The Paramounts
Encyclopedia
The Paramounts were an English
beat group, based in Southend-on-Sea
, Essex
. They had one hit single
with their cover version
of "Poison Ivy
", which reached #35 on the UK Singles Chart
in 1964, but are primarily known as the fore-runner to Procol Harum
.
(piano), Mick Brownlee (drums), Chris Copping
(bass), Bob Scott (vocals) and Robin Trower
(guitar). Scott soon left, and Brooker became the vocalist, but as he was only 14, this made playing in licensed premises difficult, so they started performing in Trower's father's cafe, which became The Shades Club. Copping and Brownlee left, and were replaced by Diz Derrick (bass) and B J Wilson (drums). Their musical style evolved from their initial R & B towards soul
and by 1963 they were regularly playing in London, and were signed by Parlophone. Their first single "Poison Ivy
", produced
by Ron Richards
, was a cover of the Leiber and Stoller
song, which had been a hit for The Coasters
in 1959. It beacme a minor hit for The Paramounts, reaching #35 on the UK Singles Chart
, which led to them appearing on TV shows such as Ready Steady Go.
Their second and third singles "Bad Blood" and "I'm the One who Loves You" both failed to chart, but the B side of the third single "It Won't Be Long" was the first song written by Brooker and Trower to be released. In search of another hit, subsequent singles were in different styles, but none of them charted. They became backing musicians on European tours by Sandie Shaw
and Chris Andrews
and The Paramounts eventually disbanded in 1966.
Brooker concentrated on writing music, collaborating with Keith Reid
, and they recorded "A Whiter Shade of Pale
" with the help of session musicians. Needing a band to tour and promote the record, Brooker convinced Trower and Wilson to rejoin him, and augmented this with David Knights (bass) and Matthew Fisher (organ). By 1969 Knights and Fisher had left and Chris Copping rejoined.
, and wanted them to be called 'Liquorice John Death'. Mundy committed suicide
in 1972, but left his possessions to Trower, including a painting of an album cover
for an imaginary album by 'Liquorice John Death', which Mundy had called Ain't Nothin' to Get Excited About.
In 1969, after Fisher and Knights had left Procul Harum, and Copping had joined, the line up had evolved into 'The Paramounts' final line-up, minus Diz Derrick. At a practice/rehearsal in January 1970 the new line up recorded 38 songs at Abbey Road Studios
. Largely R & B covers that they had originally played as 'The Paramounts', or songs in a similar vein, 13 of the tracks were mixed by Chris Thomas
but the recordings were shelved.
An album containing all The Paramounts' singles, called Whiter Shades of R&B, was issued in 1983. In 1998 all the known original Paramounts recordings were remastered, as were six of the 38 tracks recorded by Procul Harum, in The Paramounts style, in 1970. These remastered tracks were issued on a CD using Mundy's band and album names, and his cover art. The CD was re-released in 2005 by Friday Music, without Mundy's cover.
EP
Compilations
As Liquorice John Death
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
beat group, based in Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea is a unitary authority area, town, and seaside resort in Essex, England. The district has Borough status, and comprises the towns of Chalkwell, Eastwood, Leigh-on-Sea, North Shoebury, Prittlewell, Shoeburyness, Southchurch, Thorpe Bay, and Westcliff-on-Sea. The district is situated...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. They had one hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
with their cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "Poison Ivy
Poison Ivy (song)
"Poison Ivy" is a popular song by American songwriting duo Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. It was originally recorded by The Coasters in 1959. It went to #1 on the R&B chart and #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart...
", which reached #35 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in 1964, but are primarily known as the fore-runner to Procol Harum
Procol Harum
Procol Harum are a British rock band, formed in 1967, which contributed to the development of progressive rock, and by extension, symphonic rock. Their best-known recording is their 1967 single "A Whiter Shade of Pale"...
.
Career
The origin of The Paramounts is unclear. They were either formed in 1959 when the members were at secondary school, or were one of the first "manufactured" bands; the organisers of a band competition at the Palace Hotel in Southend forming a group out of the best musicians in the contest. The initial line up was Gary BrookerGary Brooker
Gary Brooker, MBE, is an English singer, songwriter, pianist and founder of the rock band Procol Harum. Brooker was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's Birthday Honours on 14 June 2003, in recognition of his charitable services.-Early life:Brooker was born in...
(piano), Mick Brownlee (drums), Chris Copping
Chris Copping
Chris Copping is a musician and singer-songwriter who was a member of Procol Harum in the 1970s, and has also composed for TV and film. He predominantly plays organ, piano and bass guitar....
(bass), Bob Scott (vocals) and Robin Trower
Robin Trower
Robin Leonard Trower , known professionally as Robin Trower, is an English rock guitarist who achieved success with Procol Harum during the 1960s, and then again as the bandleader of his own power trio.-Biography:...
(guitar). Scott soon left, and Brooker became the vocalist, but as he was only 14, this made playing in licensed premises difficult, so they started performing in Trower's father's cafe, which became The Shades Club. Copping and Brownlee left, and were replaced by Diz Derrick (bass) and B J Wilson (drums). Their musical style evolved from their initial R & B towards soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
and by 1963 they were regularly playing in London, and were signed by Parlophone. Their first single "Poison Ivy
Poison Ivy (song)
"Poison Ivy" is a popular song by American songwriting duo Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. It was originally recorded by The Coasters in 1959. It went to #1 on the R&B chart and #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart...
", produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by Ron Richards
Ron Richards (producer)
Ron Richards was a British record producer, best known for discovering The Hollies.Born Ronald Richard Pratley in London, England, he played the piano and saxophone for the Central Band of the Royal Air Force. Richards later worked at EMI's Parlophone imprint as an assistant to producer George...
, was a cover of the Leiber and Stoller
Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Jerome "Jerry" Leiber and Mike Stoller were American songwriting and record producing partners. Stoller was the composer and Leiber the lyricist. Their most famous songs include "Hound Dog", "Jailhouse Rock", "Kansas City", "Stand By Me" Jerome "Jerry" Leiber (April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011)...
song, which had been a hit for The Coasters
The Coasters
The Coasters are an American rhythm and blues/rock and roll vocal group that had a string of hits in the late 1950s. Beginning with "Searchin'" and "Young Blood", their most memorable songs were written by the songwriting and producing team of Leiber and Stoller...
in 1959. It beacme a minor hit for The Paramounts, reaching #35 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, which led to them appearing on TV shows such as Ready Steady Go.
Their second and third singles "Bad Blood" and "I'm the One who Loves You" both failed to chart, but the B side of the third single "It Won't Be Long" was the first song written by Brooker and Trower to be released. In search of another hit, subsequent singles were in different styles, but none of them charted. They became backing musicians on European tours by Sandie Shaw
Sandie Shaw
Sandie Shaw is an English pop singer, who was one of the most successful British female singers of the 1960s. In 1967 she was the first UK act to win the Eurovision Song Contest...
and Chris Andrews
Chris Andrews (singer)
Chris Andrews is a singer and successful songwriter whose musical career started in the 1960s.-Career:...
and The Paramounts eventually disbanded in 1966.
Brooker concentrated on writing music, collaborating with Keith Reid
Keith Reid
Keith Reid is a songwriter who wrote the lyrics of every Procol Harum song that is not a cover...
, and they recorded "A Whiter Shade of Pale
A Whiter Shade of Pale
"A Whiter Shade of Pale" is the debut song by the British band Procol Harum, released 12 May 1967. The single reached number one in the UK Singles Chart on 8 June 1967, and stayed there for six weeks. Without much promotion, it reached #5 on the US charts, as well...
" with the help of session musicians. Needing a band to tour and promote the record, Brooker convinced Trower and Wilson to rejoin him, and augmented this with David Knights (bass) and Matthew Fisher (organ). By 1969 Knights and Fisher had left and Chris Copping rejoined.
Liquorice John Death
A friend of the musicians, Dave Mundy, disliked the name 'The Paramounts', which had been given to them by their managerManagement
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
, and wanted them to be called 'Liquorice John Death'. Mundy committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
in 1972, but left his possessions to Trower, including a painting of an album cover
Album cover
An album cover is the front of the packaging of a commercially released audio recording product, or album. The term can refer to either the printed cardboard covers typically used to package sets of 10" and 12" 78 rpm records, single and sets of 12" LPs, sets of 45 rpm records , or the front-facing...
for an imaginary album by 'Liquorice John Death', which Mundy had called Ain't Nothin' to Get Excited About.
In 1969, after Fisher and Knights had left Procul Harum, and Copping had joined, the line up had evolved into 'The Paramounts' final line-up, minus Diz Derrick. At a practice/rehearsal in January 1970 the new line up recorded 38 songs at Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
. Largely R & B covers that they had originally played as 'The Paramounts', or songs in a similar vein, 13 of the tracks were mixed by Chris Thomas
Chris Thomas (record producer)
Chris Thomas is an English record producer who has worked extensively with The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Roxy Music, Badfinger, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Pulp and The Pretenders. He has also produced breakthrough albums for The Sex Pistols and INXS.Thomas is quoted as saying -Early life:Thomas was...
but the recordings were shelved.
An album containing all The Paramounts' singles, called Whiter Shades of R&B, was issued in 1983. In 1998 all the known original Paramounts recordings were remastered, as were six of the 38 tracks recorded by Procul Harum, in The Paramounts style, in 1970. These remastered tracks were issued on a CD using Mundy's band and album names, and his cover art. The CD was re-released in 2005 by Friday Music, without Mundy's cover.
Band members
- Robin TrowerRobin TrowerRobin Leonard Trower , known professionally as Robin Trower, is an English rock guitarist who achieved success with Procol Harum during the 1960s, and then again as the bandleader of his own power trio.-Biography:...
- Gary BrookerGary BrookerGary Brooker, MBE, is an English singer, songwriter, pianist and founder of the rock band Procol Harum. Brooker was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's Birthday Honours on 14 June 2003, in recognition of his charitable services.-Early life:Brooker was born in...
- Chris CoppingChris CoppingChris Copping is a musician and singer-songwriter who was a member of Procol Harum in the 1970s, and has also composed for TV and film. He predominantly plays organ, piano and bass guitar....
- Bob Scott
- Mick Brownlee (born October 1943)
- Diz Derrick (born Grahame Derrick, in 1945)
- B. J. Wilson
Discography
- "Poison Ivy"/"I Feel Good All Over" (1963) Parlophone (R 5093) #35
- "Little Bitty Pretty One"/"A Certain Girl" (1964) Parlophone (R 5107)
- "I'm The One Who Loves You"/"It Won't Be Long" (1964) Parlophone (R 5155)
- "Bad Blood"/"Do I" (1964) Parlophone (R 5187)
- "Blue Ribbons"/"Cuttin' It" (1965) Parlophone (R 5272)
- "You Never Had It So Good"/"Don't Ya Like My Love" (1965) Parlophone (R 5351)
EP
- The Paramounts (1964) Parlophone (GEP 8908)
Compilations
- Whiter Shades of R&B (1983) Edsel (ED 112) - CD (1991) Edsel (ED CD 112)
As Liquorice John Death
- Ain't Nothin' to Get Excited About
External links
- [ Biography at Allmusic.com]