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Maybe we're all a bit biased here: but has there ever been a more brilliantly accomplished debut album?
'I suppose the first album was the album I was the happiest with. It was fantastic, you know; I thought all the songs were great. It was the worst recorded album, but I really like it.' Keith Reid, 1972
Gary Brooker -
piano, vocal
Keith Reid -
words
Matthew Fisher -
organ
BJ Wilson -
drums
Robin Trower -
guitar
Dave Knights -
bass
Producer: Denny Cordell
Liner notes: To be listened to in the spirit in which it was made
Items of interest: The original UK album did not feature A Whiter Shade of Pale: it was added for the American version.
This necessitated a change in the classic Beardsley-influenced album sleeve, which, like the Salty Dog and Home artwork, had been executed by Dickinson, who went on to marry Keith Reid.
The advertisement (right) relates to the 1973 A&M re-release of the album, and was originally printed in Rolling Stone.
Variant versions: Good Captain Clack as it appeared as the 'B' side of the Homburg single differed by one gong-beat from the version on this album.
The 1997 Repertoire re-issue of
this album: A
Whiter Shade Of Pale
Some of these songs first recorded
with Ray Royer and Bobby Harrison
(replaced by Robin Trower and BJ
Wilson)
Images from the Russian pressing
Was it ever released in stereo? See here
and here;
and here's
a version with stereo bonus track
Read an eyewitness account of one recording session for this album
The words of this album, provided by Keith Reid for this website
About the film Separation, which featured Salad Days
Audiophile re-release (2003) with bonus tracks, two discs on 200 Gram vinyl
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