Procol Harum

What an incredible band Procol Harum was/is! One of the first bands to really define the "progressive rock" genre, with the complex song structures and tinkering with classical music (most notably in their big hit "A Whiter Shade Of Pale"). Pianist/singer Gary Brooker and lyricist Keith Reed have always been the main musical force in the band, and although I always thought it strange to have a lyricist as a full-time band member, I certainly can't argue with the results. Their first five albums featured Robin Trower on guitar, and are all classics in their own right. After that it seems as though their records got a little less consistent, but I highly recommend "Grand Hotel" from that era.

Here's my favorite tune from them, gives me chills every time;

Procol Harum IS a great band and I cant help but agree that the first five albums are great albums and then they tapered off a bit from there. I'm guilty of not listening to these guys as much as I should. I never was into them until about 7 years ago when a professor friend of mine told me I needed to "look beyond 'Whiter Shade Of Pale'". Glad I did.

I think Grand Hotel was actually the first lp of theirs I bought.

My favorite is Broken Barricades, the last album to feature Robin Trower and also the record where his influence is most prominent. You can tell that he had outgrown the constraints of his role in the group and was ready to fly solo.

Good point, SD, I'd heard Trower solo before I go into Procol Harum so I was definitely surprised he was the guitarist for them.