Next year marks the 50th anniversary of “A Whiter Shade Of Pale”: the seminal composition in the development of rock music and one of the most well known and loved pieces of the last century. No doubt, there will be a celebration of the classic and, looking forward to this, one of “AWSoP” co-writers, Matthew Fisher, took part in a new recording of it – not with PROCOL HARUM, of course – reluctantly yet, ultimately, with gusto.
DME asked the organist about this new endeavor, and that’s what Matthew said:
“I have this friend who’s involved in a CD which has come out under the name of CUPID’S CARNIVAL. All the other songs on it are originals, but he told me he really wanted to do a version of ‘A Whiter Shade Of Pale’ and would I play organ on it? I really wasn’t too keen, but he finally talked me round.
He sings a lot different to Gary [Brooker], and I felt it needed a different kind of feel to the original – especially the drum fills. I wanted to get away from all those triplets, which were great at the time but now sound really dated. I went for a more aggressive, distorted sound on the Hammond, but still tried to retain the spirit of the original.
I don’t suppose the PROCOL freaks will like it much, but I’m quite pleased at the way it turned out.”
