Matthew Fisher
Encyclopedia
Matthew Fisher is an English organist and singer-songwriter, and was responsible for the organ sound
on the 1967 single, "A Whiter Shade of Pale
" by Procol Harum
.
, James Dewar
and Tir Na Nog
(among others); and enjoyed a solo career, being especially popular in Greece, where his 1980 song "Why'd I Have To Fall In Love With You" is considered a classic. His solo albums include Journey's End (1973), I'll Be There (1974), Matthew Fisher (1980), and Strange Days (1981).
Two of the albums he produced for Trower, Bridge of Sighs
(1974) and For Earth Below (1975), have been certified gold
by the RIAA
, whilst "A Whiter Shade of Pale" has enjoyed multi-platinum
status. Fisher's Hammond organ playing on pianist David Lanz
's instrumental
version of "A Whiter Shade of Pale" from his 1988 CD, Cristofori's
Dream, helped that album go gold as well. The year before, Fisher produced (for Primitive Records)and performed on the 12" single "All Washed Up" by Northampton Band 'Magnolia Siege' (singer Richard Jones or Rik Ramjet), playing honky-tonk piano on the B-side end of record reprise.
Fisher co-wrote and performed on the soundtrack of the 1968 avant-garde film, Separation, which was released on DVD in the UK in July, 2009 and in the USA in March, 2010. Fisher's instrumental
"Theme From Separation" on his album Journey's End is from that film, and the soundtrack also included an alternate arrangement of the piece for Hammond, bass and harpsichord.
Fisher co-produced an album by the group Prairie Madness
in 1972, on which he also played organ and harpsichord
. This was a piano-guitar duo
with an accompanying band, but it achieved limited success. He has also played keyboards for Screaming Lord Sutch
on his 1972 album, Hands of Jack the Ripper and played piano on David Bowie
's tour in June and July 1972, with The Spiders from Mars
.
Fisher quit Procol Harum in 1969 after the release of their third album, A Salty Dog
, which he also produced. He rejoined the band in 1991 for the album The Prodigal Stranger
and released two more albums with them, One More Time - Live in Utrecht 1992
and The Well's on Fire
. In addition he appeared on two concert DVDs, Live in Copenhagen and Live at the Union Chapel, but quit the band again in 2004. He is currently a computer programmer in Croydon
, London.
In 2009, the House of Lords found Fisher to be joint-author and co-owner of Procol Harum's iconic song 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' by virtue of his contribution to the song in the form of his organ solo, despite waiting nearly 40 years since its release to make a claim.
Hammond organ
The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
on the 1967 single, "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...
" by 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"...
.
Biography
In addition to his work with Procol Harum, he was producer to Robin TrowerRobin 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:...
, James Dewar
James Dewar (rock vocalist)
James Dewar was a Scottish bassist and vocalist for the Robin Trower Band and Stone The Crows, the latter having its beginnings as the resident band at the legendary Burns Howff in Glasgow.-Biography:...
and Tir Na Nog
Tír na nÓg (band)
Tír na nÓg are an Irish folk band formed in Dublin, Ireland, in 1969 by Leo O'Kelly and Sonny Condell. They are often considered as one of the first progressive folk bands with other artists like Nick Drake or group like Pentangle...
(among others); and enjoyed a solo career, being especially popular in Greece, where his 1980 song "Why'd I Have To Fall In Love With You" is considered a classic. His solo albums include Journey's End (1973), I'll Be There (1974), Matthew Fisher (1980), and Strange Days (1981).
Two of the albums he produced for Trower, Bridge of Sighs
Bridge of Sighs (album)
Bridge of Sighs is the second solo album by the English guitarist and songwriter Robin Trower. It was released in 1974.Bridge of Sighs, his second album after leaving Procol Harum, was a breakthrough album for Trower...
(1974) and For Earth Below (1975), have been certified gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
by the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
, whilst "A Whiter Shade of Pale" has enjoyed multi-platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
status. Fisher's Hammond organ playing on pianist David Lanz
David Lanz
David Lanz is a Grammy-nominated New Age pianist. His most popular album, Cristofori's Dream, topped the New Age charts in 1988, which was No. 1 on Billboard's first adult alternative/New Age chart for 27 weeks and eventually sold platinum. Natural States peaked at No...
's instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
version of "A Whiter Shade of Pale" from his 1988 CD, Cristofori's
Bartolomeo Cristofori
Bartolomeo Cristofori di Francesco was an Italian maker of musical instruments, generally regarded as the inventor of the piano.-Life:...
Dream, helped that album go gold as well. The year before, Fisher produced (for Primitive Records)and performed on the 12" single "All Washed Up" by Northampton Band 'Magnolia Siege' (singer Richard Jones or Rik Ramjet), playing honky-tonk piano on the B-side end of record reprise.
Fisher co-wrote and performed on the soundtrack of the 1968 avant-garde film, Separation, which was released on DVD in the UK in July, 2009 and in the USA in March, 2010. Fisher's instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
"Theme From Separation" on his album Journey's End is from that film, and the soundtrack also included an alternate arrangement of the piece for Hammond, bass and harpsichord.
Fisher co-produced an album by the group Prairie Madness
Prairie Madness (band)
Prairie Madness is a guitar/piano duo that existed in the 1960s and 70s in Los Angeles and Marin Country, California. Their self-titled album and its single, 'Shame The Children' were co-produced by Matthew Fisher, Procol Harum organist, and Joel Sill....
in 1972, on which he also played organ and harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
. This was a piano-guitar duo
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
with an accompanying band, but it achieved limited success. He has also played keyboards for Screaming Lord Sutch
Screaming Lord Sutch
David Edward Sutch , also known as "Screaming Lord Sutch, 3rd Earl of Harrow", or simply "Screaming Lord Sutch", was a musician from the United Kingdom...
on his 1972 album, Hands of Jack the Ripper and played piano on David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
's tour in June and July 1972, with The Spiders from Mars
The Spiders from Mars
The Spiders from Mars were rock singer David Bowie 's backing band in the early 1970s, and consisted of Mick Ronson on guitars, Trevor Bolder on bass guitar, and Mick Woodmansey on drums....
.
Fisher quit Procol Harum in 1969 after the release of their third album, A Salty Dog
A Salty Dog
A Salty Dog is an album by the Rock band Procol Harum, released in June 1969. Having an ostensibly nautical theme, as indicated by its cover , interspersed with straight rock, blues and pop items A Salty Dog showed a slight change of direction from its predecessors, being thematically less obscure...
, which he also produced. He rejoined the band in 1991 for the album The Prodigal Stranger
The Prodigal Stranger
The Prodigal Stranger is an album by Procol Harum, released in 1991. The album is dedicated to the memory of Barrie James Wilson who had been the drummer on all of the group's previous albums....
and released two more albums with them, One More Time - Live in Utrecht 1992
One More Time - Live in Utrecht 1992
One More Time - Live in Utrecht 1992, by Procol Harum, was released in 1999. Strictly speaking, this is not an official Procol Harum album as it was released on Gary Brooker's own record label.-Track listing:# "Bringing Home the Bacon"...
and The Well's on Fire
The Well's on Fire
The Wells on Fire, by Procol Harum, was released in 2003. This was Matthew Fisher's last studio album with Procol Harum. Fisher's last live release with the band was Procol Harum Live at the Union Chapel DVD and CD package, recorded in December 2003 and including many of the songs from the studio...
. In addition he appeared on two concert DVDs, Live in Copenhagen and Live at the Union Chapel, but quit the band again in 2004. He is currently a computer programmer in Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
, London.
In 2009, the House of Lords found Fisher to be joint-author and co-owner of Procol Harum's iconic song 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' by virtue of his contribution to the song in the form of his organ solo, despite waiting nearly 40 years since its release to make a claim.
External links
- MatthewFisher.com
- Matthew Fisher's fan page – at procolharum.com