What was new at 'Beyond the Pale'

February 1999

February 28:

Added the indispensibly interesting early Brooker profile from the NME, October 1967 (many thanks, Yan)

Added another Rhythm Kings UK date: and if you want to get to the gig on 29 May, better hurry: 500 seats are already sold: obviously the whole of Tonbridge Wells is turning out to celebrate Gary's birthday (thanks, Diane)

February 27:

Swimming Against the Tide: more 1969 Procol Harum news in its chart context, kindly extracted for BtP from the New Musical Express by Yan Friis: a late review for Shine On Brightly, and the welcome return of Procol Harum to play on British soil.

February 26:

Added a special set of Procol Harum pictures from Larry Pennisi's archive (thanks, Larry)

February 25:

Added a personal story about life with Procol Harum behind the iron curtain: a marvellous story of Procol music played in freezing churches, with Polish words ... well worth a read! (thanks, Mac: great to meet you at Guildford!)

Also added several more cover versions of Procol Harum songs, and another instance of AWSoP in the films

February 24: BtP is back in normal mode, as Jens is back (although very reduced because of flu). Thanks to Peter Christian for filling in.

The Mammoth Task: Procol Harum news in its chart context, kindly extracted for BtP from the New Musical Express of 31 years ago today by Yan Friis: Activity from Zonophone-mates The Move, but only a whiff of a rumour about a new single from Procol Harum.

February 23:

Added a good photograph and a lot of useful detail to the page devoted to Procol Harum's occasional drummer, Henry Spinetti (thanks, Henry and Susie) ...

February 22:

Added a set-list and graphic from the Rhythm Kings' Paris gig in October 1998 (thanks, António A)

February 21:

Swimming Against the Tide: 1969 Procol Harum news in its chart context, kindly extracted for BtP from the New Musical Express by Yan Friis: Procol Harum shining and rampaging in Miami, but leaving a conspicuous gap in the NME poll.

February 20:

Added an article about a Danish rocker who went to his grave with A Whiter Shade of Pale (thanks, Niels-Erik)

Added a preview of a Ringo / Gary gig obviously written by a considerable Brooker fan (thanks, Kerry)

February 19:

Added two chunks of news of a Ringo / Gary gig, including some promise of live Brooker on a Ringo triple-album.

Added two more chunks of news of another Gary / Ringo gig (thanks for sorting us out, Marvin!)

February 18:

Swimming Against the Tide: more 1968 Procol Harum news in its chart context, kindly extracted for BtP from the New Musical Express by Yan Friis: Procol Harum scoring at the Fillmore when they were badly needed back home!

February 17:

The Mammoth Task: this week there's no Procol Harum news but you can still read the chart context, kindly extracted for BtP from the New Musical Express of 31 years ago today by Yan Friis.

Added several new dates, and noted some re-scheduling, for the UK Rhythm Kings tour: in particular, Cardiff is confirmed, and London abolished! (thanks, Diane)

February 16:

The March issue of Uncut magazine (published yesterday) contains an excellent, brief review of the most recent Westside Procol Harum re-release(thanks, Sam)

Here at BtP we're hoping that the recent take-over of Westside's parent company, MCI, by Kingfisher will not have any adverse effect on their ambitious Procol re-release plans. A Salty Dog ... plus! is due for release soon, and Home ... plus! was scheduled for later in the year. Fingers crossed, and more news when we have it.

February 15:

Added an index page for Hammond organ / Leslie cabinet links, enabling enthusiasts easily to find the material on this subject at 'Beyond the Pale' and elsewhere: have an enjoyable browse! Suggestions for links that can be usefully added to this page are warmly welcomed.

February 14: Valentine's Day

Search here for a rare Valentine Procol present for your significant other ... or even for yourself? (thanks, Larry)

Added evidence of an unusually personal and erotic approach to AWSoP (thanks, Tiffany)

And thanks to Samuel and Hermann, we have been able to correct  the setlist from the Southend concerts

February 13:

Added Jens's recollection of the No Stiletto Shoes Christmas concerts in Southend 1998

February 12:

Swimming Against the Tide: more 1968 Procol Harum news in its chart context, kindly extracted for BtP from the New Musical Express by Yan Friis: the Brooker marriage and mysterious plans for Reid's contribution to a poetry album and book.

February 11:

Added a BtP of review Bobby Harrison's solo album, Solid Silver

The Best of the Whalers: you might like to revisit our page about this fans' CD. Work is now in progress on all the recordings that were sent in - if anybody else wants to contribute, they should send in immediately, with short liner-note and one picture. 'Please, hurry up!' say Mirek and Charly: this is the last period of preparing material at the studio (thanks, Mirek)

February 10:

The Mammoth Task: Procol Harum tangents in their chart context, kindly extracted for BtP from the New Musical Express of 31 years ago today by Yan Friis: all you could reasonably need to know about the young Mick Grabham.

February 9:

Added a paragraph or so to a personal reminiscence of the 1977 Procol Harum gig at Hofstra, NY (thanks, Bert)

Added an item to our Dave Ball bandography

BtP already has two explanations as to how Procol Harum got to know and work with guitarist Leo Kottke, who recorded Power Failure and later a lament for BJ Wilson. Now we add a third explanation from a correspondent who has good reason to know what went on at the time (thanks, Dave Ball)

Also for those interested in the Leo Kottke connection, we have added a link to a Leo Kottke website

February 8:

A treat tonight!

To celebrate the anniversary of Procol Harum's last orchestral outing, we are proud to present a suite of pictorial pages: all images by Franz Prior, the only photographer with permission to operate during 1996's fantastic Barbican concert in London (thanks, Franz & Hermann)

February 7:

So you thought the Mammoth Task was a mammoth task? Wait until you embark on the huge new feature we unleash today ...

Swimming Against the Tide: a chunk of 1968 Procol Harum news in its chart context, kindly extracted for BtP from the New Musical Express by Yan Friis: an alarming decline in Procol press: the band seem to be monitored only by the laconic compiler of 'Tailpieces' (thanks, Yan, for this and much more to come)

February 6:

Added two further items to Matthew Fisher's musical history: a Wishbone Ash session-credit here and a bit about the band National Anthem (thanks, Joan / Frans)

February 5:

Added the latest details about the UK dates for an extensive Rhythm Kings tour which definitely features the two Procol GBs, Brooker and Broad. Tour kicks off on Gary's birthday, 29 May! (thanks, Diane)

February 4:

Added a play-list from Gary Brooker's Booster TV show on 1 February in Sweden, and a transcript of a somewhat bizarre conversation he held with the host (thanks, Niels-Erik / Ben !)

Have a look at the Classic Rock on Tour website. You'll find details of tours by Robin Trower, Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band (featuring Gary Brooker), and Bill Wyman and the Rhythm Kings (will Gary be in the band this time?)

Have a look at Ritchie Blackmore's pick of top ten albums from 1998, and marvel at his taste and his spelling! (The liner notes are well worth reading again) (thanks, Miguel)

February 3:

The Mammoth Task: scant Procol Harum news in its chart context, kindly extracted for BtP from the New Musical Express of 31 years ago today by Yan Friis: an acknowledgement of Dylan's huge influence on the period.

Look out soon for a new Yan Friis feature at BtP, 'Swimming Against the Tide': in this, we shall present Procol press - several weeks at a time - from the NME in the years following the bursting of the AWSoP bubble.

Added a better estimate of the words of Gary Brooker's excellent Badlands - but it's still not quite right, so we'd like to hear from someone with sharper ears / rarer tapes ... please mail us!

February 2:

Added a personal reminiscence about a 1977 Procol Harum gig at Hofstra, NY: Whisky Train with Pete Solley on violin ... intriguing! (thanks, Bert)

And if you still haven't subscribed to the excellent Procol Harum maillist, managed by Bill Hammel, you should do so today. But Bill informs us that the URL to use has been changed to: http://mail.progrock.org/guest/RemoteListSummary/Procol

February 1:

Added a nice comparison of a number of Procol compilation albums (thanks, Bas)

And here's a link to the website of Poverty Stinks, the only band we know of to have covered As Strong as Samson (thanks, Sam)

... and if you can get Swedish TV don't forget to record Gary Brooker on Booster today [and make a review for BtP + please could somebody send a copy of the video to Jens and Roland :-)]

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