The Ghosts of A Whiter Shade of Pale

Chris Roberts in Classic Rock Presents, November 2012 [page 107]

Fascinating biog of the under-appreciated pioneers

Author Sebastian Faulks CBE muses in his afterword how curious it is that Procol Harum aren’t generally as revered as peers like, say, The Floyd or The Who. He wonders if their genre-mixing
made them less easy canon-fodder. If you think Faulks is a snazzy name to bag, the two forewords come from Sir Alan Parker (who riffed on the lyrics of A Whiter Shade of Pale in The Commitments) and Martin Scorsese. Lifelong fan Marty reckons that, “Each tune became a cross-cultural whirligig, a road trip through the pop subconscious.”

Scott-Irvine takes us on a rigorous road trip through the band’s history, from formation and early re-shuffles to the hulking global success of that song, and the way it became both an anthem and an albatross. Rightly, he points out that Gary Brooker and Keith Reid penned many other truly great tracks (often brilliantly sung and played). The main characters are all interviewed, drummer BJ Wilson’s death is mourned and the famed court cases examined.

It’s a sterling tribute to a group who, with their surrealism and soul, did more for the prog cause than is generally recognised.

Thanks, Henry!