Red State
Gary Brooker, who as leader of veteran, English progressive rockers Procol Harum paved the genre’s path in the latter 1960s with his Bach-infused “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” and decades of subsequent work mixing multi-faceted, esoteric flavorings, English folk, and American blues, has passed away from cancer. Brooker’s death was on February 19th, but was not publicly announced until the 22nd. Brooker was 76. More
I was always more a fan of “Conquistador” – Dr. Tar
Always been on my play list!
One of my favorites – Live in Denmark 2006 with full orchestra and choir:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St6jyEFe5WM
RIP Gary Brooker. “Whiskey Train,” Robin Trower on guitar.
Prom 1975…song “whiter shade of pale”…Prom King Delford Simpson…Delford was blacker then Coley’s asshole in the bottom of a coal mine…laughter abounded
Procol Harum? Aren’t they that group of Muslims who kidnapped all those Christian girls in Africa about 10 years ago?
Never cared for that song.
We’re going to see a lot of rockers die in the very near future. Just honor their legacies. Except Neal Young and Joannie Mitchell’s. Fuck those 2.
Mr. Kakalogical is a big Procol Harum fan.
That Denmark concert @pianamusic linked to is very good!
Or a paler shade of white…..
April of ‘72 I just turned 15 and was delivering the morning papers when I spotted an envelope by the side of the road with 2 Procol Harum tickets. I remember they were $4.50 each. My folks wouldn’t let me go so I ended up selling them to my buddies older brother for ten bucks. R.I.P. Gary Brooker
I remember Percy Sledge doing “Whiter Shade” back in 60’s and have always thought PH was covering. Youtube has Percy version, but his Wikipedia bio doesn’t even mention it. Any amateur historians around to enlighten me?
RIP
Didn’t know the names of any of those guys (Procol Harum) but enjoyed their music.
mortem tyrannis
izlamo delenda est …
Or, as Anonymous wood rite:
Dent not no da Nam uh dem gize buh joint there muzik … at.
Thanks for the music Gary.
I read that John Lennon had a record player installed in his Rolls Royce with a special gimbal/gyroscope system, and that he would play Whiter Shade of Pale obsessively.
Mark Lanegan of the Screaming Trees died yesterday too. Great singer.
He’s not only getting paler but he’s losing weight as well.
Whiter Shade of Pale has one of the most moving melodies I’ve ever heard in a pop song. From the time I was a kid listening to it on the radio, I would start to tear up. Don’t know why
Believe it or not, there was a disco version back in the late 1970’s of A Whiter Shade of Pale by an English chick named Chris Bennet. She posed nude for the album cover, looking white, pale, and ghastly. However, her great knockers made a guy forget that she looked white as a corpse. I used to stare at that cover and boogie down.
:Reads incomprehensible thread, holds computer upside down, scratches head:
Q. What other 60’s hit had a Bach tune (fugue, whatever) in it?
A. A Lover’s Concerto.
One of the first bands to effectively us a philharmonic orchestra to their advantage.
DANG
Now I gotta put my headphones on and immerse myself in some PH music.
@TimBuktu. I’d boogie down to that too. https://youtu.be/lH_y5KWaeW0
I had no idea what that song is about but I really liked it. RIP Gary. PS I’m sorry I missed the Meat Loaf thread. I have been a fan since BOOH dropped. RIP Meat
@AssieLover ~ it’s based on a story in the ‘Canterbury Tales” by Chaucer
don’t bother looking it up … it’s in Middle English, hardly understandable & astonishly boring
I tried to get into it … I swear! I really, really did!
all in all, a pleasant tune, ‘but nothing to get hung about’ … Bach needs to sue …
RIP Mr Brooker. I very much enjoyed PH.