Parker, Graham

Parker, Graham, originally accompanied by The Rumour, one of the most compelling singer-songwriters of the British New Wave scene; b. East London, England, Nov. 18, 1950. The Rumour, rock band involved in London’s early 1970s pub scene. Membership: Graham Parker, voc; Brinsley Schwarz, gtr. (b. Woodbridge, England, March 25, 1949); Martin Belmont, gtr. (b. Dec. 21, 1948); Bob Andrews, kybd. (b. June 20, 1949, June 20, 1949); Andrew Bodnar, bs.; Stephen Goulding, drm.

By writing songs with a personalized vision that dealt with anger, frustration, and defiance in a variety of styles, from rockabilly to reggae, Graham Parker and The Rumour garnered critical praise for their early albums. Although they failed to sell, their albums presaged punk’s rebellion against the pomposity of progressive rock and the slick, bland, complacent commercialism of many 1970s groups. Achieving his biggest commercial and critical success with 1979’s Squeezing Out Sparks, Parker eventually recorded for many labels with only modest success. His 1988 The Mona Lisa’s Sister was hailed as a triumphant comeback, but he was unable to successfully follow it up.

Graham Parker grew up in Deep Cut, Surrey, a small town south of London, and formed his first band, the Deep Cut Three, at age 13. After a stint with the R&B-styled Blackrockers band, he dropped out of high school to travel around Europe by working a variety of mundane jobs and manning several bands. Years later, in 1975, Parker recorded a demonstration tape that led to a connection with The Rumour, an outstanding band comprised of veterans of England’s declining pub-rock scene. Bob Andrews and Brinsley Schwarz had been members of the cult band Brinsley Schwarz, whereas Martin Belmont had been with Ducks Deluxe, and Andrew Bodnar and Stephen Goulding with Bontemps Roulez.

Signed to Mercury Records, Graham Parker and The Rumour recorded two well-received but poor-selling albums released in 1976. With Parker singing his songs in a gruff, raspy voice, Howliri Wind featured such powerful and vituperative songs as “Between You and Me,” “Back to School Days,” and “Don’t Ask Me Questions.” Heat Treatment, which included “That’s What They All Say,” the excellent “Pourin’ It All Out,” and “Fool’s Gold,” became their first American album-chart entry, sparked by two American tours.

Scoring a minor hit with “Hold Back the Night” in spring 1977, Graham Parker and The Rumour recorded Stick to Me under producer Nick Lowe, another veteran of the band Brinsley Schwarz. However, the album was not well received, as Lowe’s use of complex arrangements and a horn section was criticized, yet it contained a number of outstanding songs, including the title song as well as “Soul on Ice” and the ominous “Thunder and Rain.” Their next album, the double-record set The Parkerilla, contained three live sides and one studio side. Switching to Arista Records, Parker and the group recorded Squeezing Out Sparks with veteran producer Jack Nitzche. Projecting a simpler, guitar-based sound unmuddled by horns, the album was critically lauded for containing Parker’s best compositions and vocal performances to date. It included “Local Girls,” “Nobody Hurts You,” the passionate “You Can’t Be Too Strong,” and the potent “Passion Is No Ordinary Word,” as well as “Mercury Poisoning” and “No Protection.” Supported by a three-month American tour, the album sold far better than previous releases. In 1979 Dave Edmunds covered Parker’s “Crawling from the Wreckage,” while Parker recorded The Up Escalator with guest keyboardists Nicky Hopkins and Danny Federici. The album featured “Stupefaction,” “No Holding Back,” “Love without Greed,” and “Endless Night,” with harmony vocals by Bruce Springsteen.

Graham Parker and The Rumour split company in 1981, and Parker recorded his next three albums as a solo artist while retaining guitarist Brinsley Schwarz. Moving in a softer direction, Another Grey Area included “Crying for Attention,” “Temporary Beauty,” and “No More Excuses,” whereas The Real Macaw contained “Just Like a Man,” “You Can’t Take Love for Granted,” and the minor hit “Life Gets Better.” Switching to Elektra Records, Parker scored a moderate hit with “Wake Up (Next to You)” from Steady Nerves, which included the political “Break Them Down” and “Lunatic Fringe.” He next signed with Atlantic Records, but no recordings were ever released. By 1988 Parker had moved to RCA Records, where his debut for the label, The Mona Lisa’s Sister, was hailed as a brilliant return to form. The album contained his attack on Atlantic, “Success,” plus “The Girl Isn’t Ready,” “Start a Fire,” “Don’t Let It Break You Down,” “Back in Time,” and the soothing “Blue Highways.”

In 1990 Graham Parker joined Dave Edmunds, 1960s rocker Dion, and Kim Wilson of the Fabulous Thunderbirds for a nine-week tour as Dave Edmunds’s Rock and Roll Revue. Following two more modest-selling studio albums for RCA, Parker switched to Capitol for 1992’s Burning Questions. Parker toured in support of the album, and in 1993 Rhino Records issued the stunning anthology set Passion Is No Ordinary Word. By 1995 Graham Parker had moved to the independent label Razor & Tie for 12 Haunted Episodes.

Discography

graham parker and the rumour:Howlin’ Wind (1976); Heat Treatment (1976); Stick to Me (1977); The Parkerilla (1978); Pourin’ It All Out: The Mercury Years (1985); Squeezing Out Sparks (1979); The Up Escalator (1980); Best (1982). the rumour:Max (1977); Frogs, Sprouts, Clogs and Krauts (1979); Purity of Essence (1982). graham parker:Another Grey Area (1982); The Real Macaw (1983); Steady Nerves (1985); The Mona Lisa’s Sister (1988); Human Soul (1990); Struck by Lightning (1991); Best, 1988–1991 (1992); Burning Questions (1992); Passion Is No Ordinary Word: The G. P. Anthology, 1976–1991 (1993); 12 Haunted Episodes (1995).

—Brock Helander