Editing Procol Harum (section)

=== Formation ===
In 1966, after [[Southend-on-Sea]]-based group [[The Paramounts]] were unable to generate any follow-up success with their UK top 40 single "[[Poison Ivy (song)|Poison Ivy]]", the group disbanded.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/10947/paramounts/|title=PARAMOUNTS {{!}} full Official Chart History {{!}} Official Charts Company|publisher=Official Charts Company|language=en|access-date=2018-10-07}}</ref><ref name="Strong">{{cite book |last=Strong |first=Martin C. |year=2000 |title=The Great Rock Discography |edition=5th |publisher=Mojo Books |location=Edinburgh |pages=776–777 |isbn=1-84195-017-3}}</ref> Their frontman [[Gary Brooker]] decided to retire from performing and focus on songwriting, and his old friend [[Guy Stevens]] introduced him to lyricist [[Keith Reid]].<ref name=Reperformation>{{Cite AV media notes |title=Shine on Brightly |last=Welch |first=Chris |author-link=Chris Welch |others=Procol Harum |date=1997 |pages=1-3 |type=Liner Notes |publisher=[[Repertoire Records]]}}</ref> In April 1967, after several months writing together while failing to find any artists interested in performing their songs, Brooker and Reid decided to form their own band which would use their songs as their sole material.<ref name=Reperformation/> Brooker, in addition to vocals and the piano, was also proficient on the organ, trombone, cornet, piano accordion and Bengal flute.<ref name=KRLA67/> 

Paramounts' drummer [[B. J. Wilson|Barrie "B. J." Wilson]] agreed to stay on and rehearse for the new group and auditions brought them bassist David Knights and two members of George Bean and the Runners, Richard Brown (guitar) and Alan Morris (organ). But the lack of gigs and money led to the dispersal of this grouping before they even got out of the rehearsal hall, with only Knights staying on.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.procolharum.com/99/btp_rb-33-3_int.htm | title=Rehearsing with Morris and Wilson }}</ref>
	
They next teamed with organist [[Matthew Fisher (musician)|Matthew Fisher]], who had left [[Screaming Lord Sutch]]'s backing group The Savages and advertised for work. Reid said he was right for Procol Harum just from talking to him and decided before hearing him play.<ref name=MM19670603/> Guitarist Ray Royer was chosen after the group placed an advertisement for players and were inundated, so the band "really grilled the applicants" to find "someone with the right state of mind."<ref name=MM19670603/> Reid said bassist David Knights had also been chosen in a similar manner to Fisher, in that he was right for the group "as a person", and had an original playing style.<ref name=MM19670603/> Drummer [[Bobby Harrison]] completed the line-up, after the group had tried out up to nine drummers by this point. Reid said Harrison was the first that the band "could really work with", and had a sense of humour that helped balance out the more serious personality that Reid and the rest of the band had.<ref name=MM19670603/> The band chose Stevens as their manager.

The group named themselves after a male [[Burmese (cat)|blue Burmese cat]], which had been bred by Eleonore Vogt-Chapman and belonged to Liz Coombes, a friend.{{sfn|Johansen|2000|p=67}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://procolharum.com/young_cat-marcus-gray.htm |title=A shaggy cat story of wondrous complexity and scholarship • Marcus Gray, for BtP |website=Procolharum.com |access-date=2020-05-27}}</ref> Stevens suggested the group name themselves after the cat, which the group immediately accepted.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.procolharum.com/young_cat2.htm |title=The name, Procol Harum: origins and theories |website=procolharum.com |access-date=31 December 2021}}</ref> However, the cat's [[Breed registry#Registered names and naming traditions|pedigree name]] was in fact Procul Harun, the Procul being the breeder's prefix,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.procolharum.com/cat_index.htm |title=About the Cat Whose Name the Band Adopted: Illustrated |website=procolharum.com |access-date=27 December 2014}}</ref> but the name was taken down over the telephone, leading to a misspelling.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nostalgiacentral.com/music/artists-l-to-z/artists-p/procol-harum/|title=Artists - P - Procol Harum|date=8 July 2014 |publisher=Nostalgia Central|access-date=13 March 2022}}</ref> Although people informed the band that the name is [[Latin]] for "beyond these things",<ref name=KRLA67>{{cite web|url=https://www.rocksbackpages.com/Library/Article/procol-harum-beyond-a-poem|title=Procol Harum: Beyond a Poem|work=KRLA Beat|date=29 July 1967|via=[[Rock's Backpages]]|access-date=13 March 2022}}</ref> this is incorrect as the correct term would be ''procul hīs''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0059:entry=procul |title=Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary, prŏcul |website=perseus.tufts.edu |access-date=27 December 2014}}</ref>