February 2002: fifth Procol Radio Marathon from UCLA

Guest DJ No 6 at uclaradio.com broadcast his fifth internet Procol Harum marathon on Saturday 23 February from 9am to about 1 pm, California time. As well as a rich spectrum of Procol Harum music, the 5+ hour show featured a brand-new interview with Procol Harum's Keith Reid, a first public airing for some Matthew Fisher unreleased rarities, an interview with BtP's Jens Anders Ravnaas, music from the Palers' Band in Norway, and some special music from LA Procol-fan, Jeremy Gilien.

mp3: introductory proclamation: 'A Man with a Mission'

mp3: DJ No 6 reveals the exciting content of the upcoming programme

From The Prodigal Stranger
Holding On, Man with a Mission, One More Time, A Dream in Ev'ry Home, The King of Hearts

From A Salty Dog …Plus!
All This and More (take 1), The Milk of Human Kindness (take 1), Pilgrim's Progress (take 1), McGreggor, Still there'll be more (take 8)

From Home … Plus!
About to Die (Instrumental takes 1 and 2), Whaling Stories (take 2, instrumental).

mp3: a segment is dedicated to the memory of Clyde 'AJ' Johnson

from The Long Goodbye
Conquistador, Homburg, Grand Hotel, Simple Sister, A Salty Dog, You Can't Turn Back the Page, The Long Goodbye

Keith Reid interview … part one here, text with mp3 extracts; part two here, text with mp3 extracts

From Shine on Brightly … Plus! with a nice dedication (mp3)
In Held 'Twas in I

Interview with Jens Anders Ravnaas from 'Beyond the Pale'

Palers' Band Segment with introductions by number 6, One-Eye and Jeremy Gilien: mp3 here
 

No 6: The second gathering of The Palers' Band took place on 26 May 2001 on the warm southern tip of Norway, in the port of Kristiansand, Scandinavia, home of 'Beyond the Pale'. Four of the musicians you will hear now had played with the previous Palers' Band in Guildford: for others, it was a new experience. Their set was recorded very informally on a tiny Discman, but it sounds great thanks to the excellent PA sound at the Palers' Party. Here's a compilation of the tracks from the Norwegian Palers' Band CD – still available from www.procolharum.com – entitled How Far Can Sailors Fly. It was a buzz for the Palers – mostly coming from Norway and England – to rehearse together in the same building Procol Harum would be using for their own gig. Even more exciting was the fact that the entire band came into the party and sat down to listen just before the opening number. Let's hear the whole of that piece: Shine On Brightly The drummer there, making a fine job of the original part, is Webmaster Jens, whose telephone interview part of this programme earlier. He also plays on the next track, which features the skilful Hammond-playing of Gunnar Stedje ... who had brought the C3 organ and two Leslie speakers all the way from Sogndal by road: Salad Days (Are Here Again) A nice feature of all the Palers' Band gigs has been the great contribution made by some of the younger players: the next track happens to feature two webmasters' sons, Torjus on guitar and Peter on drums. The singer on all these songs has been the excellent Steinar Revheim, who also played drums and guitar during the set: Rambling On One-Eye: The Palers took an unusual decision with the next song, deciding to use only piano and organ, played by Roland and Gunnar. It would be nice to hear this sparse combination used during a real Procol gig, perhaps. Matthew Fisher was heard to remark that the Palers' Band had 'a better Hammond set-up than Procol’: in fact he played Separation on the Palers' stage, and signed the inside of the instrument. At the end of this next track, listen closely for Gary Brooker's amusing remarks: A Rum Tale Jeremy: Gary shouted out, 'Anyone married yet, Roland?' ... referring to the fact that he had played A Rum Tale himself as a guest at the first Palers' Convention, during which two fans listening had arranged to get married!  At this point Procol Harum left the Kristiansand party, to attend to their own soundcheck, and the Palers' Band rounded off their set in style with A Whiter Shade of Pale, sung by Leif-Otto Erikson who enjoyed the experience, the whole experience so much he immediately arranged to join the Palers' Band in Manchester the following month! A Whiter Shade of Pale One-Eye: The CD of How Far Can Sailors Fly features a bonus track from 1973 that was also played at the Palers' Convention. Composed by the Palers' C3 player, Gunnar, it's a song called Yesterday – Tomorrow, played by his band, 'Compact'. Gunnar wrote the music of this song after his first hearing of Procol's Grand Hotel album, and – although it doesn't sound like Procol Harum – you will hear many features of the chords and construction that do hark back to various songs on that great album: Yesterday – Tomorrow No 6: We've listened to songs from all three incarnations of The Palers' Band, and the question must be, when will they meet again? For a change, 'Beyond the Pale' has planned a convention without live music for the big upcoming gig in Croydon UK, in May of this year – and we may be offering tickets for that Procol gig as a prize in the next Procol marathon from UCLAradio.com – but we have to hope that another occasion will soon arise when talented Procol Harum fans can get together again to try their hand at this amazing music.

Matthew Fisher unreleased demos: mp3 here
Twinky Zone, Psychotski, If you don't want my love, Anna

From Essential Robin Trower
Shame the Devil, Hannah, Messin the Blues, Pride, Alethea

Music by special guest, Jeremy Gilien: mp3 here
It Stands to Reason, Few and Far Between

from Black on White by Freedom (with Ray Royer and Bobby Harrison): mp3 here
To be Free, the Better Side, Attraction/Black on White/With you

from Double Bill (Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings)
Long Walk to DC, Hot Foot Blues, Boogie Woogie All Night Long, Turn on Your Love Light, Lonely Blue Boy, Bye Bye Blues, Breakin' Up the House

from Bootleg Kings Live in Europe (Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings): mp3 here
Let the Good Times Roll, Stagger Lee, Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu, Good Golly Miss Molly

from Matthew Fisher's A Salty Dog Returns: mp3 here
Nutcracker, A Whiter Shadow of Pale, The Strange Conversation Continues, G-String, Peter Grump, Sex and Violence, The Downliners Sect Manifesto

from the Best of King Biscuit – Hollywood Bowl: mp3 here
Simple Sister

final tribute to Clyde AJ Johnson and, from The Long Goodbye Symphonic album:
Repent Walpurgis .