Graham Parker (born 18 November 1950) is an English singer-songwriter, who is best known as the lead singer of the popular British band Graham Parker & the Rumour. Despite only moderate commercial success, Parker's energetic performances - along with the wittily class-conscious spirit of his debut album Howlin' Wind - preceded the arrival of punk rock and new wave music. In addition, his quirky-blue-collar image is often believed to be a major influence on the public persona of many British musicians, most notably Elvis Costello, Paul Weller and Joe Jackson. Squeezing Out Sparks (1978–1979) An official Graham Parker and The Rumour live album, The Parkerilla, issued in 1978, saw Parker in a creative holding pattern. Three sides were live, with no new songs and with versions of previously released songs. Side four was devoted to a "disco" remake of "Hey Lord, Don't Ask Me Questions". "The Parkerilla" satisfied his contractual obligation to Mercury Records freeing him to sign with Arista. Parker had long been dissatisfied with the performance of his US record company, Mercury Records, finally issuing in 1979 as a single B-side "Mercury Poisoning" a song that directly attacked his U.S. label. The flip side of the single was a cover of the Jackson Five song "I Want You Back (Alive)." Graham Parker and The Rumour were one of the 4 support acts for Bob Dylan at The Picnic at Blackbushe on 15 July 1978, playing in front of a huge crowd. Energized by his new label, Arista Records, and with record producer Jack Nitzsche, Parker wrote the songs that would form the basis for Squeezing Out Sparks, widely held to be the best album of his career. For this album, The Rumour's brass section, prominent on all previous albums, was jettisoned. Squeezing Out Sparks (1980) was named by Rolling Stone at No. 335[5] on its List of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In an early 1987 Rolling Stone list of their top 100 albums from 1967 to 1987, Squeezing Out Sparks was ranked at No. 45, while Howlin' Wind came in at No. 54. The companion live album Live Sparks, was sent to US radio stations as part of a concerted promotional campaign. The jettisoned brass section continued to play on other people's records credited as The Irish Horns (on the album London Calling by The Clash) or The Rumour Brass, most notably on Katrina and the Waves' 1985 hit "Walking On Sunshine".
Graham Parker (born 18 November 1950) is an English singer-songwriter, who is best known as the lead singer of the popular British band Graham Parker & the Rumour.
ResponderEliminarDespite only moderate commercial success, Parker's energetic performances - along with the wittily class-conscious spirit of his debut album Howlin' Wind - preceded the arrival of punk rock and new wave music. In addition, his quirky-blue-collar image is often believed to be a major influence on the public persona of many British musicians, most notably Elvis Costello, Paul Weller and Joe Jackson.
Squeezing Out Sparks (1978–1979)
An official Graham Parker and The Rumour live album, The Parkerilla, issued in 1978, saw Parker in a creative holding pattern. Three sides were live, with no new songs and with versions of previously released songs. Side four was devoted to a "disco" remake of "Hey Lord, Don't Ask Me Questions". "The Parkerilla" satisfied his contractual obligation to Mercury Records freeing him to sign with Arista.
Parker had long been dissatisfied with the performance of his US record company, Mercury Records, finally issuing in 1979 as a single B-side "Mercury Poisoning" a song that directly attacked his U.S. label. The flip side of the single was a cover of the Jackson Five song "I Want You Back (Alive)."
Graham Parker and The Rumour were one of the 4 support acts for Bob Dylan at The Picnic at Blackbushe on 15 July 1978, playing in front of a huge crowd.
Energized by his new label, Arista Records, and with record producer Jack Nitzsche, Parker wrote the songs that would form the basis for Squeezing Out Sparks, widely held to be the best album of his career. For this album, The Rumour's brass section, prominent on all previous albums, was jettisoned.
Squeezing Out Sparks (1980) was named by Rolling Stone at No. 335[5] on its List of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In an early 1987 Rolling Stone list of their top 100 albums from 1967 to 1987, Squeezing Out Sparks was ranked at No. 45, while Howlin' Wind came in at No. 54. The companion live album Live Sparks, was sent to US radio stations as part of a concerted promotional campaign.
The jettisoned brass section continued to play on other people's records credited as The Irish Horns (on the album London Calling by The Clash) or The Rumour Brass, most notably on Katrina and the Waves' 1985 hit "Walking On Sunshine".