(xp) I was way up there too, but in the second row from the rail. I hope you didn't mind my loudness during The Figgs sing-a-long to "Victoria."
I loved the way he held the audience off. Somebody requested the material we were all waiting to hear early on and he said "We'll get to that." Then there was that moment when there was a little pause he said "all right, there is an album we did back in 1979 and now we are going to side one track one off that album." Then there was still a heart-stopping moment of hesitation before they started up. Then he did a little bow and had all these choreographed dance moves he did during that part of the show. Actually I think there was a tiny hole in the mix during "Discovering Japan" because he wasn't playing guitar anymore but I think they probably boosted Brinsley after that so it wasn't a problem.
― Roadside Prisunic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 2 December 2012 18:39 (eleven years ago) link
DIdn't really know from The Figgs before this, I had only seen GP solo before, but they won me over.
― Roadside Prisunic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 2 December 2012 18:41 (eleven years ago) link
The Sparks part of the show was like when Andy Kaufman made a few minor adjustments to his wardrobe and all of a sudden turned into Elvis.
― Roadside Prisunic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 2 December 2012 18:54 (eleven years ago) link
There was another story he told about fighting hard not to have a Phil Collins gated drum sound on his 80s recordings. Nonetheless when he sent around the MP3 of one of the songs to prepare for this tour the guys who hadn't played on it said "That was recorded during the 80s, wasn't it?" Today I read somewhere that he had fought with Ahmet Ertegun over this issue who proceeded to drop him from Atlantic Records! Hadn't even known he was on that label.
― Roadside Prisunic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 3 December 2012 01:53 (eleven years ago) link
Besides the stuff off of the new album and off SoS, they began with "Fool's Gold," a little while later did "Nothin's Gonna Pull Us Apart," thereby dispatching with the first two albums. Somewhere along the line he also played the, um, title track off of Mona Lisa's Sister, "Get Started. Start A Fire" and a song off of Deepcut to Nowhere called, "I'll Never Play Jacksonsville Again." I thought at first he was talking about a "deep cut," but, as some of you must already know, it refers to the town in England that he is from. The first encore was mostly more from SoS. For the second encore, he walked out to the edge of the stage and looked dismissively at an audience member who had shouted a request , sneering "New York Shuffle?" and flapping his hand in a you've-got-to-be-kidding-me way, but that is what the band immediately started to play. The last song was "I Want You Back." Mark "Lovebug Starski" Coleman already mentioned "Stupefaction" off The Up Escalator, he can fill in the gaps or correct my errors.
― Roadside Prisunic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 3 December 2012 03:25 (eleven years ago) link
Think I forgot "Watch The Moon Come Down."
― Roadside Prisunic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 3 December 2012 03:58 (eleven years ago) link
Graham Parker sounds more like Elvis Costello than Elvis Costello. FTW.
― Tyler Burns (burns46824@yahoo.com), Tuesday, 4 December 2012 08:01 (eleven years ago) link
It's fatal and it don't get better
― Roadside Prisunic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 4 December 2012 10:42 (eleven years ago) link
Also: googler, please. This the Squeezing Out Sparks thread, not the Jumping The Shark thread.
― Roadside Prisunic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 4 December 2012 18:34 (eleven years ago) link
Original videos for Local Girls and Protection.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-9A2O6CwW4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3ETAZSFWWs
― Roadside Prisunic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 6 December 2012 01:43 (eleven years ago) link
I really like Live Alone in America, probably the first solo-electric-guitar album I'd ever heard when I was 18.
― blues bras (Eazy), Thursday, 6 December 2012 01:45 (eleven years ago) link
Don't know why the https, which seemed to mess up the embed. Try againhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3ETAZSFWWshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C2SkcC3TXc
― Roadside Prisunic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 6 December 2012 01:50 (eleven years ago) link
RockPalast version of Stick To Me From 1978https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAW6-_SsCOI
― Roadside Prisunic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 6 December 2012 01:53 (eleven years ago) link
One more for now: New York Shuffle, 1978http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=ipgtPCrd1O0&feature=endscreen
― Roadside Prisunic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 6 December 2012 02:09 (eleven years ago) link
Take off the endscreen and see if the embed works:http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=ipgtPCrd1O0
― Roadside Prisunic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 6 December 2012 02:10 (eleven years ago) link
Nope.
Am I the only fule who didn't know "Hold Back The Night" was a cover?
― Roadside Prisunic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 7 December 2012 18:13 (eleven years ago) link
A little jealous of the crowd that got to see this show, now with more Rumour-era material: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/graham-parker-draws-sold-crowd-402050
― TS: shambala vs. sha la la, man (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 18 December 2012 16:11 (eleven years ago) link
Seeing him tonight, psyched.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 18 December 2012 16:12 (eleven years ago) link
My friend in Chicago was dying to go but I think he has to go to the office Xmas party instead.
― TS: shambala vs. sha la la, man (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 18 December 2012 16:25 (eleven years ago) link
Didn't even know he was in town. Good for Bloodshot Records to be benefitting from the Apatow goodwill.
― your damn bass clarinet (Eazy), Tuesday, 18 December 2012 16:27 (eleven years ago) link
Ha, pretty sure it's not on Bloodshot. For sure there is a third-party publicist.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 18 December 2012 17:20 (eleven years ago) link
On a label called Primary Wave.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51tcIGEcikL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 18 December 2012 17:21 (eleven years ago) link
Oops, thought I read somewhere that it was. Well, if it helps them sell the records of his they did put out...
― your damn bass clarinet (Eazy), Tuesday, 18 December 2012 17:31 (eleven years ago) link
I just saw an article in Chicago Tribune where he discusses that
― TS: shambala vs. sha la la, man (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 18 December 2012 17:34 (eleven years ago) link
Sun-Times, I think:
Parker is to record labels what Lindsay Lohan is to handcuffs. He has recorded for (in chronological order): Mercury (he skewered them in the rave-up anthem “Mercury Poisoning”), Arista, Elektra, RCA, Capitol, Dakota Arts (the Christmas EP), Rhino, Razor & Tie and most recently Chicago’s Bloodshot).“It’s ridiculous to sign Graham Parker to save your record label,” Parker said with a laugh. “Paradoxically, I do quite well for Bloodshot. For this record I moved to Primary Wave, who has been getting investment deal money. For this album I need to pay for a publicist. I told Bloodshot I had this album and if I got a lot of money thrown at me I’d do it with Primary Wave. I got substantially more than most indie labels. Bloodshoot totally understood. They said they would advertise the record on their website and put up tour dates.”
“It’s ridiculous to sign Graham Parker to save your record label,” Parker said with a laugh. “Paradoxically, I do quite well for Bloodshot. For this record I moved to Primary Wave, who has been getting investment deal money. For this album I need to pay for a publicist. I told Bloodshot I had this album and if I got a lot of money thrown at me I’d do it with Primary Wave. I got substantially more than most indie labels. Bloodshoot totally understood. They said they would advertise the record on their website and put up tour dates.”
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 18 December 2012 18:02 (eleven years ago) link
That's why I thought it was on Bloodshot--they promoted it and linked to it on their Facebook page.
― your damn bass clarinet (Eazy), Tuesday, 18 December 2012 18:16 (eleven years ago) link
Yes, that was it.
― TS: shambala vs. sha la la, man (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 18 December 2012 18:35 (eleven years ago) link
there's probably an essay to write reclaiming Parker's post-SOS "lost" period: all those Up Escalators, Steady Nerves, and real macaws.
― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 18 December 2012 18:38 (eleven years ago) link
There are some good songs on those records for sure. "Stupefaction" off of The Up Escalator is in the current set list. Thinking about listening to some of his long list of "official bootlegs" as a way into the later material.
― TS: shambala vs. sha la la, man (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 18 December 2012 18:49 (eleven years ago) link
Right now listening to one called 80s Reverb Rules OK recorded live in Denmark with Brinsley and Andrew B between Steady Nerves and Mona Lisa's Sister. Read what the man himself says about it here: http://chairmanparker.blogspot.com/2011/03/80s-reverb-rules-ok-graham-parker-and.html
― TS: shambala vs. sha la la, man (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 18 December 2012 18:57 (eleven years ago) link
More concise description here: http://grahamparker.net/80sReverb.html
― TS: shambala vs. sha la la, man (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 18 December 2012 18:58 (eleven years ago) link
Guess that Chicago show is underway now. Randomly listening to these self-released live albums on Spotify is really working. Material that might have been ill-served by anonymous production gets a much better showing plus it is interspersed with some old favorites and trademark comedy banter.
― TS: shambala vs. sha la la, man (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 19 December 2012 03:23 (eleven years ago) link
'Twas a good show!
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 19 December 2012 04:53 (eleven years ago) link
Happy Birthday Martin Belmont!
― Rumba de Schmillsson (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 21 December 2012 14:17 (eleven years ago) link
Interviews with the birthday boy:http://www.rocktownhall.com/blogs/the-rock-town-hall-interview-martin-belmonthttp://jeffcramer.blogspot.com/2011/04/very-candid-conversation-with-martin.html?m=1
― Rumba de Schmillsson (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 21 December 2012 15:16 (eleven years ago) link
It was impossible to read that without stopping to watch or listen to 30 things I didn't know about or hadn't thought about in eons.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 21 December 2012 20:10 (eleven years ago) link
So you listened to some Carlene Carter too?
― Rumba de Schmillsson (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 21 December 2012 22:05 (eleven years ago) link
By which I mean to say I did exactly the same
― Rumba de Schmillsson (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 21 December 2012 23:36 (eleven years ago) link
Mor US East Coast touring with the Rumour in April
― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 29 January 2013 17:21 (eleven years ago) link
Saw that. Debating whether to go again
― Leopard Skin POLL-Box Hat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 29 January 2013 17:24 (eleven years ago) link
Yeah, it was great, but don't know how different it will be, given all the songs he must play. But the fact that he is Rumour-izing non Rumour stuff is intriguing.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 29 January 2013 17:27 (eleven years ago) link
DC area show sold out so quick last time, I hadn't gotten a ticket. Got tickets right when they went on sale this time. Had seen him with the Rumour back on the Squeezing Out Sparks tour, and once years later with his own band.
― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 29 January 2013 17:30 (eleven years ago) link
Finally saw him with the Rumour again (since 1979). Good show -- I didn't know the new album stuff, but enjoyed the selections from the first few albums.
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 2 May 2013 17:00 (eleven years ago) link
"Don't Ask Me Questions" was very passionately delivered. I could have done without "Lady Doctor"-- kinda generic musically and lyrically.
http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/graham-parker-and-the-rumour/2013/rams-head-on-stage-annapolis-md-33d8d485.html
1.White Honey 2.Fool's Gold 3.Howlin' Wind 4.Coathangers 5.I'll Never Play Jacksonville Again 6.Long Emotional Ride 7.Lady Doctor 8.Get Started, Start A Fire 9.Black Honey 10.Snake Oil Capital of the World 11.Soul on Ice 12.A Lie Gets Halfway 'round the World 13.Watch the Moon Come Down Play Video 14.Discovering Japan 15.Don't Get Excited 16.Protection 17.Stupefaction 18.Local Girls Encore:19.Last Bookstore in Town 20.Don't Ask Me Questions Encore 2:21.Soul Shoes
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 2 May 2013 17:05 (eleven years ago) link
Cool. When was this, Steve? Last night? I guess that website would tell me.
― Blue Yodel No. 9 Dream (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 2 May 2013 17:07 (eleven years ago) link
Actually a little while back-- April 6th, but I suddenly realized I never mentioned it here. He just played even closer to me more recently (but that might have been when I was in New Orleans).
― curmudgeon, Thursday, 2 May 2013 17:17 (eleven years ago) link
Has anybody seen Graham Parker's current duo tour with guitarist Brinsley Schwarz (of his own band and The Rumour)? They're in DC tonight.
http://www.grahamparker.net/Tour.html
East and Midwest US plus Canada
― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 9 May 2017 16:51 (seven years ago) link
Iow, he is still alive..
― Mark G, Tuesday, 9 May 2017 17:17 (seven years ago) link
I wasn't able to make it to their local gig. Wonder if they did any interesting pub rock covers together?
― curmudgeon, Friday, 12 May 2017 12:31 (seven years ago) link
Don't think I'll ever get this guy.
― Patriotic Goiter (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 23 November 2020 02:48 (three years ago) link