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 (ten 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 (ten 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 (ten 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 (ten 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 (six years ago) link
Iow, he is still alive..
― Mark G, Tuesday, 9 May 2017 17:17 (six 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 (six 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
You kinda do
― curmudgeon, Monday, 23 November 2020 05:10 (three years ago) link
Ha, was thinking that too
― Robert Gotopieces (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 23 November 2020 09:00 (three years ago) link
After 1979’s inexplicable Pazz & Jop winner Squeezing Out Sparks he had no reason to sustain a cult, but there he was and here he is.
― Robert Gotopieces (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 23 November 2020 18:01 (three years ago) link
https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/pjres76.php
― Robert Gotopieces (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 23 November 2020 18:04 (three years ago) link
And even the much-maligned Stick to Me made it to #19 in 1977.https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/pjres77.php
― Robert Gotopieces (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 23 November 2020 18:09 (three years ago) link
The stuff right after Squeezing Out Sparks was pretty terrible apart from “Temporary Beauty” but eventually he kind of righted the ship.
― Robert Gotopieces (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 23 November 2020 18:38 (three years ago) link
That Rhino anthology is a solid collection, but yeah, a lot of his later work wasn't so hot. Howlin' Wind, Squeezing Out Sparks and to a lesser extent Heat Treatment are great albums.
― birdistheword, Monday, 23 November 2020 20:36 (three years ago) link
Now that it's all online somewhere, if ye be starting the maiden voyage, try Howlin Wind, and proceed chronologically 'til sick of it, but know that after the first 2-4 albums at least, it's cherrypickin' time all the time.However, that's studio---live can be a different matter: if you can stand the original ten-track Squeezing Out Sparks at all, or maybe even if you can't, look for Live Sparks, which was originally promo-only, but very eventually (mid-90s) released on CD w the studio original. Worth hearing that whole disc for comparison, although Amazon for one lists even used copies for $19.99. Anyway, the live also has his kiss-off to label, "Mercury Poisoning" and a cover of the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back"(would not have guessed he'd pick that one). And YouTube may well have his late 70s set w the Rumour on Soundstage, the old Chicago PBS show--no interviews, no patter, nothing but the music under hot lights for like 50 minutes, as I dimly recall (if I can remember it at all, and supposedly I can, must have been pretty damn good, though he made it look like all in a day's work, pretty cool).GP *live* with the Rumour, can't go too wrong with that.
― dow, Monday, 23 November 2020 20:55 (three years ago) link
I took a listen to the Rhino collection again. The first disc is impeccable - nearly all of the highlights from Howlin' Wind, Heat Treatment and Squeezing Out Sparks are on that first disc, as are the original single recordings of "Mercury Poisoning" and "I Want You Back (Alive)." Pretty much everything is awesome.
The second disc is a good listen for the first 20 or 30 minutes, but it gets a LOT worse, so much that it was tough finishing the disc. I didn't look at the booklet until I was close to the end, but it's pretty stunning how mediocre those last few albums were when you look at his collaborators - not just key members from the Rumour but Rockpile, Elvis Costello's Attractions (Steve Nieve and Pete Thomas) and even Garth Hudson of the Band. To be fair, they're not awful but the songs are. They still sound like Graham Parker songs, but it's like everything that made him so great and enjoyable had evaporated. It really sounds like a hollow shell of what Parker used to be like.
― birdistheword, Thursday, 18 March 2021 19:15 (three years ago) link