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From Shadow to Shadow Biographies of the players |
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Tracklisting | Order the album The Palers' Project is an international affair: the 40
tracks on From Shadow to Shadow involve over 70 |
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From Shadow to Shadow Biographies of the players |
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Tracklisting | Order the album The Palers' Project is an international affair: the 40
tracks on From Shadow to Shadow involve over 70 |
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Who |
Biographical note |
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Marcel Heard on B 1 |
West Africa native Marcel is a percussionist whose professional career has taken him from Ivory Coast and Senegal to Paris and Washington DC, featuring stints with Manu Dibango and Aster Aweke among others. He arrived on the LA music scene in 1992. |
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Jon Heard on B 5 |
Born into a musical family in 1979 at Bath, UK, Jon has been playing since he was eleven or so, and took his trombone diploma at age seventeen. He plays with Tenbones, the London-based trombone ensemble, who have played the Royal Albert Hall from time to time, and he learnt his trade in the Cory competitive band in Wales. Biggest musical influences in the brass world are the trombonists Dudley Bright and Ian Bousfield. |
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Alan Heard on A 17 |
Born in Gateshead in 1951, Alan started playing the guitar in 1968, inspired by the Beatles and Beach Boys, and with great respect for Richard Thompson and Dave Swarbrick. His ears were opened to folk-rock in 1969 with Fairport's Liege and Lief album, and he branched out into playing many instruments, and also made quite a few. He moved from North-East to South-West, working in Art and Design in Bristol. From the mid 80s he played in an occasional band with Roland Clare that made a point of never using the same name twice, rather calling itself after the location of the gig: Fairford Convention, Leddington Zeppelin etc etc. Alan admires the Trower end of the Procol repertoire particularly, though his Blue Moon trio ('music for special occasions') plays A Whiter Shade of Pale. He also plays bass, fiddle and guitar in a four-piece folk band called Coldnose, and writes and records using computers and synths. His main gig, however, is with Ceilídh band The Somerset Levellers (previously 'The Levellers' until the famous Levellers made it big) in which he plays fiddle, guitar, bass and sings. |
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Bob [US] Heard on A 11 |
Originally from Virginia, Bob Banks (voice/words) was part of the three-man, singer-songwriter team that was San Francisco's LaRue. He moved to Europe, where he died in early 2006: read his memorial notice here. |
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George Heard on A 10 |
George, 53 , is a musician / teacher in his hometown of Peterborough, On, Canada. In the 70s he toured Canada with many rock / R&B pub bands, the most notable being 'odd psycho-billy' band Max Mouse and the Gorillas, who garnered positive reviews in Melody Maker, and Prog. cover band Anthem, and in the 80s, EXP. In 1980, George played keys on Klaatu's Magentalane album (Capitol / EMI), which eventually (1990) led to him going to the UK to record demos and play pool with Klaatu engineer / guitarist Dee Long at his studio in Hammerwood Park, Sussex. At that time Dee was working with George Martin at AIR Studios, London.George has explored the UK / Europe extensively on foot and bicycle, while photographing his travels. Classically trained on piano, he also plays a killer B3, Mellotron, and electric guitar inspired by the likes of Robin Trower, Paul Kossof, etc ... Trawling his website will reveal mp3s of his multi-instrumental CDs. His music is best described as 'early prog. Keyboards happily married to British-bluesy guitar, all with a decidedly Gothic bent'. |
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Donna [US] Heard on A 8 |
Donna was born in the Bronx, NY, and is currently teaching Yoga in Raleigh, NC. She has been singing since the age of ten, when she attended convent school and was taught to sing by the nuns. Her first exposure to Procol Harum was when her dear friend, Larry Pennisi, played the record A Salty Dog for her in his basement when she was a teenager. After years (which will go uncounted) of singing in rock bands, she is in the process of writing and collecting songs for her first solo project. She may also be heard on Lost in the Looking-Glass, track A 17 |
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John [UK] Heard on A 12 |
John currently sings and plays bass guitar with In 2 Deep. He has previously played with many bands including (Mickey Jupp’s) Legend (appearing on two albums, the Red Boot LP and Moonshine). He also worked with The Fingers in the 60s and obscure Fingers' tracks turn up fairly regularly on psychedelic compilations. He is a regular with Hunt, Runt, Shunt and Cunningham: he enjoys the repertoire of this long-standing Rock and Roll band that also features Denis Masterton (from In 2 Deep) and Mick Brownlee (ex -Paramounts). NB Mick still insists that he has now retired from drumming. One of John’s earliest bands was a re-formed version of The Orioles (with Mickey Jupp) who were named by ... Gary Brooker. |
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de [Brazil] Heard on A 7,B 5 |
Luiz de Boni was born in São Paulo, Brazil, in 1959. He made his first stage appearance at the age of nine, at his sister's school graduation party, when he sang A Whiter Shade of Pale accompanying himself on acoustic guitar. His musical career began in 1972 as the bassist in a band called Cia. Iltda ('Unlimited Company') with school friends. In 1976 he switched to keyboards and since then has played with many Brazilian artists and rock groups, like Tom Zé, RPM, Mutantes and O Terço. This last is the main Brazilian progressive rock group, and De Boni recorded three CDs with them between from 1991 to 1996 (some of these are available on Musea, the French progressive label). One of these, LIVE at PALACE – 93, was recorded live in a major music hall in São Paulo, and O Terço played their best music with a symphony orchestra. In 1980 de Boni opened his own recording studio in São Paulo (new studio) where he works to this day as composer of TV and radio commercial music, and also as producer for several groups and artists of various styles including samba, Bossa Nova, rock, blues and progressive rock. With a business friend he ran the Brazilian Progressive Rock label Record Runner from 1991–1995. His favourite group, of course, is Procol Harum; the dream he would like to realise is to bring them to São Paolo and Rio de Janeiro for a series of concerts! He may also be heard on Lost in the Looking-Glass, tracks A 1, B 9 and B 16 |
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Elizabeth [US] Heard on B 3 |
Elizabeth (born 1960) started playing the flute at the age of eight, and after moving through most of the woodwind family, started playing piano at the age of fourteen and actually stuck with it. She was a classical piano major in college for about two years, but experienced increasing difficulties performing in front of an audience: around this time she started writing her own songs. She has loved music for as long as she can remember: some of her favourite music is Procol Harum, Brahms, Dv ořák, late 60s / early 70s R&B, Paul Weller / The Jam, Duke Ellington, Vaughan Williams, U2, Elton John, the Beatles and Tchaikovsky.Elizabeth was born in El Cajon, California and raised in Columbia, Maryland. She met her husband in California, and they presently live in Elkridge, Maryland. |
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Beatle Heard on A 8 |
Jerald Wayne Buck, born in Raleigh NC in 1966, acquired the nickname 'Beatle' from his older siblings when he used to dance to the Fab Four when still in his crib. He took up the guitar at the age of ten, starting his first band, Middle Earth, when he was fourteen. He has also played with DWI, Funky Monkey, and Wicked Adèle; he recorded an EP in the mid 90s with Spur of the Moment. His current band (with Donna Blue) is called Rock Show, playing largely Led Zeppelin music; Zep, along with The Beatles and Rush, are his main influences. |
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Mike [US] Heard on A 8 |
'Sticks, licks, tricks and a bag of chips …'… Michael 'Bam Bam' Callahan played over two thousand shows with the band Ice Water Mansion during the 80s, and later played with Jet Records' recording artist Madam X. Most recently he played David Lee Roth in a Van Halen tribute band named Fair Warning. He now lives in the woods in Johnston County, NC. |
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Sam [UK] Heard on B 16 |
Allegedly an economist, Sam was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, but grew up in Carrickfergus until he migrated to England in 1979. 'A lifetime dedicated to avoiding singing or playing instruments. This was marked by some failures (not getting kicked out of the school choir) and successes (being found trying to play the recorder aged twelve with the cleaning brush inside it). Despite this a reasonable wodge of musical education was forced in me at the ages of ten to fourteen at school with no apparent result. 'I am currently working on an album of minimalist intentions which uses a lot of different piano and organ sounds along with found sounds (children on trains, scrunched-up cellophane, my toilet being flushed, street dialogue and so on). This is called Acorns Wearing Masks in honour of the thematic idea – ie take ten or twenty seconds of a musical passage I accidentally wrote and think "Well there's no point developing that like Bach or Beethoven would (whether I can or not) so let's see if we can repermutate in multiple morphoses to see if it can make a piece that works without adding any more melodies." 'I will eventually complete an album of proper songs albeit a little bit electronica although sung by me in a non-electronica kind of way (ie moaningly). The title is Lo Fi No Talent and two of the tracks will be William Blake's The Human Abstract and an adaptation of Ogden Nash's The Sunset Years of Samuel Shy which seems to have a four part harmony introduction by me which is probably a good reason for this never to be finished.' Sam may also be heard on Lost in the Looking-Glass, tracks A 4, B 8, B 17 |
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Jane [UK] Heard on A 20,B 2, B 20 |
Jane (born 1982) studies History of Art in Norwich, where she also plays in various orchestras and sings in choirs. She busked in France at the age of five, and made her first CD with the band Overland in 2000. She fulfilled one ambition by leaving school with Grade VIII in piano, singing and violin. Her most prestigious appearance to date was on a bill with the Bootleg Beatles at Longleat, with the Marquis of Bath eyeing up potential 'wifelets' in her string quartet; her most nerve-racking gig was singing the Ooh-la-las in Fires (Which Burnt Brightly) in the Palers' Band, with Gary Brooker listening. She may also be heard on Lost in the Looking-Glass, tracks A 2, A 9, B 12, B 15 |
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Linda [UK] Heard on B 16,B 20 |
Born in 1953, Linda learnt the piano from an early age, later taking up the 'cello as well. She trained as an orchestral percussionist and gave many concerts on timpani and xylophone (she still harbours an orchestral xylophone, which comes out on high days and holidays); she has played three gigs with the Palers' Band. Once a primary teacher, she now teaches music from home in Bristol, specialising in accompanying as well as piano and music theory. She attended her first Procol Harum concert in 1971 (though the band themselves didn't) and has seen them twenty-odd times since; one of her best musical memories is of a day at the Barbican in 1996, at the Procol rehearsals and subsequent concert with the LSO. She is very glad to join the rest of her musical family on this recording. |
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Peter [UK] Heard on A 3,A 20, B 2, B 17, B 20 |
Peter (born 1986) made his musical début at the age of five as an onstage percussionist in an open-air production of Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale, though he first sat behind a kit in 2001. He has Grade VIII in piano and trumpet, but writes on guitar and bass – he is expecting his first royalty cheque any day now for a track on the 'Phoenix' compilation of local bands' work. He has played these instruments, and the drums, with the Palers' Band in England and Norway: he currently drums for False Dawn and plays trumpet in a Bristol outfit, The Renegades of Funk. His favourite musicians are Dave Grohl, BJ Wilson and Louis Armstrong. Peter may also be heard on Lost in the Looking-Glass, tracks A 6 and B 12 |
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Roland [UK] Heard on A 2,A 3, A 4, A 17, A 20, B 5, B 16, B 17, B 20 |
Formerly MD of the Cambridge University Light Ents Soc, then of a Midlands travelling theatre company, Roland (born 1953) was taught the piano by his aunt, Joan Clare, whose great-grandfather had been musician-in-ordinary to Queen Victoria for 44 years. His musical favourites include Richard Thompson, the McGarrigles, and Pascal leFeuvre (this last engendering his eighteen-month affair with a hurdy-gurdy named Lady Jane). Now a teacher of English by profession, he has played Procol tunes on various instruments since his first group in 1967, and has written CD- and DVD- liner notes, and concert programmes, at the band's request. His theatre work include scores for Twelfth Night and The Winter’s Tale as well as original pieces, and his songs include settings of Edward Lear, Lewis Carroll, and Stevie Smith. His through-composed musical The Mystery of Mary Celeste played in 1993 in his home town of Bristol UK; a little cantata, The Wakefield Shepherds' Carol, had its public première at St George's, Bristol in 1997. He gets hired for theatre pit work from time to time, and is occasional guest bassist with the Bristol University Sinfonia. He has been convener four times for The Palers' Band, and has overseen the two 2CD collections from The Palers' Project; he is one of the webmasters of 'Beyond the Pale'. A happy musical memory involves busking Grand Finale as a duet with Gary Brooker on the family Steinway.He may also be heard on Lost in the Looking-Glass, tracks A 2, A 6, A 10, A 18, B 4, B 8, B 12, B 15 and B 19 |
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Antonio Heard on A 16,B 5 |
50 years old, Antonio engages in several activities: his secret for
being a lawyer and a showman at the same time (as well as being a critic
for Musica e Dischi, a national magazine) stands in doing each
thing at the right moment ... another secret is reading Zen philosophy. One of his works is a collection of eight songs titled Come Fregoli, which he dreams of hearing sung by some voice of national relevance. From 1969–1974 Antonio was part of the group 'I Fuochi Fatui' ('The Will-o'the-Wisps'). In 1975 he first played Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar; the show was resurrected fifteen years later with the group 'La Goccia', and he currently plays Pilate. He may also be heard on Lost in the Looking-Glass, track B 18 |
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Ronnie [US] Heard on B 8 |
Born and raised in Manhattan, Ronnie started playing guitar in 1965 at the age of ten. He began singing and playing, including bass guitar, professionally in 1972. He grew up listening to 1960s pop music. For the past two decades he has played guitar with Tommy Makem, of The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem fame, in concerts, recordings, TV shows, and on the stage.Ronnie's credits include an appearance on the Rosie O'Donnell Show, TV commercial jingles, and six PBS shows with Tommy Makem (where he performed with Judy Collins and Eric Weissberg of Dueling Banjos fame). He has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Guinness Fleadh at Randall's Island, Lisner Auditorium, Washington DC, and Mechanics Hall, Worcester, MA. Ronnie also produced the album, Live At the Irish Pavilion, a favorite among Makem fans. He recently performed for President Clinton at the Friar's Club in NYC. His song, Falling for Love, was recorded by The Carpenters in 1981. Ronnie lives in Hicksville, NY, with his wife and two young sons. He has his own original and classic rock band called 'The Rock Club'. He has recently released a children's album of original songs, Try Out a Song on Homburg Records. In 2003 Ronnie interviewed Gary Brooker backstage at the IMAC theater in Huntington NY. |
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Penny [Australia] Heard on B 7 |
Penny Davies was born in Nottingham, England. In 1966 she emigrated to Australia with her family (as a 'ten pound pom'). She began her musical career in 1972, as a singer in various New South Wales folk groups. She met songwriting partner Roger Ilott at a Rusty Dusty Brothers gig in 1976 and they married in 1980. Audio Engineering studies and a BA in Communications followed and Penny and Roger set up Restless Music’s Sydney recording studio in 1983 and made their first album. Penny began writing song lyrics during her time as a student and discovered that Roger was the perfect collaborator with his evocative tunes and tasteful musical arrangements. Penny Davies is known all over Australia for her performances of songs such as Bill Scott’s Where The Cane Fires Burn. She has worked as a session singer on numerous albums produced at Restless Music, both in Sydney and in Stanthorpe, Queensland, where Roger and Penny moved, lock, stock, studio, dogs and barrel in 1987. The albums Penny has made with Roger since 1983 (fifteen to date), have received Australia-wide acclaim. Her poetry has been published in several Australian literary magazines and in two anthologies. Her major musical influences have been the traditional folk music she heard as a child in England, and the singing and songwriting of Sandy Denny and Joni Mitchell. |
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Allen [US] Heard on A 6,B 2, B 5 |
'One-Eye' was born in LA in 1950, and still lives there with his wife and two daughters. A Certified Shorthand Reporter, he has owned his own agency for 25 years and is a Fellow of the Academy of Professional Reporters. Schooled in accordion at a young age, he played orchestral percussion on various classical recordings. Piano lessons and some (still unrecorded) songwriting followed, then roadie work and co-managing for cover band The Pontoons, for whom he also did vocal arrangements ... opening for the likes of Oingo Boingo and Van Halen. He retired from music until joining the third Palers' Band in Manchester. He first heard AWSoP in May 1967 and badgered record stores prior to every album release thereafter. Most memorable moments include sneaking into the 1973 Hollywood Bowl rehearsal the evening prior to the show, walking out of the Anaheim Convention Center arm-in-arm with his wife singing Piggy Pig Pig, and a seven-city PH tour in 1993 – to say nothing of a seventeen-date stint, across three continents, with the band in 2003. He co-organised the LA Palers' convention, and has fond memories of the Paler parties in the UK, including two all-nighters in the bar with Dave Ball. He may also be heard on Lost in the Looking-Glass, track A 8 |
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John [UK] Heard on B 17,B 20 |
John was born in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire in 1955, and has entertained people in a variety of guises: actor, cabaret performer, folk-singer, writer. He currently works as a professional story-teller in the Midlands. His work includes two plays for BBC Radio 4, several CDs of topical and political satires, and his solo story-telling performance, Breton Tales after Dark, currently touring the UK. His tracks on this CD were recorded when his tour hit Bristol.A trained voice, John accompanies himself on a great variety of left-handed guitars; he first saw Procol Harum on Top of the Pops and was taken aback by Matthew's habit and cowl ... his ultimate Procol moment was Gary Brooker singing AWSoP with Pete Townshend at the Prince's Trust gig in 1982. John is shortly releasing a CD of Breton Tales: more details at his website. Despite all evidence to the contrary, he remains a staunch Dylan fan. His offstage hobbies include doing The Guardian crossword, protesting, and asking Julie if his new material is any good ... |
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Dennis [US] Heard on A 2 |
I was born 16 June 1949 in the USA, and have been a full-time musician since 1974: I've played with some famous guys. Musical highlights: all the Procol Harum shows I've seen, Old and New Testaments. (Personal musical highlight: playing the first 'Farm Aid' in the US for 105,000 people). My musical influences: the usual – Gary Brooker, Bill Monroe, and Brian Jones. |
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Christopher [US] Heard on A 9 |
Christopher Forbes (age 41) has been making music with his brother for fifteen years, initially in a progressive rock band called 'The Others'. When they switched the name to 'Kaleidoscope Symphony' they landed a contract with Stardust records in 1991. This was followed by the release of a full-length CD on the Stardust label, King of the Sky. In accordance with the needs of the label, this release was instrumental. The sound was primarily orchestral with a mix of acoustic guitar, piano and organ. After this Christopher pursued his passion for films, in 2001 writing and directing his first feature, Resurrection Mary. This was followed in 2002 by another feature film, The Notorious Colonel Steel. Although the credits of these films do not mention 'Kaleidoscope Symphony', the music in both projects was created primarily by Christopher and Ken. Another feature film is in the works, and it will no doubt once again include the musical works of Christopher and Ken Forbes. Procol Harum became a large part of Christopher's life when he bought The Best of LP after hearing Simple Sister on FM radio in the mid-70s. This was followed soon after with the purchase of Live with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Grand Hotel and Something Magic. Both Ken and Chris are avid fans of the Procol canon, and were thrilled to be able to see the band live when they opened for Jethro Tull in Atlanta, GA in the early 90s. |
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Ken [US] Heard on A 9 |
Ken Forbes (age 37) has been making music with his brother for fifteen years, initially in a progressive rock band called 'The Others'. When they switched the name to 'Kaleidoscope Symphony' they landed a contract with Stardust records in 1991. This was followed by the release of a full-length CD on the Stardust label, King of the Sky. In accordance with the needs of the label, this release was instrumental. The sound was primarily orchestral with a mix of acoustic guitar, piano and organ. Ken Forbes went on to form 'Space Station Lounge', a trippy folk-rock band, with former 'Others' drummer Mike DeBernardin. Christopher pursued a couple of film projects: the music in both was created primarily by Christopher and Ken. Procol Harum became a large part of Christopher's life from the mid seventies, and Ken couldn't help but be influenced by the music that his older brother was listening to. Both are avid fans of the Procol canon, and were thrilled to be able to see the band live when they opened for Jethro Tull in Atlanta, GA in the early 90s. |
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Les [US] Heard on B 15 |
Born and raised in New York City, Les Fradkin has found success as a recording artist, composer and producer. He wrote well known #1 French hit Song of A Thousand Voices for Mireille Mathieu, which has sold over 4.5 million copies to date. He played guitar, bass, mellotron, and piano on dozens of hits throughout the early 1970s; he was 12-string guitarist, bassist and producer in legendary underground psychedelic rock group, The Godz, recording several albums for ESP Disk. Gary Brooker co-guests on one of these, albeit pseudonymously. In 1976 Les was cast as George Harrison in the Broadway musical Beatlemania, going on to play Los Angeles and Chicago over two and a half years. Now residing in Colorado, Les has lately released Reality – The Rock Opera, a symphonic rock CD about life in contemporary business, social and pop culture today. It gives a panoramic sweep of many important contemporary life issues today: Reality TV, marriage, corporate America, job downsizing, obsolescence and retirement. It contains quite a dose of 'newly composed classical music'.Les has appeared on numerous television shows in the USA, and describes his influences as Electric Light Orchestra, The Moody Blues, Procol Harum, Yes, Asia, The Beatles, The Byrds, The Move, King Crimson, Robert Fripp, Love, Renaissance, The Pretty Things, The Left Banke, Bach, Mozart, Telemann and Vivaldi. 20th Century Guitar Magazine called Les: 'The Phil Spector of the new millennium ... a master multi-instrumentalist ... a self-contained one-man rock orchestra.' |
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Alberto [Italy] Heard on A 16 |
Born in Novara (Italy) in 1959, Alberto now lives in Pavia, working as a vascular surgeon in a private hospital. In addition to medicine he is engaged in several activities: an old music fan and collector, he writes CD-reviews on internet music-sites and plays guitar in a newborn rock-group. Guitar is a great passion, and Al played in the 80s with local bands such as ARKE (jazz-rock style group) and High Flying Storm (hard rock band with Antonio Costa Barbé too). He worked in the past as advisor for several record-labels in realising CD-collector series. Currently he is active in writing novels, books and movie reviews on various internet pages. |
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Alan [UK] Heard on B 6 |
Alan originates from Sunderland, from a family of many musicians, and learnt classical piano from his mother and grandfather before moving on to music theory. The latter made him popular as a band member because he could listen to a track and write out the chords! His first instrument is piano, and his first gig was at the age of thirteen to a bunch of skinheads playing Free songs on an upright …and surviving the evening. He then taught himself guitar, bass and drums, involving himself in projects as diverse as drumming for a Glenn Miller band, performing at folk clubs and singing in choirs: see his website.In the eighties and nineties, Alan was a member of ‘Badgers Sett’, a four-piece contemporary folk band based west of London. They played many live venues from folk clubs to the National Beer Festival and provided support to Acoustic Fairport Convention, Show of Hands, Pyewackett, Whippersnapper, Fred Wedlock and more. Alan is also a member of ‘Last Resort’, a five-piece rock outfit, who again have performed many gigs, including support to the Nashville Teens, and have also taken on the mantle of the Tremeloes for a night with Lenny Hawkes fronting. Over the past three years, Alan has recorded three solo albums of his own songs, mainly rock, folk, blues and ballads, and is currently working on his fourth album, bringing his tally of recorded original songs to around sixty. This has involved multi-tracking keyboards, bass, guitars, drums and vocals, and he uses the interesting recording technique of laying down the drums last with fingerpads, giving a tight but live feel to his music. This brings us full circle to Procol Harum, as Alan remembers being reprimanded at school for drumming his fingers on the desk and singing Long Gone Geek during his Chemistry 'O' level exam! |
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George [US] Heard on A 11 |
'The Monster' George 'Guts' Gearhardt was one of the San Francisco musicians who used to play back-up to the singer / song-writer trio, LaRue, when they played live gigs. 'Guts' is remembered by fellow band-members as 'massive 6'6" Budweiser-drinking, blue-collar, lunch-pail bassist whose onstage persona struck fear into the audience'. 'Guts' and his family are now to be found nestled in the foothills of Northern California. |
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Saara [UK / Finland] Heard on B 18 |
Saara is one the few buskers you will see around who actually smiles while she is playing and cheers people up. She has always been around recording equipment, and her slightly curious ambition is one day to represent Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest. Having become accustomed to hostel life while a Fine Arts undergraduate, she is also an enthusiastic wrestler (with a speciality in bag-wrestling) – on one occasion in Seattle she wrestled a Mexican for seven hours continuously, and seems to be none the worse for it. |
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Jeremy [US] Heard on A 15,B 5 |
Jeremy is a keyboardist / composer from Los Angeles, who, inspired by Procol Harum and the 'Beyond the Pale' website, has re-assembled his old band from the 70s, Village, and is having more fun than he's had in years. His closest brush with actual pop stardom was as a keyboard player with 70s idol Shaun Cassidy, with whom he found his way into the pages of 16, Tiger Beat, and Bravo teen magazines. After earning BA and MA degrees in composition from California State University, Jeremy took a job with the LA County High School for the Arts, where he serves as music director of the school's Music Theatre Ensemble. He is also the organist of Downey United Methodist Church, where he occasionally slips in an appropriate Procol Harum piece as a prelude or postlude. He has composed two operas: The Magician (based on W Somerset Maugham's novella); and The Happy Prince (after Oscar Wilde's fairy tale). He also recently completed a musical based on the life of Mother Teresa, entitled Calcutta Rose. His Symphonic Suite from The Happy Prince was the winner of the 1997 Valley Symphony Composition Competition. His latest 'classical' work is a hybrid opera / ballet / political circus farce entitled Civic Duty which incorporates quotes from PH as well as Beethoven, Schumann, and Rimsky-Korsakov. Besides listening to the music of his favorite band, Procol Harum, Jeremy's biggest musical thrill has to be the time in 1974 when he got to meet and jam (on Hammond organ!) with John Lennon at LA's Record Plant studios, during the sessions for Harry Nilsson's Pussycats album. He may also be heard on Lost in the Looking-Glass, tracks A 20 and B 11 |
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Fran [UK] Heard on A 3 |
Fran was born in Lincolnshire in 1962, and played her first professional gig in 1990 with the band Magic Johnson. She now lives and writes in Norfolk and makes her living touring the UK as a jazz singer. As well as the Magic Johnson album she can be heard on Mobile, a showcase album of jazz standards; her own material can be heard on the Filter Queens' albums Demonstration and Hysterical Woman, and on her Apple Pie collection, recorded with 'Strong as Samson' pedal-steel player, BJ Cole. She may also be heard on Lost in the Looking-Glass, track A 6 |
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Michael [US] Heard on B 4 |
Mike has been a denizen of the Tucson AZ 'cow-punk' scene since the early 1980s, and has played with several Arizona artists. Notables bands include the Psyclones, the Heretics and various collaborations with Tucson's legendary Al Perry (Al Perry & the Cattle). He now resides in Phoenix AZ and is in the commercial trucking business. |
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Rich [US] Heard on B 4 |
Rich is originally from Arizona, but has lived in Sacramento, California since 1984. He started playing guitar at age ten, but didn't form a band and begin writing music until 1987. He performed as Rich Hardesty & The Del Reys and released three records, and was featured on various compilation albums. He played in clubs all across Northern California for five years. In 1988 he co-founded an independent 'alternative rock' record label (Mad Rover Records, Inc., manufactured and distributed by Rough Trade) and released twelve albums of four other artists up until 1994. During that period he co-owned Enharmonic Recording studios with Tape-Op Magazine publisher John Baccigaluppi. He has worked professionally in the electronic media and software industries and is currently founding partner in a strategic consulting practice based in California. He got back into performing in 1998, as lead guitarist for Pony Stable, a Sacramento-based 'alt-country' band that released an album in 1999. Rich is currently working on material for a new record, but loves the opportunity to re-interpret favorite songs; hence the present re-workings of two Procol favorites. (He was fortunate enough to see Procol Harum live in Phoenix in 1975; his favorite Procol album is Grand Hotel.)He is also a contributing writer for Tape-Op Magazine and reviews PC-based recording software and hardware. All his recordings since 2000 have been done solo on a PC with Cubase VST, and his discography can be consulted online. He may also be heard on Lost in the Looking-Glass, tracks A 14 and B 1 |
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Cindy [US] Heard on B 1 |
Sisters Cindy and Libby started playing jarocho music as children, learning from and performing with their father, renowned Latin American scholar and musician Timothy Harding and his group Los Tigres de le Sierra. Cindy grew up in Southern California, and co-founded seminal 80s nueva canción group Sabiá while at Brown University in 1976. Having sung together for more than 25 years, the sisters achieve that special vocal blend unique to siblings ... cf Kate and Anna McGarrigle. |
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Libby [US] Heard on B 1 |
Sisters Libby and Cindy started playing jarocho music as children, learning from and performing with their father, renowned Latin American scholar and musician Timothy Harding and his group Los Tigres de le Sierra. Libby grew up in Southern California, and her original songs and 'deceptively delicate' lead vocals defined the core sound of seminal 80s nueva canción group Sabiá. Having sung together for more than 25 years, the sisters achieve that special vocal blend unique to siblings. There's an interesting interview with Libby here. |
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Andreas [Germany] Heard on B 12 |
'Born in November 1952, my life was taken over at once by music since my father was a brilliant pianist. Sadly I was the second son, condemned to learn the violin while my older brother enjoyed the privilege of touching the holy grand piano. Rebelliously throwing the violin away, I joined a school band to play drums. Later I switched to Farfisa, always dreaming of a B3. I experienced some rock bands in the 70s and early 80s – it ended up in a two-man project (saxophone and keyboards) doing entertainment stuff. I grew tired of endless gigs filled with boring music playing for money; and MIDI was born, so I found myself fitting out a well-equipped Atari-based music studio. 'I began to compose by myself, harmless pop songs: when the internet came in the 90s, you were able to share your songs with millions all over the world. Was I born too late? I took my chance when I was rather old and won an internet contest to perform a song live at NBC in Spring 2001. 'In 2000 the hospital where I work as a Nurse Director (400 nurses! Ooh-la-la!) celebrated its centenary, and decided to engage the original Swingle Singers. After the concert I told one of them backstage that I knew Swingle from the Grand Hotel record and that I am a great and serious Procol Harum fan. Spontaneously my interlocutor called the others and they started to sing A Whiter Shade of Pale (which had not been in the concert). I stood motionless, unable to grab my videocam, just listening to the beautiful version performed just for me. It was hard to hide some tears of joy – I will always keep it in my heart. 'Meanwhile my interests include producing music videos: you can download music and videos from my home page – only in German, but the links 'music' and 'video' should be self-explanatory.' |
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Peter [US] Heard on A 13 |
Peter Hummers was born in 1949 on the outskirts of New York City. He begged his parents for a guitar in 1962, after hearing the Beatles, and let it sit for two years. A friend then recruited him into a garage band, the Active Ingredients, where he memorized Ventures, Motown and Beatles songs. In later bands he played Blues Project / Byrds / Cream / Jethro Tull + Blodwyn Pig / Procol / Stones / Zeppelin ... well, one can imagine ... Peter saw Procol only once, on their first New York trip, probably in 1967, but he will never forget Robin Trower's amazing humbucking, feedback-ing Les Paul. Peter, in his spare time, played for years in the Lassitudinal Slump Jug Band and Quartet, essentially for fun and parties. Peter played mandolin ('old-timey' style, not bluegrass, which requires a lifetime of dedication by itself) on numbers ranging from the Dixon Brothers' Intoxicated Rat to Gram Parsons's Hickory Wind. Peter managed a few semesters in 1980–81 at Eddie Simon's Guitar Study Center in New York, where he learned music theory and, the most fun he ever had in a classroom, 'Rock Guitar'. His influences were Clapton, especially with John Mayall and Cream, Hendrix (of course), Pete Townshend, Robin T (no doubt), David Gilmour and so on. Later he fell under the spell of nylon-wielders such as Andres Segovia, Eliot Fisk, Charlie Byrd and Luiz Bonfa. Robin's boss Gary Brooker turned Peter on to JS Bach and his friends, who make up the bulk of Peter's listening today, but Gary's own bands stand out, with music ranging from distorted guitar at its best to Bach and orchestral treatments – of course, Procol Harum. What a canon! Something for everyone. Peter covers entertainment events on, and about, the Outer Banks of North Carolina on 'Outer Banks Onstage'. Some of his own music, including samples, is available here. |
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Ciro [Peru / US] Heard on B 1 |
Ciro comes from the Peruvian jungle; after studying guitar with Augusto Portugal in Peru, he sharpened his talents at the Guitar Institute of Technology in Los Angeles. As guitarist / composer he has been actively performing since the early 70s as a soloist and as a member of various groups in Peru, Mexico, Cuba, Europe and the United States. He is currently the musical director and has produced several albums for the group Huayucaltia, which performs contemporary music from Latin America. His first two solo albums were released on the ROM label. The Magic Hour, released in 1991, featured musical adaptations of the poetry of Latin American writers sung by his wife and longtime collaborator Cindy Harding. His 1993 album, Tales from Home, was extremely eclectic and also featured Cindy. His 1995 album showcased his solo guitar work on tracks ranging from original tunes to reworkings of Peruvian folk songs ... and a piece by JS Bach. |
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Roger [Australia] Heard on B 7 |
Roger Ilott was born in Sydney on 1 April 1951: he's a performer, composer, producer, arranger and session musician, with over a hundred albums to his credit. He started to play guitar in 1966, and began his professional musical career in the early 1970s in the Sydney folk music scene as singer and guitarist in the Southern Road Band. During this time, he also became established as a session musician. From 1975 to 1980, Roger was lead guitarist in the folk/country rock band, the Rusty Dusty Bros. In 1976 he met his future wife and musical partner, Penny Davies. In 1982 Roger and Penny established the Australian Folk Music label and recording studio, Restless Music, Australia’s second-largest folk music label. Since then, Penny Davies & Roger Ilott have released fifteen albums and have appeared on many compilations. Their songs have been featured in films, television and radio documentaries. Roger plays various acoustic and electric guitars, including a Rickenbacker 360/12, as well as banjo, mandolin, pedal steel and keyboards. His main musical influences are Procol Harum, The Byrds and The Beach Boys. |
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Gary [US] Heard on B 1 |
Keyboardist Gary is a native Oklahoman who moved to Los Angeles in 1978. His varied musical résumé includes Fast Fontaine, Del Shannon, Sabiá, the Bonedaddys, the Ciro Hurtado Group, and bilingual Latin folk-rock band Word of Mouth, which he co-led with his wife Libby Harding. The two met the 'Beyond the Pale' team after Procol played LA's John Anson Ford Theatre – where, incidentally, they had unveiled their present group, Conjunto Jardín, in 1997 (the name is a play on the Spanish pronunciation of Libby's family name). Gary has co-organised many a 'fandango' on Paler lines: details of these informal gatherings of musicians to interpret son jarocho are here. His many recordings may be found online here. |
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Pam [UK] Heard on A 20 |
Pam is a painter, born in Leeds and now based in the South-West of England. Her musical taste is eclectic: favourites include jazz musician Dexter Gordon, singer-songwriters Joan Armatrading and Tracey Chapman, and the African-American female vocal group Sweet Honey in the Rock. |
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Roy [UK] Heard on B 6 |
The Animals, The Swinging Blue Jeans, Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers! This was some of the company that Roy mixed with in the sixties as the singer in his own bands in the London music scene. Since then Roy has used his vocal skills to front bands playing music as diverse as The Hollies and Bryan Adams! In the eighties, Roy led ‘Marshall Arts’, a band dedicated to playing rock and blues in an extravagantly arranged way. Since the early nineties he has fronted ‘Last Resort’, playing concert, pub and club venues around the South of England. His natural rapport with the audience and unique vocal range make him one of the most respected and appreciated lead singers in the area. |
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Dave [UK] Heard on A 4,B 5 |
Dave, born 1958, lives in Warrington, Cheshire and has been playing the guitar since the age of fourteen. His main influences are Robin Trower, Mick Grabham, Steve Hillage and Ty Tabor from Kings X. Apart from one (highly enjoyable) outing with the Palers' Band, he plays in a five-piece band, Parkers Beat, which meets fortnightly and plays the occasional gig, covering AOR standards. He may also be heard on Lost in the Looking-Glass, tracks A 3, A 10, A 18, B 3 and B 19 |
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Dave [UK] Heard on B 9 |
Dave Lee is a writer of technical and art books, and has been ... for ever-such-a-long-time: not bad for someone who failed his 'O' Level English exam (they made him take it again, sadly, and he's never looked forward since). He lives down the road from the Beckhams in Cheshire, although they've recently moved house(s) and career(s) just to get away from him. He was once in a band called Four Play (there were only three of them when they came up with the name, and so they had to find another guitarist). More recently, under his own name, he released a CD called Me, I'm Just Happy To Be Here, which is available from the BtP website. Although guitar / band based, he loves nothing better than surreptitiously slipping in a sound-effect here or a song sample there to see if anyone's paying attention. He'll swing for it, no doubt. |
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Sev [UK] Heard on A 14 |
Sev started his musical career at the age of sixteen as a church organist: he came to rock in the early 70s, via classical piano lessons: hence his love for the music of Procol Harum. He bought all their albums as they were released, but didn't see the band live until the Dave Ball era. In the early 80s Sev collaborated on three albums with Australian singer Duffo, whose band included Dave Ball; he also played on tours with Any Trouble, and Mungo Jerry. He remembers playing down the bill to Procol Harum at Surrey University, in the Mick Grabham era. Sev played organ with the Palers' Band on their début in 2000.In 1994 he set up his own studio at home; also at that period he was singer, keyboardist and main songwriter on a comeback CD by 70s prog rock band Gracious!, released on Centaur Discs. He followed up this album in 1997 by releasing his first solo album under the name Nostromo, entitled No Such Thing As Silence – also on Centaur. In that year he completely re-equipped his studio with a digital hard disc recording system, and opened commercially as The Music Loft. These days he divides his time between music, and working as a sound designer in the theatre, particularly with Sarah Miles, and with Gavin Robertson. |
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Bill [US] Heard on A 1 |
Bill Lordan got his first drum-kit for Christmas when he was twelve, and within a year he was playing live with bands in and around his hometown of Minneapolis. Summer 1964 found him in his first big soul band called the Amazers, and a new friend on bass: Willie Weeks. A few years later, Bill was asked to join the Esquires, who in 1968 received a gold record for the LP Get Up and Get Away. In 1969 Lordan and Weeks formed award-winning band The Mystics, and had the chance to meet and jam with Jimi Hendrix, having been invited to New York City and the infamous Café Au-Go-Go. Bill joined Gypsy from 1970–1973, releasing the albums Antithesis, In the Garden, and Unlock the Gates. Bill was flown out to the West Coast for session work with Bobby Womack and Ike and Tina Turner, and on being discovered by Sly Stone he was recruited into the Family Stone for their Small Talk album in 1974. Subsequent touring carried him around the world. Around this time Robin Trower was looking for a new drummer, and Bill jumped at the chance. "I knew it was perfect for me," he says, and he beat twenty-five other players to get the job. Bill joined up before the release of For the Earth Below (1975), and stayed with Trower for a good ten years. After this Bill decided to take some time off, but soon was back behind the kit with the likes of Fortress, Darrell Mansfield, Lost Angeles and Spellbinder, even jamming with Yngwie Malmsteen and his new band Alcatraz. By the mid-90s, Bill was playing and recording steadily with the Dave Steffen Band, then provided the drumming on the CD Live your Dream by Charlie Souza. Catch up with his latest project, The Bill Lordan Experiment, at Bill's online store. |
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Boyd [US] Heard on B 13 |
From the first time he heard those haunting notes stream from an AM radio in 1967, Boyd's musical tastes were defined. As for so many fans, A Whiter Shade of Pale was more than merely a song – it was a lifelong inspiration. When stylus finally hit vinyl on the first album, there was never any doubt. The Procol influence prompted Boyd to lay out his life savings on an entry-level Hammond organ (unfortunately it really didn't sound at all like the Fisher organ) and a few years later a Lowrey with built-in Leslie (finally, a close approximation to 'the sound'). As Procol's sound drifted away from dominant organ to piano and guitar, Boyd bought an upright piano, which he still owns thirty years later. Through all of the group's albums – along with Gary Brooker's and Matthew Fisher's solo releases – Boyd has been an avid fan. He has seen Procol perform countless times in the Philadelphia area, from his first concert in 1968 at the original (and long gone) Electric Factory to the recent Well's on Fire tour at the 'ancient' Theatre of the Living Arts. Curiously, Pilgrim's Progress is the first PH tune Boyd has ever attempted to record. He is deeply honored that The Palers' Project has deemed it worthy of inclusion on the newest album. Boyd heads up the Interactive Marketing and Web Development efforts for a local advertising agency. He resides in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania (just outside of Philadelphia), and is married with two children. The older – Brandon, who plays trumpet in the University of Delaware Marching Band – shares his father's fondness for AWSoP. The younger – Ryan – prefers rap. So much for the musical gene. |
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Mick [UK] Heard on B 11 |
Mick lives in Leicestershire, Wales and the West Country. As well as playing guitar and singing, both as a solo performer and with the band Corazon, he directs and acts, and is about to take up the Professorship of Drama at Exeter University. His publications include numerous books about theatre: Marlowe, Bond, Shakespearean Tragedy and Comedy (Jacobean and otherwise) and Masculinities. He has written several plays for radio (including Festival, set at an outdoor concert) and the stage; one of these, The Earth Divided, has songs co-written with Roland Clare, with whom he first collaborated (in pantomime!) in 1972. |
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Denis [UK] Heard on A 12 |
Denis currently plays lead guitar for In 2 Deep, whom he joined as a result of his playing with John Bobin in Hunt, Runt, Shunt, and Cunningham (featuring the Paramounts' Mick Brownlee). HRSC has included many fine musicians over a long period, including Vic Collins (ex-Kursaal Flyers) and Rock and Roll veteran Tony Sumner, who was a leading light in the early Southend scene (by the way, the Commander says that he learned Ubangi Stomp from Tony Sumner!). Denis has played in many bands over the years, including Session Club and the Alvin Jones Sound, in which he had Tony Sumner and Mick Brownlee as fellow members. He also played in a recent version of the Mickey Jupp band with John Bobin and Mick Brownlee. |
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Mark [US] Heard on A 11 |
Drummer Mark McNulty was one of the San Francisco musicians who used to play back-up to the singer / song-writer trio, LaRue, when they played live gigs. |
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Jorge [Mexico / US] Heard on B 1 |
From Chiapas, Mexico, Jorge is an accomplished luthier and instrument builder, one of whose percussion instruments may be heard on this recording. The talented multi-instrumentalist plays jarana, guitar, Cuban trés, bass, percussion – and is a fine singer to boot. |
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John [US] Heard on B 4 |
John has played with Rich Hardesty since 1990, appearing on two albums and three singles. He is based in Sacramento, California and makes his living as a video editor and photographer. |
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Rick [US] Heard on B 1 |
Rick hails from the US heartland, Kansas City to be precise. He has lived in LA longer than he’d care to own up to; as long-time bassist for the Bonedaddys, he was playing world music before it had a name. |
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Trevor [UK] Heard on A 12 |
Trevor currently sings and plays keyboards for In 2 Deep. He also plays rhythm guitar and has been in many bands since the 60s. His previous groups have included the Mel Lewis Band (with a brass section lead by the well-known trumpet and cornet player Digby Fairweather), North Sea Bubble, Kingfisher and Oscar. Trevor is also a keen private pilot. He actually did 'learn to fly' before the relevant Procol Harum track appeared on The Prodigal Stranger. He is a well-respected musician who can play convincingly in any style. His fellow members of In 2 Deep say that he is far too modest! Trevor produced In 2 Deep’s cover of A Robe of Silk in his garage / rehearsal room thanks to today’s digital technology and his admitted love of gadgets. |
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Robert [US] Heard on A 11 |
Robert Moselle was the keyboard player in 'San Francisco's only rock band, LaRue'. Originally from New York, he now lives and works in California. When Procol Harum played the Berkeley Greek Theatre in 1993 Bob picked up a postcard inviting him to be kept current on Procol Harum news, and sent it in – to Shine On's Henry Scott-Irvine. They began corresponding (and running up huge 'phone bills). By this means they introduced two further friends: in the USA, Mike Gaiman, manager of the Jefferson Starship and a genuine Procol fan; and in the UK the inimitable Kellogs, who was managing Procol Harum. This led directly to Procol's West Coast dates in 1995, and Messrs Scott-Irvine and Grayson flew out to the California gigs. It was in LA that Robert met the BtP team too, in 2003. Procol Harum, along with Fats Domino – and of course LaRue – remain the centerpieces of the Moselle musical world. |
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John and Harry Oakes [UK] Heard on B 5,B 17 |
John and Harry Oakes were born in Hillingdon, London, in 1952, but worked the markets of the East End until the demise and gentrification of the Docklands. At present they operate an ice-cream van, whose carillon, lovingly restored, contributes to this recording. They also hold court in upstairs pub sessions, and still busk as a traditional one-man band, possibly the only conjoined twins in Europe to do so. They refuse all television and other promotional work, and also decline to be photographed together: their Palers' Project contributions are the only recordings they have allowed to be released. They may also be heard on Lost in the Looking-Glass, track A 13 |
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Steve [US] Heard on A 1 |
If ever there was such a thing as a natural musician, it would be 'Stevie Bass'. He started out as a drummer in a local high-school band and had a certain touch and feel for drums, almost without practising. The bass player in the band quit and Steve switched over to bass and played very well within a few weeks. He also plays six-string guitar and comes up with unique riffs on guitar and bass as well as singing. His precision and timing are impeccable. He spent most of his career playing bass in Wisconsin with the Dave Steffen Band and moved to the San Francisco bay area with Dave in 1986 for a ten-year stay. He is currently back in Wisconsin writing and jamming. |
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Davey [US / Scotland] Heard on A 1 |
Born in Scotland, Davey Pattison was invited to the USA in 1979 by the late Bill Graham to front the band Gamma, for whom he co-wrote hits and recorded several albums. Gamma was paired with acts like AC/DC, Santana, ZZ Top, Journey, Toto and Foreigner; when they split in 1986 Davey was approached by his old friend Robin Trower to sing on the album Passion. This was followed by Take What You Need and In The Line Of Fire. In 1992 Davey reunited with Ronnie Montrose for the release of the album Best of Gamma. Despite his high profile with rock acts, Pattison, who has been recording since 1969, has also sung on jazz, country, pop and blues albums: taste his latest work on the Mississippi Nights CD (2004) |
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Larry [US] Heard on B 14 |
Larry was born in Manhattan in 1953: the newspaper for the day had the coronation of Queen Elizabeth on the front page. Mesmerised by doo-wop bands on the radio from an early age, he was bought his first 45rpm at age three, and got hooked on music. Watching the church organist he was forever thinking about the day he too could play the organ. He had a few piano lessons from a nun, but is basically self-taught. His main organ influence is Matthew Fisher, with of course a good nod to Chris Copping's baroque grandeur. Among the bands he has played with are Epitaph, OM, Zan, The Lizard Band, Sophistifunk, Imminent Rat, Just Us, Rondo and Destiny. Great moments include pulling off the intricacies of Yes music live, and playing for the Palers' Band with Procol Harum listening – and having Gary Brooker say nice things about his work. Larry's album, This Pilgrim's Progress, is available from the BtP shop with all proceeds to the website. He lists his influences as Procol Harum, Greenslade, Jethro Tull, early electronica à la Charles Worinen, Sam Cameron, Akira Ifukube (Godzilla Movies), Débussy, Aimee Mann, Brian Wilson, Justin Hayward, Tony Banks, Jan Hammer, Bach, Bach and Bach. 'And so many others I can't even begin to mention …'. He may also be heard on Lost in the Looking-Glass, tracks A 8, A 17 and B 14 |
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Rodger [US] Heard on A 2 |
Rodger's first album (LP) was Meet The Beatles: coincidentally he turned twelve (born 2 February 1952 at Salt Lake City, Utah) on their Ed Sullivan Show début. In the early 70s the acoustic (read Beggar's Banquet, Working Man's Dead, Allman Bros.) trend got him … then he heard Earl Scruggs and wound up playing banjo because he loved the sound. In 1999 Dennis Fetchet gave him Home, and he was floored! Every song – Oy! Then Dennis gave him Procol Harum, and he began listening to all of Procol's albums daily. And he's still listening. Procol Harum taught him to listen to music in a new way: a real band! Rodger plays regularly with The Grateful Dudes. |
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Ethan [Germany] Heard on A 5 |
Born 1955 in New York, NY, Ethan and a schoolmate saw Procol at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium following the release of Home: they waited ninety minutes afterwards for the band to emerge giggling, in tell-tale frolic: 'We were only fourteen and fidgeting with youthful awe, and I recall them observing us as if to say, What's this? Someone's left two orphans on our doorstep!' Ethan began playing steel guitar at 17, worked for or performed with Glen Campbell, Ronnie Milsap, Dwight Yokum, Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn and many others (and would be delighted to offer his steel guitar services – on spec. – to Procol for their next CD). About the age of 23 his rock-and-roll roots began tugging at him again, so he founded 'Ethan Reilly & The Boys' – a sound-alike classic-rock band – with whom he still performs, in Bavaria, Germany. |
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Antonio [Italy] Heard on A 16 |
Antonio was born in Naples in 1950 and works as a clerk in Novara. Some of his recorded work may be heard on line here and here; see also here. He may also be heard on Lost in the Looking-Glass, track B 18 |
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Danny [US] Heard on A 11 |
Originally from Texas, Danny Sego (guitar) was part of the three-man, singer-songwriter team that was San Francisco's LaRue. |
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Gary [US] Heard on A 6,B 2, B 10, B 17, B 18, B 19, B 20 |
Doctor by day, rocker by night! Gary is an optometrist from Boston, now living in South Carolina. He first saw and spoke with Procol at the Psychedelic Supermarket in Kenmore Square in 1968 at fourteen years old. His passionate guitar style borrows most gratefully from the early Trower sound including an intense arm vibrato, which he employs to great effect. He is self-taught and also plays keyboards and bass, writing and recording in his home studio when not examining eyes. None of Gary’s tracks on From Shadow to Shadow uses any sequencing whatsoever, not even the drum sounds, which are played 'live' from his keyboard. He has played in many different bands and musicals. He has played and recorded with Steve Gatlin of the Gatlin Brothers, Percy Sledge, and Rich Little to name a few. His current band, Lo Down Brown, plays great classic rock, including AWSoP naturally: visit his website here. One of Gary’s greatest thrills was playing with the Palers' Band for Procol in Los Angeles in July 2004. He eagerly looks forward to the next Palers' Convention. |
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Colin [UK] Heard on A 17,B 16 |
Colin describes himself as 'an ageing mathematician'. He started playing acoustic guitar on hearing the first Bert Jansch album around 1966. So did about 300,000 other people. He was in a trio called Trochanter featuring electric guitar and 'cello while doing Maths at Exeter University in the early 70s, and has never really stopped playing, recently with Roland Clare on various projects, and with his son Tom on bass and daughter Rose on fiddle and vocal. Due to acute and sudden loss of children, he's now inflicting his music on the gentle folk around the Stroud valleys in Gloucestershire, and attempting to record three decades of repertoire before the ravages of time take their inexorable toll. A Martin D28 has served him well over the decades, but since May 2002 his life has been enhanced by a hand-built wonder from luthiers Brook in deepest, darkest Devon. He currently lives in a cottage on a hill, and amuses himself by copying tunes by Michael Chapman, Steve Tilston, Martin Simpson, John Renbourne, Richard Thompson, and concocting one or two himself when the mood strikes. Reverse-engineering guitar accompaniments and instrumentals is a persistent obsession. He may also be heard on Lost in the Looking-Glass, tracks A 9, B 4 and B 15 |
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Peter [Austria] Heard on A 19 |
Peter, born 1959 in Linz, started to play the piano in 1967. After forming his own classic-rock group in the mid-seventies (Conquistador was part of their repertoire) he decided to intensify his musical studies at Vienna's University of Music, where the guidance of master Paul Kont saw him through to his Composition finals. As chairman of the Vienna Jeunesse-Choir he toured Japan and Europe with Leonard Bernstein and Claudio Abbado in 1985. For the re-opening of the Vienna Redoutensaal (Hofburg), the State Opera performed his arrangement of two short operas originally written by Austria's baroque emperor Leopold I. These were also heard at the Salzburg Festival. Skorpik's opus includes pieces for orchestra (Der frohe Tote, Variations-Symphony, Reminiszenzen for orchestra) as well as chamber music (Terpsichore, Sinfonia, Quartett for flute, clarinet, 'cello and piano, Concerto for violin, viola and strings ... it was hearing an excerpt from the last of these that prompted Roland to invite Peter aboard the Palers' Project). Interpreters like Valery Oistrach, Mart inů Chamber Orchestra, Janacek Philharmonie and Saxon Chamber-Philharmonie have played Skorpik's music. Outside Austria (Vienna Musikverein, Vienna Konzerthaus) his compositions have been performed at the Opera of Cairo, Berlin Philharmonie, Zürich, Romania, etc.Although so much concerned in classical contemporary music, Peter remains a trusty fan of Procol Harum. |
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Ken [US] Heard on A 18 |
'I've been playing the guitar since I first heard Ricky Nelson do Hello Mary Lou, Goodbye Heart. I heard AWSoP when I was twelve and used to sing that and Homburg when I delivered newspapers. Procol has dominated my consciousness ever since. When Procol would play the Fillmore East, I would get tickets for both the early and late shows. At parties if Procol was on the stereo I would insist people quiet down and have a listen (terribly rude of me, really). All you Procol fans know what I'm talking about though. 'I am presently starting a business, "Technical Services Laboratory", servicing scientific instrumentation and also tracking electrical feeder lines on construction sites. If it's got electrons, I'm your man.' Ken is the man behind the band Northern Sky, whose CD album is available from 'Beyond the Pale'. He may also be heard on Lost in the Looking-Glass, track A 19 |
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Dave [US] Heard on A 1 |
Born and raised in Wisconsin, Dave began playing guitar as a young boy: by the time he left high school, his band was signed to Scepter Records, and within five years he had also released recordings with RCA and Mercury Records. His talent as a songwriter and singer, in addition to his prowess as a guitar player, earned Steffen and his band special recognition in Billboard and Cashbox magazines. Dave continued to play venues in Wisconsin, opening for such national acts as Rush, Boston, Styx, and REO Speedwagon, as well as headlining his own shows. In 1986 the Dave Steffen Band headed west to experience the Bay-area music scene. During an adventurous nine-year stay in San Francisco, Dave worked with a variety of national musicians, opening for groups like Huey Lewis and the News, Santana, Ronnie Montrose, Robin Trower, and Journey. Guitar virtuosos like Carlos Santana occasionally came to his performances to jam with him in an intimate club setting. In 1995 Dave returned to Wisconsin, working both with his band and as a solo act. He continues to receive accolades from his peers in other bands, as he is a genuine performer and gives people one hell of a show! |
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David [UK] Heard on B 11 |
David is currently writing, playing lead guitar and singing lead vocals with The Wave Pictures, whose headline set at the 2003 Paris MoFo festival was followed by last year's successful New York residency, where they recorded their fourth album and created a real buzz on the NY 'anti-folk' scene. David's other collaborations include tours with Herman Dune (whose recent John Peel session featured Dust off Your Heart, one of David's most popular songs) and The Mountain Goats. David is now widely regarded as one of indie-music's most exciting and innovative guitarists. He has a lesser reputation as a student in Glasgow University's Faculty of Social Sciences. |
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Stephen [UK / Australia] Heard on A 20,B 19 |
Stephen 'Doc' Wallace comes from Australia and is an academic currently at Bournemouth University in the UK. He has used Procol Harum music in a number of ways, not least in a 1971 film entitled Whaling Stories. He's the veteran of many rock bands in the Melbourne area, one of which was called 'Trinity' who used to open each set with a version of Conquistador and included Bringing Home the Bacon on which he sang and played drums. Another, 'Bent Covers', made a brief career out of playing classic rock numbers in perverse and unimaginable versions. He has composed a number of musicals, the latest being 'Emergence': Act I was entitled 'Procol Harum', Act II 'Home', Act III 'Exotic Birds and Fruit' ... He may also be heard on Lost in the Looking-Glass, tracks A 2, A 10, A18, B 2, B 12 and B 19 |
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Chris [US] Heard on A 18 |
Chris is 45 and was born and raised in New City NY. He now resides with his wife in Chester NY near Bethel, site of Woodstock. He grew up on the drumming of the Allman Brothers and Cream, but is a huge admirer of BJ Wilson and the Procol pathos. Chris works as an auto-mechanic during the day, presently employed by a General Motors franchise. If it's got wheels, Chris is your man! He may also be heard on Lost in the Looking-Glass, track A 19 |
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Brad [US] Heard on A 11 |
Guitarist Brad Wilson was one of the San Francisco musicians who used to play back-up to the singer / song-writer trio, LaRue, when they played live gigs. |
Tracklisting | About the performers | Reviews | Liner note |Order the album
