December 2001: Procol Radio Marathon from UCLA

including Geoff Whitehorn interview

This was indeed a marathon marathon! DJ No 6 was scheduled for four hours, but he was still playing Procol items (and the Paramounts, and Liquorice John Death, and Brooker, Fisher and Trower solo pieces, and Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings!) some five-and-a-half hours after the programme went on air. See the full playlist below:

• The undoubted highlight was a very relaxed and interesting interview with Geoff Whitehorn, who revealed himself as the luckiest fan alive, one who gets to play professionally with a band he has followed since their very first record. 'It's my favourite gig,' Geoff explained … which, given the stellar roster he has performed alongside, is no trivial endorsement. Among many other things, Geoff talked about progress on his new solo album, which has been in preparation since 1994 ('I'm looking forward to starting!'); and he demonstrated a heartening longing to be part of another Procol Harum studio album, while remaining as uncertain as the rest of us as to the likelihood of such a thing ever occurring: 'It's up to Gary and Keith and Matthew …'
• Another source of great interest was the first-ever (we imagine) public broadcast of performances by The Palers' Band. No 6 played a nifty sequence of Palers' Band excerpts, entitled Guildford Splinters, from the 2000 Palers' Convention, offering a Broken Barricades CD to the first person to mail in with the full and correct track listing. This was promptly won by Bryan Maun of Burton-upon-Trent in the UK (congratulations!) and will be winging its way thither shortly. The full songlist was: Still There'll Be More, Toujours l'Amour, A Whiter Shade of Pale, Lime Street Blues, Salad Days (Are Here Again), Fires (Which Burnt Brightly), Nothing But the Truth, Conquistador, A Christmas Camel, Wreck of the Hesperus, Ghost Train, The Dead Man's Dream, The Thin End of the Wedge, Long Gone Geek, Pandora's Box, Boredom, Kaleidoscope, Good Captain Clack, Mabel, Grand Hotel, and This Old Dog.
• A further one-off item was a telephone conversation with Roland Clare, who spoke about the formation and nature of the Palers' Band, his impressions of the brief Guildford rehearsal, and about the origins of 'Beyond the Pale' and his collaboration with Jens Anders Ravnaas. "I loved your interview," wrote one listener, "but you would make a shitty politician! You tell the truth!"

Playlist

From The first PH album … plus!
Good Captain Clack, Homburg (original)

From Bootleg Kings Ride Again
Lead Me to the Water, I'll Be Satisfied

From Exotic Birds and Fruit
Nothing but the Truth, Beyond the Pale, As Strong as Samson, The Idol, The Thin End of the Wedge, Fresh Fruit, Butterfly Boys, New Lamps for Old

Geoff Whitehorn Interview

From Echoes in the Night
Echoes in the Night, Ghost Train, Mr. Blue Day, Saw the Fire, The Long Goodbye, Trick of the Night, Summer Nights (bonus track)

Interview with Roland from 'Beyond the Pale'

From Nothing But the Sea Between Us (The Palers' Band)
Guilford Splinters (sixteen-minute medley)

From Matthew Fisher:
Can't You Feel My Love, Why'd I have to Fall in Love With You, Looking for Shelter, Anna, Running from your Love

From The Paramounts at Abbey Road
Kansas City

From Procol's Ninth
Fool's Gold, Taking the Time, The Unquiet Zone, The Final Thrust, I Keep Forgetting, Without a Doubt, The Piper's Tune, Typewriter Torment

From One More Time
A Salty Dog, Whaling Stories, All Our Dreams Are Sold, Repent Walpurgis

From Robin Trower's Essential
Too Rolling Stoned, Lady Love, Bridge of Sighs, Daydream

From Gary Brooker's Lead Me to the Water
Mineral Man, Another Way, Hang on Rose, Home Loving, The Cycle, Lead Me to the Water, The Angler, Low Flying Birds, Symphathy for the Hard of Hearing

From Bootleg Kings Ride Again
Mystery Train, Baby You Got What it Takes, I'll Be Satisfied (again)

From The Paramounts at Abbey Road
Poison Ivy, I Feel Good All Over, Bad Blood, Chills and Fever, Little Bitty Pretty One, A Certain Girl, Stupidity, It Won't Be Long, Pride and Joy, Do I, I'm the One Who Loves You, Hey Little Girl, You've Got What I Want, Turn on Your Love Light, Blue Ribbons, Cuttin' In, Baby I'm Yours, Don't You Like My Love, Draw Me Closer, You Never Had It So Good, Freedom, Breathless, Brand New Cadillac, Matchbox, and Shopping for Clothes (which is exactly what number 6 did after the marathon, for Mrs Number 6's Christmas gift!)

Another fine showing by Procol Harum's prime on-air champion, DJ No 6. Come back to this page soon … still there'll be more!