BG 092

14" x 21" 1967

This was Procol's first gig in San Francisco to promote their fantastic, haunting and very original single, "A Whiter Shade of Pale," which is still one of my favorite records (now known among Procol fans as "AWSoP").

Funky Sam met Procol at the Cafe A-Go-Go just after they arrived in New York on their first American tour, and invited them to stay with us when they got to San Francisco, which they did (see "bio").

We were all really chuffed when Gary dedicated "Whiter Shade of Pale" to us...a tradition he kept up every time they played the Fillmore.

Gary Brooker administering "blood" makeup to me as we were shooting
an ad for Roger Calkins music...one of two music stores where ALL
the bands bought their gear. The guy with the rifle is a renegade friend
of ours named Walt Voorhies (see "BIO"). This was during the gig
on the poster....Gary's first time in America.
Someone called the cops, and two squad cars came screaming up to us
and the cops jumped out with guns drawn and told us to "Drop 'em!"
Gary was petrified, while Walt calmly said, "Do you mind if I just lay
them down? They are collector's items."
This flummoxed the cops completely and they said, "Uhhh, yeah....OK. Uh, sure,
just lay them down."

I became good friends with all the band members, and when I moved to England in 1970, ran into Robin Trower and began doing album covers for him; and also worked with bassist Dave Knights who was promoting venues and bands...I once played his "The Fickle Pickle" in Southend.

When Matthew Fisher left the band, I became good friends with Chris Copping, Matt's replacement...and when the band finally disbanded in 1977, Chris left his Hammond organ and Leslie's in my ktichen in my little Hollywood apartment until the music store could pick them up, while he went off to Melbourne Australia to meet and marry the lovely Vicki.

When I went into the kitchen to look at all this worldly gear sitting there, I noticed some wag of a roadie had written in magic marker on the gaffer's tape surrounding one of the Hammond cases: "Kick here for Whiter Shade of Pale"!

Matthew Fisher and I talked about starting a band together a few years ago, but it never really happened....I think Matthew moved to Cambridge.

I am still regularly in touch with Gary and Chris, and saw Keith (their lyricist) at Gary and Franky's 30th anniversary bash in 1998. Dear old Barry Wilson (BJ) died several years ago in Oregon...but his wife, Sue, came over for the party.

I just finished Robin's newest album cover, "Go My Way" (see "album covers"), and stay in touch with him and his wife Andrea, while Derek Sutton, Robin's affable and erudite manager here in Hollywood, and I have renewed our friendship. In fact, Derek offered the use of his and Robin's digital camera to photograph all these posters.

So from that chance meeting in the Cafe A-Go-Go all those years ago, we have all remained good friends.

This poster by Nicholas Kouninos (Greek, ya' think???) is in perfect condition.