'Beyond the Pale', on a Swedish Diet (of News)

Prepared by the Replacement Cook for a few days

While BtP's regular team is away, you'll get your smorgasbord of updates here.

Added a link to the A Whiter Shade of Pale covers page, and a Norwegian version called Som skygger i et speil, recorded by New Jordal Swingers (thanks, Martin)

Added a very informative article about The Black Album (thanks, Larry)

(early morning, lots of snow, and this for breakfast:)
"Kory's bow bobbed across his cello strings during a fantastic cover of Procol Harum's A Whiter Shade of Pale."

Whose granddaughter sang to The Sound of Cello in Philadelphia, January 30th? Find out at She may have the voice of her step-grandmotherÇ but she looks more like Julie Andrews

(regular midnight update:) Added an AWSoP piece from a recent Sunday paper (thanks, Charlie; thanks, Mike)

(late evening) Tonight's "Sixties" show on Swedish national Television ended with Benny Andersson (of ABBA fame) talking about John Sebastian and Gary Brooker - with Gary playing on a screen behind him:
"It's incredible that these guys are still around, working, and enjoying themselves ... you'd like to get together with them, talk about their songs, play - form a band!"
(smiles)
"You can't have too many piano players in a band, though."

Perhaps he's afraid about the competion? Also on the show: An interview with Gary from just before "The well's on fire", and snippets of footage from two different Procol concerts. And remember: tomorrow you can see the show on the show's web page. Gary and Procol has the middle part, after Lovin' Spoonful and before local Swedish band Tages.

(canned dinner, in Sweden) OK, covers in Boston and San Antonio. But where do you get the real thing? Why, over here in BtP-hosting Sweden of course.

Tonight (Sunday at 8 p.m) the first part of the new series called "Sixties" will be shown on Swedish National Television. Benny Andersson (a local guy who once had a hit with a group called ABBA) talks about "his favorite groups, like Lovin' Spoonful and Procol Harum". The program will also feature an interview with Gary Brooker and vintage footage of Procol (supposedly Swedish Television archive material). All according to the show's web page - in Swedish only, but you'll find the names there easily. And from the 14 of February, you'll even be able to watch the show at that very same web page.
(thank you, Bengt, for the link!)

(evening in Boston) Well folks, just about now musical pranksters and accomplished musicians "Polygraph lounge" will come on stage at the Somerville Theatre in Boston and

"tell the story of 'Moby-Dick' through the Who, Procol Harum, and the theme to 'The Beverly Hillbillies'."

(hors d'ouevre) As you all know. Christiane Legrand sings on Fires (Which Burnt Brightly) from Grand Hotel. Legrand was one of the original members of Swingle Singers - official website at www.swinglesingers.com, where you can find pictures of her in the history section.

40 years on, The Swingle Singers still perform, though no original members are still in the group. A few days ago they wee in San Antonio, USA performing A Whiter Shade of Pale. And guess what? They still perform a Procol Harum song:

"The troupe further honored its '60s origins with effective arrangements of the Lennon-McCartney 'Because/You Never Give Me Your Money' and 'Blackbird/I Will' and Procul Harum's ... "

(okay, since Bev asked, a light night snack:) "Salty dog" is (also) a song by seven-piece Irish punk-folk band Flogging Molly (Official website at www.floggingmolly.com). Have a look at their "Music" pages, and you'll find Salty Dog on an album called Swagger (and on a sold-out vinyl).

Sold out, perhaps, but the chefs beyond the Pale Smorgasbord Replacement Cornucopia have spared no pains to get you a taste of it: listen to it at www.bcworld.org/music/saltydog.mp3 (right-click to download). Not Procol - but Bon Appetite anyway. In due course, we'll bring you more main courses ...

(past midnight, the irregular update:) As you probably know, there are a few songs that are not covers, but share a Procol title: there's another "Conquistador" and several other songs called "Kaleidoscope", for example.

But did you know that there's also another Salty Dog - not listed by our great webmasters (OGW) at the page above?

Ask me nicely, and you'll even get to devour it, here on the Special Treat Swedish Luxury Smorgasbord Replacement Weekend, where we're toiling 'round the clock in the kitchen to please the appetite of Procol fans 'round the globe...

(the regular update:) From the vaults of the BtP: a long interview with several guitarists, Robin Trower included (thanks, Marvin)

(Friday evening:) Replace the cook. Yes, the weekend substitute Swedish Beyond the Pale is back online!
Stay tuned for updates at midnight, and at irregular intervals, by your replacement cook...