Liquorice John Death

If you've come to this CD expecting to hear some rare Procol Harum cuts, you may be disappointed to find not the music of Procol Harum, but Procol Harum playing the musical style of the Paramounts, which is the band's original incarnation.The word is that the boys put this album together on a lark as they were in the studio recording Home, Procol's first hard rock album.I'm not really a fan of the '50s style rock and roll presented here, but that it is performed by some of my favorite musicians adds interest. For despite the fact that this is pretty basic rock and roll, Brooker, Trower and company make it a CD worth having with their virtuoso play.Most of the CD is good to excellent. The best song is Well, I... on which Robin Trower really lays down a sharp groove and Gary Brooker lets loose. The most interesting is the humorous Shopping For Clothes on which the desired suit sounds like some kind of outrageous pimp's outfit. Oldies fans will recognize such standards as Kansas City, Lucille, and Old Black Joe as songs which have spawned a thousand covers.This CD is a must for the Procol Harum completeist and should interest any music lover who enjoys well-played old time rock and roll. Too bad it is not more well known.

Many don't know that Procol Harum, the group which brought the world "A Whiter Shade of Pale" during the '67 Summer of Love and produced eleven original albums over the span of an often interrupted forty year existence, began as a Jerry Lee Lewis '50s-style rock & roll band in London called The Paramounts. (Whiter Shades of R&B) While recording their Home album in the early '70s, the guys got together as a lark to cut some tunes in that earlier style with producer Chris Thomas. This album, released independently in 2000, is the result. Fun stuff, and a far cry from Procol Harum!The group is:Gary Brooker - piano & vocalsRobin Trower - lead guitarChris Copping - bassB.J. Wilson - drums

OK, do NOT be expecting the piano/organ interplay that is the very definition of Procol Harum's music. This is, basically, a jam that was recorded right after Chris Copping joined Procol during the recording of Procol's fourth album,"Home." And as all members were members of the early sixties group, "The Paramounts," I can certainly understand their desire to sort of "blow out the carbon." This is GREAT, primitive rock and I can see why The Paramounts were the Rolling Stones' favorite band - and you don't get ANY more "rock and roll" than the Stones.

Nice to hear Gary Brooker's good impression of Jerry Lee Lewis.Nice version of "Breathless".