Procol Harum's NME coverage ...

8 March, 3 May, 17 May 1969

These excerpts from New Musical Express, kindly selected for 'Beyond the Pale' by Yan Friis, feature a late review of Shine On Brightly, and the welcome return of Procol Harum to play on British soil.

NME March 8, 1969

Front page: Full page ad for The Small Faces’ Afterglow Of Your Love / Wham Bam Thank You Man (made up of newspapers clippings regarding rumours of a Small Faces split).

Headlines:

HIT ALBUM DIFFERENT FROM LIVE SHOWS, say TEN YEARS AFTER
by Richard Green

THREE SIDES OF JAGGER
by Marianna Fathfull / Les Perrin / Jimmy Miller

WORKING 13 HOURS A DAY, 6 DAYS A WEEK THIS IS… TOM JONES
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF…
by Nick Logan

STARS THE FANS LOVED TO HATE
the MOVE STORY
by Nick Logan

Tipped for the charts by Derek Johnson
Aretha Franklin, The Weight
Lulu, Boom Bang-A-Bang
Tremeloes, Hello World

NME Top 5

1. ( 1) Where Do You Got To, Peter Sartstedt
2. ( 2) Half As Nice, Amen Corner
3. ( 3) I’m Gonna Make You Love Me, Diana Ross & the Supremes & the Temptations
4. ( 8) The Way It Used To Be, Engelbert Humperdinck
5. (16) Surround Yourself With Sorrow, Cilla Black

News pages:

SEVEN BRITISH POP NAMES COMBINE U.S. PACKAGE
(excerpt)
One of the most impressive British pop packages ever assembled for the U.S. market – comprising the Who, Joe Cocker, Procol Harum, Ten Years After, Jethro Tull, Jeff Beck and Terry Reid – begins a 17-city concert tour of America in early July…

LPs by Allen Evans

****PROCOL HARUM: SHINE ON BRIGHTLY (Regal Zonophone SLRZ 1004)

A most enigmatic group are Procol Harum. They would seem to have deserted the British shores for America when they are held in high esteem by more astute sections of the US pop scene. It is ironic though that the Procols should have exerted such an influence on the Band and their Big Pink album, which in turn has been a major force in British pop thinking. The first Procol’s album was illuminating and good. So is this. The old firm of Brooker-Reid combine to write most of the tracks with help from Matthew Fisher.

Other titles: Shine On Brightly, Skip Softly (My Moonbeams), Wish Me Well, Rambling On, Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone), Quite Rightly So and In Held Twas I (sic) (which is in five parts).

Missing in action: NME April 5, 1969

NME May 3, 1969

Front page: Full page ad for Sandie Shaw’s Think It All Over (Pye) and Heathmore’s Home Isn’t Home Anymore (Pye).

Headlines:

I PESTERED EVE TO PROMOTE MY SUPER HEATHMORE – SANDIE
by Nick Logan
(Sandie being Sandie Shaw)

BEATLES MUSIC STRAIGHTFORWARD ON NEXT ALBUM
by John Lennon / Alan Smith

NMExclusive at London Airport to welcome BOB and EARL
THEY’D FORGOTTEN ALL ABOUT HARLEM
by Gordon Coxhill

NMExclusive, The continuing story of the BEE GEES family rampus…
BARRY SAYS ROBIN 'EXTREMELY RUDE’
by Nick Logan

Tipped for the charts by Derek Johnson
Tom Jones, Love Me Tonight
Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, Snake In The Grass

NME Top 5
1. ( 3) Get Back, The Beatles
2. ( 2) Goodbye, Mary Hopkin
3. ( 1) The Israelites, Desmond Dekker
4. ( 6) Pinball Wizard, Who
5. (10) Come Back And Shake Me, Clodagh Rodgers

News pages

HARUM COME HOME
After almost a year in America, Procol Harum returns to Britain later this month for a series of personal and TV appearances. First British booking is a free open-air concert at London’s Parliament Hill Fields on May 18, and other dates include London Roundhouse (June 1) and Birmingham Mothers (7). Further British and Continental dates are being set by agent Barry Dickens.

NME May 17, 1969

Fron page: Photos from the annual Poll Winner’s concert: Lulu, Steve Ellis, Hank Marvin, Cliff Richard, Robin Gibb and Andy Fairweather-Low.

Headlines:

Nick Logan talks to the INCREDIBLE ANDERSON
…one day he must become a Superstar
(Ian Anderson, that is)

Tamla – is it just one BIG HAPPY FAMILY?
DIANA – SUPREMES BREAK UP?
She wants to produce and act
by Alan Smith

NME POLLWINNERS SHOW TOPS ’EM ALL!
By Alan Smith / Nick Logan

Tipped for the charts by Nick Logan
Edwin Hawkins Singers, Oh Happy Day

NME Top 5
1. ( 1) Get Back, Beatles
2. ( 3) Come Back And Shake Me, Clodagh Rodgers
3. ( 2) Goodbye, Mary Hopkin
4. ( 9) My Sentimental Friend, Herman’s Hermits
5. ( 5) Pinball Wizard, Who

WHO’S WHERE
(excerpt)
PROCOL HARUM, SOFT MACHINE, BLOSSOM TOES: Parliament Hill Fields (18).

News pages
FOLLOW-UPS BY AMEN, DEAN, NOEL

Monkees, Sinatra, Nina, Andy, Aretha albums
(excerpt)
Out the same day (Friday 23) is Bob and Earl’s Dancin’ Everywhere (B & C) and Procol Harum’s Salty Dog (Regal Zonophone)…

AMERICA CALLING
by June Harris
(excerpt)
Just as big (as Woodstock), and of equal importance, is the Atlantic City Pop Festival, which has been set fot three days from August 1.

With so many names attending this one, the programme has already been broken down with Iron Butterfly, Crosby Stills and Nash, Procol Harum, Johnny Winter, Booker T and the MGs opening the event on Friday, August 1 …