58-782: Graham Thomas Parker (born 18 November 1950) is an English singer-songwriter, who is best known as the lead singer of the British band Graham Parker & the Rumour . Parker was born in Hackney, East London, in 1950. He was a pupil at Chobham Secondary Modern School in Surrey. After the success of the Beatles , Parker and some other 12/13-year-olds formed the Deepcut Three, soon renamed the Black Rockers. None of
116-458: A Rumour, More a Way of Life . On 21 October 2010, Parker, Andrews, Belmont, Goulding, and bassist Jeremy Chatzky performed together under the name Kippington Lodge Social Club, at a preview screening of Don't Ask Me Questions , a documentary about Parker. The following spring all five original members joined Parker to record a new album, entitled Three Chords Good , and in September 2011 Parker and
174-516: A Window: Lost Songs of Lennon & McCartney , was credited to "Pierson, Parker, Janovitz". Also in 2003, Parker contributed a solo acoustic version of Pink Floyd 's " Comfortably Numb " to the compilation album , A Fair Forgery of Pink Floyd . New solo work continued with 2004's Your Country , which saw Parker switch labels to Chicago-based indie Bloodshot Records and was co-produced by John Would at Stanley Recording in Venice, California. The album
232-546: A book. He began in journalism in 1968 with a weekly column in the Record Mirror . His 1970 book, The Sound of the City: The Rise of Rock and Roll , was developed from his master's thesis, and was a seminal history of popular music . It received excellent reviews in both Time and The New York Times and enabled Gillett to further his music journalism career and to write a second book, Making Tracks . He wrote for
290-476: A degree in economics. In 1965, after graduating and marrying, he went to Columbia University in New York City to study for a master's degree, taking as his thesis — unconventionally for the time — the history of rock and roll music. After he returned to England in 1966, he taught social studies and film-making at Kingsway College of Further Education in central London, while starting to turn his thesis into
348-530: A discrete unit). Parker began a more active period in 2001, with the UK re-release of his early Rumour work, and with his third studio album for Razor & Tie , Deepcut to Nowhere . In 2003, he collaborated with Kate Pierson of the B-52's and Bill Janovitz of Buffalo Tom to record an album of lesser-known John Lennon / Paul McCartney compositions that had never been recorded by The Beatles . The album, called From
406-478: A few locals in a bar, he found himself on an afternoon show on Gibraltar television where he performed two or three of his own songs. At that time, a strongly psychedelic-influenced band named Pegasus often played in the same bar and asked Parker to join them. With Parker in the band playing a borrowed electric guitar, Pegasus played one show in Gibraltar before going to Tangier , Morocco, where they briefly performed in
464-528: A few musicians behind him. One of the songs Parker recorded was "Between You and Me." This demo version ended up on Parker's first album, Howlin' Wind , after the Rumour tried to record it but failed to achieve the natural feel of the demo. Another song, "Nothin's Gonna Pull Us Apart" was played, in demo form, on the Charlie Gillett show "Honky Tonk" on BBC London 94.9 . On hearing the song, Nigel Grainge from Phonogram Records called Gillett and asked who
522-706: A member of Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers . (Brown also found Parker a gig at Southern Comfort, a tiny hamburger café on Seven Sisters Road in Finsbury Park , London where he played solo, performing a mixture of original songs and covers.) Riley thought Parker should meet Dave Robinson , the manager of the by now defunct Brinsley Schwarz band. Robinson had a small studio above the Hope & Anchor pub in Islington and began to record Parker, sometimes solo and sometimes with
580-483: A nightclub. Parker, however, was growing out of the hippie trappings and decided the band needed to learn a few songs that involved major keys (all the songs they played were in A minor) and so taught the members some of the soul numbers he had loved as a youth, including Wilson Pickett ’s " In The Midnight Hour ". He also tired of the band's hippie name and renamed them Terry Burbot's Magic Mud. In late 1972, Parker returned to England and lived with his parents, working at
638-550: A petrol station around the corner from his childhood home in Deepcut . By now he was determined to pursue a career in music and worked steadily on improving his guitar playing and song writing. In late 1974 he placed an ad in Melody Maker seeking like-minded backing musicians. One of the musicians who answered the ad was Noel Brown, a guitarist who lived in south London. Brown introduced him to Paul "Bassman" Riley who had recently been
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#1733085122009696-484: A rotation of three music presenters (with Mary Ann Kennedy and Lopa Kothari) presenting World on 3 , regularly featuring session guests. In 1996, his revised and expanded version of The Sound of the City was published. Every year from 2000 to 2009, he compiled a world music double album , World 2000 , World 2001 , etc., the first four of them for EMI , the next two for Wrasse , and the last four, World 2006 , Sound of
754-536: A set of short stories, Carp Fishing on Valium , in June 2000. His third book, the novel The Other Life of Brian , appeared in September 2003. In early 2011, Parker reunited with all five original members of The Rumour to record a new album, Three Chords Good . It was released in November 2012. Music journalist , Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted that the release was "the rare reunion that simultaneously looks back while living in
812-944: A short final UK tour in October 2015, finishing with a final concert at the London Forum on 17 October 2015. At this show, the surviving members of the horn section also reunited, for the first time in 33 years. Members of the Rumour came from the veteran UK pub rock bands Brinsley Schwarz , Ducks Deluxe and Bontemps Roulez. Throughout most of their existence (1975–1980), the Rumour consisted of founding members Bob Andrews (keyboards), Brinsley Schwarz (guitar), Martin Belmont (guitar), Andrew Bodnar (bass), and Stephen Goulding (drums). Lead vocals were shared amongst all group members. The Rumour debuted on disc as Graham Parker's backing band on his 1976 album Howlin' Wind . While continuing to work with Parker (and to receive billing on his albums),
870-676: A solo, acoustic 40th Anniversary version of Squeezing Out Sparks , for an 13 April 2019 release. It also contains the non-album single, "Mercury Poisoning". In September 2023, Graham Parker & the Goldtops released a new studio album Last Chance to Learn the Twist . The Goldtops lineup now included drummer Jim Russell in place of Roy Dodds. Graham Parker & the Rumour Graham Parker The Rumour The Rumour were an English pub rock new wave rock band active in
928-435: A top 50 UK single in " Temporary Beauty ". 1983's The Real Macaw , with drumming by Gilson Lavis of Squeeze and Brinsley Schwarz on guitar, did not fare as well, hitting US No. 59 on the album charts but missing the UK charts altogether. However, Parker's 1985 release Steady Nerves (credited to Graham Parker and The Shot ) was a moderate success and included his only US top 40 hit " Wake Up (Next to You) ". The Shot
986-456: A variety of music magazines, including Rolling Stone , Let It Rock , and New Musical Express and contributed to The Observer . Writer Richie Unterberger said of The Sound of the City that it "was the first serious and comprehensive history of rock and roll, and remains one of the best." Gillett began a weekly radio programme, Honky Tonk , on Radio London in 1972, leaving in 1978. He brought Ian Dury to public attention, and
1044-586: The British pub rock scene, augmented at times by a four-man horn section known as The Rumour Horns: John "Irish" Earle (saxophone), Chris Gower (trombone), Dick Hanson (trumpet), and Ray Beavis (saxophone). The band's first album, Howlin' Wind , was released to acclaim in April 1976 and was rapidly followed by the stylistically similar Heat Treatment . A mixture of rock, ballads, and reggae -influenced numbers, these albums reflected Parker's early influences and contained
1102-461: The compilation album , A Bunch of Stiff Records for Stiff Records. In the summer of 1975, Parker joined ex-members of three British Pub rock (United Kingdom) bands to form Graham Parker and the Rumour : Parker (lead vocals, guitar) with Brinsley Schwarz (lead guitar) and Bob Andrews (keyboards) (both ex Brinsley Schwarz ), Martin Belmont (rhythm guitar, ex Ducks Deluxe ) and Andrew Bodnar (bass) and Steve Goulding (drums). They began in
1160-738: The American market. The first fruits of this new direction appeared on Stick To Me (1977), which broke the top 20 on the UK Albums Chart . Parker and the Rumour gained a following in Australia thanks to the support of community radio (4ZZZ, 3RRR), Sydney independent rock station Double Jay (2JJ) and the ABC's weekly pop TV show Countdown , which gave the group nationwide exposure. They made their first tour there in 1978, where they spotted rising Australian band The Sports , who subsequently supported Parker and
1218-644: The Animal Virus Research Institute in Pirbright , Surrey, where he bred animals for foot-and-mouth disease research. At 18 he left the job and moved to Guernsey in the Channel Islands where he took a variety of jobs, picking tomatoes, digging ditches, collecting money from pinball machines, and working in a bakery. In Guernsey he bought an acoustic guitar and began to learn fingerpicking style and began writing songs with lyrics heavily influenced by
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#17330851220091276-549: The Band and the Rolling Stones , frequently recalling both simultaneously. Together with Parker they recorded several albums, most notably 1979's Squeezing Out Sparks . Members of the Rumour (often, but not always, acting as a unit) also kept themselves busy during this era appearing as session musicians on various recordings issued by acts associated with pub rock and new wave . At various points, and on various recordings,
1334-527: The Rumour Brass, making this their first appearance on a Graham Parker album since Stick to Me in 1977 and their first time working with Parker since the Squeezing Out Sparks tour in 1979. The album was initially to be produced by Neil Brockbank , but he died during the recording of the album and production duties for the rest of the album were passed onto Tuck Nelson and Parker himself. He announced
1392-459: The Rumour backed Nick Lowe , Dave Edmunds , Carlene Carter and other acts. In 1977, Bodnar and Goulding also played bass and drums respectively, on Elvis Costello 's first UK chart hit, " Watching the Detectives ". The band also backed Garland Jeffreys on the tour for his Escape Artist album. Feeling that their work was overlooked due to their image as Graham Parker's backing band, an album
1450-565: The Rumour filmed a performance scene for the Judd Apatow film This Is 40 . The album was released in November 2012. Music journalist Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted that the release was "the rare reunion that simultaneously looks back while living in the present." Charlie Gillett Charles Thomas Gillett ( / ˈ ɡ ɪ l ɪ t / ; 20 February 1942 – 17 March 2010) was a British radio presenter, musicologist , and writer, mainly on rock and roll and other forms of popular music . He
1508-556: The Rumour on their early 1979 UK tour. The group made a second Australian tour in late 1979, when Parker appeared on Countdown as a guest presenter. An official Graham Parker and The Rumour live album, The Parkerilla , issued in 1978, had nothing new: three sides were live, with versions of previously released songs; the fourth 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
1566-763: The Rumour until a reunion decades later. However, Rumour guitarist Brinsley Schwarz reunited with Parker in 1983 and played on most of his albums through to the decade's end. Other Rumour members also played with Parker in later years: bassist Andrew Bodnar would rejoin Parker from 1988 through the mid-1990s, and drummer Steve Goulding would play on Parker's 2001 album Deepcut To Nowhere . The 1980s were Parker's most commercially successful years, with well-financed recordings and radio and video play. His follow-up to The Up Escalator , 1982's Another Grey Area , used session musicians Nicky Hopkins and Hugh McCracken . This album charted at UK No. 40 and US No. 51, and spun off
1624-449: The UK, and was produced by Jimmy Iovine . The album featured the single " Stupefaction " and the track " Endless Night ", which had guest vocals from Bruce Springsteen . The front cover of the album credited only Graham Parker, not "Graham Parker and The Rumour". The album was certified Gold in Canada (for over 50,000 copies sold). The Up Escalator would prove to be Parker's last album with
1682-746: The World (2007), Beyond the Horizon (2008), and Otro Mundo (2009), for Warner Classics and Jazz/ Rhino . In 2009, he also released Charlie Gillett's Radio Picks "Honky Tonk" (Ace Records), a compilation of tracks from his show. Anywhere on This Road was posthumously released on Warner Classics and Jazz. Gillett died on 17 March 2010, following a series of health problems, including being diagnosed with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis in 2006. Gillett and his wife Buffy had two daughters and one son. WOMAD (World Of Music And Dance) renamed one of its festival stages in memory of Gillett in 2010. The stage
1740-461: The album London Calling by The Clash ) or The Rumour Brass, most notably on Katrina and the Waves ' 1985 hit " Walking On Sunshine ". Bob Andrews left The Rumour in early 1980, and was not officially replaced. However, in studio sessions for the next album, Nicky Hopkins and Danny Federici (of The E Street Band ) played keyboards. 1980's The Up Escalator was Parker's highest-charting album in
1798-404: The backing band, as well as guest appearances from The Band's Garth Hudson on keyboards and John Sebastian on autoharp. However, the album's chart peak of US No. 131 saw Parker dropped by the label. 1992's Burning Questions was released by Capitol Records , who promptly dropped him after the album failed to sell. A 1994 Christmas-themed EP release ( Graham Parker's Christmas Cracker )
Graham Parker - Misplaced Pages Continue
1856-471: The band's breakup: I suppose there was no single reason, but really we had nowhere else to go. When The Up Escalator was recorded, Bob was no longer in the band, and that late, lovely man, Nicky Hopkins, was playing keyboards for us. We did various shows which I can't remember, and although we didn't know it at the time, ended our career as Graham Parker & The Rumour in Essen, Germany at what I'm pleased to say
1914-434: The following year the Rumour began to issue their own recordings, starting with the 1977 album Max (a reply to Fleetwood Mac for calling their latest album Rumours ). 1979 saw the band showcase their mastery of the new wave sound with Frogs, Sprouts, Clogs and Krauts , a commentary on European society. The Rumour were noted for their hard driving, skilled, tightly arranged ensemble playing. They have been compared to
1972-456: The late 1970s and early 1980s. They are best known as the backup band for Graham Parker , whose early records (from 1976 to 1980) were credited to Graham Parker & the Rumour . However, the Rumour also recorded on their own, releasing three albums : Max (1977), Frogs, Sprouts, Clogs and Krauts (1979), and Purity of Essence (1980). The group broke up at the end of 1980, but reunited as Parker's backing band in 2011. The band undertook
2030-439: The members actually learned to play their instruments, however, and were merely dress-up bands, adopting Beatle haircuts, black jeans and polo neck sweaters. By the time Parker was 15 he was a fan of soul music, especially Otis Redding , and would go to dance clubs in the nearby towns of Woking and Camberley where there was a thriving appreciation of soul music , Motown and ska . Parker left school at 16 and went to work at
2088-561: The new singer was. By now Robinson had become Parker's manager and a deal with Phonogram was struck. Robinson then went about recruiting the musicians who would become the Rumour, and recording for Howlin’ Wind began in the winter of 1975 with Nick Lowe producing. In 1975, he recorded a few demo tracks in London with Dave Robinson, who would shortly found Stiff Records and who connected Parker with his first backing band of note, The Rumour . Parker had one track, "Back to Schooldays", released on
2146-568: The number of compilation albums in Graham Parker's discography. Particularly unproductive was Parker's tenure at Atlantic Records , where he released nothing and signed to RCA Records . He began producing his own recordings and issued The Mona Lisa's Sister . The backing band for this album included former Rumour-mates Schwarz and Bodnar; keyboardists James Hallawell and Steve Nieve ; and drummer Terry Williams (replaced on one cut by Andy Duncan, and two others by Pete Thomas , who, like Nieve,
2204-648: The performance of Mercury Records, finally issuing in 1979 as a single B-side " Mercury Poisoning " a song that directly attacked it. 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 four support acts for Bob Dylan at the Picnic at Blackbushe on 15 July 1978. The band also opened Richard Branson's new club The Venue , London, in November 1978. Energized by his new label, Arista Records , and with record producer Jack Nitzsche , Parker wrote
2262-856: The present." Meanwhile, the Judd Apatow film This Is 40 , in which Parker and Rumour play themselves, was released a month later, in December 2012. The Parker/Rumour reunion continued into 2015, when their new album Mystery Glue was issued. It was followed by a short international tour, after which the reunion ended. In April 2018, Parker signed with 100% Records, and released a brand new single titled "Dreamin'". Later, in July 2018, Parker announced Cloud Symbols , his brand new studio album to be released on 21 September 2018. The album features Parker's brand new backing band The Goldtops, which consists of Martin Belmont on guitar, Geraint Watkins on keyboards, Simon Edwards on bass, and Roy Dodds on drums. The album also features
2320-758: The psychedelic music of the time. Parker returned to England for a year, living in Chichester in Sussex where he worked at the Chichester Rubber Glove Factory. By 1971, he had left England again and spent time in Paris. From France, Parker hitchhiked through Spain to Morocco, where he travelled around for a year before moving to Gibraltar . In Gibraltar he worked on the docks unloading frozen foods, which he then helped deliver to supermarkets. His guitar playing and writing skills were improving, and after playing songs to
2378-455: 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 (1979) was named by Rolling Stone at No. 335 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
Graham Parker - Misplaced Pages Continue
2436-482: The songs which formed the core of Parker's live shows – "Black Honey", "Soul Shoes", "Lady Doctor", "Fool's Gold", and his early signature tune "Don't Ask Me Questions", which hit the top 40 in the UK Singles Chart . Establishing a recording career in early 1976, Parker preceded two other new wave English singer-songwriters with whom he is often compared: Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson . (Costello's first single
2494-451: The years following the Rumour's demise. Schwarz, Bodnar and Goulding all worked with Parker at various times since the Rumour's break-up, and Belmont has appeared on recordings by Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe. Goulding has also been a member of the Mekons since 1984. A compilation album of Rumour material (from their last two albums only) was released by Metro in 2000, entitled Not So Much
2552-675: Was a brilliant gig, supporting the Police and, happily, broadcast live across Europe on TV! It was a great one to finish with, and the commercially unavailable video proves it! Life trundled on and we did various gigs and festivals as the Rumour, but by mutual agreement, we were no longer playing with Graham. Later in 1981, the Garland Experience was finished - after we came offstage at the last gig in San Francisco, Stephen calmly said "I think we should split...". Poor Alan Frey, our US manager,
2610-563: Was a four-piece backing band, all of whom had played on either The Real Macaw or Another Grey Area : Brinsley Schwarz (guitar), George Small (keyboards), Kevin Jenkins (bass) and Michael Braun (drums). Steady Nerves was recorded in New York City, and Parker began living mostly in the United States during this time. Record label changes came quickly after the mid-1980s, partly accounting for
2668-464: Was a member of Elvis Costello and the Attractions ). Rolling Stone magazine ranked The Mona Lisa's Sister at No. 97 on its list of The 100 Greatest Albums of the 1980s. Parker continued to record for RCA through the early 1990s. Long-time guitarist Schwarz once again left Parker after the 1989 album Human Soul . Parker's 1991 offering, Struck By Lightning , had Bodnar and Pete Thomas in
2726-523: Was awarded the John Peel Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music Radio by the Radio Academy. In July 2006, after 11 years of broadcasting his regular Saturday-night show of world music, Gillett had to end his weekend slot due to ill health, but until his death, he continued to present his half-hour show, Charlie Gillett's World of Music , on Friday evenings. From mid-2007, he was on BBC Radio 3 in
2784-420: Was fired in 1983, but after listener complaints was rehired with orders for a new format. He chose to follow his new interest in music from the rest of the world and his show, A Foreign Affair , is credited with helping to launch "world music". Having been the first British DJ to play Youssou N'Dour , Salif Keita , " Hot Hot Hot " by Arrow ( Alphonsus Cassell ) and many more, he left Capital in December 1990. He
2842-454: Was issued on Dakota Arts Records, before Parker found a more permanent home on American independent label Razor & Tie . After the personal 12 Haunted Episodes , and 1996's Acid Bubblegum (featuring Jimmy Destri of Blondie on keyboards), Parker grew quiet in the late 1990s. However, he continued to play live fairly regularly, often working with backing band The Figgs (who, like The Rumour, when not backing Parker also issue records as
2900-573: Was particularly noted for his influential book The Sound of the City , for his promotion of many forms of " world music ", and for discovering and promoting such acts as Dire Straits and Ian Dury . Gillett was born in Morecambe , Lancashire , England, and was brought up in Stockton-on-Tees , where he attended Grangefield Grammar School . As a teenager, he developed a love of music, as well as sport, before going to Peterhouse, Cambridge , to take
2958-603: Was planned for release as the Duplicates. However, the idea was ultimately shelved after the release of the single "I Want to Make You Very Happy / Call of the Faithful". Andrews subsequently left the group during 1979, with session musician Nicky Hopkins playing piano subsequently. The remaining quartet continued on, recording their own album Purity of Essence (1980) and serving as the backing band on Graham Parker's The Up Escalator (1980) before breaking up by 1981. Bodnar said of
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#17330851220093016-630: Was presented with the Sony Gold Lifetime Achievement Award the following year. While at Capital, Gillett also co-presented The Late Shift , a weekly late-night strand of music concerts and films for Channel 4 in 1988, alongside Vivien Goldman . Returning to the BBC, Gillett presented a weekly two-hour show on BBC London 94.9 from 1995 to 2006 and a weekly world music programme on the BBC World Service from 1999. In 2006, Gillett
3074-533: Was published in 1974. The same year, with partner Gordon Nelki, Gillett launched the Oval record label with Another Saturday Night , a compilation album , which popularised Cajun music in the UK. The duo managed Ian Dury's first group Kilburn and the High Roads and published Paul Hardcastle 's worldwide number-one hit , " 19 ". In 1980, Gillett joined Capital Radio , and began to play more independent music. He
3132-500: Was ranked at No. 45, while Howlin' Wind came in at No. 54. The album features several of Parker's most famous songs, including " Passion Is No Ordinary Word ", " You Can't Be Too Strong ", and the singles " Local Girls ", " Protection ", and " Discovering Japan ". 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
3190-442: Was really upset and kept asking Steve to think about it, and that we could carry on. Actually, the rest of us knew Steve had vocalised what had been obvious for some months. So it wasn't a case of persuading him otherwise - we already agreed, reluctantly or not. But it was a sad time for us because we’d been such a good band for a while back there… All of the former members of the Rumour worked fairly frequently as session musicians in
3248-469: Was recorded and mixed in two weeks. Songs of No Consequence was recorded with The Figgs in 2005. A show from the ensuing tour with the Figgs was broadcast on FM radio and released as an album in 2006. In March 2007, a new full-length album, Don't Tell Columbus , was released. In addition to his records, Parker published an illustrated science fiction novella, The Great Trouser Mystery in 1980. He published
3306-691: Was released in 1977, and Jackson's first solo single in late 1978). Jackson said of Parker in a 1979 interview, "Graham Parker I really like. I think he's very genuine." Graham Parker and the Rumour appeared on BBC television's Top of the Pops in 1977, performing their version of The Trammps ' "Hold Back the Night" from The Pink Parker EP , a top 30 hit in the UK Singles Chart in March 1977. At this point, Parker began to change his songwriting style, hoping to break into
3364-471: Was the first DJ to play demos by Graham Parker , Elvis Costello , and Dire Straits (" Sultans of Swing "). In the latter case, significant numbers of London's A&R men had contacted Gillett's studio by the time he had finished playing the song — sending Dire Straits on their journey to global stardom. His second book, Making Tracks: Atlantic Records and the Making of a Multi-billion-dollar Industry ,
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