Procol Harum Grand Hotel.
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Bands, Artists and Genres Appreciation
Forum Description: Discuss specific prog bands and their members or a specific sub-genre
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=132587
Printed Date: May 26 2024 at 16:10
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Topic: Procol Harum Grand Hotel.
Posted By: Valdez1
Subject: Procol Harum Grand Hotel.
Date Posted: February 14 2024 at 11:15
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Re-Visiting this album and it really had/has the juice. I've always loved Procol Harum and Gary Brookers voice was amazing. One or two lackluster songs on this LP, but when they nailed it... they really nailed it. Glad I've got an original very clean pressing on vinyl because youtube doesn't do it justice. Really, MOST of their discography is withstanding the test of time beautifully. 50 some odd years later.
Everyone knows Whiter Shade of Pale. I started digging deeper in 1972 or 73 while in High School (Thats what we did then!) A band I will never let go. Never saw them live but there is a lot of footage out there. Excellence. The lyrics in 'Fires (which burnt brightly)' are relevant at this moment in time... they always have been. The addition of backing vocals by "The Swingle Sisters" was genius. Back in the day they always kind of seemed in the background of bands like Moody Blues, YES, Genesis, King Crimson. A hit song here and there, and never quite stood above at the time. |
Replies:
Posted By: Valdez1
Date Posted: February 14 2024 at 11:44
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: February 14 2024 at 17:04
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Many great songs but no great album apart from Live With The Edmonton Symphony and maybe Shine On Brightly which is an important proto prog album. Procol top ten 1. White Shade Of Pale 2. A Salty Dog 3. 4. Pandora's Box 5. In Held Twas in I 6. Simple Sister 7. Conquistador 8. Luskus Delph 9. Repent Walpurgis 10. The Worm and The Tree
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Posted By: mellotronwave
Date Posted: February 14 2024 at 18:45
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Fine LP See also Exotic birds and fruits from the same era |
Posted By: Valdez1
Date Posted: February 14 2024 at 19:03
| "The well is on fire" is an excellent album. |
Posted By: Octopus II
Date Posted: February 15 2024 at 01:17
My favourite Procol Harum album. Superb. 
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Posted By: SteveG
Date Posted: February 15 2024 at 05:56
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I can't say that I love Grand Hotel. Procol is one of my favorite groups but they took themselves too seriously on this album. Their albums were always spotty but I prefer Home above all the others. I think that on Grand Hotel title track, they were looking for another knockout single like "A Salty Dog" but just went over the top. ------------- This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State. |
Posted By: Jacob Schoolcraft
Date Posted: February 19 2024 at 07:47
| When I first heard Grand Hotel it was like a rebirth of their early style..but with choir on certain tracks which really left an impression on me. Fires ( which burnt brightly) is timeless . The title track is spectacular...A Rum Tale is very melancholy..TV Ceasar is really great...I love the entire album. |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: February 19 2024 at 07:53
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I haven't listened to it in a really long time. I hope I find some time for it.
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Posted By: Valdez1
Date Posted: February 19 2024 at 07:54
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MY feelings exactly Jacob. There’s some gems in their later works but this was the heyday.
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Posted By: JD
Date Posted: February 19 2024 at 07:58
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An excellent album. I had an 8-track of this as a teen as well as the album. Right up there with 'Live With The Edmonton Symphony' IMHO. ------------- Thank you for supporting independently produced music |
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: February 19 2024 at 09:07
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Good album and as 'mellotronwave' said Exotic Birds and Fruit is also worth a listen. ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: Jacob Schoolcraft
Date Posted: February 19 2024 at 11:42
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After Fisher and Trower left Procol Harum still managed to release some decent albums and imo Grand Hotel being the most consistent. Exotic Birds And Fruit didn't have the excitement Grand Hotel had. Some of the ideas were the same as Grand Hotel..for example.."Nothing But The Truth" and "Beyond The Pale" revealed a similar approach in composition to "Bringing Home The Bacon" so they were still sounding the same but without choir. The addition of choir on the Grand Hotel album was so dynamic and the voices soared through the speakers...not unlike they did on the Shine On Brightly album and all of that was great..however Exotic Birds And Fruit was more stripped down . They even re-recorded a song originally written during the recording sessions for the first album. Several songs are interesting and it's a decent album..but to me it doesn't compare to the energy on Grand Hotel. In the late 70s I saw them on their Something Magic tour. It seemed rather bland and felt like a fuse burned out. I noticed how people were disappointed in Procol's Ninth and Something Magic. I never bought those albums. One day I will give them a listen . Perhaps they had a different style..idk? I recall people saying that the band lost their inspiration, ( so to speak), and that concerned me. I neglected checking anything out after Exotic Birds And Fruit. |
Posted By: kenethlevine
Date Posted: February 19 2024 at 12:13
| I agree with Steve G that Procol's albums were spotty. Some great tracks and some mediocrity. My fave is the first, which apparently they assembled very quickly once they realized Whiter Shade would be a big hit. I also like A Salty Dog, Home, and Grand Hotel well enough. I found the production on Exotic Birds and Fruit quite off putting, but As Strong as Samson is one of my fave Procol songs |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: February 19 2024 at 14:53
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Overall a pretty good album. The title track keeps par with the masterpieces of the period. ------------- 
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Posted By: mellotronwave
Date Posted: February 19 2024 at 15:14
Thanks Dr Wu  ------------- "Mellotron is to progrock what watercolor is to painting. Diaphanous and mesmerizing" |
dr wu23 wrote:Posted By: Ronstein
Date Posted: February 20 2024 at 06:00
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Love Procol Harum, they were one of our local bands (along with Genesis and Camel) around Guildford, UK and rehearsed in a barn on a chicken farm where my friend's mum worked. |
Posted By: Jacob Schoolcraft
Date Posted: February 20 2024 at 07:40
That's fascinating!!! Wow!! Thank you for sharing this story!! |
Posted By: Ronstein
Date Posted: February 20 2024 at 08:49
| You're welcome :-) |