Procol Harum's first year in the NME

Introducing Mike Graham: 10 February 1968

These excerpts from New Musical Express, kindly selected for 'Beyond the Pale' by Yan Friis, show no interest in Procol Harum, but tell you all you could reasonably need to know about the young Mick Grabham.

Front page: Full page advertisement for The Nerve's Magic Spectacles 45 (Page One).

Main feature headlines:

A MILLION SELLER FOR BRENTON - AFTER 11 YEARS by Alan Wells

20 years before Solomon found golden touch by Nick Logan

 Singer? Songwriter? Pianist? Producer?

MANFRED'S MICHAEL DESPERATELY TRIES TO FIND HIMSELF! by Keith Altham

 Tipped for charts by Derek Johnson:

Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, The Legend Of Xanadu

NME Top 5:

1 (1) Everlasting Love, Love Affair
2 (2) Am I That Easy To Forget, Engelbert Humperdinck
3 (5) Mighty Quinn, Manfred Mann
4 (6) She Wears My Ring, Solomon King
5 (7) Bend Me, Shape Me, Amen Corner

LIFE-LINES OF THE PLASTIC PENNY

(excerpt)

Professional name: Mike Graham
Real name: Mike Graham [sic]
Birthdate: January 22, 1948
Birthplace: Sunderland
Personal points: 5ft. 10ins; 10st. 7lbs; blue eyes, brown hair
Parents' names: Freda and William
Brothers'/sisters' names: Susan
Present home: London
Instruments played: Lead guitar, bass, harmonica, drums
Where educated: Barnes Secondary School, Sunderland
Musical education: Self-taught
Age entered showbusiness: 13
First public appearance: Over Sixties Club, Sunderland
First professional appearance: Good Evening
Biggest break in career: Joining Plastic Penny
TV début: Good Evening
Radio début: Top Gear
First public appearance: Good Evening
Disc labels in the past: None
Biggest influence on career: Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton
Former occupations: Record salesman
Hobbies: Playing guitar, listening to good guitar records
Favourite colour: Black
Favourite food: Cauliflower cheese
Favourite drink: Newcastle brown ale
Favourite clothes: Casuals and frilly shirts
Favourite singers: Astrid Gilberto, Everly Brothers
Favourite actor/actress: Lee Marvin, James Coburn
Favourite bands/instrumentalists: Jimi Hendrix
Favourite composers: Lennon and McCartney
Favourite groups: Beatles, Jimi Hendrix
Car: Back left hand seat of Zephyr 6
Miscellaneous dislikes: Being kept waiting, being broke
Miscellaneous likes: Playing guitar, listening to guitar, sleeping
Best friend: Nigel Olsson
Most thrilling experience: Getting a Les Paul guitar
Tastes in music: Progressive pop
Pets: Les Paul guitar
Personal ambition: To own loads of guitars
Professional ambition: To be as good a guitarist as Buddy Guy

 COMMON TO ALL
Current hit: Everything I Am
Present disc label: Page One
Recording manager: Larry Page
Personal manager: Lionel Conway
Road managers: Jack Sheehy and Dave Collier
Musical director: Colin Frechter
London theatre dates: Royal Albert Hall - in March
Forthcoming discs: LP Two Sides Of A Penny

And in this edition of the NME The Beatles start their (at the time) mysterious Apple-ads campaign. The first one shows a blonde baby lying on the grass, laughing, clutching an apple in his right hand and lots of apples around him on the grass. Just one word on the photo: apple.

Read more from the first year of Procol press