Exotic Birds and Fruit

Exotic Birds and Fruit is the seventh full-length studio album by British progressive rock band Procol Harum. It was released in 1974. Collaborating again with producer Chris Thomas, Procol Harum the band recorded the album at George Martin's Air London Studios in London. According to singer/songwriter/piano player and band leader Gary Brooker the album was recorded in reaction to the two preceding albums which used extensive orchestration. Brooker stated "We made the live album with an orchestra. We'd then taken the orchestra into the studio for 'Grand Hotel'...we'd had enough of orchestras". This back to basics approach worked well given that there were regular power cuts during the power struggle between Edward Heath's government and the UK unions. The band used an emergency generator during the blackouts which forced three-day working weeks during the so-called "winter of discontent" of 1973–74. New member Alan Cartwright joined on bass freeing up bass player/organist Chris Copping to devote himself full-time to organ which returned to a prominent role in the band's sound.