A question about Graham Parker

ice nine · Post by **ice nine** » Wed Aug 13, 2003 9:34 pm

I just purchased, and listened to, Graham Parker's Burning Questions. Is this the typical G. Parker sound? Where does this album fit into his recordings?

Thanks

A rope leash · Post by **A rope leash** » Wed Aug 13, 2003 9:54 pm

I'd say Burning Questions is fairly typical of the slightly over-produced stuff he was doing mid-career, like The Real McCaw.

I like Burning Questions, and I would really like to restock my GP collection with CDs instead of these old tapes. Did you buy it used? Which tracks do you like?

E.C. Lover · Post by **E.C. Lover** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 12:32 am

I just bought that album too! ( I got it used by the way). I went out to buy it because I wasn't familiar with his work other than the obvious, and my husband and I were debating on whether or not he was dead. I could have sworn I heard that he died a few years back and my husband said I was basically high.
I thought the album was really good. I heard some similarities to Elvis with a little Springsteen vibe. I would have picked up a second disc but it was slim pickins' in the graham Parker section of our local record store. what else should I pick up?

bobster · Post by **bobster** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 1:34 am

I'm not a full on Parker expert (sort of lost interest in him a little bit after the time of the album that "You Hit the Spot" was the single from -- think that was before "The Real McCaw" but my memory plays tricks)....

However, I think almost everyone is agreed that the definitive Parker album is the still stunning "Squeezing out Sparks". "Howling Wind" is also quite good, though in a rootsier, more "pubby" mood (one of the better songs is the now mildly disturbing pro-cocaine song "White Honey"). "The Up Escalator" I haven't heard in years, but there are some great tracks and the Springsteen connection is solidified with an actual Bruce S. backing vocal on one tune.

And I've gotta recall that the first ever official concert I ever saw was Graham Parker and the Rumour at the Santa Monica Civic with Rachel Sweet opening on the day that Lowell George of Little Feat died.

Mike Boom · Post by **Mike Boom** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 2:01 am

And dont forget the fab "Stick to Me" - my personal Parker fave - I think it was the one before "Squeezing out Sparks".

"Im gonna tear your playhouse down ..........room by room".

I think "the Parkerilla" was a double Live/odds and sods/best of - released around that time which I recall as being pretty damn rockin.

martinfoyle · Post by **martinfoyle** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 5:44 am

Graham is very much alive and still spitting mad. Check out
http://www.grahamparker.net

A rope leash · Post by **A rope leash** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 8:23 am

Yes, he is not dead. I also like Human Soul and Struck by Lightening. He is actually a fine essayist, as well...

HungupStrungup · Post by **HungupStrungup** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 11:53 am

Squeezing Out Sparks is an excellent choice, made even better (in one CD edition anyway) by the addition of the entire Live Sparks promotional album, as well as "I Want You Back (Alive)" and "Mercury Poisoning." 22 tracks in all - that's the one to get if you can find it.

bobster · Post by **bobster** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 3:38 pm

My copy of "Stick to Me" was lost in the Great Bobster Vinyl Depletion of 1985 (in which 2/3 of my records were stolen, presumably by a larcenous peace marcher...it's a long story!)

As I recall, it wasn't as great as HW or SOS, but certainly had it's highlights including "Playhouse" which is an f'n great song (not written by Parker. Was it an old soul tune, or what?).

Yeah, and though I haven't heard the live stuff, that double SOS album has got to be a great buy. Probably worth it just for "Mercury Poisoning"/"I Want You Back" -- originally available as a special give-away. (You had to cut off a corner of the record cover). Great, great stuff. (I would have it myself, but since I already have SOS on CD, find it kind of hard to justify.)

And has anyone else heard heard any of the Rumour's old albums? I haven't heard them in years but they weren't half bad...I suspect a LOT better than the Attractions album was! (Though I STILL haven't heard anything from that! Frustrating, sort of.) I remember covers of the Band and nice version of Ellington & Strayhorn's "Do Nothing 'Till You Hear from Me" sung by keyboard player Bob Andrews.

And just what are (is?) the Rumour doing these days, anyway? Was it Brinsley Schwarz who was married to Judy Carne of "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" fame?

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 4:55 pm

Did anyone ever actually see Martin Belmont when 'covering' for the injured Nieve in 1980? I guess it was only in the UK. I'm not the only one here with a tape of the London Hope and Anchor recording that was on the BBC. Would have been an interesting gig. Squeezing Out Sparks is one of those LPs that I loved at the time it was out, and haven't played in at least 15 years. Better go find it...

martinfoyle · Post by **martinfoyle** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 6:01 pm

As I recall, it wasn't as great as HW or SOS, but certainly had it's highlights including "Playhouse" which is an f'n great song (not written by Parker. Was it an old soul tune, or what?).

-Ann Peebles original of 'Tear..' can be found on this,
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de ... c&n=507846

And has anyone else heard heard any of the Rumour's old albums? I haven't heard them in years but they weren't half bad...I suspect a LOT better than the Attractions album was! (Though I STILL haven't heard anything from that! Frustrating, sort of.) I remember covers of the Band and nice version of Ellington & Strayhorn's "Do Nothing 'Till You Hear from Me" sung by keyboard player Bob Andrews

-Here's a link to details about a compilation of tracks from The Rumours much underrated albums. BTW, you're right, they're miles better than the Attraction's album.

http://www.unionsquaremusic.co.uk/title ... LABEL_ID=3

bobster · Post by **bobster** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 7:17 pm

Thanks beaucoup MF for the links -- I'm a bit of a technopeasant (not one for those $$ saving, larcenous downloads I!), so I only heard a second or two snippet of the song -- but enough to get the flavor. Think I may have heard this before once or twice. Gotta say, I think GP actually improved it.

Re: the Rumour. Fascinating, memory jogging, stuff...and a A. Bodnar/S. Nieve/P. Thomas concept album? Anyone ever heard (of) this? The mind boggles

...And it's sort of like the original Imposters...not to disparage Davey Faragher, but wonder why Bodnar didn't get that job! (Sort of an obvious B. Thomas replacement, when you think that he actually layed down those awesome bass lines on the album version of "Watching the Detectives" -- possibly spurring Bruce Thomas to one-up him on some of those great live versions from that time.)

ice nine · Post by **ice nine** » Thu Aug 14, 2003 10:42 pm

Thanks all for the input all!

Rope - I've listened to Burning....... twice now and it is good. One song sounds like Dylan, one sounds like John Hiatt, and, my favorite on the album, 'Here It Comes Again', sounds as if it would not be out of place on a Elvis Costllo bonus track album.

ice nine · Post by **ice nine** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 12:01 am

Rope,

I forgot to answer your question about where and how much I paid for the cd. I purchased it from my local new/used cd store around the corner from my apartment for $2.50. I also purchased a copy of So for $6.00.

Mike Boom · Post by **Mike Boom** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 1:41 am

Due to my irrational need to "one up" the Bobster I feel I must reveal that my copy of "the Pink Parker" (on pink vinyl of course) was in fact stolen by a one legged Gypsy Queen on a foggy morning sometime in early 82.

Oh and we cant forget Heat Treatment either - great record.

Jackson Doofster · Post by **Jackson Doofster** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 2:17 am

Graham Parker I love.

I don't think that Burning Questions is over produced personally. It's one of my favourites, as are:

Squeezing Out Sparks
Human Soul
Struck by Lightning (his classic I think)
12 Haunted Episodes
Mona Lisa's Sister

GP should have been a star. He writes great songs, plays brilliant music and comes across as sincere in his beliefs.........something sadly missing from many of my musical heros.

El Vez · Post by **El Vez** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 8:04 am

GP is every bit as talented as Costello, Dylan, Tom Waits and all the others for whom I hold the highest respect for as songwriters. Graham was big for about a year when he was one of the last "New Dylans" and like John Prine, the first great "New Dylan," he has been hamstrung by lousy record label bullshit. If John Hammond, Sr. had not believed in Uncle Robert after the poor reception of his first album then things might have been a lot different. He could have been dropped, picked up by Vanguard or some other small, low-budget folk label and had all the cultural impact of Phil Ochs. If Randy Newman had not been so fortunate as to land on quirky, artist-friendly Reprise at the very height of its quirky, artist-friendliness (Van Dyke Parks, anyone!?) and have a friend in Lenny Waronker then we would have NEVER gotten Good Old Boys.

Graham hit one out of the park with his debut (produced by Lowe), floundered for a bit to recapture the momentum (the "New Dylan" curse) before releasing the classic Squeezing Out Sparks and I think he probably had such a bad experience with Mercury that playing for the majors looked like an endless nightmare to him.

ReadyToHearTheWorst · Post by **ReadyToHearTheWorst** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 9:05 am

You Can't Be Too Strong makes me cry every time, but I'm ashamed to say that I lost sight of GP after The Up Escalator .

I'll have to (re)check him out.

A rope leash · Post by **A rope leash** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 5:20 pm

I own a couple of CD anthologies, as well as some CDs and tapes of the usual Graham Parker stuff. I don't really know the history, but it seems like the earlier stuff was pretty raw compared to the later mix. Isn't that The Rumour playing with Elvis on Live at the Macambo?

They might have mistaken him with Graham Parsons if they thought he was dead.

On Burning Questions I like:

Short Memories
Love is a Burning Question
Worthy of your Love

My The Up Escalator tape is totally trashed, and this stuff is really hard to find used around these parts. If you like it, it's all good.

Well, except maybe They Murdered the Clown!

girl out of time · Post by **girl out of time** » Fri Aug 15, 2003 9:59 pm

G.P. albums........my faves

-live alone in japan.........great acoustic performances!
-that´s when you know......early stuff
-haunted episodes
-deepcut to nowhere
-struck by lightning

A rope leash · Post by **A rope leash** » Sat Aug 16, 2003 9:16 am

...another one I like from Burning Questions is Long Stem Rose:

I wonder where you are, who knows
in another bed I suppose
lying like a long stem rose...

Is Parker big in South America?

girl out of time · Post by **girl out of time** » Sat Aug 16, 2003 7:39 pm

no rope he is not.....

bobster · Post by **bobster** » Sun Aug 17, 2003 9:58 pm

The power of "You Can't Be Too Strong" is heightened by the fact that it's pretty firmly a song against abortion, yet I suspect that all but the most strident pro-choice people (and I'm definitely in that camp), would object to it.

Even if I disagree with the conclusion that Parker made (he's said in at least one interview that he pretty much feels that abortion is murder), I can't argue with the song's brutal honesty. One of the best songs I've ever heard.

A rope leash · Post by **A rope leash** » Sun Aug 17, 2003 10:47 pm

I did not realize the song was about that. Now I see it.

Another song I like from Squeezing Out Sparks is Love Gets You Twisted.

girl out of time · Post by **girl out of time** » Sun Aug 17, 2003 11:42 pm

top 10 G.P. songs

temporary beauty
that´s what they all say (the acoustic version)
anniversary
you can´t be too strong
back in time
last stop is nowhere
the beating of another heart
devil´s sidewalk
gypsy blood
strong winds

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