Procol Harum

Procol Harum (/ˈproʊkəl ˈhɑːrəm/) were an English rock band formed in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, in 1967. Their best-known recording is the 1967 hit single "A Whiter Shade of Pale", one of the few singles to have sold more than 10 million copies. Although noted for their baroque and classical influence, Procol Harum's music is described as psychedelic rock and proto-prog with hints of the blues, R&B, and soul.In 2018, the band was honoured by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame when "A Whiter Shade of Pale" was inducted into the new Singles category. They had previously been nominated as performers in 2012.In 1966, after Southend-on-Sea-based group The Paramounts were unable to generate any follow-up success with their UK top 40 single "Poison Ivy", the group disbanded. Their frontman Gary Brooker decided to retire from performing and focus on songwriting, and his old friend Guy Stevens introduced him to lyricist Keith Reid. In April 1967, after several months writing together while failing to find any artists interested in performing their songs, Brooker and Reid decided to form their own band which would use their songs as their sole material. Brooker, in addition to vocals and the piano, was also proficient on the organ, trombone, cornet, piano accordion and Bengal flute.Paramounts' drummer Barrie "B. J." Wilson agreed to stay on and rehearse for the new group and auditions brought them bassist David Knights and two members of George Bean and the Runners, Richard Brown (guitar) and Alan Morris (organ). But the lack of gigs and money led to the dispersal of this grouping before they even got out of the rehearsal hall, with only Knights staying on.They next teamed with organist Matthew Fisher, who had left Screaming Lord Sutch's backing group The Savages and advertised for work. Reid said he was right for Procol Harum just from talking to him and decided before hearing him play. Guitarist Ray Royer was chosen after the group placed an advertisement for players and were inundated, so the band "really grilled the applicants" to find "someone with the right state of mind". Reid said bassist David Knights had also been chosen in a similar manner to Fisher, in that he was right for the group "as a person", and had an original playing style. Drummer Bobby Harrison completed the line-up, after the group had tried out up to nine drummers by this point. Reid said Harrison was the first that the band "could really work with", and had a sense of humour that helped balance out the more serious personality that Reid and the rest of the band had. The band chose Stevens as their manager.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.