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Stoneage
A Whiter Shade Of Pale is clearly one of the best pop songs ever written (although it was a Bach "loan"). It kind of encapsulates the sixties. Perhaps the best psychedelic pop song written also. Rest In Peace, Gary.

Well said, something similar I think George Harrison also once said. Procol Harum also released some other great tunes, but they all pale (sic) in comparison, because that tune simply is just so out of this world. It is one of very rare tunes I could listen by repeat again and again and I just don't get bored. Something magical in it. If I have understood right, the whole band was constructed around making and releasing that song.

RIP Gary.

- Doxa

Had tickets to see Procol Harum at the London Palladium, it was postponed twice and, sadly, will now not happen at all. Damn the pandemic. Sad news indeed.

I saw him only once, on one of those Ringo tours back in the late 1990s. Ringo had a good band that year, but even alongside the likes of Jack Bruce, Todd Rundgren and Bad Co's Simon Kirke, Gary's contributions stood out as highlights.

Love him!

Very sad news and R.I.P. Gary.
A Whiter Shade of Pale is an iconic song from the 60's and brings back great memories of those days when I was a youngster.

BBC news channel have had a short tribute announcing his passing on Saturday.

RIP Mr. Brooker.

I first heard Brooker live when he was a member of Eric Clapton's band back in 1982. I had no idea he was in E.C.'s band and then 2/3 through the show they play "Whiter Shade of Pale."

Such sad news. RIP Gary. What a phenomenal voice, even into his older years.

A lot of people have described Gary's voice as "soulful" --which I think is an apt description.

Unlike so many of his fellow British singers, his soulful singing wasn't an affectation. He didn't attempt to copy or appropriate the style of African-American R&B vocalists. I'm sure they were an early inspiration, but any appreciation he had for them didn't influence the way he sang.

The "soul" in Gary's voice was genuine, and it seemed to come from deep within him.


His performance of "Old Brown Shoe" in Concert for George was a surprise and a delight.

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Elmo
A Whiter Shade of Pale was one of the soundtracks to my teenage years, a song - like Homburg- where we sang along to the lyrics but didn't understand them.\

Anytime I've heard Billy Joel talk about Procol Harum he mentions how Whiter Shade Of Pale is a song where it just works musically and it doesn't matter what the lyrics are. He says he doesn't think they mean anything and the song just works because its a mood but you have to sing something over it, and he's not wrong.

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tatters
I saw him only once, on one of those Ringo tours back in the late 1990s. Ringo had a good band that year, but even alongside the likes of Jack Bruce, Todd Rundgren and Bad Co's Simon Kirke, Gary's contributions stood out as highlights.

I'm watching the full show from 1997 and it is a monster show. Sounds like its all those guys and Frampton in place of Todd. Gary is continually crushing it though, as is that whole band:

[www.youtube.com]

Very sad news to hear. Gary had some serious pipes. The stars from this era are leaving us too quickly.

RIP Gary