School of Rock
Random article All articles A–Z
2 languages

Matthew Fisher

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Matthew Fisher is an English organist, born in 1946 in Croydon, near London. He is best known as the organist of Procol Harum, the group he joined in early 1967. That same year A Whiter Shade of Pale appeared, which spent weeks at number 1 in England. Fisher played the Hammond part, with the famous melody in the intro and the solos between the verses.

Music and breakthrough

At the end of 1969 Fisher left the group. He became a producer, including for the guitarist Robin Trower, whose albums Bridge of Sighs and For Earth Below went gold in America. He also made solo records, such as Journey's End (1973) and I'll Be There (1974). From 1991 to 2004 he played with Procol Harum again. After a degree at Cambridge he became a computer programmer in 1995.

Influence

Fisher felt that he should be named as a co-writer of A Whiter Shade of Pale, because the organ part was so defining. The other writers refused. In 2006 the London High Court ruled that he was a co-author and awarded him 40 per cent of the composer's share. On appeal he received no money, because he had waited too long with his claim, but in 2009 the House of Lords restored the first ruling: under English copyright law there is no time limit for such a claim. The case shows that an instrumental part can be just as much a part of a composition as the melody and the lyrics.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to the beginning of A Whiter Shade of Pale: Fisher's Hammond melody sounds first on its own, with bass and drums, before the vocals begin. Notice how that melody returns between the verses and how the bass line quietly descends beneath it.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

Categories: Artists