist of choice. Read about her influences, techniques, favourite albums ... and how to get your own prints of her Procol products (thanks, Julia!)

Many thanks for the generous response to the concert, on 27 June, celebrating seven years of the Martin Clare Music Fund. Over 600 GBP were raised, which will pay for many more terms of music lessons for disadvantaged young players.

24 June 2018 : the thirty-fifth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a fourth page of top-quality Procol Harum pictures from September 2017 (thanks, Uta)

Added another excellent piece about Allen 'One-Eye' Edelist (thanks, Heidi)

Added ticket-scans in several places ... here, here, here, here, here, here and here (thanks, Spencer)

Sorted out the credits list on this highly populous page ... is your name listed?

Click here for details of a concert, on 27 June, celebrating seven years of the Martin Clare Music Fund, which subsidises music lessons for families who can't otherwise afford them. Martin played in the Palers' Band and his brother is one of the BtP webmasters. Many thanks once more to all the kind readers of this website who have continued to support this excellent and worthwhile fund in his memory.

18 June 2018 : the thirty-fourth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Jon Hiseman

Added a page containing two new and hitherto unpublished Gary Brooker photographs (thanks, Franky)

Added a third page of first-class Procol Harum pictures from September 2017 (thanks, Uta)

14 June 2018 :

Added the setlist from today's Italian Procol recital (thanks, all)

11 June 2018 : the thirty-third hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale': late update! Two more items in the pipeline, so check back soon.

Added a second page of admirable Procol Harum pictures from September 2017 (thanks, Uta)

'If they said that Procol Harum are being inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I might say, “So what?”'
Added the second part of an excellent Brooker interview from Prog Magazine (thanks, Paul / Tony)

Updated this invaluable index

3 June 2018 : the thirty-second hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a page showing amazing floral tributes – from Procol Harum, and from you, the fans – at One-Eye's memorial service (thanks, Jeremy)

Added a full-length write-up, with lots of links and pictures (and for the first time online two full songs) about Allen Edelist and his kind, eccentric and jubilant life

Considerably added to the fans' memorial page for our late friend Allen 'One-Eye' Edelist (thanks, Bert, Bob, Don, George, Henrik, Ian, Jeremy, Josh, Michael, Mike, Poul, Wolfgang).
You're welcome to send in your own thoughts and memories of One-Eye, for this page: webmaster@procolharum.com

29 May 2018:

Just over seven weeks until Procol Harum's next performance

Happy Birthday and Good Health to Gary Brooker ... and many happy returns!

26 May 2018 : the thirty-first hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added to the memorial page for our late friend Allen 'One-Eye' Edelist. We include details of his forthcoming funeral service, and of the floral tribute 'Beyond the Pale' is sending along, on behalf all Al's fellow-fans.

You're welcome to send in your own thoughts and memories of One-Eye, for this page: webmaster@procolharum.com . Still there'll be more ...

Added a first page of excellent Procol Harum pictures from September 2017 (thanks, Uta)

Added a link to the new title from Southend's John Bobin, In the Autumn of my Madness: 'The title of this book comes from a Procol Harum song, and my thanks go to Gary Brooker for allowing me to use it.'
It's '... a bass player's misadventures in semi-prolandia ...' and the author is giving all proceeds from its sale to Cancer Research UK ... so you'll be doing some good when you order it, as well as looking forward to enjoying a splendid read.

20 May 2018 : the thirtieth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added the beginnings of a tribute page for our late friend Allen 'One-Eye' Edelist. You're welcome to send in your own thoughts: webmaster@procolharum.com . Still there'll be more ...

Added some pictures from Procol Harum's recent Berlin gig (thanks, Uta)

Added the sixth and final part of a searching enquiry into Procol Harum – the Alpha Days ... in which the track-listing of Alpha Days (Are Here Again) is revealed, and which ends with a series of questions for the reader (thanks, David)

13 May 2018 : the twenty-ninth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added the fifth part of a searching enquiry into Procol Harum – the Alpha Days ... this feature gets better and better! (thanks, David)

Added a good instance of AWSoP in Common Parlance ... click and read scary stuff (apart from the bit about Bianca Trump and her name-change) (thanks, Christine)

Added the first part of an excellent Brooker interview from Prog Magazine (thanks, Paul / Tony)

6 May 2018 : the twenty-eighth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added the fourth part of a searching enquiry into Procol Harum – the Alpha Days (thanks, David)

Added a link to a Novum review from last year  ... numerous sage and positive points from a Real Music Observer who obviously hasn't been in the Procol loop, but speaks as he finds! (thanks, Charlie)

Added a seventh page of fine Tromsø pictures (thanks, Inger)

Keep an eye on the Procol Gigs 2018 page: there may yet be more in coming days ...

29 April 2018 : the twenty-seventh hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

'Don’t hesitate! Run, don’t walk, to your favourite (virtual, if necessary) stockist ...'
Added a substantial review of the Boxed Set, Still There'll be More (thanks, Peter)

Just a thought ... we wonder what happened to the live album mentioned in this archival article (thanks, Marvin)

Added a sixth page of fine Tromsø pictures from one of our foremost photographic contributors (thanks, Inger)

25 April 2018 :
Added a new Procol Harum concert date for 2018, in a country previously not scheduled for a visit (thanks, Chris)

22 April 2018 : the twenty-sixth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added pre-ordering links to three upcoming Procol Harum re-releases, including 1990 demos, a 1973 TV show, two 1974 radio concerts, and remastered studio recordings and bonus tracks: The Prodigal Stranger (expanded), Exotic Birds and Fruit (expanded), and Grand Hotel (expanded)

Added the third part of a searching enquiry into Procol Harum – the Alpha Days (thanks, David)

Added a handful of nice pictures of Procol Harum with horns (thanks, Ottar)

Added a fifth page of fine Tromsø pictures from one of our foremost photographic contributors (thanks, Inger)

17 April 2018:

Added a note about A Whiter Shade of Pale and the self-styled 'Rock and Roll Hall of Fame', in America (thanks, BfP)

15 April 2018 : the twenty-fifth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

' ... keeping that fabulous music alive by spreading the message far and wide ...'
Added a fine review of the new Procol Harum book, The Crowd Called out for More ... which you will soon be able to order from 'Beyond the Pale' (thanks, Charlie)

'These salty dogs are still having their day ...'
Added the UK'S Sunday Express review of the Boxed Set, Still There'll be More ... complimentary but cursory, to say the least (thanks, Bradshaw)

Added a fourth page of fine Tromsø pictures from one of our foremost photographic contributors (thanks, Inger)

Added a 1993 setlist here, and here, and here (thanks, Evan)

11 April 2018

A Whiter Shade of Pale  was featured today on BBC Radio 4's Soul Music programme http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09ydkd5

We believe the show is repeated this evening at about 9pm, but it can also be downloaded as a podcast from the Radio 4 website. (thanks, Claire and Chris)

10 April 2018

We have been told people have had problems booking tickets for the London Palladium concert, getting a message that 'only single tickets are left'.

This is untrue, and was caused by an error at Ticketmaster, now corrected. The Palladium concert is selling well, but there are still good tickets available. See more info here.

8 April 2018 : the twenty-fourth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Thanks to everyone who fell for our annual April Foolery and sent in requests, orders, messages etc  ... very entertaining! Needless to say the main articles (here and here), though they contain numerous excellent and worthwhile ideas, are thoroughly bogus. 

'The Blue Danube, from the Bournemouth concert, is immaculately inexplicable either as an homage or a pisstake'
Added the Record Collector review of the Boxed Set, Still There'll be More (thanks, Anvil)

Added a third page of fine Tromsø pictures from one of our foremost photographic contributors (thanks, Inger)

'Has anyone any more information about this mysterious ‘Easter egg track’?'
Added the second part of a searching enquiry into Procol Harum – the Alpha Days (thanks, David)

April Fools' Day 2018 : the twenty-third hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added the first part of a searching enquiry into Procol Harum – the Alpha Days (thanks, David)

'Crazy, isn't it, how fresh they all sound! And that's before you've even heard them!'
Added a good article about the Procol luxury reissues business, with a special offer for readers who want to get ahead in the next Procol compilation series (thanks, Matt)

Added a link to a 40+ minutes feature in which Gary Brooker talks to 'Goldmine' about the 2018 Boxed Set, Keith Reid, the R&R 'Hall of Fame' and much more (thanks, Carol)

Kudos to Procol Harum for receiving the invitation to play at the marriage of the UK's Prince Harry to his transAtlantic bride, Meghan (link here). But has Buckingham Palace actually read the words of King of Hearts? The title sounds apt enough but do they really want 'king of the broken-hearted' echoing in the wedding-guests' ears? We suggest Mabel instead, with a modified lyric: 'Oh Markle, Markle, he'll eat you up much quicker than a shark'll; Oh Markle, Markle, hope you never lose that sparkle' and so on. We're happy to forward better suggestions, if you have any: click here to send 'em.

Added some exciting news about the upcoming Procol Harum In The Waves of The Vikings cruise  

A few years back, some may recall,  there was a momentary hoo-hah in the red-tops about the authorship of one of Procol's early tunes: nice to hear its original melody restored in this clip

Added some rare record labels to the foot of this page (thanks. Anvil)

26 March 2018 : the twenty-second hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a fourth page of fine Bodø pictures from one of our foremost photographic contributors (thanks, Inger)

'... These are people that know their Procol ... '
Added a link to a fine Brooker interview -- about Esoteric's Still There'll be More boxed set -- with VVN (thanks, Gary H)

Added a marvellous chapter from George Lovell's splendid book of Procol concert-going memoirs (thanks, George)

Added a Procol Harum ticket here and here (thanks, Hans)

19 March 2018 : the twenty-first hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added some comments about tonight's Procol Harum-themed concert in Bedfordshire UK

Added a third page of fine Bodø pictures from one of our foremost photographic contributors (thanks, Inger)

Added a link to a Consequence of Sound  Brooker interview, touching on the Boxed Set, Still There'll be More (thanks, Klingsor)

Added a link to  a Cherry Red Records interview with Gary Brooker on the new Boxed Set (thanks Gary H)

13 March 2018 :

Added the booking links for the London Palladium show. The fans' presale starts at 10 am GMT on 14 March. All details here (thanks, Marina)

12 March 2018 : the twentieth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Updated this crucial page

Added news of Procol Harum's gig at the London Palladium when, with orchestra and chorus, they will be playing an iconic album in full, along with greatest hits and rarities (thanks, Chris)

On Monday 12 March Gary Brooker talked live on BBC Radio 2, 'just after 18:00 GMT, on Simon Mayo's programme : listen to an mp3 edit here ... we've left in a little bit of BBC Radio 2 stuff (trailers, IDs, etc) 'for texture'.

Added band details and booking links to help those thinking of joining the Procol cruise in February 2019

Added two in-the-flesh photos to the page about Still There'll be More, the fantastic new 8-disc Procol Boxed Set

'... a wonderful cornucopia of music to please the faithful and to astound the uninitiated ...'
Added a second, excellent review of Still There'll be More (thanks, Bert)

Added a link to some good promo for the Boxed Set (thanks, Bradshaw)

Updated this schedule of Procol Harum gigs for 2018

Updated this list of Procol Harum's orchestral engagements

3 March 2018:

Some good news for our transAtlantic friends – who haven't had Procol approach their shores for quite a while – Procol Harum to perform at sea

' ... the greater sense of security and confidence that can come with advancing years does have with it the trade-off that you can lose the ‘excitement of the new’ ...'
Added a new piece (including rehearsal photos) that contains the booking details for the 22 March orchestral concert here in the UK (thanks, Steve)

Added ten more words about GB's convalescence.

28  February 2018 : the nineteenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a brief, illustrated update about Gary Brooker's recovery from his recent surgery

'This stellar prog monument'
Added a glowing review of the music on the Esoteric Still There'll be More boxed set ... the writer doesn't seem to have had access to the product itself, however (thanks, Anvil)

Added new concert dates for Procol Harum in 2018, bringing the total to twenty-two ... and counting ... (thanks, Chris)

Added a link to this topical trailer (thanks, Montmorency)

24  February 2018 : the eighteenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a second page of fine Bodø pictures from one of our foremost photographic contributors (thanks, Inger)

Added a second page of fine Tromsø pictures too (thanks again, Inger)

Added a link to this post-Edmonton interview (thanks, Wilfried)

Added some Procol Harum pictures from September last year (thanks, Jochen)

Added a link to a recent interview about the band's early days (thanks, Daniel)

Added more November dates – an A to Z tour of one particular country, in a sense – to Procol Harum's 2018 tour schedule (thanks, Chris)

'We never spat on our audience ... we should probably steal Pink Floyd's production manager ...' (and something bizarre about heroes, at the end)
Added a link to a very interesting podcast interview – en Anglais – with Gary Brooker, from the time of last year's Paris gig. His interlocutors are Jean-Emmanuel Deluxe (sounds a bit French) and Ian Chippett (sounds a bit Bristolian) (thanks, Ian!)

Added a first page of fine Bodø pictures from one of our foremost photographic contributors (thanks, Inger)

Added a first page of fine Tromsø pictures too (thanks again, Inger)

Amended this page (thanks, Ian)

15 February 2018 :

Excellent news from Franky Brooker about The Commander (thanks, Franky)

Added a message from Gary Brooker about his plans for the next three months (thanks, Gary)

Added an earwitness comparison of two recent concerts, with illustrations! (thanks, Jonas)

Added a splendid illustration to this page (thanks, Geoff)

Added a review of the recent concert at Bodø  (thanks, Aad)

Added news – crazy dreams! – of an upcoming choral/orchestral concert of Procol Harum music (thanks, Steve)

Added two tickets to our scrapbook – see Fillmore East and Passaic (thanks. Bradshaw)

Added some nice pictures related to our recent Christmas Quiz (thanks, Gary and Bert)

Amended this important page

8 February 2018

Added two gigs, here and here (thanks, Chris)

Added a graphic to this historic page (thanks, Anvil) Plenty more historic pages archived here

4 February 2018

Added the setlist from last night's concert in Norway ... something new, and a welcome return for one of this website's favourite songs ... (thanks, Inger and Jonas)

2 February 2018

RIP Dennis Edwards

Added the setlist from tonight's concert in Norway

1 February 2018

Added the setlist ... including a première! ... from tonight's concert in Norway

Added some good close-up stage shots from Drammen's Union Scene, and an illustration here (thanks, Thomas)

26 January 2018 : the fifteenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Hugh Masekela, Jim Rodford. Mark E Smith

' ... a guy who, despite the shocks and upsets, is having a really, unexpectedly, rock solid brilliant time ...'
Added a revealing article about a famous Procol organist of former times (thanks, Charlie)

'The guitar churns like hot pudding with a wooden spoon and Whitehorn stirs'
Added a very complimentary and occasionally preposterous Novum review (thanks, Charlie)

Nice to re-read this interview from a year ago ... the first mention of Novum!

Added a good graphic to one of BtP's very earliest pages (thanks, Jim)

Time to glance again at this interesting Procol survey from 1881

Added a link here to some very interesting and erudite Procol musings (thanks, Christian)

19 January 2018 : the fourteenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added five exciting overseas concerts for Procol Harum in 2018 (thanks, Chris): find details by clicking here, here, here, here and here

15 January 2018 : the thirteenth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Ray Thomas and RIP  Dolores O Riordan

Updated our index of Novum reviews ... if you know of others online or elsewhere, please send us the links

Added the schedule of Triumphant Victors in the Christmas competition: eleven out of twelve prizes are already well on their way to their destinations. Please let us know when they reach you safely

'... a sleuth-like battle of wits while being tormented with nuggets of nonsense ...'
Added a revealing page of Competitors' Comments (thanks, all)

Added the solutions to all the Procol puzzles, with helpful comments: if you didn't play, click these links now and see how you would have fared: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12, Day 12 part 2

Order your copies of the recent album, Novum, by clicking these special links (which incidentally send a few cents to keep this website afloat): Amazon UK / Amazon USA

Follow 'Beyond the Pale' on Twitter (http://twitter.com/ProcolHarum1) and at the somewhat new 'Beyond the Pale' Facebook page, where we hope gigs / events can be more easily spotted than they are amid the busy newsfeed on our former Procol Facebook group.

5 January 2018:          

Added the last in our annual series of Christmas puzzles.

Good luck with the instructions that follow it (click link provided, to change pages): just read 'em carefully (take your time!) and all will be well.  

4 January 2018:

Added the eleventh in our annual series of Christmas puzzles. Don't forget to be ready with your preference order for the fab prizes  – all the letters, please! – something like: "MICEGOSQUAWK” 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 Thursday 4 January becomes Friday 5 January.  

3 January 2018:  

Added the tenth in our annual series of Christmas puzzles  

We slightly amended the wording of yesterday's puzzle, thanks to a Useful Informant: so ... if you've already tackled it ... it will be worth your while to re-read the questions, and maybe rework your solution 

2 January 2018:  

Added the ninth in our annual series of Christmas puzzles. Don't forget to sneak one more look at the schedule of fab prizes  

1 January 2018: Happy New Year!  

Thanks again to to Gary, Geoff, Matt, Josh and Geoff, to manager Chris Cooke and the great crew that presents the band on stage. Bookmark the What’s New page at Beyond the Pale (www.procolharum.com/whatsnew.htm : do it now!) and sign up for the (free) newsletter (www.procolharum.com/99/newslist.htm : do it now!) and you’ll be bang up to date the minute some exciting developments are officially announced.

Meanwhile, good luck with those Christmas Quizzes ... time to size up the prizes and get to grips with the remaining few clues. Happy 2018 from Jens + Roland Greetings from Norway and England

Added the eighth in our annual series of Christmas puzzles. Hope you're still having fun, and still making plenty of notes along the way, to save time in the finale.  

31 December 2017:

Added the seventh in our annual series of Christmas puzzles. Don't forget to gaze enraptured at the schedule of fab prizes  

30 December 2017:

Added the sixth in our annual series of Christmas puzzles  

29 December 2017:

Added the fifth in our annual series of Christmas puzzles. Don't forget to contemplate the schedule of  fab prizes  

28 December 2017:

Added the fourth in our annual series of Christmas puzzles. Hope you're having fun, and making plenty of notes along the way, to save time at the end.  

27 December 2017:

Added the third in our annual series of Christmas puzzles. Don't forget to keep a record of your findings as you go ... and to look at the schedule of fab prizes  

26 December 2017:

Added the second in our annual series of Christmas puzzles  

25 December 2017: Happy Christmas!  

Added the first in our annual series of Christmas puzzles – good luck everyone! They do get easier and easier, as our fab prizes get more and more munificent. It looks, and is, very straightforward ... but it's still worth reading this page of advice and information before you start  

24 December 2017 : the twelfth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a page of advice and information about how to play and win the Christmas Quiz for this year  

Upgraded our list of Procol's UK singles

Compiled a fascinating clutch of Novum tour statistics for your delectation

10 December 2017 : the ninth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Johnny Hallyday

Added an excellent review, with fine pictures, of Procol Harum's Paris gig last month (thanks, Olivier)

Added a link to a revealing radio interview given by Gary Brooker the morning after the Paris gig. If you're in any doubt about Lancelot Reaper's Novum theory, listen to the interview! (thanks, Alison)

'Most of what you hear today is second-hand; I was lucky to hear it first time around ...'
Added a Chris Cooke article from the band's Fiftieth Anniversary Souvenir Tour Programme (which you can win, here)

Added a historic Procol Harum date here ... search for 'Marquee' (thanks, Robert)

3 December 2017 : the eighth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a review of Procol Harum's new record (November 2017)

Added the schedule of very handsome prizes that you will be able to win in this year's simple and amusing BtP puzzles, which will start on 24 December.
Many are signed by the band, two are high-value items in the $90–100 USD price-range; and all of them are (a) worthy objects of delectation for the Procol Harum fan and (b) free!

Added a great postscript to this interesting concert page (thanks, Gil)

Added a Gary Brooker interview from the band's Fiftieth Anniversary Souvenir Tour Programme (which you can win, here)

28 November 2017 : the seventh hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a Procol Harum mention in a quality magazine (thanks, Jim)

Added some pictures from Procol Harum's concert in Hamburg this year (thanks, Hans)

Can somebody please send in the song-list from the Halle (Saale) concert on 14 September 2017?

Reminder: Geoff Whitehorn's solo concert in Italy, Casale Monferrato, 15 December

21 November 2017 :

We now have an authenticated winner – see here – for the signed Boxed Set, due out early next year: congratulations!

19 November 2017 : the sixth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Malcolm Young

Nobody has yet claimed their free signed 8-disc Procol Harum Boxed Set (due 2018). Check your Fiftieth Anniversary Tour badges, if you bought them in mainland Europe. (Badges without numbers were produced for the English dates: at that time no plans had been confirmed for the Boxed Set ... so there was no question of offering one as a prize)! Please don't send us photos of the wrong numbers! Please note that all the badges are marked 'of 800' on the back, but the lucky number (as revealed by Gary Brooker here) is printed in a little rectangle.

Added the missing songs from our setlist from BeatClub 1973 (thanks, Mark)

Added the song titles to September's Procol Dresden setlist (thanks, Matthias)

Added some more good concert pictures from the recently-concluded tour (thanks, Thomas)

Added a hyperlink to the fishbag picture here

Updated pages here, here, here, here and here

12 November 2017 : the fifth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Paul Buckmaster

Added the setlist from Paris: the final gig of Procol Harum's brilliant Fiftieth Anniversary Tour. Come back soon, and there will be some brief concert notes.

Badges: all sold out before the concert even began. (So were all the CDs, tee-shirts and concert programmes, by the end of the interval). So, many thanks to everyone who wrote in to request a left-over ... sorry to disappoint. The winning number may now be discovered by visiting this page.

Added news about Geoff Whitehorn's solo concert in Italy, Casale Monferrato, Venerdì 15 Dicembre.

5 November 2017 : the fourth hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Added a link to photos of The Commander's recent summit meeting in Paris

Gary Brooker answers a question about how long we'll have to wait for a new album

Gary Brooker ... how close did he come to divorce?

29 October 2017 : the third hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

RIP Fats Domino

Added a (three-star!) review here (thanks, Jim)

Added a poster here (thanks, Jim)

Updated this crucial page

Added a ticket here (thanks, Jim)

Corrected a daft typo here ('... dumpling-like breast, the regurgitated drool ...')

Added the beginnings of an index to Roland's various Procol writings

21 October 2017 : the second hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

'... all the members looked happy and fulfilled, with their work well done ...'
Added an illustrated review of Procol Harum at Szczecin, from one of BtP's most trusted correspondents (thanks, Mac)

'Most importantly, Procol Harum is back on the road!'
Added a good review of Procol Harum at Katowice, from one of BtP's longest-established correspondents (thanks, Mirek)

' ... która pomimo upływu pięćdziesięciu lat nadal robi piorunujące wrażenie ...'
Added a strong review of Procol Harum at Katowice, from Rock Area (thanks, Mariusz)

15 October 2017 :

Added the recent Procol Katowice setlist (thanks, Thomas)

14 October 2017 : the first hebdomadal bulletin for Year #21 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Many thanks to many people in many countries, all round the world, for the wonderful twentieth birthday good wishes and compliments to BtP, and the kind donations (sent in by clicking the buttons above). All much appreciated!

Added one more concert date for 2018

Added the recent Procol Szczecin setlist (thanks, Thomas)

Added a page of pictures taken before the Szczecin show (thanks, Thomas)

Added a page of pictures taken during the Szczecin show (thanks, Thomas)

Updated two pages, here and here

9 October:

Added the recent Procol Rome setlist, with one picture and a statement about merchandise (in particular, note the state of play regarding the limited edition 50th Anniversary Badge Raffle Prize)

You might like to look back eleven years to the last time Procol played Rome ... it was the first-ever concert by the present line-up. Six songs in common ... guess which ones before you look!

8 October 2017 : the fifty-second and final hebdomadal bulletin for Year #20 at 'Beyond the Pale'

Happy Birthday to Us!
Twenty years of 'Beyond the Pale', which was founded of course in 1997 in commemoration of the passing of BJ Wilson.

Added a page taken from Procol Harum's Fiftieth Anniversary Tour Souvenir Programme, written about the twentieth anniversary of 'Beyond the Pale' ! Thanks, everyone, for sending in material, and reading it, these two decades. At the moment Jens is in the air over France somewhere, and Roland is on the road to Rome, Italy ... but the dust will settle soon, and we look forward to processing all the Procol tour contributions that have kindly been sent in to us during the past few weeks.

Added a detailed song-by-song commentary to the Pordenone setlist, which is now also erratically illustrated (thank you, Linda)

Added Roland's hitherto un-archived liner notes for 2009's boxed set All This and More ... quite a weighty read, and based on new (as at 2008/09) interviews with Dave Ball, Dave Bronze, Gary Brooker MBE, Mark Brzezicki, Alan Cartwright, Chris Cooke, Chris Copping, Geoff Dunn, Mick Grabham, Kellogs, Josh Phillips, Matt Pegg, Harry Pitch, Simon Posthuma, Keith Reid, Pete Solley, Chris Thomas, Robin Trower and Geoff Whitehorn

What was new on this website in past times