Gary Brooker – one 3rd of the writing workforce in the back of Procol Harum’s seminal Summer time of Love anthem A Whiter Color Of Faded – additionally labored with the likes of Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr and Kate Bush, in addition to developing solo paintings. In 2017 – 5 years earlier than his loss of life at 76 – he fronted a brand new Procol Harum album, in addition to a deluxe anthology to have a good time the band’s fiftieth anniversary. The next yr he mentioned his occupation so far with Prog.
Again in 1966, Southend-based crew The Paramounts cut up. They’d scored a success unmarried in 1964 with their model of Poison Ivy whilst they had been nonetheless all youngsters, however time was once appearing that was once more likely to be a one-off and that they’d accomplished all they might taking part in R&B covers.
Vocalist and pianist Gary Brooker hadn’t written songs earlier than, however had some concepts and made up our minds to easily “give it a cross.” He was once happy to seek out that the method got here naturally, and started running with lyricist Keith Reid – with whom he would forge a long-lasting songwriting partnership – and organist Matthew Fisher.
The primary recorded effort produced via this trio may now not were extra impressive – the epochal unmarried A Whiter Color Of Faded, launched in Would possibly 1967 underneath the identify Procol Harum. The music turned into a part of the soundtrack to the Summer time of Love, and one of the vital defining songs of psychedelia.
It inhabited its personal international, courtesy of Reid’s hanging, surreal lyrics, but additionally had an impressive vocal melody and remarkable organ line via Fisher. It was once a No.1 hit in the United Kingdom and has long gone directly to be one of the vital top-selling singles of all time.
For his or her debut album they drafted in former Paramounts guitarist Robin Trower and drummer BJ Wilson. An exploratory crew, they had been in the forefront of prog rock, despite the fact that their track has at all times erred against songs – most commonly composed via Brooker and Reid – with a refined internal complexity reasonably than overt shows of instrumental flash. Within the Nineteen Seventies their paintings with orchestras produced some in particular a hit effects.
Despite the fact that Procol Harum were out of operation for lengthy spells since their preliminary cut up in 1977 – all through which period Brooker has loved a solo occupation and collaborations with different artists – in 2017 they launched their first new studio album in 14 years, Novum, their twelfth in general. A field set and anthology, each titled Nonetheless There’ll Be Extra, have simply arrived to mark a belated fiftieth celebration for the gang.
Taking a look again to A Whiter Color Of Faded, are you able to describe the ambience of the time?
I feel the general public had been up for as a lot of a metamorphosis as the folk developing issues
The psychedelic technology was once in point of fact an increasing out and a realisation that that you must, in that time in British track, do no matter you sought after. There didn’t appear to be any barriers – and if there have been, you totally left out them.
A Whiter Color Of Faded fitted into our thought on the time, which was once to do one thing other. It was once an extended unmarried. It was once, in reality, longer first of all, as it had 3 verses. I feel it was once most likely about seven mins. Anyone advised me they had been taking part in not anything over 2:47 at the radio. I take note the determine! It wasn’t true: I feel the general public had been up for as a lot of a metamorphosis as the folk developing issues.
You adopted it with Homburg, which went to No.5 in the United Kingdom, however your chart luck tailed off after. Was once there drive to provide extra hits?
There was once huge drive. As a result of A Whiter Color Of Faded was once so giant on a global degree, other people sought after any other one, which was once nigh-on unattainable because it got here at a time when it simply hit other people’s ears and rang some form of bell. And it’s at all times been a perfect thriller why it did that.
Peter Hammill has mentioned that one of the vital songs that the majority influenced him was once the 17-and-a-half-minute In Held ’Twas In I from Procol’s 1968 album Shine On Brightly. He realised then that it was once k to write down one thing of that roughly duration and ambition. How did it come about?
In case you throw your self again then there was once much more freedom. I imply, it was once a forward-thinking thought but it surely was once completely appropriate. You speak about Hammill – smartly, Pete Townshend heard that and felt the similar. He advised us as soon as that he were given the theory of Tommy from that piece.
May I even say that it was once ‘revolutionary’ – the phrase existed, but it surely was once now not a pigeonhole that that you must put bands into. In Held ’Twas In I, you no doubt couldn’t name it pop; it could be exhausting to name it rock. There’s just one pigeonhole that we ever fitted into and that’s Procol Harum.
Track to me is set conveying an emotion; you get that from having grown up with Ray Charles, Little Richard and Sam Cooke
It’s were given numerous peculiar items that we knitted in combination, however you’ll be able to get some roughly tale out of it. It begins off with the start of the universe, in point of fact, if that’s imaginable. There’s a few of a Buddhist chant and it finally ends up going to Heaven. It’s even were given drug habit within the heart.
The manner that the general public go along with the gang was once established in 1969 with A Salty Canine – that blend of bluesy earthiness with a grand, dramatic sweep.
It will get someplace, doesn’t it? Smartly, that did roughly cement us, in our personal minds as smartly. Strings had ceaselessly been used on file, but it surely blended a music with an orchestral surroundings. We play the name monitor these days and it’s as giant as A Whiter Color Of Faded to the target audience.
When other people speak about what fed into 70s revolutionary rock, only a few point out the influences of R&B and soul, despite the fact that most of the musicians grew up taking part in that track. However in Procol Harum’s track, that affect is overt. Would you compromise?
I see what you’re pronouncing there. Track to me is set conveying an emotion and also you get that from having grown up with Ray Charles and Little Richard and Sam Cooke. That thread runs thru; and as you assert, it’s now not at all times known. However what’s ceaselessly now not on the entrance of those prog rock bands is top quality vocals. It’s possible you’ll, total, get a excellent recording with marvellous, artful taking part in, however on the finish of the day the vocalist has were given away with somewhat a little. You were given it with Visitors as a result of Steve Winwood adopted that trail and had grown up with those self same influences; and, for those who like, he could be a soul singer when he needs to.
We had been promoting albums in The us, now not right here. Right here, they beautiful a lot misplaced it across the time of Shine On Brightly
Your 1971 album Damaged Barricades options numerous Robin Trower’s flamboyant lead guitar taking part in. It was once additionally his final album with the gang earlier than he launched into a solo occupation. Did he let himself off the leash, or was once he proving some extent, in all probability?
I feel it simply took place organically. On A Salty Canine we let the organist, Matthew Fisher, be in control of the manufacturing, and he did a excellent activity. Then he left; and for those who concentrate to Damaged Barricades, there’s rarely any organ on it in any respect. And that bit more room allowed Trower to come back to the fore.
Robin Trower were given concerned within the writing a little extra. He did no less than 3 on Damaged Barricades. He was once at all times a perfect guitarist however he needed to invent a distinct approach of taking part in for the track that I’d written for Procol’s first, 2nd and 3rd albums. It wasn’t a very simple twang-along; the straightforward a part of it was once that he needed to play a blues solo and it sounded proper.
But if he couldn’t determine the chord, or if it’s in E Flat, which guitarists don’t like, he would simply discover a excellent low guitar observe that might vibrate thru all of it. Brian Would possibly does it at all times with Queen – however Trower invented that.
Your former supervisor Chris Wright has mentioned that the reside album Procol Harum recorded with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, launched in 1972, “totally regenerated” your occupation. Is that correct?
Robin Trower needed to have a tiny little amp the scale of a radio…it was once now not his thought of what a gaggle will have to be doing
On the finish of the day, sure. We had been promoting albums in The us, now not right here. Right here, they beautiful a lot misplaced it across the time of Shine On Brightly. With Trower we did play as soon as with an orchestra and choir in Stratford, Ontario, which was once the primary time we’d completed it reside. We didn’t play a lot, simply In Held ’Twas In I and A Salty Canine, I feel. But it surely was once a tumultuous reception and numerous other people had been there, and that led directly to an invitation from the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.
We simply did it on the finish of the excursion. I wrote out the orchestrations and Trower did what he did at the recorded variations. However he by no means in point of fact preferred the theory. You couldn’t play loud whilst you’re with an orchestra, so he needed to have a tiny little amp the scale of a radio. He did it, honest sufficient, and it was once very spectacular, but it surely was once now not his thought of what a gaggle will have to be doing. So he left and we were given in a brand new guitarist, Dave Ball.
And that was once when Edmonton mentioned, “Do you want to come back and play?” and Chris Wright mentioned, “Sure.” Everybody mentioned, “Sure, we’d care to do it.” It was once completed wholeheartedly.
With 1973’s Grand Lodge you carried on with an expansive sound.
I had numerous music concepts in my head. Many of the Grand Lodge songs are somewhat cut up character issues that adjust temper. There are virtually two songs in each and every music, like Robert’s Field.
We idea we’d have that gigantic, lush sound. It wasn’t all completed with orchestra however there was once somewhat a little. We did use some out of doors influences like Christiane Legrand on Fires (Which Burn Brightly) – she was once a French jazz improviser however was once additionally from The Swingle Singers, who had completed numerous classical interpretations. However after that we idea, “Let’s get again to being a five-piece band.”
Leiber and Stoller mentioned, ‘We’re going for dinner,’ so we mentioned, ‘Oh, what time will you be again?’ They mentioned, ‘We’re now not coming again’
How did you get to paintings with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller on Procol’s 9th?
The only after Grand Lodge was once Unique Birds And Fruit, which was once produced via Chris Thomas – as he had produced us since House – and we had been at all times in AIR Studios. So all of us fancied a metamorphosis.
Leiber and Stoller took place as a result of I’ve at all times had nice admiration for them as songwriters and manufacturers. And likewise, they’d simply produced Stealers Wheel. And we idea, “Oh, they do pop out of New York and do English teams.” We went to The Who’s Ramport Studio; and at the first day at 8 o’clock, Mike and Jerry mentioned, “We’re going for dinner,” so we mentioned, “Oh, what time will you be again?” They mentioned, “We’re now not coming again.” That was once a surprise as a result of we had been most often there till 4 within the morning.
We had a continuing struggle with them as a result of they’d a listing of latest songs that they sought after us to file. It was once peculiar as it had not anything to do with what all of us will have to were there for. It was once all very disruptive.
And once we’d recorded many of the album we in the end were given to do a Leiber and Stoller music. Chuck Jackson did it initially – I Stay Forgettin.’ Additionally they put just a little little bit of brass on it, which we’d by no means had earlier than. However the most productive factor they did was once Pandora’s Field, which had peculiar instrumentation with a marimba. The best way they’d drawn out the tools, and made them weave out and in of one another, was once magnificent. In reality, they made a success out of it.
After 10 years we had any other 18-minute piece. We’d long gone complete circle… you idea, ‘Wait a minute, we may have misplaced contact right here’
You’ve mentioned you had been shocked that Procol’s final Nineteen Seventies album, One thing Magic, ever were given made.
I don’t assume we had been up for doing it with Leiber and Stoller once more, great guys as they had been. We made it on the finish of 1976 in Miami with any other set of manufacturers – brothers Ron and Howie Albert, who have been making a reputation for themselves.
We went from London immediately to the studio and performed thru one thing like 14 or 16 songs. They mentioned, “Glance, Gary, you’ll be able to take a work of dogshit and you’ll be able to duvet it with chocolate. However whilst you chew into it, what have you were given?”
We will have to have long gone house then. I feel we had been surprised greater than the rest. If we’d been extra mercenary and good, we might have became spherical and mentioned, “You guys can fuck off too.” They mentioned in a while after that, “We wouldn’t also be right here however our boat’s damaged!”
They preferred one of the songs. In spite of everything it was once a co-production, so we weren’t doing the whole lot they’d say. Keith Reid had written an extended tale referred to as The Trojan horse And The Tree and I’d at all times envisaged it as being fairytale-like with melodies and tools depicting the characters. So I performed it to them they usually mentioned, “That’s fascinating.” I’d now not considered making a song it and it ended up being spoken. I orchestrated it and we were given a couple of guys in taking part in strings and woodwinds, beefing it up, after which there was once an album.
We had at all times been at it – classes of writing, classes of recording after which out at the highway. And abruptly, after 10 years, and with our tenth album, we had any other 18-minute piece. We’d long gone complete circle. And whilst you had been taking a look round evaluating that with what else was once happening, you idea, “Wait a minute, we may have misplaced contact right here.” We did an American excursion in 1977 after which everybody mentioned good-bye.
It was once a prime level being in Eric Clapton’s band. To be taking part in when he’s taking part in a solo is one thing else
Outdoor of Procol Harum, in addition to your solo albums, you’ve performed on George Harrison’s All Issues Should Move and Kate Bush’s Aerial, completed classes with Invoice Wyman and Ringo Starr, or even made an look within the 1996 movie Evita. Is there a selected non-Procol Harum second that stands proud for you?
I straight away began up doing every other issues that I’d now not in point of fact been in a position to do as a result of I used to be in Procol Harum. You didn’t point out Kate Bush’s The Crimson Sneakers – I performed on that as smartly, and sang one for The Alan Parsons Venture. I stopped up taking part in on a lot of people’s data, and naturally additionally taking part in reside with bands. So far as prime issues cross, it’s all been a prime level.
It was once a prime level being in Eric Clapton’s band. To be taking part in when he’s taking part in a solo is one thing else, I will inform you. Invoice Wyman’s band, taking part in with one of the nice British musicians – I’m pondering Georgie Reputation and Albert Lee. Additionally with Ringo’s All-Starrs – I used to be with them for 3 years with Jack Bruce, Todd Rundgren, Peter Frampton, Simon Kirke and Ringo, in fact. In order that they’re all prime issues as they’re all extraordinarily other.
Keith Reid’s lyrics for Procol Harum were a an important a part of the gang’s identification. Was once there ever a duty to make use of a selected lyric for a selected music?
No, in no way. I at all times had an entire folder of Reid’s lyrics that didn’t get used. On occasion the theory was once too transient and I couldn’t are compatible it into one thing, or it didn’t spur an concept. Every now and then there could be one thing I preferred, however there could be some phrases in it that I simply couldn’t sing. On occasion Reid simply mentioned, “Oh, k,” and didn’t attempt to alternate it.
There was once some epic sea tale which had a line, ‘And so he walked the plank.’ And I will’t take note what rhymed with it now, however ‘plank’ is unsingable. I did take a look at, however you can not sing ‘plank!’ So it by no means were given completed, that one.
You need to have a definite roughly lyric if it’s going to be a Procol music
Procol Harum’s most up-to-date album, 2017’s Novum, is the primary the place you didn’t collaborate with Reid, however as an alternative labored with Pete Brown. Why is that?
The former album to that, The Smartly’s On Hearth, got here out in 2003 and that’s a very long time in the past. There have been different issues happening – non-public issues, other people being in poor health, court docket instances – so the ambience didn’t encourage you to head and do Procol. I feel Reid misplaced pastime somewhat a very long time in the past.
I spoke to Pete Brown about it two years in the past. I knew Pete from when he was once doing Cream and he simply mentioned, “In case you’re ever pondering of doing one thing undergo me in thoughts. I’d like to give a contribution.” He does what he needs to do, however admires Keith Reid and knew that it’s important to have a definite roughly lyric if it’s going to be a Procol music. He’d alternate a line if it was once too lengthy, with out converting the that means of what he had written. He would have modified ‘plank!’
It’s good to have persisted in a solo occupation, however you revived Procol Harum. Does it have its personal identification?
All of us should be in Procol Harum. It’s now not like we’re 5 blokes who play no matter we would like: we’re Procol Harum and that’s the mothership. After our final exploit, the Novum album, we idea the recording went very easily, so we simply need to cross and do it once more.
There’s a Fb marketing campaign to get Procol Harum inducted into the Rock And Roll Corridor Of Reputation. How vital is that to you?
I will sing higher these days than I did 50 years in the past
I hadn’t in point of fact considered it. In the event that they mentioned that Procol Harum are being inducted within the Rock And Roll Corridor Of Reputation, I may say, “So what?” or, “It’s about time after 50-odd years.” I don’t know what it’s important to do to be within the Rock And Roll Corridor Of Reputation.
I’d have idea that for those who’re nonetheless doing it with elegance and integrity and high quality, you may qualify. I will sing higher these days than I did 50 years in the past, and 50 years later now we have made an album that I stand via with nice pleasure, so I’m doing my bit.
